Australian Netball League cancelled to stall Capital Darters return

Netball Australia confirmed it been forced to cancel the 2020 season due to finanical pressure and inconsistent restrictions between states and territories.

The Darters were slated to return to the second-tier competition in a move designed to give ACT-based players a pathway to the top level.

Netball ACT joined forces with the Sunshine Coast Lightning late last year to introduce a joint-venture team into the Super Netball feeder competition.

But now those plans are in danger of falling through as each ANL licence lasts one season and Netball Australia is reviewing its high performance structure.

Netball ACT manager Nicole Bowles is hopeful of extending their partnership with the Sunshine Coast through to next year, but only once they know what the 2021 season may look like.

"We're unsure of where the ANL is going to sit in 2021 and what it's going to look like, but we're keen to work with Netball Australia for the rest of the year," Bowles said.

"This tier is really a crucial pathway for athletes to come through, experience playing at a pre-elite level and be seen by Super Netball coaches. We see it as a really crucial step in our pathway so we're going to explore all options.

"We'll continue to work with the Sunshine Coast Lightning and explore all options with them.

"So many things are unknown at the moment, so we just need to take it one step at a time and look at what opportunities arise later this year before working through the process of 2021."

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Netball ACT will work with Sunshine Coast to provide training and development opportunities once restrictions ease to keep the playing group together in some form.

"We're disappointed not to be able to see them out on court and compete together this year," Bowles said.

"The team had their first training camp earlier this year and there was so much positive energy, they're such an amazing group of girls.

"We're really keen to explore opportunities with the Sunshine Coast to see what we can do together for this playing group and their development."

The ACT-based Darters will now shift their focus to the NSW Premier League season, with all six players spread across the two Capital Spirit teams.

Netball NSW has delayed the season's start to July 29 and has scheduled a warm-up round for the week prior, pending on government approval.

"The exciting thing for us is that we have secured a premier league franchise for this year and we know that season is going ahead," Bowles said.

"For those girls to compete weekly and still have that next level of netball is what we're really excited for. The Capital Spirit program now offers that for us."

The Spirit resumed training indoors at Lyneham Netball Centre this week as the ACT enters stage two of the government's COVID-19 Easing of Restrictions Roadmap.

Netball ACT is expected to announce their Return To Play plans and State League structure this week.