Rules
1. No game will start until both teams have filled in the match card and paid the match day official the teams match payment.
2. Twenty-minute halves. Five minute break at half time.
3. All games will start at exactly the same time at each timeslot. Games will commence at the sounding of a horn. A whistle will be blown two minutes prior to this as a warning. Any team causing the late start of a game will be punished one goal for each 2 minutes late and will forfeit the game 5-0 after ten minutes.
4. Half times and Final whistles will still be blown at the referee’s discretion.
5. Shin-pads and boots must be worn. Jewellery is not allowed unless taped over and considered safe by the referee.
6. A minimum of five players is required to start the game. A maximum of seven players are allowed on the pitch for one team at any time.
7. Keeper cannot come out of “D”. If so a penalty will be awarded.
8. No outfield player can go into the goalkeeper’s “D”. If a forward encroaches into the “D” the goalkeeper gains possession of the ball. If a defender encroaches a penalty will be awarded.
9. Penalties are to be taken 1 metre out from the “D”, in line with the centre of the goal.
10. There is no off side.
11. A kick in is taken when the ball goes out of play on both the sidelines and the goal line. Throw ins are not permitted, with the exception of a throw in from the goal line by the goalkeeper in women’s games.
12. At all free kicks and all kick ins the opposing team must give the opposition at least two metres.
13. Absolutely no slide tackles allowed. Sliding however, is permitted to gain possession of the ball when no opposition player is competing for the same ball.
14. Goalkeepers can not “football kick” the ball. An indirect free kick to the opposition will be awarded. Goal kicks can only be kicked off the ground into play. A goalkeeper may throw the ball during the normal course of play.
15. Goalkeepers cannot handle a deliberate back-pass.
16. Goalkeepers cannot receive a ball from a defender, pass it back to that player and then receive it back from that defender once more. A penalty will be awarded.
17. Corners are to be taken from the point halfway between the corner cone (intersection of the side and goal lines) and the edge of the “D”.
18. Teams will receive three points for a win and one point for a draw.
19. A player may be sent off the field of play for 5 minutes at the referee’s discretion (yellow card). Deliberate fouls, taking out a player with only the goalkeeper to beat, deliberate handball and abusive language towards either referee’s or opposition players will all incur 5 minutes in the “sin bin”. A player receiving 3 yellow cards over the course of the season will automatically receive a one-match suspension.
20. A referee may at his discretion send a player off for the rest of the game (red card). Offences such as abusive language and any violence will incur a red card. A player receiving a red card will automatically receive a one-match suspension.
21. Any team who fails to turn up for a game without previously informing the competition co-ordinator will forfeit both the game and their bond.
22. Substitutions occur on an interchange basis. Substitutions may only be made on the approval of the referee.
23. Players must play in the team they are registered in that division. Any team caught playing with players from another team that these players are not registered with, will automatically forfeit their points and they will be awarded to the opposing team. Players can register for different teams as long as they are in different divisions.
24. Players must fill out the card before game begins and players that haven’t filled out the card will not be awarded any goals if they score, but the team will get the goals and points.
25. Any decision made by the competition co-ordinators is final. The competition co-ordinators reserve the right to remove a team from the competition should they deem it in the best interests of the opposing players and spectators safety.
26. If at the end of a Semi Final scores are deadlocked a penalty shoot-out will commence.
27. If at the end of the Grand Final scores are deadlocked Golden Goal extra time will commence. Extra time will go for two five-minute halves. If at the end of this teams are still deadlocked a penalty shootout will determine the winner.
28. Any disputes regarding interpretation of these rules will be resolved by the competition organisers, in conjunction with the referees, in the interest of fairness to all parties. Any decision made by the competition co-ordinators is final.