On Saturday, February 11, Netball Super League (NSL) arrives with its traditional Season Opener event taking place at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena.
These 5 matches played across one day mark the start of a 114-match season consisting of 20 rounds of regular-season matches:
11:00 – Team Bath vs Loughborough Lightning
12:45 – Surrey Storm vs Strathclyde Sirens
14:30 – Saracens Mavericks vs Severn Stars
16:15 – Leeds Rhinos vs London Pulse
18:00 – Manchester Thunder vs Celtic Dragons
𝗚𝗢 𝗚𝗢 𝗚𝗢!
Tickets for Season Opener are now on general sale! 🎟️
Don’t miss the epic curtain raiser for #NSL2023 at @nottinghamarena on 11 February 👇
— Netball Super League (@NetballSL) October 13, 2022
England international Imogen Allison – though her accolades are impressive – is to lead Team Bath against Loughborough Lightning.
This is no walk in the park for either team, both of whom reached the finals of the 2022 regular season with Lightning losing only two of their 20 games.
The off-season brought a wealth of player movement posing many questions as to how these teams will match up.
The Sirens have a revenge opportunity – for one of the closest games of last season (55-52) – can Surrey Storm match the flurry of Niamh Mccall, Beth Goodwin, and Emma Barrey? And will Uganda international Stella Oyella’s arrival at Strathclyde Sirens put them in good stead for this important opening game?
London Pulse have signed two new players in Jade Clarke and Chelsea Pitman, hopefully, they will prove valuable assets to take on Leeds Rhinos who are hoping to get one back after their VNSL loss in May.
Manchester Thunder are the reigning Netball Super League champions after an unbeaten season in 2022 and a Grand Final victory over Loughborough Lightning at the Copper Box Arena, can they do it two seasons running like Bath, Surrey and the Wasps have in the past?
The 2023 Grand Final and the third and fourth play-offs are due to take place on Sunday, June 11 and the semi-finals will be held on June 9.
England Netball has confirmed they are no longer partnering with their current headline partner for the 2023 season.
Fran Connolly, Chief Executive of England Netball said: “Women’s sport is seeing unprecedented growth which is set to continue and we have some highly ambitious plans for the future of the league.
“It feels like the right time for us to proactively go to market and seek further investment. We are looking forward to welcoming new brands during this exciting transition for our sport.”
