Goalie with long arms

[roo]

Hi All

Just had a look in the last UK Polo newsletter which has a breakdown of the new rules.

It states added rules and a note.
The added rules cover the goalie being the person facing into the pitch closest to the centre of the goal.
An item on status which changes if the goalie attempts to go for possession when a ball goes loose. And some other points which I can't remember....

The note states that the goalie is no longer required to hold their paddle up to have goalie-status.

These are the rules I've been playing to and I like them!!

Any clearer?
roo

[clyde]

I trust you havn't missed the point of those rules you mentioned.

The Goal Keeper still needs to be defending the goal with their paddle.
So, think about how you can defend something 2m above the water if your paddle isn't up at least a little bit !

Trust me, if your paddle is down, you can be tackled just like any other player in the 6m area !

[Mareese]

Trust me, if your paddle is down, you can be tackled just like any other player in the 6m area !

That's not correct!

If I'm a defending player, centered under the middle of my own goal, facing up the pitch, my paddles are fully down as I watch play progress around the outside of my zone and an attacking player moves or unbalances me, then I should be awarded a free shot!

If I am under my own goal and my paddles are in the water in an attempt to maintain my best possible position under the goal, and an attacking player moves or unbalances me then I should also be awarded a free shot!

I'm not saying that every referee will call it but that is definitely what the rules say.

[Another defending paddler]

Don't be crazy !!

If we go around giving free throws to everyone who gets knocked or unbalanced by the opposition, then we'll never finish a game.

I agree if the intent is to gain a clear advantage by fouling the defender then a free throw may be awarded, but an attacking player should be unsettling defenders. The game would be pretty boring without this contact.

Perhaps we should play in the spirit of the game and not moan so much. As a defender I expect to take a bit rough and tumble. Hell, I even enjoy it !!!

[Mareese]

Not "everyone" who gets knocked or unbalanced......

Just the "goalkeeper"!

We're just clarifying rules here! The referee's decision to keep the game flowing is an entirely different matter!

[Stuart Midgley]

Hi All

You do not need to have your paddle up in the air to be goalie, BUT you do need to be defending the goal. That is, I personally like to have my paddle down near the water and swing it across goal just as the person shoots (ok, I ma a crap goalie, but that isn't the issue). I am still defending the goal at all times, but my paddle is down until the shot is in the air.

If I make an attempt to play the ball (other then stopping it going though the goal face) then I am no longer the goalie and can be considered just like any other defending player.

Stu.

[becks.c]

I agree with Stu, and I think you'll find a quick read of the rules backs up his viewpoint. (Yes! they are actually printed, not whipped out of the refs bottom as some players seem to think)

Think of the intent and spirit of play, an attacking player must make an attempt to avoid unbalancing the goalie (even if they are pushed onto the goalie! This means if you are tackled inside the six you can't just put your paddle in the air and do nothing as you go flying towards the goalie)

I don't agree with the earlier posting that the goalie who is unbalaced should be given a free shot. In most instances where the team awarded the ball does not have possesion they should be given a free throw rather than a free shot, these things are very different and should be regarded as such.

The idea of the rules should be to promote spectacle, fairplay and safety. It doesn't take an Einstein to slot most occurences into one of these things. You can usually get a picture of cause and effect for the more complicated events.

But I suppose there will always be contention between those who those who want to maintain some semblence of civility and those who just want a free for all (perhaps they should try ("bullrush")

[willem vd lely]

I don't think this new rule will contribute to fair play. As well for the referee as the public it is very difficult to see who is the goalkeeper. I pitie the ref. who is doiing his job in front of a screaming line of spectators. So I think that the paddle must be held out of the water, beiing prepared to block a shot at the goal for at least 30 cm.

[roo]

Thanks, some good commments, and I think I'm happy with the situation as a ref.

I feel that it is fairly easy to determine which player is the goalie or intending to be goalie. In that respect if there is an obvious zone defence, it will be obvious who the goalie is and I will penalise an attacker for intentional contact with the goalie. Whether the paddle is up or not.

Likewise if it is a jumble of players around the goal but none directly under the goal then it is fair to assume that all players are defence, someone waving their paddles about attempting to block will not be viewed as being goalie.
Chances are in this situation that the defending team are playing 5-out anyway?

You need to be able to define when a player is in control of the goalie position which is defined by the ability to be able to block a shot whilst being almost directly under goal?

When a player is rushing back to defend goal if he is at all impeded by the attacker then I would think that constitutes obstruction, but chances are there is an open goal, the defending player can only ever be viewed as a defending player.

In the event of a goalie being in place and the ball being at the other end of the pitch then it is unlikely that I will penalise an attacker for moving the goalie as it is unlikely that I will have seen it! Unless of course it's a blatant foul complete with the crunch of composite, in which case most unsportsmanlike and unnecessary and deserving of at least a warning.

As others have mentioned polo is a dynamic sport it needs to be kept that way. Getting rid of the opportunity for goalies to whine "Obstruction" as easily can only be an improvement to the game.

hf
roo