Oztag Rules

Tamworth Juniors » Local Competitions » Primary School

Competition Overview

Tamworth Junior Oztag (TJO) Summer Term 1 & 4 2022

 

All of the following information DOES NOT APPLY TO MiNiTaG.

Please refer to the ‘MiNiTaG’ tab for specific details.

Commencing 16th February, 2022

  1. Competition Details and Time
  • 16 weeks of competition (inc. Trial 1 & 2 – 1st 2 week’s to assist committee with grading plus 2 weeks of finals.) 12 Rounds to accumulate points for finals.
  • All game times commence at 4.15 pm and  5.00 pm. 40 minute games.
  • Primary School Competition and MiNiTaG games are played on Wednesday afternoons. (6yrs and Under – 12yrs & Under)
  • High School Mixed Competition are played on Thursday afternoons. (14yrs and 16yrs)
  • Divisions will consist of a maximum of 12 – 14 teams.
  • Minimum of 10 players per team per division.
  • Win 3 points, Loss 1 point, Draw 2 points, Forfeit -3 points, Notified forfeit 0 points, Bye 3 points
  1.  2022 Competition Dates:

Please Note: Week Commencing * wc* – Dates can be subject to change pending Council approval!

  • Trial 1 (no points – grading) wc 14th Feb 2022
  • Trial 2 (no points-grading) wc 21st Feb 2022
  • Round 1 wc 28th Feb 2022
  • Round 2 wc 7th March 2022
  • Round 3 wc 14th March 2022
  • Round 4 wc 21st March 2022
  • Round 5 wc 28th March 2022

WINTER BREAK – Terms 2 & 3

  • Round 6 wc 10th Oct 2022
  • Round 7 wc 17th Oct 2022
  • Round 8 wc 24th Oct 2022
  • Round 9 wc 31st Oct 2022
  • Round 10 wc 7th Nov 2022
  • Round 11 wc 14th Nov 2022
  • Round 12 wc 21st Nov 2022
  • Primary School and High School SEMI-FINALS  ( 1 v 4, 2 v 3 )
  • wc 28th Nov 2022
  • Primary School and High School GRAND FINAL wc 5th Dec 2022.
  1. Age Requirements
    The oldest age group in the Junior Competition is 16 yrs old. Players turning 17 in 2022 MUST play in the Senior Competition.

4.  Registration

The nomination fee is $120 per player. This includes registration and team shirt.

All players must pay the full amount BEFORE Round 3 otherwise their team will be forfeited if unregistered players take the field.

All players are encouraged to register online, eftpos is available at the ground also. Active Kids Vouchers are accepted and can be used online to register, plus $20 payment.

Any player joining the competition at any stage must incur the $120 fee.

However from Rnd 6 (1st game after Winter Break), a reduced fee of $80 applies if you are replacing a registered player who is unable to return for the remainder of the season or adding players due to reduced numbers.

The only exception to the rule is if a player registers with a team during the Trial game or Rounds 1-2, but is then unable to play for various reasons, a new player can take over their registration only at the approval of competition organiser, but this must be done prior to Rnd 3 cut off. (last game before Winter Break) Remember this can only be done if the player dropping out has only signed on & played 1 or 2 rounds, at the discretion of the competition organiser.

The only time you can add to a team after Round 3  without payment is through approval of the competition organiser and only for reasons of permanent injury or relocation.

Players in multiple teams
No player can play in 2 teams within the same grade but they are able to play in maximum 2 teams (on the one night) if those teams are in separate grades. Be aware that you MUST pay twice and games could clash in same timeslot so you could end up letting one team down. You cannot sign on for both teams if playing in the same timeslot unless you have played part of the game with both. If caught doing this, you may be suspended for a period at the discretion of the competition organiser or competition committee. Due to the increasing numbers of players doubling up, it is the players’ responsibility to inform the competition convenor if a grade change causes them to end up in same grade. They will then be refunded a portion of their registration of the team they choose to pull out of.

 

Quality of player
Under no circumstances will Representative players be permitted to be added to a lower grade team if they don’t commence the season with that team. This is deemed to be unfair to the lower grade teams and the grading process. A grade/Rep players will be determined by the competition committee on an individual basis depending on age, quality and length of time since playing Rep. Impossible to put a general rule in place for all these reasons. So too, replacing injured players in a latter part of the season, unless the replacement player is determined by the competition committee to be of a similar standard. This decision by the committee is final and cannot be appealed against.

5. Tamworth Junior Oztag Sponsorship 2022 COMPETITION

Century Batteries are supporting the local competition in 2022.

