Polo Rules

if you so much as look square at the guy with the ball why i outta ...

I should point out the ref at the minors did call penalties, eject players off court, call for turnovers etc. He also got bitched at a whole lot by people who disagreed with his calls, or shouted at for not calling something which someone else perceived as a foul.

I don't really agree (apart from that there would be arguments) and the more I think about it, the more I like the interference rule.

Is blocking really integral to how we play over here? Offensively, I think getting into or creating space is a better play 99.9% of the time. Defensively, you mark your player and then block/challenge when they get the ball. You don't really need to do it before then anyway because they're constantly in motion?

Interference rule gives a clear penalty for not getting out the way when tapping out, as well as anything that's off the ball.

It theoretically creates a more flowing, passing based game. Like it.

I really don't get the objection to Brendan's play at 0.52 in that video. There is no contact between the players, he's just trying to make some space for A to ride into whic can be very effective. It certainly not on a par with bulldozing defenders out of the way. There is no way a ref could possibly keep tabs on all six players in a game and whether or not they are making non-contact 'interference'.

How does it create a more clear penalty? What is this penalty? How does it effect the offended team that the ref calls a penalty when we don't actually have penalties?

what the fuck did you just say em?

Currently we pretty much play "if you have to tap-out then please get out of the way and if you don't then that's bad but whatever." Think of prolonged footdowns in the goal-mouth, think of people going the long way round to tap out so they can slow down an opposing player moving forward.

It creates the offence of 'interference' and outlines a specific penalty (1 or 2 minutes off court).

I'm not sure how to interpret the last question but I think you mean that we've never played with penalties? They're written into our rules though - a player can be asked to leave the court but it just never happens.

I don't really feel that it 'should' be introduced but I do feel we should spend some time playing around with new rules rather than saying "we can't police it, we never had this before, it's too complicated." Games evolve over time, some things work and some don't - we have to try it first.

Is blocking really integral to how we play over here? Offensively, I think getting into or creating space is a better play 99.9% of the time. Defensively, you mark your player and then block/challenge when they get the ball. You don't really need to do it before then anyway because they're constantly in motion?

Funny you should say that, as you do it off the ball all the time. and i bet you dont realise how much you do it untill you try not to, its tictacs innit?

As Tom pointed out with the B example, there is no/minimal contact between players and he's making room for his teammate. People argue that it slows the game down, but there is nothing slow about the final matches in any of the current european tournaments that i can see, its just another unnecessary un-policable rule.

as Jono said, keep it simple. isnt that the beauty of hardcourt?

I'm not saying I don't do it, I'm saying that it's not 'integral' and there are other ways to play the game.

I'm not sure how to interpret the last question but I think you mean that we've never played with penalties? They're written into our rules though - a player can be asked to leave the court but it just never happens.
You're either stating that we should use a different rule set for tournaments or that we need refs for all pickup games.

I'm not saying I don't do it, I'm saying that it's not 'integral' and there are other ways to play the game.

Furry muff, just as with bench minors, im not opposed to progressive/different rules for one off tournaments etc.

Im not against trying it out, but i also believe in the simplicity of the game, its part of what i fell in love with. Also when seeing the americans argue about interference i kinda see a "we should ban that because its annoying" attitude, rather than really thinking about effective ways to overcome such blocking during play.

Polo is a game which requires that you out ride, out manouver, out manipulate and plain out skill your opponents. End of.

There is no skill in T-Boning people AND it is dangerous, hence it is against the rules.
There is no skill in shuffling the ball through the net, hence it's against the rules.
There is no skill in trapping the ball in a ball joint and dragging is through the net, hence it's against the rules.
There is no skill in hacking someones mallet, hence it's against the rules.

There is a skill in developed team play and safely picking a player out of a play. So I believe it should be allowed
There is a skill in ball manipulation by the mallet, scoops, lobs etc, so I believe is should be allowed.

My point is that removing an effective tactic, which doesn't cause a danger to anyone on court, because you plain don't like it is stupid.

applause

*7. Obstruction- Actively blocking another player from moving forward with your body/bike. There’s a difference between being in the way, and getting in the way: The latter is a penalty. Especially if the person you’re obstructing makes contact with you, as this makes it very obvious to the ref that wrong-doing is afoot. If you put a footdown and you haven’t tapped in yet, it will be super easy to earn a min or two in the box for obstruction. Get the fuck out of the way.
*
that's going to be a tad difficult to enforce at courts like newington and the far wall at downham - if you're both playing for the ball against a solid object like a wall or fence it's fairly inevitable that one player will be creating an obstruction

Read the rules in the first place is a good start.

I wanna see a set of diagrams (bit like the theory book for driving) for polo rules. That would be awesome.

I think the first rule should be dont T bone its GAY... or STRAIGHT if youre that way inclined...or neither if your up for everything. so that kinda makes you a NOTHING.

My point is that removing an effective tactic, which doesn't cause a danger to anyone on court, because you plain don't like it is stupid.

It can be dangerous.

I've crashed because i was watching the ball holder who was behind me when his team mate decided to to ride across my path to 'block me'.

I don't want refs for throw-in games or different rules for tournaments.

I just want to try some of this stuff I read about on the internet.

I just want to try some of this stuff I read about on the internet.

oh dear. im out.

that kinda makes you a NOTHING

whos gonna bite first... (i need a derailment partner)

yess...well done james.

Stops here though - rules are serious business.

yeah for about 8hours while at work... then on court its a different story.

rules - save it for tourneys.

I'm getting a t-shirt made: "polo rules rulez".

rules - save it for tourneys.

London Open... no lefties allowed, you heard it here first (heh).