Love Netball - Players Guide November 2024

Terms & Conditions

These rules and Playing Rules will be overridden by the `Terms and Conditions of Business` which always prevail in the event of any dispute, ambiguity, or inconsistency.

1. Start of Play

• The captains will toss for choice of goal end or First Centre Pass (FCP) and notify the Umpire and the Scorer of the result.

2. Officials

• Love Netball will allocate an umpire per game, sometimes there will be more than one umpire.

3. Timing

• Games will either be played in 2 equal halves, 3 thirds, or 4 equal quarters depending on league and hall bookings.
• If teams are more than 3 minutes late to the court after the timer has started, their opponent may be rewarded with 1 goal per minute after this time, until both teams are on court and ready to play.

4. Centre Pass

• All players except Centres must be in their respective goal third for the Centre pass.
• When the Centre who is taking the Centre pass steps in the Circle (on one or both feet) the whistle shall be immediately blown.
• If players are offside when the whistle is blown, a free pass is given to the opposing team at the location of the breaking. If this is not a benefit to the team who are receiving the free pass, advantage shall be played.

5. Offside

• A player, with or without the ball, shall be offside if that player enters any area other than the playing area for that designated position.
• A player may reach over to retrieve a ball but must not step into an offside area for any reason (including retrieving a ball or seeing to an injured player before time is called). A free pass to the opposing team where the offside happened by way of a penalty.

6. Out of Court

• A ball is Out of Court when it:
  • Touches the ground out of court.
  • Touches an object or person in contact with the ground outside the Court.
  • Is held by a player in contact with the ground, an object, or a person outside the Court.
• A ball that hits a goal post and is rebounded into play is not Out of Court.
• When a player has a Throw In from off court, feet must not be touching the line and must be within 15 cm of the line. Where this happens, a throw-in to the opposing team will be awarded where the ball crossed the line as a penalty.

7. Obstruction

• An attempt to intercept or defend the ball may be made by a defending player if the distance on the ground is not less than 0.9m/3ft from the landing foot of the player with the ball.
• Players may defend by jumping upwards or towards the player with the ball if they are not within 0.9m/3ft.
• The defender is not obstructing if the arms are outstretched to:
  • Catch, deflect, or intercept a pass.
  • Obtain a rebound from a shot at goal.

8. Contact

• No player may contact an opponent, either accidentally or deliberately. A Penalty Pass or Shot (where applicable) will be awarded in the event of contact.
• The umpire will decide what constitutes `fair contest` and what is `contact.`

9. Playing the Ball

• A player may catch the ball, or direct it to another player, having bounced the ball once.
• A player may not throw the ball from any position other than standing.

10. Footwork

• A player may not take a second step with their landing foot after receiving the ball.

11. Penalties

• The player taking the penalty must take up the position clearly directed and indicated by the Umpire.

12. Injury

• Players must call `Time` for the Umpires to stop the game in the event of any injury.

13. Number of Players

• Teams are allowed seven (7) players on the court at any one time. A minimum of 5 players should be fielded.
• Where a team is short of players on the night, they are permitted to borrow up to two (2) guest players at the umpire`s discretion...
• A team fielding 4 or less players five minutes after the official start will automatically forfeit.
• If a team fields 5 or 6 players, one player must assume the Centre position.
• For Mixed divisions there must be a maximum of three (3) and a minimum of two (2) males on the court at any one time.
• Male players must be in three different positions on the court (Defending, Centre Positions and Attacking Positions) (1 player - Goalkeeper or Goal Defence (Defending Positions); 1 player for, Wing Attack, Wing Defence or Centre (Centre Positions); 1 player as Goal Attack or Goal Shooter (Attacking Positions). As an example, a team cannot have a male Goalkeeper (GK) and another male playing Goal Defence (GD).

14. Captains & Players

• Players from a higher league should not fill in for a lower division league team, nor shall a player be used by a borrowing team in that players "usual" position - i.e. a GS should not play as a GS for a team when borrowed. This would only apply in the event that there was a multi divisions within the league and that team had a team in each division. For example a Team playing in League 1 also has a team in League 2. A player from league 1 could not play for the team in League 2. Players can play up a league but not down (where 2 or more leagues exist)
• Subs used from other teams should not play in their "usual" position - e.g a GS should not sub as a GS or GA etc nor a GK as a GD or vice versa - however, if captains agree there is no competitive advantage to be gained from using a sub in their usual position, the game can continue
• All regular team players must be registered to their team; players can be registered throughHelen Clark or Jackie Wright
• The Captain is the primary contact for the team and all players involved. By allowing a player totake part in a team`s match the Captain is confirming that the player is aware and will abide by the rules of play.
• In the event that the Captain for a team needs to change, the existing Captain must inform Love Netball and share the details of the new Captain with the league manager/s to enable a handover of all information.

15. Scoring

• Points shall be awarded as follows:
• a) Win: 5 points
• b) Draw: 3 points
• c) Lose: 2 points if within 5 goals...

16. Contest

• If the umpire feels that each player has committed to the same ball and reached it at thesame time, the whistle will not be blown, and play will continue
• In the event of a ball in possession by both teams at the same time, there is now no toss up. Play will pass back to the team immediately in possession before the joint possession occurred. E.g. a ball is loose on court and a GS (Blue Team) and GK (Red Team) on opposing teams have their hands on the ball at the same time. In the run up this, the possession of the ball had been with the Red team having taken a goal shot rebound. Possession passes back to Red team in this example.

17. Kit

• No item of jewellery, except a wedding ring and/or medical alert bracelet, shall be worn. If worn they must be taped. No adornment that may endanger player safety shall be worn. Nails should be kept short (not extending over the edge of the fingertips - otherwise, gloves should be worn
• Players must wear suitable clothes and training shoes. Shoe laces must be securely tied before a game. Time allowances will not be given at any point for someone to tie their shoe laces.
• Head scarves are permitted. The material used for the head covering should be soft, without embellishments which might constitute a danger and with potential flowing/flapping edges held securely around the neck or tucked into shirt collar. It should be as neat and secure as possible.
• No caps are to be worn while playing a game.
• Sunglasses are not permitted under any circumstances.
• Nails must be short and blunted, umpires have the right to check before games.

18. Conduct

• There is to be no smoking either on or in close proximity to the courts. Players in violation of this rule will not be permitted to play.
• If any player (in the opinion of the umpire) has consumed alcohol, then that player will not bepermitted to play in any matches that night.
• Umpires must be respected, listened and adhered to at all times. If teams or players have an issue with an Umpire please discuss it with them at half time or afterwards.
• Discrimination of any kind towards officials or other players will not be tolerated and will result in further action being taken by Powerplay, up to and including expulsion of offending players and the teams from the league.

19. Disciplinary

• The suspension (sin bin) process is:
• a) Signal to pause the game;
• b) Advise the player of the reasons for suspension...
• c) Confirm the length of the suspension to other officials;
• d) Resume the game
• The ordering off procedure is:
• a) Signal to pause the game;
• b) Advise the player of the reasons for the ordering off.
• c) Resume the game
• All umpires` decisions are final. Intimidation of match officials will not be tolerated and will result in further action being taken by Love Netball, up to and including expulsion of offending players and teams from the league.
• Love Netball reserves the right to ban or expel any player or team from the league or take any other disciplinary action as it deems appropriate.
• Any team knowingly fielding a suspended player will forfeit that game 20-0 and will be liable for the oppositions match fee.