Two-point Strategies Key In Pulse Build-up

Faced with the introduction of rule innovations, pre-season fine-tuning has included an extra dynamic for players and coaches ahead of this year’s ANZ Premiership netball league.

Coming into play for the last five minutes of each quarter, the two-point shot is the most significant of the four key changes, requiring a different strategy in the pursuit of added points, accuracy from range and the potential to dramatically change the course of a match.

``I think it’s levelled out the playing field for the competition because we don’t know how everyone’s going to play these two-point strategies, whether they’re going to go for it, who’s their strength on court in that area….. it could make everything look a lot different,’’ Te Wānanga o Raukawa Pulse coach Anna Andrews-Tasola said.

``So, we’re very open-minded and looking forward to learning through these pre-season games and how to strategise against each team.’’

Other changes include a coach’s box allowing for more direct engagement with players, one timeout per half for each team, and live umpire audio which will offer audiences greater insight into officiating decisions.

The Pulse have had just the one formal opportunity of testing out their two-point capabilities and strategies during their opening pre-season match against the Giants in Sydney last week and will get further insight when they meet the Mystics in Auckland tomorrow (Wednesday) evening.

In Sydney, the match was played under Australian rules where shooters need to be three metres away from the goalpost for shots to be doubled. In this year’s ANZ Premiership, shooters will have to be at least 3.5 metres away from the post for a shot to be worth two-points, the same as FAST5.

``For the Mystics game, the focus for us is working through and settling combinations but also the two-point strategy and what that looks like because the circle is 50cm longer than the rules played in Australia, so it’s different again, for us,’’ Andrews-Tasola said.

``So, yes, while we did play the two-point shot range over in Australia it is longer for us here in New Zealand and we have to adapt and figure out our strategies around that.’’

Going in with vastly different preparations, the Pulse being in week four of their pre-season preparations and the Giants in week 20, the Pulse coach was happy with their first formal hit-out.

``It was very beneficial for us to be able to play against a really experienced team who have been playing the two-point shot for a long time and getting some learnings on that element,’’ she said.

``I was really proud of the effort we put out there and especially the improvements that we made for the second game.

``What was really pleasing was that we know we can compete after being over there and it has really inspired us to be better. We were very realistic about where were placed. That was our first outing, so being able to learn from them after they’d done all their pre-season prep was very beneficial for us.’’

With eight of last year’s team back in yellow, sparkling midcourter Ainsleyana Puleiata has made a welcome return in 2025 after a horror run of injuries, enduring three anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures in six years (2017 – 2023), and along with young replacement defender Laura Balmer had lengthy and encouraging court minutes in Sydney.

The Pulse play the opening game of the 2025 season against the Magic in Palmerston North on May 10.

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