A BRIEF GUIDE TO THE NEW NETBALL RULE BOOK
April 1998
NETBALL RULES - 1997 VERSION: SUMMARY OF CHANGES
SECTION 1 - ORGANISATION OF THE GAME
RULE 1 Equipment
Only change is that the size of the playing initials may be in the range of 4” (100mm) to 6” (150mm)
RULE 2 Duration of Game
No material changes
RULE 3 Officials
Some important material changes:
(a) Team Officials are classed as Coach, Manager, Captain and 2 Primary Care Personnel. These, together with the (max) 5 players not on court constitute the “Team Bench”.
(b) Members of the team bench may not move up and down the sidelines. Although not explicit, by implication the umpires can direct where the team bench is located.
(c) During any stoppage or interval the scorers and a team official from the opposing team should be advised of any substitutions or team changes.
(d) Captains have the right of appeal to an umpire if a team official has not been notified by the opposing team of any substitutions or team changes.
(e) An umpire may no longer stop play and award a free pass to the opposing team if they notice that substitutions or team changes have taken place. However if appealed to by the opposing Captain they should stop the game and allow time for the non-offending team to make any substitutions or team changes.
(f) Although the area controlled by each umpire is unchanged (from the middle of each side line, the whole of the court to their right and the sideline to their left), now when the controlling umpire awards a “toss-up” it is conducted by the umpire who controls the nearer sideline, (but not in the circle). Note that the existing rule whereby the controlling umpire can appeal to the other umpire to take a “toss-up” has been dropped.
(g) If it is spotted that an incorrect Centre Pass has been taken and no goal has yet been scored then the umpire should stop the game, advise the teams and restart the game with the correct Centre Pass.
RULE 4 The Team
Previously the team consisted of 7 players with up to 3 substitutions allowed during a game. Now the team consists of up to 12 players filling 7 playing positions with unlimited substitutions during a game.
RULE 5 Late Arrivals
No changes
RULE 6 Substitution and Team Changes
Except as already described above, this section is largely unchanged except for an additional provision has been made for a player substituted for any loss of blood. In this case a player can return to her previous position after a goal has been scored provided that the substitute is still playing in the vacated position. If a further substitution has been made then the returning player must wait until the next interval or stoppage for illness/injury.
RULE 7 Stoppages
A number of minor changes to match change elsewhere:
(a) Umpires must now stop the game the moment they become aware of any player who is bleeding. All other stoppages are, as now, at the discretion of the umpire and limited to two minutes.
(b) If a stoppage for bleeding has been made in addition to any treatment the umpires must ensure that wounds are cleaned and covered before a player returns to the court. Any blood stained clothing should be cleaned or replaced. Both the ball and the court must be cleaned as necessary.
(c) Where a team change or substitution is made following a stoppage for injury or illness, the injured player MUST be involved in any changes or substitution.
(d) If no substitution is made for a player unable to resume after a (two-minute) stoppage for illness or injury, they may return to the game (only the vacant position) after a goal has been scored.
SECTION 2 - AREAS OF PLAY
RULE 8 Playing Area
No changes
RULE 9 Offside
No changes
RULE 10 Out of Court
Although extensively re-worded there are two material changes. Firstly a throw-in need only to taken “close to” rather than “at the point” where the ball went out of court over the sideline. (See item on Rule 18 for definition of “close to”). The same also applies to any penalties awarded for incorrect defending on and off court. When the ball goes out of court over the back line then the throw-in is taken as now, (where the ball crossed the line). A player "out of court" who is inadvertently stuck by a ball (eg having taken a “throw-in” the ball is batted straight back into her hands) is not considered to have had contact with the ball so the throw-in is awarded to the team opposing the player who last had contact with the ball. (The existing rule where-by a throw-in is awarded to a player having contact with the ball whilst "out of court" is unchanged)
SECTION 3 - CONDUCT OF THE GAME
RULE 11 Positioning of Players for Start of Play
Where two opposing players enter the centre-third before the umpire's whistle is blown and no contact with the ball is made, then play continues. If one of the players touches or catches the ball, then a toss-up between them is taken. If one umpire plays advantage and the other calls for a penalty the umpire controlling the centre pass will call the players back and re-take the centre pass.
