Team and seasonal performance indicator evolution in the ANZ Championship netball league

Analysis of netball has received scant attention in the literature and there is little understanding of the dynamics of netball game-play. This study aimed to analyse team and seasonal performance indicator (dis)similarity in the ANZ Championship (netball). Total season values for nine performance indicators were analysed for the ten ANZ Championship teams from 2009 to 2016. The data were analysed using a multivariate, distance-based, approach. Specifically, non-metric multidimensional scaling was used to examine seasonal and team (dis)similarity. After declining from 2009, shooting percentage, goal assists, centre pass receives, penalties and turnovers began to rise from 2011. Both penalties and turnovers declined from 2015, in addition to attempts at goal. The two-dimensional multivariate ordination plot showed relative similarity between each team and season over the observational period, suggesting stagnant game-play dynamics. Further, despite idiosyncratic seasonal profiles, teams generally followed similar directional progression across the ordination surface. Despite being observed in other team invasion sports, league-wide synchronous evolutionary tendencies were not observed within the ANZ Championships between the 2006 to 2016 seasons. However, certain teams did display seasonal fluctuation in their observed multivariate profile, with these seasonal idiosyncrasies being discussed relative to coaching and playing roster changes specific to the analysed team.