By Stephanie Smarrelli
Netballers from around the world will return to Christchurch this month to compete in the Fast5 Netball World Series.
And for our Aussies, they’ve got their sights on winning a third series in a row.
But this year will be a little different...
The rules have changed.
So, will our Aussies still be able to bring home the gold or will another nation rise to the occasion?
Here's everything you need to know about the event.
KEY DEETS
Some of the world’s top netball nations are going to go head-to-head for Fast5 glory on November 9 and 10. The Australian women’s team will play New Zealand, Jamaica, England, South Africa, and Uganda while the men will face New Zealand and South Africa.
The Aussies have won the last two Fast5 Netball World Series events.AUSSIE TEAM
Australia’s netball young guns make up the team with the side headlined by Lucy Austin and Kim Jenner both returning for their third series.
The Aussies will have plenty of firepower in defence with Ruby Bakewell-Doran and Rudi Ellis joining Jenner while Teigan O’Shannassy has been named as a reserve.
In the midcourt, SSN dual-premiership player Tayla Williams will rotate through centre with Lightning speedster Leesa Mi Mi and Vixen Zara Walters. Amy Sligar has been named as the sides’ midcourt reserve.
While in the spotlight to slot all the long bombs will be Austin joined by Thunderbirds teammate Lauren Frew, long-range specialist Reilley Batcheldor and GIANT Matisse Letherbarrow. Supporting them as a reserve will be Sophie Fawns.
Find out who has been selected on the Australian Men's team here.
RULE SHAKE UP
Fast5 is different from traditional netball with matches only 24 minutes long and split into six-minute quarters. There are three different scoring zones with goals shot from outside the goal circle worth three and inside the goal circle split into two and one goal zones.
Each team is only allowed five players on the court at once – they play without a wing attack and wing defence.
Unlimited substitutions are allowed throughout match play from the substitution box.
After a goal is scored, unlike traditional netball, the centre pass is taken by the team who did not score the last goal regardless of whether or not they took the last centre pass.
The Power Play is one of the biggest differences between the traditional form of netball and Fast5.
The Power Play is a gamechanger.This year’s Fast5 Netball World Series will trial a longer Power Play, the time extending from the final 90 seconds of each quarter to the final two minutes of each quarter.
During the Power Play all goals scored from the two-point or three-point zone will be worth double. This has changed from previous years where one-point shots were worth two points, this time the competition is trialing one-point shots staying worth one point during the Power Play to incentivise teams to shoot from a longer range.
The other rule the series is trialing this year is called ‘using possession’. This rule dictates that once the ball has progressed out of one third towards the goal of the attacking team it can not be passed back into that third by the attacking team. Meaning teams will not be able to run the clock down by passing the ball back and forth between thirds.
FIXTURE AND WHERE TO WATCH
Australia's Fast5 team will hit the court in their first match against Uganda while the men's team will face South Africa.
Australia will then play South Africa before the men's team takes on New Zealand. At the end of day one the Australian team will come up against New Zealand.
On day two of competition, Australia's first match will be against Jamaica followed by England before the finals.
Fans can watch the series live and free on 7Plus.
View the Australian fixture below and the full fixture here.