RULE 12 Start of Play
The existing requirement for a player to have caught or touched the ball whilst standing or landing wholly in the centre third remains unchanged. However, the new rules make provision for a player to jump wholly from the centre third and land in the goal third having touched or caught the ball. In this case the player is adjudged to have played the ball in the centre third even though the player is now physically standing in the goal third! In the same way that under the existing rules a centre pass caught by an opposing team player in the goal third is not penalised. With the new rules this player is also deemed to have played the ball in the centre third. This change is important because a player in these circumstances can now throw the ball over the centre third directly into the other goal third!
RULE 13 Playing the Ball
No material changes.
RULE 14 Footwork
Unchanged except for a free pass awarded for infringement by the umpire is to be taken “Close to” rather than where the “Infringement occurred”
RULE 15 Scoring a Goal
Unchanged except for a free pass awarded for infringement by the umpire is to be taken “Close to” rather than where the “Infringement occurred”
RULE 16 Obstruction
Only two changes:
(a) Previously a jump by a defending player, from the correct distance, which landed within 3 feet, was only considered as obstruction if it interfered with throwing or shooting. Now if the player is still in possession of the ball it is obstruction and should be penalised accordingly. (An opposing player already inside the 3’ who does not interfere with throwing or shooting is not to be penalised).
(b) Penalty passes awarded for infringement have been modified to be taken “close to” where the infringing player is standing except (as now) where this would place the non-offending team at a disadvantage.
RULE 17 Contact
The term “accidental” is dropped from the new rule along with the term “interfere with play” which becomes “impedes the play”. Although there are changes to the text, there is effectively no change to the existing rules. It should be remembered that some 3 years ago AENA issued a technical interpretation asking umpires to exercise greater judgement in using the advantage rule to allow play to continue. Where umpires/leagues have followed this advice then there is no effective change to the rules.
SECTION 4 - GAME CONTROL (Was previously Conducting Penalties)
RULE 18 Awarding Penalties (Was previously General Rules for the Taking of Penalties)
As already highlighted penalties are to be taken “close to” where an infringement occurred. (Penalties cannot be taken inside the goal circle where they were awarded for an infringement outside the shooting circle).
Close to is defined as:
(a) In line with the place where the infringement occurred, the line being across the court from sideline to sideline and
(b) anywhere (close) (*) to the defending side of that line.
If a penalty is taken in the wrong place the umpire will stop play and have it taken in he correct place. Where a penalty is awarded, the offending player must stand at the place where the infringement occurred until the penalty pass has left the hands of the thrower.
The changes to taking a “Throw In” are also dealt with in this section.
The player taking the throw shall:
(a) Ensure that all other players are ready on court
(b) Place one or both feet close to the side line at the point where the ball went out of court or any place on the defending side.
(Where a throw-in is taken on the back goal line, it can only be taken at the point where the ball crossed the line)
(c) obeying the footwork rule throw the ball onto court within three seconds. (Umpire will not call "Play!")
If, the player taking the throw-in exceeds the 3 seconds or breaks the footwork rule before the ball is released, then a throw-in is awarded to the opposing team, this to be taken (as now) in the same place as the original (failed) throw-in.
SECTION 5 - DISCIPLINE
RULE 19 Discipline of Players
One small change, where a player delays play either deliberately or in any manner which disadvantages the opposing team then the umpire my award a penalty pass, penalty pass or shot or a throw in as deemed appropriate.
RULE 20 Warning, Suspension and Ordering Off (A whole new rule)
This rule is largely drawn from former rules 19.3 and 19.4, There is however a new provision with regard to the giving of a warning for inappropriate behaviour. If an umpire gives a formal warning they should also inform that player’s captain and the other umpire (who is not bound by the other umpires decision if the player concerned commits a similar breach in that umpires half).
RULE 21 Failure to take Court
No material change from former rule 19.
NOTES:
(*) This interpretation may be changed in the future; a number of national associations (Not All England) are seeking a much wider interpretation.
All text on this page supplied by Gordon Dudman 24/4/1998
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