Polo Rules

So the obstruction rule has been implemented?
Its now a 'rule' that you wear a helmet in Melburn at pick up. #nannystate

We played it at PHBP and GLWC. It's not in the final rules as yet.

But Dave and Ned both played it, and said you'd been playing similar rules there for a while.

No one has a universal understanding of the obstruction rule in Seattle. But they all love it.

Wouldn't it just be easier to ban Call Me Daddy instead of adding all of these silly rules?

You'd have to ban most of Europe #sckbrn

Makes sense for Seattle. With the new rules, the extended Guardians were able to show off the best of their game at the PHBP.

News to me that it's been played here a while... As if Australia trail blazes anything.
Is it going to be in the rules? Seems silly to be using it if it's not going to be.
And the crease rule too?

Yes. NAH rules v4.5 is going out for approval any day now with both those rules in it.

Is this going to be like OS updates that gradually bork all the older models?

Bill quit a few versions ago...

Now he's gathering dust at the back of someones drawers.

^ Sounds ace...

Wouldn't it just be easier to ban Call Me Daddy instead of adding all of these silly rules?

I agree. I'm sorry we're putting you guys through all of this! But if you want to read more on how all of us European's are destroying Bike Polo check here

F*** this shiiiiittt! Blocking is part of the game, if you dont like defensive moves, why not just remove the goalie then? Surely that's the zenith of attacking play?

Basically if players/teams stop holding/shielding the ball so much and start to pass more, then cluster f***s will be reduced.

A penalty for holding the ball too long e.g 20 seconds or whatever it takes from one side of the court to the other at full speed +5 seconds? I would love to see that being implemented ala basketball's 23 seconds rule!

Seems a little clearer after watching those videos, more about trying to get rid of close quarters blocking and holding obstructions than temporary moving screens. It seems like it's written any off ball screening out of the game though, which would be shit.

temporary moving screens are fine.

Blocking is part of the game, but an ugly part. So we are removing it off ball.

You want a more pass based game? Well this encourages it. We've played it at two tournaments, and they produced the best looking quick passing game I've ever seen on a polo court.

You've seen? And the skill levels of those involved in both tourneys? TWO tourneys... a bigger sample perhaps?

If you can't beat the blocks or defense, you really have to look pretty hard at yourself instead of changing the rules to suit your game. Changing the rules/shifting the goal posts each bloody year is just plain shit. You name me a handfull of rule changes in the past 5 years which has made defending easier?

If you aint good enough, practice more and work on your own game and stop blamming peeps for your own shortfall.

The game isnt attractive enough/ugly to watch? Says who? And to those peeps, you can go play hockey or some other sports, we don't need a more attractive or elitist game so you can sit around, just play to the tune of a selected few and eat popcorn and prawn sandwich. We'll play it as we like!

You want the game to be taken seriously? Maybe thrash out a set of rules and keep to them first (maybe just for 2 years for a start) and not butcher it every time you deem fit. Professional league? Ha! You dont even give due consideration to having a proper and settled ruleset, how serious can this game be?

PHBP. The best players in NA.
And GLWC, which had the full range, from NAHBPC winners, to 6 month rookies.

So a pretty good selection of skill levels.

More tournaments are using it in the next few weeks.

This rule isn't just about helping offense. It's also designed to stop a specific type of offense we have seen in the last 18 months at the top end of play, where in a direct response to double goalie the ball carrier will hang back, and let the other two players screen the defense out of the game, turning it into a 1 one 1.

It's not about players not being good enough. Nobody is blaming other players for their shortcomings. It's players who have played at the highest level of continental and world champions asking for this change. Look at the comments of players like Dusty or Kruse. They will be good under any ruleset. But they want to play a good game.

Who says it's not attractive? Plenty of people. Top end players, average players, organisers, people trying to get media attention to the sport, and people just watching games. So you aren't the same opinion, that's fine, but plenty of people are.

Thrash out a consistent set of rules? What do you think is happening right now. Most sports have rulesets that go over 100 pages. We had 3 rules barely 10 years ago. Every year the ruleset has got much better, dealt with more and more shitty situations. These are now fine tweaking the game, and are likely to be the last major changes you'll see in a while. But maybe someone will come up with a new broken strategy over the next few years...

How serious? It's pretty serious. Literally thousands of hours of work have gone into those 10 lines of rules. It's not something people have just decided to do. The process on this started about 18 months ago, and in that time there has been a lot of feedback, play testing, changes, and finally tournament level testing.

Wow, you guys still play polo?

#beaglerage

I blame the Dover Castle...

The rule changes sound great IMHO, anything that'll open the game up and create more opportunities for sweet passing polo is A-OK with me...

I might even start playing again... #bhbpc4lyf

I agree with Beagle.

#politicsmeme

#SaveEuropeanPolo #PassingSucks

Shouldn't we try it first? Then provide our positive and negative feedback.

I (and most of Birmingham) like the crease rule.

I'd be up for creating a mini tournament in Birmingham to test the obstruction rule...

The crease is in. It's been on at the past two major European tournaments and everyone thought it was cool (even Lefty Will!!)