Bianca Chatfield column: How controversial supershot could work on netball’s world stage

The supershot is here to stay, with both England and New Zealand introducing two-point powerplays to their 2025 seasons.

But does that mean it’s inevitable to be brought into the international game?

I can see so many people shaking their heads and not wanting that.

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I know I’m probably going to get shut down for even thinking this but could the Commonwealth Games be the competition where the supershot is brought in, and then keep World Cup as a traditional game?

I don’t think it’s out of the question.

Diamonds coach Stacey Marinkovich has already declared she is not a fan.

“It does add different strategies (to the game) – but I still do like the traditional way the game is played,” she said on Fox Netball’s Pivot.

There’s an argument for both introducing a two-point option into the international game and refusing it – I personally think when the game unfolds at the highest level under the traditional format, it produces extraordinary moments of tension and brilliance that is unique to our sport.

Having to do the work, and the hard work to score just one goal – nothing else like it.

But if the supershot has gone global at domestic level, is it an option? Or possibly being considered for something like the Commonwealth Games, or even an international series?

I’d love to see a champions trophy tournament of the premiers from every major league (now they are all playing by similar rules). The World Cup you can’t touch. It has to be the purest form of the game, so I’m by no means suggesting that.

When you watch Super Netball, as much as the supershot was such a controversy at the start – and there’s still many people who aren’t for it – you can see the entertainment value that it brings to the game. I hear it in every stadium around the country when a supershot is scored during the season.

Other competitions have seen what the supershot brings to the game – and now they’ve signed up.

There are so many similarities now between Super Netball and the new competition England has set up – National Super League (NSL).

Super Netball has been a success for Netball Australia when they made the brave and bold move to distance themselves from the jointly owned with New Zealand – ANZ Championship. At the time there were many questions around if it was the right move? But from then, each year on year, you’ve seen Super Netball continuing to grow, crowds packing out stadiums week on week.

New Zealand on the other hand, I’m surprised they are bringing the supershot in. They have always been dead against it, I wonder what has changed their minds?

With only a glimpse from across the Tasman, you get the feeling there are so many unknowns for them and their future with the ANZ Premiership. They can see what is happening over here, has it affected shooters ability to shoot long? Has it affected the dominance of the Diamonds preparation? They must be keen to add the commercial angle the supershot brings and try and find the edge to keep them progressing forward in all facets of the game.

The supershot does bring a whole different level of excitement when you see a tall shooter who never attempts a long shot, nail the two points – it brings the house down, especially when someone like a Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard in that Perth Arena manages add that to her already impressive skill set. She’s been attempting more and more every season.

It has really changed the recruiting and the pathways and what that looks like for a traditional shooter too.

I think it’s given people who might not have got a spot in the Super Netball contracted 10 the opportunity because they have that long-range shot as part of their weaponry.

While Marinkovich says her concern is defenders get a “raw end of the deal” with the two-point play, I’ve loved watching the tactics and strategy behind the moves to stop the long shot.

There’s that huge mental plan that adds to a defender’s game – the more pressure and intimidation you can put on, the harder it is for the shooting end, so I love to see how that plays out in the powerplay period.

I think it’s something we need to give defenders more credit for when they can eliminate some of the supershots taken.

Coaches are using different combinations in that two-point period too. If you need to clog up that arc and dare them to shoot or put your tall defenders on to make sure you’ve got rebounders.

Don’t underestimate the amount of time tactically spent defensively on this one.

Strategizing each team’s make up – I think it has added something to the defensive game, albeit exhausting for them.

In the end, whether teams use it or not – it’s an option. You can’t say it’s the only option, when the Thunderbirds who use it the least have won the last two years. But it’s an option they can use.

As do plenty of teams when they have their backs against the wall and still can mathematically win, alas, they often do if they have a sharp supershot shooter on the court to inject in.

It’s worth noting the three teams who used the supershot most in 2024 are the three teams who finished in the bottom three spots on the table.

So will we see it internationally? I say watch this space.