Netball: Evenly matched... draw rule playing a bigger role than expected

Maria Tutaia, captain of the Skycity Mystics, who have drawn two games this season. Photo / Jason Dorday

When transtasman league bosses announced at the beginning of the year that drawn results would stand in the ANZ Championship this season, the news was met with barely a raised eyebrow.

After all, how often would draws happen in a season? As it turns out, quite a bit.

The draw has emerged as one of the most contentious talking points in the league this season. An unprecedented six draws have been played in the first nine rounds.

It marks a dramatic increase in games that could not be decided at the end of four quarters.

The last round had another two draws - between the Central Pulse and the NSW Swifts in Wellington, and the Southern Steel and the Adelaide Thunderbirds in Dunedin.

The draw rule was introduced largely for the benefit of broadcasters, who were keen to protect television schedules.

Previously, drawn matches were decided by two extra time periods of seven minutes, and critics believe fans are being denied the excitement of overtime matches.

Over the first seven seasons of the competition, 18 games went into extra time.

But allowing the draw has an unlikely supporter in NSW Swifts coach Rob Wright, whose side has had three drawn results this season.

"I like the concept of the draw, but I don't like having draws, if that makes sense," said Wright.

"I feel it adds interest to the points table come the season end."

Theories have been floated on why there have been so many draws this year. Some claim the psychology for the players on court has changed now there is no overtime. The thinking is that the chasing team have more incentive to push hard in the final minutes knowing they have a chance to at least salvage a point from the match, when previously even if they levelled the score they would still face another 14 minutes of extra time in which to try to secure the points.

But Wright doesn't believe this is true of his own team, who chased down big deficits to secure draws against the Firebirds and Fever.

"They're absolute competitors and want to play to a result, and I know our players in particular saw every one of those draws as a loss.

"They were gutted they didn't get the win so I don't think there would be any thought that 'oh at least we're going to get a draw here'."

Instead, the Swifts mentor believes the increase in draws is a reflection of the closeness of the competition, as well as basic laws of momentum coming into effect.

"Momentum in sport is everything - sometimes teams get on those runs and in those very short periods of time it can be difficult to stop. I guess it comes down to a team having nothing to lose in that situation - they really do go for it. When you play with more freedom in your mind you tend to execute better."

ANZ Championship general manager Andy Crook said the draw rule was here to stay, despite opposition from players and fans.

"As far as we are concerned, it is going ahead next year," Crook told Melbourne's Herald-Sun newspaper.

"We can't have [televised] games running into other games or running into other content they have after netball. We might look at something in the future that does split it - like a penalty shootout or something - but at the moment [broadcast partners] are comfortable with the draw."

Drawn results 2015

Round 3
NSW Swifts 47 Queensland Firebirds 47
Adelaide Thunderbirds 51 Northern Mystics 51

Round 4
NSW Swifts 59 West Coast Fever 59

Round 6
Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic 45 Northern Mystics 45

Round 9
Central Pulse 47 NSW Swifts 47
Southern Steel 53 Adelaide Thunderbirds 53

Extra time games in previous seasons:

2008 4
2009 4
2010 2
2011 2
2012 1
2013 3
2014 2