2022 Netball Superleague season
The 2022 Netball Superleague season was the seventeenth season of the Netball Superleague, the elite domestic netball competition in the United Kingdom. Loughborough Lightning were the defending champions, as they won the 2021 season.[2] The season began on 5 February, and ended with the grand final on 5 June.
2022 Netball Superleague season | |
---|---|
League | Netball Superleague |
Sport | Netball |
Number of teams | 11 |
2022 Netball Superleague season | |
Season champions | Manchester Thunder |
Runners-up | Loughborough Lightning |
Season MVP | Layla Guscoth[1] |
Top scorer | Proscovia Peace[1] |
Manchester Thunder were the first team to qualify for the finals series, after they secured their place on 17 April.[3] Loughborough Lightning qualified for the final series on 2 May.[4] London Pulse qualified for the final series on 14 May.[5] Team Bath were the final team to qualify for the final series, doing so on 21 May.[6] The semi-finals took place on 3 June, with Manchester Thunder and Loughborough Lightning advancing to the grand final. Manchester Thunder beat Loughborough Lightning 60–53 in the final to win the competition, completing an unbeaten season and winning their fourth Superleague title.
Overview
Format
The fixture list for the 2022 Netball Superleague season was announced on 3 November 2021.[7] The season began on 5 February and the grand final is scheduled for 5 June.[8] The first fixtures were the "Season Opener" double-header weekend at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham on 5 and 6 February,[8] and the Rounds 13 and 14 fixtures were all held at one venue.[7]
In the league section, each team played every other team at home and away in the traditional format. In the 2021 season, all matches had been played at Studio 001 in Wakefield or the Copper Box Arena in London due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[9] Fans are expected to be allowed at all matches;[8] in the 2021 season, matches were held behind closed doors until round 17, and matches from then onwards were limited to 1,000 spectators.[10]
Teams
Team | Base |
---|---|
Celtic Dragons | Cardiff, Wales |
Leeds Rhinos | Leeds, West Yorkshire |
London Pulse | Stratford, Greater London |
Loughborough Lightning | Loughborough, Leicestershire |
Manchester Thunder | Manchester, Greater Manchester |
Saracens Mavericks | Hatfield, Hertfordshire |
Severn Stars | Worcester, Worcestershire |
Strathclyde Sirens | Glasgow, Scotland |
Surrey Storm | Guildford, Surrey |
Team Bath | Bath, Somerset |
Wasps | Coventry, West Midlands |
Source:[11]
Squads
Each team had a squad of 15 players, 12 of whom were registered players, and three training partners.[12][13] Of the 12 registered players, 10 of them were covered by the sport's salary cap.[12] A team's matchday squad could contain 12 players. Each team were permitted to sign two non-EU players and these players were not allowed to play in the same third of the court simultaneously.[12] The player signing window ran from 15 September to 15 October 2021.[12]
Celtic Dragons signed South African Lefébre Rademan from London Pulse, Annabel Roddy from Loughborough Lightning,[14] as well as Georgia Rowe and Nia Jones from Severn Stars, and both Katarina Short and Louise Marsden, who were unattached players.[15] Leeds Rhinos signed Amy Clinton from Celtic Dragons,[16] Rebekah Airey from Manchester Thunder and Sigi Burger from London Pulse.[15] London Pulse signed Jasmin Odeogberin from Loughborough Lightning, Berri Neil and Alicia Scholes from Manchester Thunder and both Tayla Honey and Sacha McDonald from Australian Suncorp Super Netball side Melbourne Vixens.[17] Loughborough Lightning signed England international player Fran Williams from Wasps,[18] and South African Zanele Vimbela, who missed the 2021 season through injury.[19]
