'Above and beyond': Netballers score payrise amid turbulent season
Super Netball players will receive at least 90 per cent of their full salary from the start of the competition in August until the end of the 2020 contract period on November 30, giving them a pay boost.
In March it was agreed that players in the Australian league would only receive 30 per cent of their salaries in order to reduce the financial impact of COVID-19 and this was lifted to 70 per cent in June.
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That was originally scheduled to last until the end of the agreement but has been upped in the new pay deal.
The league, teams and Australian Netball Players' Association (ANPA) worked together to hammer out the new figures, plus two additional months of health insurance allowance for October and November.
Super Netball chief executive Chris Symington said he was pleased to be able to reward the players for their sacrifices this season, which has involved all teams relocating to Queensland to ensure the competition went ahead from August 1.
"Our players have gone above and beyond this year to deliver what has been an extraordinary season, so the league and teams are pleased to be able to agree on this final payment outcome with the playing group," Symington said in a statement.
"We appreciate all the sacrifices that our players have made in order to make this season happen and the maturity at which they have approached these discussions.
"It's a credit to the success of the season that we were able to make this final update to the agreement."
There's one regular round of the competition followed by three weeks of finals, including the title decider in Brisbane on October 18.
Aussie netball furore over Indigenous star's 'snub'
Sue Gaudion has questioned why Super Netball’s only Indigenous player was left on the bench for the entirety of her match in the league’s Indigenous round.
Jemma Mi Mi didn’t see a single second of action as the Queensland Firebirds beat the Melbourne Vixens 64-58 on Sunday.
As the match was winding down and the Firebirds had victory assured, coach Roselee Jencke appeared to try to get Mi Mi on at wing attack for Lara Dunkley.
However without a stoppage to allow a substitution, Mi Mi was left awkwardly pacing the sideline.
In commentary for Channel Nine, Gaudion suggested Dunkley should have just walked off.
“Lara Dunkley looking across to Jemma Mi Mi,” Gaudion said.
“I know she’s only a youngster, but if it was me I’d walk off the court and let Mi Mi come on. Not to be.”
Fellow Aussie legend Liz Ellis agreed with the comments.
“I guess we still haven’t got this fully right,” Gaudion wrote on Twitter after the match.
“Look it would be great to see her on the court and sadly even at the end the opportunity was missed.
“But at the same time the Firebirds had plenty to play for and that win will be attributed as much to Mi Mi even with her not on the court.”
With Yahoo Sport Australia/Sam Goodwin
