Count possession before counting touches
World Netball’s playing-the-ball resource permits uncontrolled touches before possession is gained. A bobbling attempt is not automatically the same event as a player controlling, releasing and then repossessing the ball.
A pass brushes a receiver’s fingertips, rebounds awkwardly and is finally secured after another uncontrolled touch. A touch counter alone shows more than one. A possession record asks the more useful question: when was the ball actually controlled?
Similar hand movements can have different histories
Compare that bobble with a player already holding the ball who deliberately releases it and tries to take it again without the relevant intervening event. The final catch can look alike, but the state before it differs.
The example explains the initial acquisition distinction rather than giving blanket permission to juggle a controlled ball indefinitely. A broadcast close-up should begin before the first apparent bobble so the change into possession can be assessed. Watching only the last two hand contacts can hide whether they occurred before control or after a deliberate release.
Questions answered
Does more than one hand contact automatically establish replayed ball?
No.
What state should be identified first?
Whether possession had already been gained.
Sources & further reading
Official references for the subjects discussed. Service terms and device software can change.