Manchester Thunder signed international players Natalie Haythornthwaite, Shadine van der Merwe[20] and Emma Rayner.[15] Malawian Joyce Mvula resigned for the club on a two-year contract.[20] Saracens Mavericks signed Yasmin Hodge-England from Surrey Storm.[15] Severn Stars signed Cat Tuivaiti from Strathclyde Sirens, Katie Harris from Wasps, Michelle Drayne from London Pulse and Summer Artman from Team Bath.[15] Strathclyde Sirens signed Abby Tyrrell from Celtic Dragons.[15] Surrey Storm signed Ugandan captain Peace Proscovia from Australian club side Sunshine Coast Lightning.[21] Felistus Kwangwa, the first Zimbabwean to play in the Netball Superleague, resigned for Storm.[22] Team Bath signed Lily May Catling from Wasps, and Wasps signed Lauren Nicholls and Lucy Parize from Loughborough Lightning,[23] as well as Ellie Gibbons from Celtic Dragons.[15]
Table
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Manchester Thunder (Q) | 20 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 1385 | 1061 | +324 | 60 | Qualifying for the Finals series |
2 | Loughborough Lightning (Q) | 20 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 1227 | 1029 | +198 | 54 | |
3 | London Pulse (Q) | 20 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 1020 | 929 | +91 | 42 | |
4 | Team Bath (Q) | 20 | 12 | 0 | 8 | 1062 | 985 | +77 | 36 | |
5 | Saracens Mavericks | 20 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 1071 | 1073 | −2 | 27 | |
6 | Leeds Rhinos | 20 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 1019 | 1146 | −127 | 27 | |
7 | Surrey Storm | 20 | 8 | 0 | 12 | 1088 | 1163 | −75 | 24 | |
8 | Strathclyde Sirens | 20 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 970 | 1033 | −63 | 21 | |
9 | Wasps | 20 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 998 | 1068 | −70 | 21 | |
10 | Celtic Dragons | 20 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 955 | 1106 | −151 | 9 | |
11 | Severn Stars | 20 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 954 | 1156 | −202 | 9 |
League stage
Source:[25]
Rounds 1 & 2
The match between Leeds Rhinos and Loughborough Lightning was postponed, as Leeds Rhinos did not have 10 available players, due to injuries and COVID-19 cases.[26]
5 February | Loughborough Lightning | 61–50 | London Pulse | Resorts World Arena | |
12:00 |
5 February | Team Bath | 54–40 | Strathclyde Sirens | Resorts World Arena | |
13:45 |
5 February | Manchester Thunder | 79–53 | Celtic Dragons | Resorts World Arena | |
15:30 |
5 February | Wasps | 49–58 | Saracens Mavericks | Resorts World Arena | |
17:15 |
5 February | Surrey Storm | 56–47 | Severn Stars | Resorts World Arena | |
19:00 |
6 February | Wasps | 44–50 | Strathclyde Sirens | Resorts World Arena | |
12:45 |
6 February | London Pulse | 52–48 | Team Bath | Resorts World Arena | |
14:30 |
6 February | Celtic Dragons | 54–61 | Saracens Mavericks | Resorts World Arena | |
16:15 |
6 February | Severn Stars | 45–70 | Manchester Thunder | Resorts World Arena | |
18:00 |
29 April[lower-alpha 1] | Leeds Rhinos | 56–71 | Loughborough Lightning | Allam Sports Centre | |
19:00 |
Round 3
11 February | Saracens Mavericks | 53–51 | London Pulse | Hertfordshire Sports Village | |
19:00 |
11 February | Strathclyde Sirens | 43–45 | Leeds Rhinos | Emirates Arena | |
19:30 |
12 February | Manchester Thunder | 76–68 | Surrey Storm | Belle Vue | |
17:00 |
12 February | Loughborough Lightning | 65–37 | Celtic Dragons | Sir David Wallace Arena | |
18:00 |
12 February | Wasps | 54–45 | Severn Stars | Coventry Building Society Arena | |
19:00 |
14 February | Leeds Rhinos | 47–67 | Team Bath | English Institute of Sport, Sheffield | |
17:30 |
Round 4
