Knowledge of rules

1. The laws of netball that apply at any venue operated by the Albert Park Indoor Sports Centre (APISC) or Beeview Sports are those of the Victorian Netball Association unless a rule of the Centre provides otherwise.  In those cases where there is conflict between a general law and a rule of the Centre the Centre’s rule will prevail.  It is the responsibility of each player to be familiar with these rules.  

2. Ignorance of the rules is no excuse.

Duration of a game

3. A match shall consist of four 9 minute quarters.  Teams will change ends at each quarter.  There will be a one minute break at half time.

4. Unless APISC determines otherwise a competition will be scheduled over a 15 week season.  Finals will be played over two weeks.

Registration

5. Upon entering a competition teams shall pay a last game bond and a registration fee as determined  by APISC.

6. Players will be automatically registered up to and including round three. If, after round three, a team has not paid its registration fee in full, its members will be treated as unregistered until the fee is paid. 

7. Each team must mark its participating players on the team registration card before each game.  Unless otherwise arranged with  management a team must pay the full match fees before it receives its bibs. The match fee paid before each game includes the team members’ payments to umpires.

Times of games

8. The times at which games are played shall be determined by APISC and it may vary them without notice.

9. Teams are expected to be on court at the time fixtured for the start of their game.  Teams will lose one goal per minute for lateness.  The clock will be started at the fixtured time to ensure that all teams have their full game.  Nails, bibs and positions are to be finalised before the game starts. Teams who have members running late must take the court when they have the minimum of 5 players so that the umpires can start the game.

10. An automatic forfeit will apply if a team is not on court within 9 minutes of the fixtured start time i.e. within the first quarter.  A team that loses on forfeit shall lose 5 premiership points, and the team that wins on forfeit will receive 4 premiership points plus 1 point for every 10 goals scored if it plays a scratch match.

Fees Payment

11. APISC shall determine the game fees that it shall receive from time to time.  A team must be paid up at least 10 minutes before its game is scheduled to commence.  No bibs will be given out until a team’s full match fees, which include its umpires’ fees, are paid.  Match fees are non-refundable.

12. APISC may deduct 2 premiership points from a team’s total points if it does not pay its game fees in full  [M1] on the night of a game.  Points will continue to be deducted at APISC’s discretion until full payment is received.

13. A registration fee is to be paid by the first game of each season, otherwise APISC may deduct 2 points from a team’s total for each week that the fee is outstanding.  If a team has not paid its registration fee by round 4, its members as at round 4 will have up to three games deducted from their eligibility to play in finals dependent upon the number of games that they have each played.

14. Any team that has not paid its registration fee or has outstanding game fees at the end of the season will not participate in the finals.

15. Before it enters a competition a team must pay a last game bond fee equivalent to the team’s fees for a match.  The last game bond will be used to pay match fees, including the umpires’ fees, if a team forfeits during a season; otherwise, if a team has no forfeits, the bond will be used to pay the team’s fees in the last round of a season before the season’s finals.

16. Teams that have not paid their last game bond by the third round of competition will have two points deducted for each round after the third round while the last game bond remains unpaid.

17. Last game bonds and registration fees will be forfeit to APISC if a team withdraws from a competition prior to the end of the season for which a team is enrolled.

18. A team’s registration fees and last game bond are forfeit if APISC has to suspend a team from a competition for any reason.

Forfeit

19. A team will be regarded as forfeiting a match if, of its own volition, it does not play a match that APISC has scheduled for it in a competition.  Forfeiting teams forfeit their last game bond.  In addition, a team that forfeits on the day of scheduled play will have to pay a penalty equal to its match fees if a “scratch match” cannot be organized for their opponents.  A forfeiting team will have five premiership points deducted and will be required to reinstate its last game bond.

20. All teams that have a game forfeited against them have to play a scratch match in order to obtain the 4 point penalty plus bonus points for goals scored.  Teams that do not play in a scratch match substituting for the game that has been forfeited will receive no points for that game.

21. Any fees arising as penalties as a result of a forfeit must be paid prior to the start of the next fixtured game otherwise 2 points may be deducted each week until any arrears are paid.

Finals

22. All finals dates will be posted on the notice board.  Times for these games will not change.  Finals times will be given out 2 weeks before finals commence. 

23. A player, who may have played in more than one team in the same division, can only qualify for one team in the finals for that division.

24. In a 14 game draw, a player must play 5 games to qualify for finals.  In a 10 game draw, a player must play 4 games to qualify.  In a 6 game draw, a player must play 3 games to qualify for finals.  A maximum of two byes or wins on forfeit, after a player has played for a team, count as games played.

25. If two or more teams are on the same points at the end of the season, the position on the ladder will be determined by a team’s number of wins at the end of the season, excluding wins on forfeit.  If teams have the same number of wins the ladder position will be determined by the goal difference (amount of goals scored by a team through a season less the goals scored against the team).

26. In finals, if there is a draw at full time, teams will play an extra 3 minutes each end.  If after extra time the score is still level, the first team to have a 2 goal lead will win.