REFEREE SPONSOR

century Batteries are our new Referee sponsor.

 

Uniform requirements/cost of shorts

Shorts must be purchased from the Oztag Association as the sport is patented. Players found guilty of wearing own design of shorts will be open to legal action. Cost of shorts is $30 per pair, $40 for rep club shorts. Tights are $35 per pair or new style $50. No belt straps to be worn any more, LOAN shorts are available if players forget or rip their shorts. Players exchange for keys/mobile etc.

Teams MUST wear matching team shirts, these are part of the registration, teams may be penalised for not having team shirts.

6. Local Rules

Girls to kick off in all mixed competitions.

7. Modified Rules

The MiNiTaG, 8yrs and 10 yrs & Under Divisions use Modified Rules:

  1. a) There is no Marker
  2. b) Defenders do not move until the 1streceiver has the ball or dummy half chooses to run.
  3. c)  Dummy half cannot score or get tagged.
  4. d) Each half commences with a kick off and then it is a tap from the non-scoring team to restart play.
  5. e) KICKS ARE ALLOWED IN GENERAL PLAY ( same as Seniors)

8. Injuries/ Ambulance

All injuries MUST be reported to Oztag organisers on the night or within 24 hours of the injury.
All registered players are covered by Sportscover Insurance and their contact number is 1300 134 956. It is mainly set up for major injuries, accidents or death and permanent disablement.

Ambulance cover – This is not covered under Oztag Insurance. We encourage all players to obtain cover because if an ambulance is called, cost is approximately $700. Before an ambulance is called, the player will be asked for their permission to do so, unless the Competition Convenor deems the injury serious or life threatening and an ambulance will be called at their discretion, keeping the safety of the player a priority.

9.Grading

Teams going up grades

Keep in mind that teams who win a division in the previous season will be automatically put up a grade and depending on the closeness of the Grand Final, so may their opponents. Not always will we leave them there, depending on their results of grading games and new players who come and go. This will be at the discretion of the competition committee and decisions are made fairly.

Grading/points

On completion of grading, teams will move up or down with the points they had accumulated in those first few rounds.

Commencement of Play

It takes 5 players to start an Oztag match. In the case of mixed, no more than the maximum 4 boys can play (must have at least one girl). Your team is given 5 minutes to get started then you forfeit. The Ref is in control of this time and their decision is final. There is no injury time allowed during the course of competition.
No ring-in players. Teams caught playing UNREGISTERED players receive -3pts!

 

10. Forfeits/Byes
In the event of forfeits, any team who forfeits 3 times in total are removed from the competition, with NO refund of fee’s paid. The team involved will receive a warning notification after two weeks and then upon the third, are out. This rule has been put in place for the courtesy of all other paying teams. However, with the rule of “forfeit notification”, if unforeseen circumstances apply with the team and they make every effort to notify the competition organisers, then this rule may be flexible at the sole discretion of the competition organisers. Their decision is final. Teams who do forfeit, if they notify the competition organiser in person 3 hours prior to their game, will not lose 3 points but rather will receive 0 points that night with the opposition receiving 3 points for the win. Points for and against will be 5-0. Outside the 3 hours personal notification, the team will lose 3 points. In addition, a no show forfeit will incur the same result. Points for and against will be 0 for, and minus 5 against in all cases. Teams who do forfeit: only those who attend the night’s game of forfeit and sign on, qualify for the match. All other players don’t qualify for that match and it won’t count toward any qualifying matches for the semi finals or final.

We try not to have byes in any grades, but depending on quality AND number of teams nominated, this may change at any stage due to competition organiser’s discretion. In the situation of any teams getting 2 byes and others only getting 1, be aware that draws are selected at random by the computer. It is extremely hard to avoid this happening. Grading is usually completed by no later than Round 2 or 3 but subject to change at any time.

11. Qualification/Signing On/Disqualification

Players must have played four (4) games only during competition to qualify for finals. In the event of a player only playing four games, two of those have to be in the last four rounds of the competition to qualify for the finals (forfeits against, washouts & byes count toward these 4 games). Players must sign the sign on sheet each night of competition prior to each match. These are left out until full time, so no excuses for not signing on. DNQ next to a player’s name, come Finals sign on, means DID NOT QUALIFY! EXCEPTION TO RULE AT COMMITTEES DISCRETION – If you are only 1 or 2 games shy of qualifying due to an injury, which hasn’t allowed you to play, you may place it in writing to the committee to discuss the circumstances and your eligibility to continue to play finals. Decision is final!! ALSO Pending extreme wet seasons or unforeseen circumstances, qualifications MAY be voided at the convenors discretion. For any games that a player does not sign on, they NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE.

