AFL Riverina to introduce rolling substitutions to five more grades in 2024

Allowing for uninterrupted changing of players on court, rolling substitutions are currently used in the domestic Super Netball competition.

AFL Riverina committed to the new interchange rules in just the top grade for 2023 to gauge if it would be feasible in lower grades.

Board member Janine Fitzsimmons said the board had received overwhelmingly positive feedback from clubs requesting the rules to be introduced in lower grades in future seasons.

From 2024 all senior grades will have unlimited rolling substitutions, while the under 15s competition will introduce the new interchange rules to juniors.

"We had really positive feedback from A grade and that was always our plan, let's try and see what we learn, improve whatever we need to and everything went really well," Fitzsimmons said.

"Clubs were asking for other grades so we decide to introduce it to all grades in senior Netball's, and we're introducing it to 15s which will be based around the same as what we've done in the seniors, it will be a trial and we'll see how it goes."

Consulting with both clubs and umpires before committing to the changes, Fitzsimmons is confident there'll be no major impact to how games proceed next season.

Admitting there were some early teething hesitations in the 2023 season, she narrowed most challenges down to overthinking.

"I think it's like anything, when we first talked about it and we ran games in Wagga and Barellan, there was a lot of people who over thought the process, as we do with anything new," she said.

"Once it started and we actually saw it happening, it was like oh wow this is actually really easy and everyone just just as it went on grew with confidence.

"I think it's been really good to have that 12 months for A grade, people have seen it within the clubs and I think that overthinking process of it will be gone because they've seen it, they've done it and we know it works.

"I think we'll look back at the end of 2024 and we'll go oh wow why haven't we been doing this forever."

While remaining just a trial in the junior grades, Fitzsimmons said she'd like to see it integrated across all age groups over time.

She believes it could have a positive impact on keeping players in the game, and making it more enjoyable across the board.

"I just think it's a great concept for everyone and if the juniors are looking at it going, oh, wow, seniors are doing it and now we're doing it as well, it's great for the kids," she said.

"I just think it would make it a lot easier because in juniors we have teams with really high numbers, and some of them are rostering children off for a weekend, whereas by doing rotating subs you can get them on and off a lot easier than having them on for a whole quarter and things like that.

"If you're only getting a quarter and you're sitting there for three quarters compared to if you're getting on that court every quarter for two and a half minutes or whatever, you're actually feeling more part of the team.

"I think that's a real positive for coaches and for me it will help see those children grow instead of just going on for one quarter, and for these clubs that do have high numbers and being able to do this and rotate the children through will be huge."