Netball Rules
Get the lowdown on our social Netball Competition rules.
NOTE: Players OVER 18 years old only
SportUP operates adult only social competitions. As a result, all players must be 18, or over the age of 18, before they can start playing with us. Any players found to be playing while under the age of 18, will be asked to leave the league/venue immediately and no refunds will be offered for future fixtures missed that may have been paid for.
RULES:
The SportUP Netball leagues are based on that the ‘Netball Australia Official Rule Book 2024’.
The rules in this document take precedence in the event of any discrepancy.
It is the responsibility of each player to be familiar with these rules.
Team Registration
Team Registration Fees must be paid prior to Round 2.
All players must be registered online before participating - Add Players Here
Match Format
Games will consist of 4 x 9 Minute Quarters with a 1-minute break between each quarter.
Teams are to change ends at the end of each quarter.
A match is started and finished by the umpire's whistle.
Sign In
It is the Team Captains responsibility to ensure all team members have signed in at the venue using the QR code provided.
All players that sign in need to be registered online here.
All outstanding payments must be made prior to match commencement.
The umpire will refuse any players that have not registered or signed in.
If the minimum number of 5 rostered players are met, teams are legally allowed to pick up ‘ringers’ to make a team of 7.
Teams may not pick up any players to exceed a team of 7 and the fill-in players must be agreed upon with the opposition BEFORE THE GAME BEGINS.
Teams can only pick up extra substitutions at the BEGINNING of the game. None throughout.
Forfeits
Teams are to be on the court at the scheduled game time. The umpire will start the clock at the scheduled match time to ensure that all teams have a full match.
The clock will not be stopped, except in the case of injury.
Teams are to have a minimum of 5 players on court before a match can commence.
The following penalties apply for lateness:
- 1-3 mins: 3 goals
- 3-9 mins: 6 goals
- 9-12 mins: 9 goals
- 12+ mins: Forfeit
If a team forfeits and no fill-in players show up then there is an $99 No Show fee.
Failure to pay by Friday of the No Show game will result in the suspension of your team until paid.
If your team is struggling for players you can always find subs by posting on our FB subs group here.
If you post before 1 pm then you can find subs 99% of the time.
A forfeit will result in a 10-0 win awarded to the opposition.
What to do if my team needs to forfeit
A maximum of 7 players is permitted on court at any one time.
Mixed teams may only have a maximum of 3 males on the court at any one time.
If requested, team contacts must notify the umpire of player names.
There can only be one male permitted in each third of the court. This means one shooter either GS or GA, one midcourt player C, WA and WD and one defender GK or GD. There cannot be one in goals and two midcourt positions or two males in goals or defence.
For all SportUP competitions, players must be a minimum of 18 years of age to participate. It is the responsibility of each team to ensure this rule is enforced at all times.
Team Uniforms
All team tops must be the same colour.
All players must wear sporting attire and footwear.
JEWELLERY
All players must remove all jewellery at the start of the game. This includes any watches, wristbands, rings, necklaces, FitBits etc. External body piercings can be taped down. Umpires will have the final say on what constitutes dangerous and have the power to remove any players from the game who do not comply with this rule.
Teams are required to bring their own bibs each week. If a team forgets there will be a 2 point penalty for forgetting your bibs.
Subs
Teams can make substitutions at quarter intervals.
Should a player leave the court for injury or illness, a substitution can be made.
There is no limit on the number of substitutions a team is permitted to make during a match.
Injuries
In the case of an injury occurring, the clock will not be stopped but the game may be paused to help attend to them.
An injured player must leave the court as soon as reasonably possible.
Once an injured player leaves the court, their position may be filled by another player.
If a player is bleeding he or she must vacate the court immediately and cannot return until the bleeding has stopped.
An injury that causes a stoppage of over 15 minutes will result in the abandonment of the game. A 20-20 result will be recorded.
Any injury that might require further medical treatment must be reported to SportUP on the Incidert Report Form.
Season
All seasons run for 12 weeks. If a game is cancelled due to rain or venue unavailability then your games will get replayed the following week so you never miss any games.
Participating teams must ensure they are available for all possible match times.
The prize will be awarded to the Most Social Team based on SportUP Points and other contributing factors.