Draws

Draws are no longer handed out due to changes that can be made to divisions at any time throughout the competition. Go to Oztag website http://www.tamworthjunioroztag.com or contact your delegate for playing times.

12.Wet weather procedure
Cancellations will be decided by 2 pm on the day of competition to allow schools to notify students. We will also endeavour to have an announcement on the voicemail of 0421 019 462 or check the website http://www.tamworthjunioroztag.com if decision had been made earlier or our Facebook and Instagram page.  There is NO wet weather allowance in Term 1 and Term 4, as every possible week is being played on. If there are missed games due to wet weather cancellations, it will not be possible to catch up and there will be no refunds.

 

13. Pinboard

This is always near the admin area or sign on stand, so please check each week for important information and coming events, draws, insurance information, maps of grounds, weekly Oztag reports and these Delegates notes. It is the player’s responsibility to read this board at all times for any updated information.

 

Rules of Semi-Final, Final and Grand Final – Selection of teams/forfeit

For semi-finals – It is a 4 team semi in all grades.

EXTRA TIME will be played during the Semi finals, Finals & Grand Finals. Golden Try will be played. Five players will play until there is a result. NO INTERCHANGE in EXTRA TIME. Mixed divisions will have a minimum of 2 females in the five players.
The Referee will conduct a ROCK OFF (scissor, paper, rock). The Captain winning the rock off will have possession and choose the direction the team will run. PLAY WILL COMMENCE WITH A TAP KICK AT THE CENTRE OF THE HALFWAY LINE.

If a try is scored in the first set of six tags the opposition will be given the same opportunity. (Right of Reply) If the opposition score within their set of six tags the right of reply is repeated until a winner is decided. There is no injury time allowed during the course of competition. At the sole discretion of the referee and competition organisers, injury time may be taken out and played in semis, finals and grand finals depending on length of time taken up by injury or removal of player from field and closeness of score line.

 

14. Referees

This is a paid position. Referees need to be 12 or turning 12 to commence refereeing. New referees are required to submit a Level O Exam and on completion will be allocated MiNiTaG or 8 yrs & Under games with supervision.

Primary School Referees will be paid $5 per game in their first season until they have been assessed and deemed eligible to sit the Level 1 Test. Once accredited they move up to $10 a game.

High School Referees will initially be paid $5 per game (minimum 2 weeks) until they have been assessed and if successful will be paid $10.

Adults are paid $15 per game.  An incentive (money or clothing) is given for referees who have reffered 10 games in a Term.

 

15.Representative Season

Junior State Cup is being held at Coffs Harbour on the 21st, 22nd and 23rd February where we have 14 teams participating.

The Junior Nationals are held on the 16th, 17th and 18th October and teams are selected to represent our Region, The Northern Rangers from Port Macquarie, Warialda and Tamworth.

 

16.Completion of Game

All tags to be removed and left in centre of field, and ball returned to Referee at end of game. 8 sets of tags will be given per field. Score Card to be signed by Team Captains or Delegate upon checking score. If you do not agree to the final score you must not sign the score card until it is sorted out. Either through the Referee or alternatively if not sorted out, the competition organiser.

17. Complaints

If teams have a complaint in relation to referees, competition organisers and/or the way rules are being adjudicated, these must be placed in writing and either posted/emailed to Tamworth Junior Oztag or given to competition organisers. The competition committee will address issues and replies will be sent to the individuals within a reasonable time frame as this committee only meets once a month if necessary. EXPLAIN – No decisions can be made under a week.

No bare feet

Not even at own risk (not covered by insurance). If players have medical problems with their feet, a doctor’s certificate must be provided prior to being allowed to play in bare feet in any game situation. No insurance cover even if a certificate is provided.

Jewellery/Sunglasses/Prescription glasses/Hard peaked caps

Players cannot play with sunglasses or excessive jewellery, studs and wedding bands are acceptable. Prescription glasses require us to sight Drivers Licence or Doctor’s Certificate. Hard peaked caps are no longer able to be worn, they must be the approved soft capped or hard peaked worn backwards.

 

18. Judicary/Competition/Rep Committee

Judiciary/Competition/Rep Committee- Comprises of the following, replacements are found only in the case that a member withdraws.

Members: Mel Watson, Steve Porter, Justin Downey, Natasha Ingram and Katrina Davis. The Judiciary makes judgements on complaints or queries, in all cases, incidents must be put in writing.