Super Netball Agrees New Player Pay Deal Before Full Training Starts

The Suncorp Super Netball League and the Australian Netball Players’ Association (ANPA) have agreed to the next phase of a player pay deal for 2020.

This deal comes ahead of the start of full pre-season training this coming Monday, and will see players that are normally paid below $61,007 receive JobKeeper payments, and players above the threshold receive 70 per cent of their salary, from June 22 until September 30, with the Super Netball season set to start August 1.

Suncorp Super Netball CEO, Chris Symington, said the league is excited to start full training and the season now the final phase of player pay cuts have been locked in for 2020.

“From the beginning of this pandemic, we have had open and honest discussions with our eight clubs, the playing group, and the ANPA,” Symington said.

“We thoroughly appreciate how collaborative this cohort has been throughout these negotiations and it’s a credit to the sport that we’ve landed where we have.

“A further review of this agreement will be completed after round seven, taking into account any reforecasting of revenue and expenses, to assess if any modifications need to be made to the current agreement.

“But until then, it’s exciting that all eight teams will be back to full training on Monday and that we’re less than seven weeks out from the first centre pass of 2020,” he said.

ANPA CEO, Kathryn Harby-Williams, said the period of uncertainty due to COVID-19 has been challenging, but the playing group is excited to start the season with the pay deal finalised.

“Whilst it has been an extremely challenging period for the playing group, they are extremely excited that a season start date is on the horizon,” Harby-Williams said.

“Locking in August 1 allowed us to focus on finalising the pay deal, which, as always, was tackled by the ANPA Board, delegates and players with the utmost consideration and respect to the sport and its stakeholders.

“I’d particularly like to acknowledge the higher paid players who have sacrificed the most but without complaint.

“Let the games begin!” she said.

Other aspects of the new pay agreement include players being paid two additional months of health insurance allowance for October and November, along with all international players paid the same rate as Australian players, despite not qualifying for the JobKeeper allowance.