All teams in the Ridges PSSA Rugby League Comp will have plenty of beginners. Our emphasis must be on safety and skill development. Our aim is to encourage all players to enjoy their involvement in the competition and possibly encourage some to join a weekend team.
Referees are encouraged to provide advice and assistance whilst refereeing - particularly in early rounds, as long as it is to both teams. Coaching from the sidelines is not permitted.
Please ensure that your players are in the correct age group.
Juniors CANNOT PLAY IN SENIOR TEAMS andSeniors CANNOT PLAY IN JUNIOR TEAMS
Each team is to provide one touch judge each Friday.The touch judge may be a senior with good decision making skills.
Junior Rules
11 players on the field (Under 10 Mod rules – apart form Zone modifications as outlined herein)
Modified field: sidelines and try lines to be moved in 10m – mark out field with domes (full field is fine if both coaches agree)
Kicks for goal to be taken from in front of the goal posts, roughly on the 10m line – can be place kicks or drop kicks
Junior re-starts after a try: the team that had the try scored against them takes a tap from the centre line. This will even out possession and encourage possession to facilitate skill development.
Senior Rules
13 players on the field (Under 10 Mod rules – apart form Zone modifications as outline herein)
Full field, unless no goal post covers are available – if this is the case, play the 10 metre line as the try line.
Goal kicks to be taken in line with where the try was scored, unless the try is scored between the 20 metre line and the sideline; in this case the kick for goal is to be moved 20 m in from the sideline – can be place kicks or drop kicks
Senior-starts after a try: the team that had the try scored against them takes a tap from the centre line.
General Rules
Must alternate the players who kick for goal – no player may kick twice unless all other players on the field have had a turn (only ARL/NRL approved kicking tees to be used)
No scrums, play the first infringement
Unlimited interchange; please try to ensure that all players receive game time equal to approximately one half, e.g. for juniors 3 five minute patches of play equals 15 minutes total time on field.
No stripping of the football, even one-on-one
One marker; must stay ‘square’ with the play-the-ball
Five metres back in defence (not ten)
Marker and defensive line cannot move forward until the first receiver catches the ball
There must be two passes (or ball exchanges, i.e. kicks) from the play ball, i.e. hooker to first receiver, first receiver to other – if a tackle is executed before two passes (or ball exchanges, i.e. kicks) take place there is to be a changeover of possession (apart from when in own 10m zone where only one pass is required)
No bombs – kicks that travel a greater distance in height to length or that gain a team a time advantage rather than a field position advantage
No field goals
Zero tackle - when a player:
runs the ball after fielding a kick-off,
runs after a tap,
runs after a kick in general play, or
picks up a ball lost by the opposition and does not pass, kick or drop the ball,
this will be deemed a zero tackle
ALL tries are worth four points, regardless of how many passes; this makes the referee’s job a bit easier
General notes
If no post covers are available, use 10 metre line as the try line.
Most weeks a development officer should be present to referee games. In cases where they can not attend teachers may referee.
If your school has goal post pads can they please bring them each week.