27. Teams are allotted 8 trophies per team (Premiers and Runners Up) for the Finals Series.  APISC will provide at cost more trophies if a team requires.

Mixed Teams

28. In mixed teams, males may only play in the following sections:-one only as either GS or GA  (Goaling third), one only as either WA, C or WD (Centre third), and one only as either GD or GK (Defensive third)

29. Mixed teams must not have more than 3 males on the court.

Injuries

30. The need to minimize disruption for subsequent games means that, except in finals, there is no extra time for time out in this competition.  An injured player must leave the court as soon as possible so that play is not disturbed unduly.  Once an injured player leaves the court and his or her position is filled with a substituted player the injured person can only re-take the court at an interval or during a stoppage for another injury.  In finals two minutes time out will be allowed for injured players.

31. If a player is bleeding he or she must vacate the court immediately.  As long as his or her position is not filled the player may return on court after he or she has been attended to at an interval or after a goal has been scored.

Uniforms

32. All team members must wear the same colour and shade tops shorts, bike-shorts, skirts or leggings.Shorts must be sports shorts (not cargo shorts) and not come below the knee. Track suit pants are not allowed except by prior arrangement with APISC management. Leggings are now permitted. However, any player who attempts to take the court wearing baggy, loose fitting or flared leggings will be asked to leave the court. No exceptions.

33. For each incorrect uniform item teams will lose 2 goals to their opposition to a maximum of 6 goals for a game.  

34. Uniform penalties will apply to ‘fill ins’ who are not in the team’s colours.  This applies to all players regardless of whether they are provided by the Centre or by their own team.  Teams will be given 3 weeks to organize their uniforms before the penalties apply.

35. All players must wear non-marking rubber soled shoes.

36. Singlets and tank tops are not permitted. Any player who attempts to take the court wearing singlet or tank tops will not be allowed to take the court. No exceptions.

Nails

37. Nails must be either cut short or taped.  Bandages or Micropore tapes are not acceptable.  Nails must be taped even if a player wears gloves.  It is the responsibility of teams to supply their own tape.

Local playing conditions

38. If the ball hits the roof, it becomes a play advantage, (i.e. whoever gets the ball, without interference, has possession) except that the person who originally threw the ball cannot retrieve it.  If the original thrower does retrieve the ball, it is replayed ball.  

39. Deleted.

40. A game will not be stopped for a player to do up his or her shoe-laces.

41. The team first listed on the fixture has the centre pass.  The second team listed has choice of ends.

42. Each team must provide a scorer.

Unacceptable language

43. Swearing, bad language and racist comments are unacceptable at APISC. 

44. A player who uses unacceptable language will not be warned but will be asked immediately to leave the court and will not be allowed back on the court for the rest of the game.  The offending player’s position cannot be filled unless the offending player was centre.  One player only may change to centre in this instance, but the remaining players may not change position.

45. Spectators who use unacceptable language will be asked by the umpires to leave the premises.

46. Persons who have been asked to leave the Centre and who do not do so immediately will be treated as trespassers.

Umpires

47. Umpires are responsible for all events on and surrounding a court between the end of one game and the start of another.

48. If a player abuses or shows dissent from an umpire's decision the offending player will be asked to leave the court and will not be allowed back on the court for the rest of the game.  An offending player’s position cannot be filled unless the offending player was centre.  One player only may change to centre in this instance, but the remaining players may not change position

49. If a player persists in abusive behaviour after being asked to leave the court the player will be asked to leave the premises.

50. Any queries that players may have about rules and their interpretations are only to be asked of the umpire at half or full time. In the management of a game in the course of play an umpire’s decision is final. 

Points

51. Teams shall be awarded 4 points for a win, with an additional 1 point for each 10 goals scored.  Losing teams shall be awarded 1 point for each 10 goals scored.

52. Teams in a tie shall receive 2 points, and an additional 1 point for every 10 goals scored.

53. Teams having a bye shall receive 2 points.

Equipment

54. No player shall interfere with the goal ring in any way either by grabbing it, touching it or placing a hand through the net.  The penalty shall be an automatic goal against the offending players team.  Additionally, a player hanging on the ring shall be sent off for the duration of the game.

55. If equipment is damaged through vandalism the player responsible shall bear the cost of repair or replacement. 

Affiliation

56. APISC is not affiliated with Netball Victoria or any other group.

Miscellaneous

57. No pets are allowed in the building.  No bicycles or roller blades are allowed on the courts.

58. Strictly no smoking in the area of the courts.

59. Teams are to provide a minimum of three team contacts with home, work and mobile telephone numbers and e-mail address.

60. It is the responsibility of team captains to make sure that all players know the time of their games and that team members arrive on time.

61. During the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park APISC will make every effort to locate other suitable premises for the conduct of the competition.  If APISC cannot find any suitable indoor venues for a competition, games will be fixtured outdoors and the competition conducted outdoors.

62. Players play at their own risk.  APISC accepts no liability for any injury that a player might receive in the course of a game. 

63. Management has the final discretion on any matter connected with the conduct of the Centre.
    
    

 [M1] Game fees are the match fees less the team members’ payments to the umpires.