‘Complete Blunder’: Scoring Mishap Clarified Following Tumultuous Super Netball Conclusion

UPDATED: A scoring blunder led to chaotic scenes at the conclusion of a Super Netball match between the Giants and Lightning in Sydney on Saturday night, prompting Netball Australia to address the unusual circumstances.

The error erroneously declared the Lightning as winners with a score of 71-70, leading players to shake hands and begin leaving the court.

However, the Giants were convinced a mistake had been made, asserting the game was actually tied at 71-all, a claim supported by the Fox Sports broadcast, which began discussing the potential for extra time.

Players hovered awkwardly on the sidelines while officials reviewed the scoring records. Reports indicated that the scoreboard at Ken Rosewall Arena displayed the incorrect score for an extended period.

Despite the confusion, the Lightning were initially awarded the win again, and players began to depart the court.

Eventually, about half an hour later, officials confirmed the mistake, prompting players to return for extra time, which included a 10-minute warm-up period.

The extra time began nearly 50 minutes after the original game concluded. The Giants then secured an 86-80 victory, bolstered by three supershots from Matisse Letherbarrow.

It has since been revealed that the scores were accurate in both the broadcast and the venue until a bench official incorrectly adjusted the score with one minute and 24 seconds left in the game.

Additionally, the league lacked a formal procedure to officially inform umpires, along with the Giants and Lightning, about the score review taking place and the subsequent steps to follow.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Netball Australia’s Chief Executive Stacey West expressed apologies to fans, players, and officials regarding the incident.

“We sincerely apologise to all our fans – both in the stadium and at home – as well as to both teams for the errors that occurred,” she stated.

“Such errors should not have happened and caused considerable confusion both at the venue and for viewers at home. Our systems, processes, and communication fell short, and we are taking measures to prevent this from happening in the future.”

Post-match, Lightning coach Belinda Reynolds urged the league to implement improved procedures.

“We have experienced three ACL injuries within our ranks alone. In my opinion, 10 minutes is insufficient for a proper warm-up – we will be reviewing the logistics,” she stated.

During a press conference later that evening, Reynolds mentioned that the club might contest the result, given her team would have approached the final seconds differently had they known the scores were level.

“We played (to) what we believed would win the game. We must review it thoroughly and then consult with those who oversee the review process.”

On Nine’s Wide World of Sports the following morning, former Australian Test cricket captain Mark Taylor remarked that the discrepancy between the official scoring and the broadcast should have been detected sooner.

“Mistakes occur. Even with technology, errors happen, yet there are multiple scorers present. The broadcaster displayed the score at 71-all, but somehow the scorers had it at 71-70,” he noted.

“Someone should have noticed this discrepancy, and perhaps with 30 seconds remaining, they should have called a timeout, paused the game, and rectified the situation.”

“You want the final moments of the game to be decisive, not marred by a significant error. That’s exactly what happened,” he added.

Paralympian Kelly Cartwright remarked that the lengthy delay between the conclusion of regular time and the beginning of extra time would have affected the players significantly.

“It was a tumultuous experience for them. They warmed up, cooled down, thought they’d won, and then had to return to the court to play again. You could visibly see how exhausted some of those players were. This was a monumental blunder.”

Netball Australia has been reached out for comments regarding this incident.