2022 Netball Superleague season
LeagueNetball Superleague
SportNetball
Number of teams11
2022 Netball Superleague season
Season championsManchester Thunder
  Runners-upLoughborough Lightning
Season MVPLayla Guscoth[1]
Top scorerProscovia Peace[1]

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.

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 DragonsCardiff, Wales
Leeds RhinosLeeds, West Yorkshire
London PulseStratford, Greater London
Loughborough LightningLoughborough, Leicestershire
Manchester ThunderManchester, Greater Manchester
Saracens MavericksHatfield, Hertfordshire
Severn StarsWorcester, Worcestershire
Strathclyde SirensGlasgow, Scotland
Surrey StormGuildford, Surrey
Team BathBath, Somerset
WaspsCoventry, 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

2022 Netball Superleague table[24]
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 Thunder60–53Loughborough Lightning    Copper Box Arena
Scoring by quarter: 20–8, 16–15, 10–14, 14–15

Notes

  1. ↑ Rearranged from 6 February.
  2. 1 2 Rearranged from 25 March.

References

  1. 1 2 "VNSL Awards 2022: Layla Guscoth wins Vitality Player of the Season". Netball Superleague. 8 June 2022. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  2. ↑ "Vitality Netball Superleague: Loughborough Lightning win title for first time in history". Sky Sports. 28 June 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  3. ↑ "Netball Superleague 2022: Thunder clinch semis place, Pulse edge Mavericks". BBC Sport. 17 April 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  4. ↑ "Netball Superleague 2022: Loughborough Lightning secure semi-final spot". BBC Sport. 2 May 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  5. ↑ "Pulse ensure top four with hard-fought Sirens victory". Vitality Netball Superleague. 14 May 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  6. ↑ "Saracens Mavericks miss out on top four after Rhinos loss". Vitality Netball Superleague. 22 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  7. 1 2 "Fixtures announced for 2022 Vitality Netball Superleague season". Netball Superleague. 3 November 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 "Vitality Netball Superleague: 2022 season to start on February 5". Sky Sports. 3 November 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  9. ↑ "VNSL will return to its traditional home/away format for the 2022 season". Netball Superleague. 28 September 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  10. ↑ "Vitality Netball Superleague: London Pulse and Team Bath victorious as netball fans return". Sky Sports. 29 May 2021. Archived from the original on 16 June 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  11. ↑ "Fixtures & Results". Netball Superleague. Archived from the original on 2 February 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "How does the 2022 Vitality Netball Superleague signing window work?". Netball Superleague. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  13. ↑ "Vitality Netball Superleague 2022: Squads and signings". Sky Sports. 15 October 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  14. ↑ "Netball Superleague: Celtic Dragons sign Lefebre Rademan and Annabel Roddy". BBC Sport. 15 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "2022 Vitality Netball Superleague Lists". Netball Scoop. 8 October 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  16. ↑ "Prolific points scorer Amy Clinton joins Leeds Rhinos Netball for 2022". Yorkshire Evening Post. 6 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  17. ↑ "Vitality Netball Superleague: Sam Bird thrilled to announce dynamic London Pulse squad". Sky Sports. 5 October 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  18. ↑ "Vitality Netball Superleague: Fran Williams joins Loughborough Lightning from Wasps". Sky Sports. 15 October 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  19. ↑ "Vitality Netball Superleague: Zanele Vimbela joins Loughborough Lightning". Sky Sports. 11 October 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  20. 1 2 "Vitality Netball Superleague: Joyce Mvula joins Eleanor Cardwell back in Manchester Thunder's circle". Sky Sports. 30 September 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  21. ↑ "Vitality Netball Superleague: Peace Proscovia returns to UK and joins Surrey Storm". Sky Sports. 1 October 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  22. ↑ "English netball club re-sign Zimbabwe captain". NewsDay. 14 October 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  23. ↑ "Vitality Netball Superleague: Mel Mansfield announces Wasps squad for 2022". Sky Sports. 15 October 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  24. ↑ "Table". Netball Superleague. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  25. ↑ "Fixtures & Results". Netball Superleague. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  26. ↑ "Leeds Rhinos Netball Fixtures Versus Loughborough Lightning Postponed". Leeds Rhinos. 5 February 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  27. ↑ "Netball Superleague 2022: Pulse beat Rhinos as two games postponed". BBC Sport. 26 March 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  28. ↑ "Netball Superleague 2022: Wins for Team Bath & London Pulse as Thunder break record". BBC Sport. 25 April 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
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