Can youplay ball off post from backline?

Netball CoachCoach

I am definitely seen England players do it- so unless the rules have changed in the last 18 months- YES.

Ria millsCoach, England

Yes as long as you land on court before you catch the ball

Netball CoachCoach

Hi, I am not from England but Australia. Yes Austrailians utilise that tactic also. Technically, it is within the rules to do so. When the ball rebounds off any part of the goal including the post, hoop and net, any player may recover it. If you think about shooting for goal, a missed goal may be recovered by the shooter ... why? Because it has come of the goal post. It is the same for the back llne throw in. I am also a badged umpire. Our rules may differ, but not a lot I don't think.

Sharon GarnerCoach, England

Yes! Pam Cookey did it last Saturday in the Storm game versus Loughborough Lightening!

Netball CoachCoach

Yes it can be done, just be aware the referee may not know the rule and drama can follow.  Its excellent to do this,

 it makes the defence close in a little more and opens up the circle.

Netball CoachCoach

I'm a shooter, and I do this play all the time (passing it in off the post and then regathering it myself- foot on court of course) and have never had an issue with it. However tonight a ref said to me the first time I did it "Shooter, I won't allow that move again. Stop it." in a rather rude voice. I approached her at quarter time and asked her (very politely mind you, both my own players and the opposition can attest to this) if she could please explain why she would not allow the pass in off the post (considering I'd never had issues with it before, including in previous games she refereed I believe). She very rudely responded with "Because I don't like it shooter, and I think it's not in the spirit of the game. It's not in the rule books". I responded with "But this is something that is done at national and international levels", to which she responded "I've never seen it done at a national or international level. Show me in the rules where it's legal". Now, I understand that some people might think that it's not a "nice" play, but does she have any right to say "Show me the rule that says you CAN do that"? Is the onus not on her to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the rules to say that it ISN'T legal? In my opinion it should be fine, as the post is fair game for rebounds etc, so why not this?

So to the end of my rant%3A is there an experienced referee or coach who can weigh in on this? Even better, is there someone who can point to a rule in the rule book (Australian FYI) and say "this rule here shows throwing it in off the post is fine"? It would be much appreciated. I'm a first time user, so sorry if I hijacked your thread Karen!

Netball CoachCoach

Hi I am from South Africa and here if you want to do that the ball need to bounce in the court first before you may catch it. I  am a shooter so but I don't like this move because if it has to bounce first the defenders can catch it before you!

Netball CoachCoach

your goal post is part of the court it is part of the equipment  of the court even the lines on the court are. so yes you can do so we have players that do this all the time and is stated at the start of the netball season. I think that all club should state that when netball starts, because some club may no let player do this, but saying that club do have a day where they go over all rules and new ones, that have just come into  effect for the season 

Netball CoachCoach

Hi. It is a legal pass, if you are already landed on the court when you catch the ball, otherwise you are technically still outside the court. You also have to be careful not to do a short pass. There has to be space for another player between the hands of the passer and the post, which makes it easy for a good defence to get it. However, I find it may work once in a match as a surprise attack if you are very fast.

Netball CoachCoach

Nic, its a perfectlt legal tactic used at all levels of the game.  It is a combination of several rules but mainly 13.1(ii) and 10.2 and 10.4. 

Ruloe 10.2 A ball, which hits any part of the Goalpost and rebounds into play,is not out of Court.

10.4 A player having no contact with the ball may stand or move out of Court but, before playing the ball, the player must re-enter the Court and no longer have contact with the ground out of Court.

13.1 A player may
(ii) gain or regain control of the ball if it rebounds from the Goalpost (refer Rule 1.2.1);

Sorry Follow but the short pass rule does not apply in this scenario as you cannot 'pass' to the goal post.   Rule says distance between hands of the thrower and the hands of the receiver at the time of the pass.

Netball CoachCoach

Great answer Mark

Netball CoachCoach

Great answers to a great question.

