FINA is trying out some new rules this weekend at the Fisher Cup (San Diego) Men's NT scrimmages and FINA Intercontinental Women's NT scrimmages in Riverside, CA.
Some of the rules will open up play and allow for more scoring opportunities. 5-on-5 play will change how both offenses and defenses run their half-court tactics. This will be the most interesting aspect of the experimental rules. Women using a size 3 ball will just frustrate the poor goalies who will, likely, be yelling at their field players for better shot blocking. I haven't seen anything that specifies how the "no-ordinary fouls" will be executed but that can be a big game changer as well.
The rule change that is most intriguing here at Beyond Water Polo is the playable open areas to the sides of the change. I doubt these areas will be used a lot as I haven't seen much use of the 2-meter area outside the pipes at the international level.
But, what if Wayne Gretzky were to draw up a power play for USA this weekend. Would it look something like this:
Some of the rules will open up play and allow for more scoring opportunities. 5-on-5 play will change how both offenses and defenses run their half-court tactics. This will be the most interesting aspect of the experimental rules. Women using a size 3 ball will just frustrate the poor goalies who will, likely, be yelling at their field players for better shot blocking. I haven't seen anything that specifies how the "no-ordinary fouls" will be executed but that can be a big game changer as well.
The rule change that is most intriguing here at Beyond Water Polo is the playable open areas to the sides of the change. I doubt these areas will be used a lot as I haven't seen much use of the 2-meter area outside the pipes at the international level.
But, what if Wayne Gretzky were to draw up a power play for USA this weekend. Would it look something like this:
This is a completely abnormal motion for a goalie in water polo. Hockey goalies know how to hug the post as the puck moves behind the net but how will a water polo goalie react? I would recommend that the winger waits until the goalie realizes the ball is behind the goalmouth and looks back to the middle of the pool, then make the cross pass. A good winger will look into the middle of the pool and "eye fake" the defense before making the pass over the net. Ideally, every defender is looking right and doesn't see the opposite wing dropping into the new zone.
I hope Team Canada doesn't see this.
Follow us @BeyondWaterPolo for live tweeting of the USA-AUS experimental rule scrimmage on Monday (May 19th) at 6:00 PST.
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