Rule 17: Contact
The contact rule has evolved significantly over time and the 2024 rule updates brought in further changes. These changes aim to allow for a more physical and dynamic game while maintaining fairness and player safety.
Where the Penalty is Set
For all contact infringements, the sanction is a penalty pass, typically taken from the position where the infringing player was standing. However, if this would disadvantage the non-infringing team, the penalty is instead taken from the position of the player who was contacted. Further guidance on setting penalties can be found in the Rule 6 Interpretation section.
Interference
Interference is the most common basis for penalising contact. A growing expectation in modern netball is that physical contact is permitted, provided it is fair and does not result in an unfair advantage or endanger player safety.
- The opponent in possession loses the ball.
- The passing or shooting action of the opponent in possession is interfered with.
- An opponent (with or without the ball) experiences a change in body position that limits their ability to move freely and places them at an unfair disadvantage.
The first two points apply to players with possession. Physical contact alone is not sufficient to penalise unless it materially affects the player's ability to pass or shoot. Ask yourself: "Would the player's position or action be meaningfully different without the contact?" If not, do not penalise. However, even minor contact, especially to the arms, may be penalised if it affects a player's ability to shoot.
Loss of possession can also be indirect. For example, if contact causes a player to step offside—an infringement that would result in a free pass to the opposition—this still satisfies the first criterion for penalising interference. Although the player remains in control of the ball at the time of contact, and the contact alone might not normally meet the criteria for interference, the resulting offside infringement (which would have to be penalised if contact were not called) would lead to a loss of possession, justifying the contact call.
- A visible change in the opponent's body position that restricts movement.
- The opponent is placed at an unfair disadvantage.
Incidental contact that doesn't affect movement should not be penalised. The threshold for what constitutes a disadvantage increases with level of play as players are better able to absorb contact. Be mindful of gamesmanship; penalise based on the realistic impact of the contact, not exaggerated reactions. If players are frequently over-exaggerating contacts, you may need to give them proactive advice or, if it is persistent and/or blatant, a warning for unsporting behaviour.
Examples of Interference
- A player extends their hip unnaturally to create space, shifting the opponent's position.
- A hand is placed on an opponent's shoulder to restrict jumping and gain leverage.
- A shooter holds a defender to block movement around them.
- A player with the ball pushes it into an opponent, causing them to stumble back.
In general, physical contact from natural movement is not penalised unless it results in interference.
Contact vs. Obstruction
There is some overlap between contact and off-ball obstruction. Rule 16.9 states that a player may not use movements that take the arms away from the body to prevent the movement of an opponent, except as required for natural body stance while within 3ft of an opponent.
Key distinction: If there is no contact but the arm position limits an opponent's movement, that's obstruction. If there is contact and it results in a change to the opponent's body position, it falls under contact.
It's common to see holding or grabbing incorrectly penalised as obstruction. These actions involve physical contact and should be called as contact if they meet the interference criteria.
Shooters Pushing Off
In the goal circle, shooters often hold post-side of the defender and use body movement to maintain their position and set up for a feed over the top. To judge whether this involves interference, consider the following:
Arm Extension into the Defender
An extended arm into the defender's back can indicate interference—but context matters. Was the extension a natural result of separation between players, or did it actively create that separation? If the arm comes up naturally from the waist as part of the movement to catch the ball, it's less likely to be interference. If the arm starts higher and extends horizontally or downward to push the defender and changes their body position, that is more likely to be interference.
Grabbing or Leverage
Look out for either player grabbing or holding their opponent, or placing a hand on the opponent's shoulder to gain leverage when jumping. This constitutes interference if it restricts movement or creates an unfair advantage.
Underthrown Feeds
These situations make interference more likely, as the shooter may be unable to move into space and instead try to push the defender to gain position. Be especially alert for infringements here.
Positioning to Judge Effectively
Near-side Channel Feeds
The ideal view is often just as you cut the corner from the side line towards the goal line giving you a great view of any holding or pushes in the back. You may slow slightly to get a clearer view of potential infringements.
Far-side Feeds
You'll usually need to be on the goal line itself to avoid looking through the shooter's back.
Contact on/with the Ball
- Hit or place a hand on a ball held by an opponent.
- Push the ball into an opponent.
If a defender has their hand already in position and the attacker moves the ball into it, this is not penalised—unless the defender actively moves their hand toward the ball. Defenders must not adjust or maintain contact on the ball once the attacker starts to reposition it. Any movement of the hand toward the ball, or continued pressure, should be penalised.
Equally, if the attacker attempts to force the ball through a defender's hand that was stationary and legally placed, the attacker should be penalised for pushing the ball into an opponent. However, if any contact is incidental—such as brushing during ball repositioning—it should not be penalised.
Weardown
At higher levels, a considerable amount of physical contact is allowed as fair contest. This is especially true for strong holding shooters in the goal circle, who may be bumped and jostled frequently. Provided they continue to land on-balance and remain ready to shoot, the contact is typically not penalised, as it doesn't meet the criteria for interference.
However, this ongoing physicality over a full match can take a toll and lead to cumulative fatigue or "weardown," a concern often raised by coaches and players.
Current Rule Position
Currently, the rules provide no specific guidance for this situation. If the contact doesn't meet the criteria for interference, umpires have no grounds to penalise it. Instead, they can only clarify the rule to players during the match, and if needed, to coaches afterwards. As the game continues to evolve, future rule updates may seek to address this with player welfare in mind.
Summary
This also applies when considering advantage. If there's no interference, there is no need to play advantage. Resist the temptation to call advantage for minor or incidental contact—doing so implies that interference occurred. If you're looking to play advantage for contact, it generally means the player is still able to play the ball freely, so there hasn't been interference.
Causing Contact
This applies when a player moves into space to which an opposing player is already committed.
Player in the Air
Once a player is airborne, an opponent must not move into their landing space—unless they were already stationary in that space before the jump began. Judging this correctly requires wide vision to assess positions before take-off.
If two opposing players jump for the ball, the player who first gains possession has priority. The other player must then yield the landing space.
Phase 1
Neither player has possession. This stage is governed by the interference section above.
Phase 2
Once a player gains possession, this rule applies, and their opponent must yield the space.
If a player gains possession in the air but lands out of court, assess what caused it. Was the momentum from a fair contest in Phase 1 responsible? If so, award a throw-in. But if additional contact occurred after the player gained possession and that caused them to land out, penalise the opponent—for either causing contact or interference.
Moving Player
A player must not move into space already committed to by an opponent who does not have sufficient time or distance to avoid contact. The faster the opponent is moving, the more space they require to change direction. If the opponent had time to change direction but failed to see the player, then the moving player is responsible (and could be penalised for contact if this interferes).
Common scenario: Players attempting to block entry into the goal third or goal circle. While players are entitled to hold space in these areas, they may not step across or into the path of a fast-moving opponent who is unable to avoid them.
Judging this correctly requires wide vision and spatial awareness of players off the ball. Anticipating movement patterns can help judge this and determine areas where contact is likely to occur.
Inevitable Contact
This arises when defenders position so closely that an opponent cannot move without making contact with them. It must be impossible for the player to move in any direction without causing contact - not just the direction they want to move in.
Common scenario: When shooters are sandwiched in the goal circle.
All players responsible for the inevitable contact must stand out for the penalty.
Dangerous Play
Contact endangering player safety is discussed extensively in our interpretation of Rule 19: Foul Play.
View Dangerous Play Discussion