Are you allowed to defend another player off court??

Netball CoachCoach

If they left the court of their own accord (ie other than to take a throw in or collect the ball) then yep!

Lee-annes NetballCoach, Australia

absolutely...but the defender must always remain on the court while defending them off the court.

Tony MayPlayer, England

You can continue to mark them, to try and keep them off court, however , if they then return to the same point at which they left the court, you have to let them back on....

Janet Coach, Australia

Further to Tony`s comment - Rule 10.6 clarification - If a player left the court for the purpose of retrieving balls/returning balls & throw ins they must be allowed back on court but only at the point at where they left it. In this case, if a player chooses to return to the court from somewhere other than where they left it (thereby possibly gaining a better position) a defender on court may prevent re-entry of that player to the court.

Gordon DudmanCoach, England

Tony and Janet are almost right :-)

The key is not always where they left the court. If its for a Throw-in, irrespective of where they left the court to retrive the ball they MUST be allowed back on court opposte where they put the ball back into play.

Where a ball is out of play and a second player goes out of court to gain a better position, an on-court player cannot then mark that player (from an on court position) such as to prevent them regaining the court if the sole intent is to have the first player take a Throw-in with a player not on court. As an umpire you need to tell the second player to re-gain the court but caution the on-court defender for delaying play. The skill is to do it in such away that you don`t allow the off-court player to gain an advantage. (Umpire`s need eyes in the backs of their heads!).

As a `defending` player once both of you have a foot off the court you can only follow and take no defending action until you are back on court (both feet!) again.

Janet Coach, Australia

Thanks for the corrections Gordon. I should have said that the player taking the thow in must be allowed back on court in the area of play at the point where the ball was put into play rather than where they left the court (Rule 16.6.2).

Your second example is covered in Rule 18.4.2 The player thowing the ball in shall (i) ensure that all other players are on the court before taking the throw in. Deliberate delaying of play is covered in Rule 19.2.

Hmmm..... Elysia has asked a simple short question and finds the answer may be provided by 4 different sections in the rule book 10,16,18 & 19. Don`t we all love the complexities of Netball Rules?

Elysia Player, Wales

Haha thanks everyone!