Footwork, passing, contact and obstruction rules

1Ninety centimetres

Most decisions in a netball match turn on very small distances and times: a defender closer than 0.9 m (3 ft) to the player with the ball, a landing foot that slides a few centimetres, a ball held for a little over 3 seconds, a pass so short that no opponent could reach it. Since Senior 3 you have played netball under the World Netball Rules of Netball, 2024 edition. This unit studies those rules as an umpire would. This lesson covers how the ball may be played and passed (Rules 11 and 12), footwork (Rule 13), obstruction (Rule 16) and contact (Rule 17), with their sanctions.

2Playing and passing the ball

• To gain possession a player may catch the ball with one or both hands, roll it to herself, catch a rebound from the post, or bat or bounce it once (or fumble it) and then catch it. She may not fall on the ball, play it while lying, sitting or kneeling, or use the goalpost for support.
• Once in possession she must pass or shoot within 3 seconds ("held ball"). After releasing it she may not touch it again until it touches another player or rebounds from the post ("repossession").
• Without possession, a player may bat or bounce the ball to a team-mate, or bat or bounce it once and then bat or bounce it on, but not keep tapping it ("replayed ball").
• Kicking, striking with a fist, rolling it to another player, or passing from the ground are all "incorrect playing of the ball".
• Short pass: there must be room for an opponent to deflect or intercept between passer and receiver. If two team-mates take hold of the ball together, the first to hold it keeps it and the second must let go.
• Over a third: the ball must be caught or touched by a player in each third of the court. A player landing astride a transverse line must pass into one of those two thirds.

3Footwork (Rule 13)

4Obstruction (Rule 16)

• A defender may try to deflect or intercept the ball, or defend the player who has it, only from at least 0.9 m, measured on the ground from the nearest part of the attacker's landing foot to the nearest part of the defender's nearer foot. If the attacker lifts the landing foot, the measurement is from where it was; if she pivots, the defender must adjust.
• A defender who starts at the right distance may jump up or towards the attacker and land within 0.9 m, as long as she does not interfere with the pass or shot. If the attacker steps closer, the defender is not at fault.
• A defender may stand within 0.9 m with arms down, as long as she makes no attempt to defend.
• Any player, attacking or defending, who is within 0.9 m of an opponent without the ball may stretch her arms only to catch, deflect or intercept a pass or rebound, or briefly to signal; she may not hold her arms out to block the opponent's movement.

Obstruction is a major infringement: penalty pass where the infringer stood (or where the obstructed player stood, if that is better for the non-infringing team).

5Contact (Rule 17)

• A player must not make physical contact that unfairly interferes with an opponent's play, whether by accident or on purpose: pushing, tripping, holding, leaning, hitting (including when the opponent shoots), putting hands on a ball the opponent holds, or pushing the ball into her.
• It is penalised only if it causes the opponent to lose the ball, interferes with her pass or shot, or changes her body position so that she cannot move freely. Incidental contact that does none of these is a fair contest: play on.
• Player in the air: a player who has jumped must be allowed to land, in the same place or anywhere else on court (but an attacker may not deliberately land into a stationary opponent). When two opponents jump for the ball, the one who gains it has priority for her landing place.
• Moving player: a player must not step so close and so quickly into an opponent's path that she cannot stop or change direction.

Contact is a major infringement: penalty pass. In the goal circle the Goal Shooter or Goal Attack taking a penalty pass may pass or shoot. If the umpire sees that stopping play would harm the non-infringing team, she calls and signals advantage and lets play continue.