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Australian skipper Caitlin Bassett is still no fan of netball’s new super shot

Caitlin Bassett of the Giants and Sarah Klau of the Swifts compete for the ball in Brisbane.

Caitlin Bassett of the Giants and Sarah Klau of the Swifts compete for the ball in Brisbane. Photo: AAP

Australian captain Caitlin Bassett is still no fan of netball’s Super Shot, having played under the rule for the first time in Super Netball’s opening round.

Bassett’s Giants fell to the reigning premiers NSW Swifts in a Round 1 thriller 63-61 after all matches were relocated to Queensland.

The 32-year-old was on target with 22 goals from 24 attempts but didn’t put up any Super Shot goals, which are taken from a designated zone at the back of the goal circle in the final five minutes of each quarter and are worth double points.

The Giants had the second most long-range efforts of all the teams, with 18, although only made 13.

Their goal attack Jo Harten was most successful with the tactic, shooting nine from 13.

Bassett was a vocal opponent of the rule when it was announced last month and said she hadn’t changed her stance.

She said it “robbed” teams who worked hard to build a lead.

“I definitely haven’t changed my mind about it – it just changes the whole feel of the game,” the goal shooter told AAP on Monday.

Unfortunately it just doesn’t feel like netball to me and I know talking to (teammate) Jo Harten, she’s not a big fan either and coming from someone who loves to shoot a long bomb you’d think she’d be all for it.’’

Standing 196cm Bassett has always used her height to dominate under the post and said she would have had to change her game if the rule was in place as she was coming through the ranks.

“I think the rule does kind of make a tall shooter obsolete, but a tall shooter can still shoot long shots,” she said.

“I think more defensively, the impact it has on the game – you’ve been taught to push the player out to the edge of the circle and now it’s worth double points, it changes everything.”

Bassett suffered an MCL injury in March, but the delayed start to the season meant she had no trouble with her knee through the match.

“COVID was a bit of a silver lining for me as I probably would have been in doubt for Round 1 if we’d have started at the original time in May but my knee is 100 per cent now.”

She is also keen to take her Diamonds career into a 12th year if there’s any international netball this year.

“Definitely. There’s still more things I want to achieve on the international stage and I think with the retirement of Caitlin Thwaites, experience in the shooting end is something that we really need,” she said.

-AAP

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