New rules to be trialled at ANZ Championship Shootout

New rules to be trialled at ANZ Championship Shootout

New rules will be trialled during the 2016 ANZ Championship Pre-Season Shootout being played simultaneously at The Trusts Arena, Auckland and Sydney Olympic Park from 18-20 March.

A three-point scoring zone and rolling interchange are among the rules that will be trialled during shortened games, consisting of two 10-minutes halves, to be played on Sunday afternoon in both cities.

Fans will also be able to watch all of Sunday’s action live with SKY Sport in New Zealand and FOX SPORTS in Australia broadcasting all seven hours of netball back-to-back across both countries.

Each team will play two games under Sunday’s trial conditions with the top two teams in each city, based on the results of those matches, to then feature in a Final to determine the winners of the Auckland and Sydney Shootouts.

“TTNL are committed to ensuring the 2016 ANZ Championship once again excites and inspires audiences across Australia and New Zealand, building on the success of the 2015 season,” ANZ Championship General Manager Andy Crook said.

“The Sydney and Auckland Shootout’s will provide the perfect lead in to Round 1 and we believe the trialling of such rules as the three-point `super shot’ will create interest and a great spectacle for the crowds and TV audiences as stand-out long distance shooters such as Maria Tutaia, Erin Bell, Jodi Brown, Jo Harten and Natalie Medhurst show off skills unique only to netball.

“As the sport moves forward into 2016 and beyond, it is vital to trial rule innovations that will continue to develop netball as a premium entertainment product. The Shootout provides the perfect platform for the innovations to be trialled in a word-class environment.”

Sydney will host the NSW Swifts, Melbourne Vixens, West Coast Fever, Central Pulse and Mainland Tactix.

The Trusts Arena will welcome the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic, Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel, SKYCITY Mystics, Adelaide Thunderbirds and reigning champions The Coffee Club Queensland Firebirds in the first time since 2012 that New Zealand has hosted the event.

Each team will play six games during the three-day tournament with the full draws available on the ANZ Championship website www.anz-championship.com

Tickets are now on sale for the ANZ Championship Pre-Season Shootout at The Trusts Arena through Eventfinda while tickets to Sydney can be purchased via Ticketek.

ENDS

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