18 February | Team Bath | 58–62 | Surrey Storm | Team Bath Arena | |
19:30 |
19 February | Celtic Dragons | 52–57 | Leeds Rhinos | Sport Wales National Centre | |
16:00 |
20 February | Severn Stars | 52–62 | Saracens Mavericks | University of Worcester Arena | |
15:00 |
21 February | Strathclyde Sirens | 60–71 | Manchester Thunder | Emirates Arena | |
17:30 |
21 February | London Pulse | 52–35 | Wasps | Copper Box Arena | |
19:00 |
21 February | Surrey Storm | 56–72 | Loughborough Lightning | Surrey Sports Park | |
19:30 |
Round 5
25 February | Strathclyde Sirens | 48–61 | Loughborough Lightning | Emirates Arena | |
19:30 |
26 February | London Pulse | 50–37 | Celtic Dragons | Copper Box Arena | |
14:00 |
26 February | Saracens Mavericks | 56–59 | Manchester Thunder | Hertfordshire Sports Village | |
16:00 |
26 February | Severn Stars | 45–48 | Team Bath | University of Gloucestershire Arena | |
18:00 |
26 February | Surrey Storm | 59–49 | Leeds Rhinos | Surrey Sports Park | |
18:00 |
28 February | Manchester Thunder | 71–51 | Wasps | Belle Vue | |
17:30 |
Round 6
4 March | Team Bath | 53–57 | Manchester Thunder | Team Bath Arena | |
19:30 |
5 March | London Pulse | 64–35 | Severn Stars | Copper Box Arena | |
14:00 |
5 March | Strathclyde Sirens | 59–57 | Surrey Storm | Emirates Arena | |
14:00 |
5 March | Loughborough Lightning | 71–47 | Saracens Mavericks | Sir David Wallace Arena | |
19:00 |
6 March | Leeds Rhinos | 44–43 | Wasps | First Direct Arena | |
16:00 |
7 March | Severn Stars | 42–58 | Celtic Dragons | University of Worcester Arena | |
17:30 |
Round 7
11 March | Severn Stars | 49–53 | Leeds Rhinos | University of Worcester Arena | |
19:00 |
11 March | Wasps | 60–37 | Celtic Dragons | Coventry Building Society Arena | |
19:30 |
12 March | London Pulse | 56–50 | Surrey Storm | Copper Box Arena | |
14:00 |
12 March | Saracens Mavericks | 48–45 | Strathclyde Sirens | Sir David Wallace Arena | |
15:00 |
12 March | Manchester Thunder | 69–45 | Leeds Rhinos | Manchester Arena | |
17:30 |
Round 8
13 March | Surrey Storm | 55–53 | Saracens Mavericks | Surrey Sports Park | |
13 March | Team Bath | 59–43 | Celtic Dragons | Team Bath Arena | |
13 March | Loughborough Lightning | 57–53 | Wasps | Sir David Wallace Arena | |
14 March | Team Bath | 44–53 | Loughborough Lightning | Team Bath Arena | |
17:30 |
14 March | London Pulse | 48–38 | Strathclyde Sirens | Copper Box Arena | |
19:00 |
Round 9
18 March | Strathclyde Sirens | 51–41 | Celtic Dragons | Emirates Arena | |
19:30 |
19 March | Saracens Mavericks | 51–53 | Leeds Rhinos | Hertfordshire Sports Village | |
16:00 |
19 March | Manchester Thunder | 51–48 | London Pulse | Belle Vue | |
17:00 |
19 March | Severn Stars | 56–70 | Loughborough Lightning | University of Gloucestershire Arena | |
18:00 |
19 March | Wasps | 62–50 | Team Bath | Coventry Building Society Arena | |
19:00 |
21 March | Surrey Storm | 67–59 | Wasps | Surrey Sports Park | |
17:30 |
Round 10
The matches between Team Bath and Saracens Mavericks and between Strathclyde Sirens and Severn Stars were postponed due to COVID-19 positive tests.[27]
26 March | Leeds Rhinos | 44–58 | London Pulse | EIS Sheffield | |
15:00 |
28 March | Loughborough Lightning | 61–66 | Manchester Thunder | Sir David Wallace Arena | |
17:30 |
28 March | Celtic Dragons | 53–54 | Surrey Storm | Sport Wales National Centre | |
19:00 |
29 April[lower-alpha 2] | Team Bath | 50–49 | Saracens Mavericks | Team Bath Arena | |
19:30 |
2 May[lower-alpha 2] | Strathclyde Sirens | 49–54 | Severn Stars | Emirates Arena | |
17:00 |
Round 11
2 April | London Pulse | 44–64 | Loughborough Lightning | Copper Box Arena | |
14:00 |
2 April | Strathclyde Sirens | 40–57 | Team Bath | Emirates Arena | |
14:00 |
2 April | Celtic Dragons | 50–59 | Manchester Thunder | Sport Wales National Centre | |