The team at the top of the table will be crowned Champions.
In the case of divisions with uneven bye allocation, byes will be awarded as 20 – 0 win.
In the case of teams having equal points and equal points per match, higher goal differences will take precedence. If still equal, higher goals will take precedence.
Umpires
The umpires' decision in all rulings is final.
Play the whistle as it is provided
Respect our umpires and be kind at all times, even if you disagree with a call.
New netball rule changes as of 2024:
GOAL AFTER WHISTLE
Buzzer beaters! We all love them, but how do you know if the goal counts? In the past, the ball had to pass completely through the ring before the whistle to be counted.
Now, if the whistle to end play or to hold time is blown after the ball has left the hands of the shooter & the shot is successful, the goal will be scored.
TOSS UP REMOVAL
The good old toss up! It’s gone! A toss up was previously used if an infringement occurred simultaneously. However, due to improved umpire education and training, the use of toss ups has become much less frequent and umpires are instead, correctly, penalising the infringement that occurred first.
Now, If a simultaneous infringement occurs the umpire awards possession to the team that was last in possession of the ball, where the ball was when play stopped.
Please note this is different from a situation where possession is called as a clarification when two players gain possession of the ball in quick succession.
PLAYING THE BALL
Replayed ball is one of the most confusing rules in netball.
This is not a rule change but a ‘refresh’ of the existing rule to make it clear to everyone how you can gain possession of the ball and what you can do while in possession.
TO GAIN POSSESSION A PLAYER MAY:
- Catch the ball with one or both hands.
- Roll the ball to oneself.
- Catch the ball if it rebounds from the goalpost.
- Bat the ball once, then catch it.
- Bounce the ball once, then catch it.
- Touch the ball in an uncontrolled manner once or more than once, then catch it.
WITHOUT POSSESION A PLAYER MAY:
- Bat or bounce the ball to another player.
- Bat the ball once, and then either bat or bounce the ball to another player.
- Bounce the ball once, and then either bat or bounce the ball to another player.
- Touch the ball in an uncontrolled manner once or more than once, and then either bat or bounce the ball to another player.
A PLAYER MAY NOT:
- Kick the ball.
- Strike the ball with a fist.
- Roll the ball to another player.
- Pass the ball or shoot for goal while lying, sitting or kneeling on the ground.
- Fall on the ball to gain possession.
- Use the goal post for support.
SHORT PASS
THE UPDATED RULE
RULE 12.1: SHORT PASS “When a player passes the ball there must be sufficient space on the court for an opposing player to be able to deflect or intercept the ball as it moves from the hands of the passer to those of the receiver.”
The difference between the old rule “intercept by a hand” and the updated rule “deflect or intercept” is that the umpire must consider whether the defending player can make a genuine attempt, considering not just a hand, but a hand connected to an arm and body.
CONTACT
Is netball a non-contact sport? Let’s discuss. A key principle of netball is equal contest and the ability of players to compete fairly for playing position and possession of the ball.
There are two types of contact:
INTERFERENCE
A player must not engage in physical contact that unfairly interferes with an opponent’s play.
CAUSING
Causing contact has two sections: moving player and player in the air.
INTERFERENCE:
For physical contact to interfere it must result in:
BALL LOST
Loss of the ball by a player in possession.
PASSING OR SHOOTING
Interference with the passing or shooting action of an opponent in possession.
BODY POSITION
A change in the body position of an opponent, regardless of whether the opponent is in possession of the ball, which limits their ability to move freely and places them at an unfair disadvantage in attacking, defending or playing the ball.
CAUSING:
PLAYER IN THE AIR
A player can jump and land in their own space or any vacant space on court.
A player cannot jump into a stationary opponent.
A player cannot move into the landing space of an opponent who has jumped.
MOVING PLAYER
The moving player rule now states that a player must not take up a position so near to or so quickly in the path of a moving opponent that the opponent does not have enough time or space, either to stop or change direction. This is dependent on the speed of the opponent.
Please remember these rules are as new to us as they are to you and as umpires, we don’t always get it right. There will be adjustment period as we discard old habits and build new ones so please help us. If you have any questions, please come have a chat with your umpire.