COMPETITION FORMAT
DRAW EXPLANATION
In 2013, the ANZ Championship will be played over 17 weeks, comprising 14 "Regular Rounds", followed by the Finals Series (four matches played over three weeks). Matches will generally be played on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays.
Each team will compete in 13 regular matches. Australian teams will play all other Australian teams twice, and New Zealand teams once; New Zealand teams will play all other New Zealand teams twice, and Australian teams once.
CHAMPIONSHIP LADDER
Following each round, teams will be ranked on the Championship Ladder based on points accumulated: Win - 2 points, Loss - 0 points.
At the conclusion of the regular rounds, the top four teams will advance to the ANZ Championship Finals Series:
WEEK 1
Semi-Final 1: 1st v 2nd
Semi-Final 2: 3rd v 4th
WEEK 2
Preliminary Final: Loser Semi-Final 1 v Winner Semi-Final 2
WEEK 3
Grand Final: Winner Semi-Final 1 v Winner Preliminary Final
If teams are even on points at the conclusion of the regular rounds, teams will be ranked by goal percentages.
If two teams are still equal after goal percentage, the results of matches between the two teams will decide the higher ranked team.
If the teams are still equal, then they are measured by goal difference across all games (goals for minus goals against).
If still equal, the higher ranked team will be the one with most goals scored for overall games in the regular rounds.
MATCH FORMAT
Each quarter is played over 15 minutes, with the following intervals between quarters:
First quarter break = 4 minutes
Half-time break = 12 minutes
Third quarter break = 4 minutes
STOPPAGES FOR INJURY OR ILLNESS
The first stoppage for each team per quarter is up to two minutes. The player may be treated and may remain on court.
In each subsequent stoppage for each team in a quarter (or extra time periods), the break lasts 30 seconds. The injured or ill player must leave the court to be treated.
As in previous seasons, coaching will be allowed at all stoppages including injury or illness, blood and emergency.
COUNTDOWN CLOCK
The 2013 ANZ Championship will feature a 60 second countdown display for the last minute of each quarter played.
EXTRA TIME
All games must play to a result – no draws are permitted. This includes all Finals Series matches.
In the event that teams are tied at full-time in a game, extra time will be played. A three minute interval follows the full-time whistle, and then two periods of seven minutes will be played, with no interval between periods.
If teams are still drawn at the end of the second period of seven minutes, play will continue uninterrupted until one team has a two-goal advantage. This period is referred to as extended extra time. To indicate that the game has entered the period of extended extra time, an orange flag will be placed on the score bench.