Season could go on into November

THE Super Netball season due to start today and end in August could now potentially finish as late as November.

A March decision postponed the start until at least June 30 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Two games at Melbourne Arena today and a grand final rematch between defending champions NSW Swifts and previous two-time title winners Sunshine Coast Lightning at Sydney’s Ken Rosewall Arena tomorrow, were part of the draw for the first of 14 minor premiership rounds.

“Now that the date is here, it’s a strange feeling not preparing for round one,” Suncorp Super Netball chief executive Chris Symington said.

Netball Australia and the SSN are in full return-to-action planning ahead of key government deadlines and haven’t ruled out returning before June 30.

“The factors that drive our decision-making are potentially different to some of the bigger codes,” Symington said.

“We have international athletes who are overseas, so there’s some different factors involved for us in terms of how quickly we can pull the trigger.

“But clearly if the restrictions lift and the borders open up and it becomes a more open environment, then we’ll just keep pushing to get back as soon as we can.”

Six players from England and South Africa have returned to their respective home countries, with Lightning and Adelaide Thunderbirds the most affected.

Symington stressed he wasn’t looking at a final date by which time the season had to start or be scrapped.

“We probably looked at it a little differently and said ‘what’s the time frame we need to have it finished by?’” he said.

“We’ve been doing a lot of our modelling for a November end date as an endpoint, not necessarily wanting to go into December, and then working back from there.”