Personally I think an umpire should address rule 18.4 before considering anything else.

18.4 Throw In
18.4.1 When the ball goes out of Court, it shall be put into play by a member of the team opposing either%3A-
(i) the player on Court who last had contact with the ball or
(ii) the player who received the ball while any part of that player was touching the ground, object or a person outside the Court.
18.4.2 The player throwing the ball in shall%3A-
(i) ensure that all other players are already on the Court before taking the Throw In;
(ii) stand outside the Court and place one or both feet behind the point where the ball crossed the line;
(iii) throw within three (3) seconds of taking up this position;
(iv) observe the rules governing footwork and methods of playing the ball;
(v) not enter the Court (which includes lines bounding the Court) until the ball has been thrown;
(vi) not step behind any area of the Court which would be offside to that player, whilst still in possession of the ball;
(vii) throw the ball into the nearest Third of the Court from behind a Goal Line, or the nearest or adjacent Third from behind a Side Line
PENALTIES for infringements occurring at the Throw In
1. For (i) to (vi) a Throw In is awarded to the opposing team where the infringement
occurred.
2. For (vii) a Free Pass is awarded as for the rules governing a ball being thrown over a third without being touched.
3. When the ball from a Throw In goes out of Court without being touched a Throw In shall be taken by the opposing team behind the point where the ball last went out.
4. If the ball is sent out of Court simultaneously by two players in opposing teams or the Umpire is unable to determine which player touched the ball last, a Toss Up shall be taken opposite the point where the ball went out.
5. If the ball fails to enter the Court the penalty Throw In shall be taken by the opposing team from the original Throw In point.

As for the umpire who asked for proof that it was legal, maybe they need to revisit the rules again. The rules provide guidelines for what is NOT legal, in short it states what you cant do, not what you can do. An astute coach and/or player uses these guidelines to develop stategies and skills within their team and individuals.

Netball CoachCoach

Dave good point has to be a legal throw in before any of the other rules come into play.

Netball CoachCoach

What about this guys, In the Australian Rules.... Can a Defender (GK, GD) utilise the same method to bring the ball into play?  If the shooters can do it,  the defenders should be able to do it as well

!

Netball CoachCoach

Lisa, they could do as the rules don't differentiate between an attacker or defender.  But my question is why would a defender want to as their aim would be to clear the ball as far from the post as possible?

Netball CoachCoach

Agreed Mark,  however as an option against a held ball ruling,  where the GS has picked up/double teaming another player,  and the players cannot break free,  then it may come in handy in certain circumstances.

Matt Player, New Zealand

Hi guys, I came looking to clarify this rule. I have used this move a lot as goal shoot but have recently been playing a bit as goal keep. I have used it twice now in the scenario Lisa mentions above to avoid held ball and I have seen it on TV as well. The first time the ref blew it up and said it wasn`t allowed and when I asked for clarification they changed their mind and gave the ball back to me but yesterday they called me on it and wouldn`t discuss.
This has only been in social netball so I`m not particularly worried but I want to know the real rules and what I can and can`t do. Has there been any update to the rules surrounding this play? Is it legal, are the net and/or hoop ok as well as the actual post?

Sally HomewoodPlayer, England

I do this all the time as GS but one umpire called me out as I didn't land on both feedback on the court before catching the ball off the goalpost. Surely you only need one foot landed before catching it? Anyone got a clear answer on this please?
Answered using Sportplan on Mobile

Matt Player, New Zealand

I would have thought one foot would be ok as well. Similar to my question I can`t see anything in the rules that states this is not ok...

8.3.2 (iv) A player who is partly or wholly in the court surround must re-enter the court and have no contact with the court surround before playing the ball.

It sort of seems like some refs find this distasteful so look for any excuse not to allow it?

The two times I have been pulled up I have used the hoop and net not the post but my understanding is that these are considered part of the goalpost?