Netball: Have we been too quick to write off the two-point shot?

Silver Fern great Leigh Gibbs describes herself as a traditionalist and that's why, she argues, a two-point shot would be good for the seven-a-side game.

Gibbs, who represented the Silver Ferns from 1978 to 1987 played in an era when the two-point shot didn't exist at all.

In Christchurch this weekend the FAST5 Netball World Series is returning to the international scene for the first time since 2018.

FAST5 is a modified version of the game featuring five players-a-side, shorter games, and scoring zones that allow players to shoot from a two-point and three-point range.

The idea of introducing a two-point shot to the traditional, seven-a-side game often comes up for debate but the general consensus seems to be that FAST5 is the only place for it.

So why does Gibbs, who also coached the Silver Ferns, think it would be good for the game?

"It encourages shooters to shoot further out, it provides an opportunity if a team has that capacity and are maybe behind on the scoreboard to introduce that element into the game and utilize that range to get more points," Gibbs said.

She also believes the by-product is that it could reduce the amount of whistle in the game, which can be a turn off to potential fans.

Circle defenders will often double mark a high-volume goal shooter, the way the Australian defenders marked Silver Fern Grace Nweke in the Constellation Cup.

"It could reduce the amount of two on one type of defending against a tall shooter, which we saw in a recent series, which leads to congestion under the post and then that brings the umpire into it.

"Defenders have to consider how they defend a player who's going to shoot from further out and it increases the skill and need to work as a unit.

"They are going to have to go out and hunt the ball so we could see more intercepts and fewer penalties."

There are a lot of very tall shooters at the top level of the modern game. Shorter shooters just wouldn't survive.

The most obvious is Jamaica's Jhaniele Fowler at 198cm, who can put up as many as 60 shots a game, while her goal attack might put up half a dozen.

Gibbs believes that can make the game one dimensional.

"With a tall shooter, they shoot mostly close to the post. I must say with Jhaniele though she's grown her range and what's made her harder to defend is that she is prepared, if needed to shoot further out."

Gibbs believes introducing the two-point shot could also open the door more to different body shapes.

"That shorter, really mobile goal attack, who can be really accurate from further out, just brings a really exciting unpredictable element to our game."

The two-point shot was trialled in New Zealand way back in 2014 at the national under-19 and under-23 tournaments.

Gibbs believes the enthralling grand final finishes she saw first-hand could be attributed to the two-point shot.

"It was really captivating to see if they would go for the risk but high reward of the two-pointer, it's the ultimate game of cat and mouse."

Lack of evidence

The two-point shot was put forward for consideration while Gibbs served on World Netball's rules advisory panel (RAP).

But back in 2015 World Netball believed there wasn't enough evidence to make such a significant rule change.

"There needed to be more countries who had trialled it. New Zealand had trialled it and were quite favourable with that concept, however there weren't enough other countries that had so we really couldn't take it forward."

Gibbs said the other consideration the panel had at the forefront was - what was unique about netball and how could the sport maintain that uniqueness?

"The concern that netball is becoming like basketball would be a deterrent. Yes, the two-point shot is glimmers of basketball but the fact that only two players can shoot, and it's within the shooting circle anyway, kind of keeps the uniqueness."

Gibbs believes a two-point shot would not change the essence of the game.

If anything, she believes it would utilize some of netball's best skill sets.

"Ideally shoot up close if you get there, but also it doesn't matter because we've got shooters that can shoot long too and should get rewarded for it.

"And it's a game of space. Would we rather see defenders going for more intercepts or the constant body on body niggle that we currently get under the goal post?"

World Netball launched a rules review in June this year by welcoming member associations and World Netball technical panels to submit proposals for changes.

Final rule proposals will be presented at World Netball Congress in July next year.

World Netball said they couldn't disclose at this stage if any submissions put forward include a two-point shot.

Australia's Suncorp Super Netball competition introduced a two-point scoring zone for the last five minutes of each quarter in 2020.

For simplicity Gibbs believes it should be all or nothing for the whole game.

The hybrid set up in the Australian competition has also made it difficult to see what impact the rule has had on the game over there.

Statistics have been pretty inconclusive.

Some analysis came out earlier this year which found shooting accuracy had dropped from longer range since the two-point shot was introduced.

But it also found that could be attributed to the increased attempts taken in that area.

Like many, Gibbs also thinks the two-point shooting zone in the Australian competition is too close to the post and prefers the range that FAST5 uses for the inner zone.

A lot of Australian fans and some players were unhappy when the two-point shot was brought in.

Detractors say it's just not netball.

Ironically, Gibbs said back in her playing days Australia excelled at their long shots.

"We used to say they've just got to get their toenails inside the circle, and they'll shoot."

Competing with other codes

Gibbs was also on the international rules panel that developed FAST5.

World Netball wanted to develop a version of netball that would help bring spectators, funding, and television audience, and could be played over a short period of time.

"Cricket and rugby have benefited from having truncated versions of their game through Twenty-20 and sevens, because cricket could drag on for so long, and 15-aside rugby can be so stop-start."

She believes while FAST5 is exciting, traditional netball already meets those briefs.

"When you think of the court it's not big, the game is only 60 minutes anyway so for spectators they have kind of got that high-octane package already.

"I'm traditional in that I think seven-a-side is fine, we get plenty of action and there's lots of skills able to be demonstrated. The added flavour for me is the two-point shot."

Gibbs is Netball New Zealand's community coaching manager and is also on the Silver Ferns' selection panel.

"My two-point thing is not the view of Netball New Zealand, and I've been around this game long enough to form my opinion.

"I think we have to keep looking at how we can provide entertainment."

Silver Ferns' coach Dame Noeline Taurua has said she didn't want to see the two-point shot brought into the traditional game.

ANZ Premiership coaches are on the same page not least because they believe operating under international rules increases the Silver Ferns' chances at pinnacle events.

Silver Ferns' shooter Ameliaranne Ekenasio has backed the two-point shot in the past.

A lot of people you speak to in the netball community are noncommittal.

Assistant Silver Ferns' coach Deb Fuller is coaching this weekend's FAST5 Ferns team.

"It's really hard, I think that there's the traditionalists that do want the game played as it always has been with one point. It means that some teams are advantaged if they have long range accurate shooters.

"You have the traditional game and you have the FAST5 game. FAST5 is the opportunity where we can see long range accurate shooters going for those three pointers. I don't really have a call on that actually because I like both styles of the game," Fuller said.

One rule that has changed since the last FAST5 World Series is around the power play period.

In the past teams would nominate one quarter, where they would earn double points for shots sunk.

This weekend the power play will come into effect in the final 90 seconds of every six-minute quarter.

The FAST5 Ferns had a training game against South Africa this week.

"Really glad we did because the decision making and awareness that players have to have is super heightened when you know that both teams have 90 seconds that they can either mow down the lead or lose a lead."

Gibbs said while a two-point shot would be quite radical, historically netball has made adaptations.

"This is like the defenders now can defend at goal, which they couldn't in the 1960s. This is like going from nine to seven-a-side in the late 50s."

Gibbs said the sport had to be realistic that it was competing against other codes.

"It'll be interesting because I think a lot has changed in society since 2015, COVID has come along and we've got a lot more competition from other codes. So our game it needs to be entertaining as well as skilful."