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Super Netball Expansion Delayed to 2028; Round 5 Results Reported

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Super Netball Expansion Delayed Until 2028

Netball Australia has announced a delay to its planned expansion of the Super Netball competition, with the addition of two new teams now targeted for the 2028 season instead of 2027.

The organization cited ongoing television rights negotiations and the scheduling of the 2027 Netball World Cup in Sydney as reasons for the postponement. The announcement follows the conclusion of Round 5 of the 2026 season.

League Expansion Status

Netball Australia initiated a formal process to expand the league from eight to ten teams by calling for expressions of interest (EOI) in late 2025. The submission deadline was February 2026.

A statement from Netball Australia confirmed that expansion "is not feasible for 2027," but the organization remains "committed to exploring and evaluating opportunities for future growth."

Netball Australia Chair Liz Ellis stated the organization is working with independent assistants to evaluate proposals and noted the process involves significant cost considerations, including providing more player contracts.

Reported Interested Parties

Multiple sources, including ABC Sport, report that four main parties are advancing in the EOI process:

  • The Newcastle Knights (NRL club)
  • Netball Tasmania
  • Sports Entertainment Network (SEN), owner of the Melbourne Mavericks
  • The Geelong Football Netball League (GFNL)

SEN holds a guaranteed right of first refusal for a new license as part of its 2023 acquisition of Collingwood's license. Both SEN and the GFNL declined to comment when contacted by media.

Other entities, including the Gold Coast Titans and Netball ACT, expressed past interest but did not submit formal proposals in this cycle. According to a Radio New Zealand report, Netball New Zealand and its ANZ Premiership franchises explored joining Super Netball but ruled it out as financially unviable.

Further updates on the expansion process are expected in May 2026.

Broadcast and Financial Context

The current broadcast agreement with Fox Sport, signed in 2021, was reported to be worth $35 million and was supported by a federal government grant. That deal expires after the 2026 season.

  • Netball Australia reported the average audience per match was 57,000 in 2024.
  • Chair Liz Ellis indicated a goal for Super Netball to return to free-to-air television in some capacity for the 2027 season, potentially in a partnership with Fox Sport, to increase the sport's reach.

Multiple sources indicate that players are not expected to take a pay cut even if the next broadcast deal is worth the same or less than the previous one. According to these reports, any financial shortfall would need to be covered by the league or individual clubs.

Round 5 Match Results

The fifth round of the 2026 Super Netball season concluded with the following results:

  • Melbourne Vixens defeated NSW Swifts 66-59.
  • Adelaide Thunderbirds defeated GIANTS Netball 56-54.
  • Melbourne Mavericks defeated Sunshine Coast Lightning 62-53.
  • West Coast Fever defeated Queensland Firebirds 58-54.

The total goal difference across all four matches was 22 goals.

Player Movement and Milestones

A trend of teams signing retired players as temporary injury or pregnancy replacements continued in the 2026 season.

  • Romelda Aiken-George, 37, joined the West Coast Fever as a pregnancy replacement player for Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard. In Round 5, she played her 250th national league game. In the previous round, she scored 67 goals, which was reported as a new individual record for a national league game.
  • Katrina Rore joined the NSW Swifts as an injury replacement for Sarah Klau. In her first game, she was recorded as having three gains, two intercepts, one rebound, one deflection, and one pick-up.

NSW Swifts coach Briony Akle stated the decision to call up Rore was influenced by the concurrent timing of the national under-17 and under-19 championships and a lack of available depth from team pathways, citing three ACL injuries among training partners.

Previous seasons have seen similar temporary returns by retired players including Casey Kopua (Giants), Nat Butler (Mavericks), and Verity Simmons (Swifts).