Protection

High swing

But the face cage (or at least it's proliferation) made the high swing acceptable...

No longer is it "don't swing so high" it's now "why weren't you wearing a face cage"

Not true.

Do you have a face cage?

these ones must have to stop a mallet, they are expensive but they conform to industrial standards which surely the dewalt would have to adhere to and are only a tenner.

What is their intended use?

just step back john.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtoWbK23AlQ

<3

1. High Sticking
   
   1. A high sticking penalty will be assessed in the following situations:
      
   2. the ball is played above the top of the handlebars with the mallet
      
   3. the mallet is brought into contact with an opposing player’s body above the level of the handlebars
      
   4. at the referee’s discretion, a high-stick to the body will result in a minor or a major penalty, depending on severity. particularly reckless or violent violations of this rule may result in a game misconduct and/or a match penalty.
      
      

What does this rule change? apart from: penalising someone in the eventuality that they hit someone and in the rare occasion someone tries to hit the ball above the bars? High sticking in ice hockey is when a player raises his/her stick above shoulder height. Not "if they're trying to play the puck".

I stand by the thought that high swinging is a bigger problem in Europe than in NA, no personal experience as you point out, so could be wrong.

What came first: The face cage, or the high swing?

Most definitely the high swing. People have been getting hit in the face for a long time. Iain/Eggpie and many others will gladly tell you of times before facecages when they got hit in the face. And for the record, the first time i got hit in the face was in North America.

The rule doesn't change much, I was mainly posting it for the curious:
No more playing the ball above your bars (no sweet volley goals, boo).
A more obvious ruling for high mallet-to-body contact (so minor lower mallet-to-body contact can be seen as incidental, higher = bad).
High sticking (if you make contact) = minor/major penalty. Swinging at someone with your mallet (out of anger, etc) = game ejection.
No ruling for big swings specifically, but the onus is still with the mallet handler to avoid making contact (not knowing someone's there is not an excuse).

My impression was that in NA you're more likely to hear: "Check your mallet", "watch your swing" and have a mallet-to-body penalty called. In Europe, many players/refs don't believe mallet-to-body (on a shot for example) is a foul, Clement and Alejandro believe mandatory face cages are the future (as they'd hate to be responsible for someone losing their sight, etc). I believe face cages have allowed/legitimised big swings (as most people are protected) and many players laugh when their face cage is now struck with a mallet (in my opinion they should still be pissed).

I am becoming a rules troll, I should stick to the rules thread... but yeah, there is no point trying to bring in a generic "your mallet is in the air = foul" ruling, we've come too far. Everyone needs to watch their swing though (or be penalised if you make contact).

Some NAH people want "cycle safety approved" helmets to be mandatory, but this would mean most Europeans would have to buy/source new helmets (DIY and hurling = no good), the NAH may be funding some independent research into grills and helmets for next season, seems like the logical step to me (many DIY helmets look like they could take the wearer's teeth out to me).

nicely summed up as usual. Glad your a rules troll, i cant stand reading pages and pages of the stuff. I like the way its going. I also think that hooking leads to incidental mallet on body contact, (no ones fault really) when two mallets are released it can cause a smack. I caught one to the face purely by chance on weds, i didnt laugh but the mallet wielder that hit me was very apologetic, glad for face cages and manners.

But the face cage (or at least it's proliferation) made the high swing acceptable...

No longer is it "don't swing so high" it's now "why weren't you wearing a face cage"

I really don't like this, it's total bullshit and offensive to people who wear face-cages.

Why do you assume that those who care for their faces the most are the most reckless around others'?

The game is safer now than ever.

I don't think Louis is suggesting that it's just cage wearers who high stick. It isn't, but it is a bit of a standard defensive retort. People don't like being told they've done something wrong.

LPC should continue to call high sticking and not be defensive if you get called.

So if it's been mentioned, but what is our rule on high sticking?

Be great if polo specific helmets were made.

I haven't seen any dangerous high sticking in London polo for a long time. This is a non-issue and I have no idea why it's being dragged up. Leave it be.

Joni started it and then Max called me a drivel.

It's something to talk about on a Friday I suppose.

You could move it over to LOBP if you're really bored.

Ohh I think he meant, 'you're a dreidel'.

I've no problem with being called a dreidel, fair enough.

You could move it over to LOBP if you're really bored.

LOBP: "where good ideas go to die".

It's something to talk about on a Friday I suppose.

LFGSS: "same shit, different day"

No more playing the ball above your bars (no sweet volley goals, boo).

It doesn't say no more though, does it, it says a penalty will be assessed. So to be that sounds like if you do it safely it won't be called.

So a lob to a goal-hanging attacker in a totally open position should be fine for a volley goal. IMO

True. (Although those lob goals are often shuffles anyway...)

Rules thread.

Sorry I wasn't blaming people with helmets, I do blame people who high stick. And they do exist.

And yes I do own a helmet with facecage. If I were to recommend one piece of protection it would be a face cage.

I wouldn't bother with googles unless they were the women's lacrosse ones and they'll still be a bit annoying I'd imagine. B, just get an Oakley hockey visor and mod it with a chin bar...

Hmm, yeah i like those hockey visors, but dang they are expensive. Just looked up the lacrosse goggles too, only in women's lacrosse it seems, men wear helmets but women dont?

I wouldn't bother with googles unless they were the women's lacrosse ones and they'll still be a bit annoying I'd imagine. B, just get an Oakley hockey visor and mod it with a chin bar...

Jinxy used to war them but ditched them, out of annoyance, I expect.

I really want some prescription sports' goggles, so I can see better and get bonus eye protection, but then my teeth are exposed. Could always get a dork mouth guard, but they are mainly to prevent swallowing your tongue right? Or biting your tongue?

just cut the top bars on your mycro and use it with the goggles, best of both worlds.

i bit my tongue in the final on sunday, was painful. a mouthguard would sort this?

I bite my tongue on here all day.