The 2025 Netball Super League season has introduced a rule that will change close games forever: no match can end in a draw. If scores are level after 60 minutes, two 5-minute periods of extra time will be played, with a one-minute break between them. If still tied, play continues until one team establishes a two-goal lead.
This is high-stakes netball. Are your players ready for it?
Understanding the Rules
The structure is straightforward:
- Regulation: 60 minutes (4 x 15-minute quarters)
- Extra time (if tied): Two 5-minute periods with 1-minute half-time
- Extended extra time (if still tied): Play continues until a team leads by 2 goals
The Super Shot rule applies during extra time, adding another layer of tactical complexity. Centre passes alternate as normal. The team that wins gets 3 points; the loser gets 0.
The New Points System
The NSL has also changed the points allocation:
- Win: 3 points
- Loss by 5 goals or fewer: 1 point
- Loss by more than 5 goals: 0 points
This means extra time carries enormous weight. A draw that would have given both teams 1 point now produces a winner with 3 points and a loser with 0 (unless it was already close). The stakes are higher than ever.
Physical Preparation
Extra time demands fitness. Players must maintain execution quality in potentially the 70th or 75th minute of play. Traditional 60-minute conditioning isn't enough.
Extend training games. Run scrimmages that go beyond normal match length. Players need to experience decision-making and skill execution when genuinely fatigued.
Interval conditioning. Extra time is high-intensity bursts separated by brief recovery. Design fitness work that replicates this pattern - repeated efforts with incomplete rest.
Simulation sessions. Occasionally simulate extra time scenarios in training. After a full scrimmage, announce "scores are level" and play on. This normalises the experience.
Tactical Preparation
Substitution Strategy
You can't save substitutions for extra time if you haven't won regulation. The balance is keeping your best players fresh enough to perform in extra time while not losing the game in the fourth quarter.
Consider which players are best suited to high-pressure, fatigued conditions. Mental resilience and composure may matter more than pure skill in extra time.
Super Shot Strategy
The Super Shot applies in extra time. A single two-goal conversion can swing a game. Have a clear plan for Super Shot usage during these periods - and ensure your best long-range shooter is on court.
Extended Extra Time Awareness
If the game reaches "next two goals wins" territory, tactics simplify. Every possession is sudden death. Turnovers become catastrophic. Train your team to play with maximum care and composure in these moments.
Psychological Preparation
Extra time is as much mental as physical. Players who've never experienced it can freeze. Players who've practiced it perform.
Visualisation. Have players mentally rehearse extra time scenarios. What does it feel like to take a shot with the game on the line? To defend knowing one mistake could end it?
Positive framing. Extra time isn't a crisis - it's an opportunity. You've earned the chance to win a game that was on the edge. The team that sees extra time as exciting rather than terrifying has an advantage.
Process focus. In pressure moments, outcome focus ("we must score") creates tension. Process focus ("see the target, trust the technique") creates flow. Train your players to narrow attention to the next action, not the consequences.
Managing the One-Minute Break
Between extra time periods, you have one minute. This isn't long enough for complex tactical changes. Use it wisely:
- Hydration and physical recovery
- One or two key messages maximum
- Energy and encouragement
- Reminder of process focus
What you don't want is panicked tactical reinvention. Keep it simple, keep it positive, keep it short.
Learning from Experience
As the season progresses, some teams will accumulate extra time experience. Each situation is a learning opportunity:
- What worked? What didn't?
- Which players performed under pressure?
- What would you do differently?
Document these lessons. They'll inform future preparation and give your team an edge in subsequent close games.
The Competitive Advantage
Many teams will neglect extra time preparation, focusing only on 60-minute netball. The teams that practice extra time scenarios, condition for extended play, and psychologically prepare their players will win more close games.
In a competition where points are precious, turning potential draws into wins could be the difference between finals and missing out. Prepare accordingly.
Where to Go Next
Prepare your team for the demands of extra time with these resources:
- Fitness Drills - Build endurance for extended play
- Shooting Drills - Maintain accuracy under fatigue
- Session Plans - Complete conditioning sessions
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