16:00 |
3 April | Surrey Storm | 68–52 | Severn Stars | Surrey Sports Park | |
16:00 |
4 April | Saracens Mavericks | 62–43 | Wasps | University of Essex Arena | |
17:30 |
4 April | Loughborough Lightning | 62–54 | Leeds Rhinos | Sir David Wallace Arena | |
19:00 |
Round 12
8 April | Surrey Storm | 41–66 | Team Bath | Surrey Sports Park | |
19:30 |
9 April | Saracens Mavericks | 37–29 | Celtic Dragons | Hertfordshire Sports Village | |
16:00 |
9 April | Manchester Thunder | 78–53 | Severn Stars | Belle Vue | |
17:00 |
11 April | Leeds Rhinos | 44–60 | Strathclyde Sirens | Allam Sports Centre | |
17:30 |
11 April | Team Bath | 62–41 | London Pulse | Team Bath Arena | |
19:30 |
Round 13
16 April | Loughborough Lightning | 57–54 | Surrey Storm | Resorts World Arena | |
13:00 |
16 April | Leeds Rhinos | 51–55 | Celtic Dragons | Resorts World Arena | |
14:45 |
16 April | Manchester Thunder | 73–51 | Strathclyde Sirens | Resorts World Arena | |
16:30 |
16 April | Wasps | 38–44 | London Pulse | Resorts World Arena | |
18:15 |
16 April | Saracens Mavericks | 58–44 | Severn Stars | Resorts World Arena | |
20:00 |
Round 14
17 April | Team Bath | 54–64 | Leeds Rhinos | Resorts World Arena | |
12:00 |
17 April | Celtic Dragons | 52–56 | Loughborough Lightning | Resorts World Arena | |
13:45 |
17 April | Surrey Storm | 50–80 | Manchester Thunder | Resorts World Arena | |
15:30 |
17 April | London Pulse | 53–46 | Saracens Mavericks | Resorts World Arena | |
17:15 |
17 April | Severn Stars | 56–47 | Wasps | Resorts World Arena | |
19:00 |
Round 15
Manchester Thunder's score of 88 points was a Netball Superleague record for most points in a match.[28]
23 April | Team Bath | 50–40 | Severn Stars | Team Bath Arena | |
16:00 |
23 April | Loughborough Lightning | 52–46 | Strathclyde Sirens | Sir David Wallace Arena | |
19:00 |
23 April | Wasps | 57–88 | Manchester Thunder | Coventry Building Society Arena | |
19:00 |
24 April | Wasps | 57–52 | Leeds Rhinos | Coventry Building Society Arena | |
17:00 |
25 April | Celtic Dragons | 49–52 | London Pulse | Sport Wales National Centre | |
17:30 |
Round 16
30 April | Severn Stars | 38–53 | London Pulse | University of Worcester Arena | |
18:00 |
30 April | Surrey Storm | 55–52 | Strathclyde Sirens | Surrey Sports Park | |
18:00 |
1 May | Wasps | 65–52 | Surrey Storm | Coventry Building Society Arena | |
16:00 |
2 May | Manchester Thunder | 66–45 | Team Bath | Belle Vue | |
17:30 |
2 May | Saracens Mavericks | 51–59 | Loughborough Lightning | Hertfordshire Sports Village | |
19:00 |
Round 17
6 May | Leeds Rhinos | 49–48 | Surrey Storm | Allam Sports Centre | |
19:00 |
7 May | Celtic Dragons | 57–51 | Severn Stars | Sport Wales National Centre | |
16:00 |
8 May | Strathclyde Sirens | 57–50 | Saracens Mavericks | Emirates Arena | |
14:00 |
8 May | Leeds Rhinos | 49–84 | Manchester Thunder | First Direct Arena | |
16:00 |
9 May | Loughborough Lightning | 52–46 | Team Bath | Sir David Wallace Arena | |
17:30 |
9 May | Celtic Dragons | 45–46 | Wasps | Sport Wales National Centre | |
19:30 |
Round 18
14 May | Saracens Mavericks | 54–50 | Surrey Storm | Hertfordshire Sports Village | |
14:00 |
14 May | Strathclyde Sirens | 41–57 | London Pulse | Emirates Arena | |
16:00 |
14 May | Wasps | 52–54 | Loughborough Lightning | Coventry Building Society Arena | |
19:00 |
15 May | Manchester Thunder | 61–53 | Saracens Mavericks | Belle Vue | |
17:00 |
16 May | Leeds Rhinos | 56–55 | Severn Stars | EIS Sheffield | |
17:30 |
16 May | Celtic Dragons | 44–49 | Team Bath | Sport Wales National Centre | |
19:00 |
Round 19
20 May | Team Bath | 43–41 | Wasps | Team Bath Arena | |
19:30 |
21 May | Leeds Rhinos | 62–58 | Saracens Mavericks | Allam Sports Centre | |
15:00 |
21 May | Celtic Dragons | 40–51 | Strathclyde Sirens | Sport Wales National Centre | |
16:00 |
21 May | Loughborough Lightning | 66–46 | Severn Stars | Sir David Wallace Arena | |
17:30 |
21 May | Surrey Storm | 38–45 | London Pulse | Surrey Sports Park | |
18:00 |
23 May | London Pulse | 50–59 | Manchester Thunder | Copper Box Arena | |
17:30 |
Round 20
27 May | Strathclyde Sirens | 41–42 | Wasps | Emirates Arena | |
19:30 |
28 May | London Pulse | 52–45 | Leeds Rhinos | Copper Box Arena | |
14:00 |
28 May | Saracens Mavericks | 46–59 | Team Bath | Hertfordshire Sports Village | |
16:00 |
28 May | Surrey Storm | 58–52 | Celtic Dragons | Surrey Sports Park | |
18:00 |
29 May | Severn Stars | 40–48 | Strathclyde Sirens | University of Worcester Arena | |
15:00 |
30 May | Manchester Thunder | 71–63 | Loughborough Lightning | Belle Vue | |
19:00 |
Finals series
Semi-finals
3 June | Manchester Thunder | 64–54 | Team Bath | Belle Vue | |
18:30 | Report Stats |
3 June | Loughborough Lightning | 56–44 | London Pulse | Sir David Wallace Arena | |
20:00 | Report Stats |
Third-place play-off
5 June | Team Bath | 36–32 | London Pulse | Copper Box Arena | |
14:00 | Report Stats |
Grand final
5 June 16:15 |
Report Stats |
Manchester Thunder | 60–53 | Loughborough Lightning | Copper Box Arena | |
Scoring by quarter: 20–8, 16–15, 10–14, 14–15 |
Notes
- Rearranged from 6 February.
- Rearranged from 25 March.
References
- "VNSL Awards 2022: Layla Guscoth wins Vitality Player of the Season". Netball Superleague. 8 June 2022. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
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- "Netball Superleague 2022: Loughborough Lightning secure semi-final spot". BBC Sport. 2 May 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
- "Pulse ensure top four with hard-fought Sirens victory". Vitality Netball Superleague. 14 May 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
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- "Vitality Netball Superleague 2022: Squads and signings". Sky Sports. 15 October 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
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- "Prolific points scorer Amy Clinton joins Leeds Rhinos Netball for 2022". Yorkshire Evening Post. 6 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
- "Vitality Netball Superleague: Sam Bird thrilled to announce dynamic London Pulse squad". Sky Sports. 5 October 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
- "Vitality Netball Superleague: Fran Williams joins Loughborough Lightning from Wasps". Sky Sports. 15 October 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
- "Vitality Netball Superleague: Zanele Vimbela joins Loughborough Lightning". Sky Sports. 11 October 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
- "Vitality Netball Superleague: Joyce Mvula joins Eleanor Cardwell back in Manchester Thunder's circle". Sky Sports. 30 September 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
- "Vitality Netball Superleague: Peace Proscovia returns to UK and joins Surrey Storm". Sky Sports. 1 October 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
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- "Fixtures & Results". Netball Superleague. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
- "Leeds Rhinos Netball Fixtures Versus Loughborough Lightning Postponed". Leeds Rhinos. 5 February 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
- "Netball Superleague 2022: Pulse beat Rhinos as two games postponed". BBC Sport. 26 March 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
- "Netball Superleague 2022: Wins for Team Bath & London Pulse as Thunder break record". BBC Sport. 25 April 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2022.