NetballExplained

Hands Over the Ball in Netball

How to defend the player with the ball in netball: legal hands over the ball from 0.9m, what to force, and where it becomes obstruction or contact.

Written by Claire McDonald · Last updated

Hands over the ball means defending the player holding it with your arms raised, from at least 0.9m from their landing foot. Use your position to force the pass a particular way or into a particular type of pass, and to tip or intercept it — never by moving closer, touching the ball or waving your arms erratically.

When your opponent has the ball, you can't mark them closely any more — but you can still defend them. "Hands over the ball" means contesting the pass (or shot) with your arms raised from a legal distance. Done well, it doesn't just make the pass harder; it decides where the pass goes.

How the 0.9 metre defending distance is measured Seen from above: the attacker's landing foot on the left and the defender's feet on the right. A measurement line runs from the front of the landing foot to the front of the defender's nearer foot, marked at least 0.9 metres, measured on the ground. At least 0.9 m, measured on the ground Landing foot Nearer foot Player with the ball Defender
Measuring 0.9m. The distance runs along the ground from the nearest part of the landing foot (filled) to the nearest part of the defender's nearer foot. The other foot (dashed) can step or lift; if the player pivots, the defender adjusts to stay 0.9m from where the landing foot now is.

To defend a player holding the ball you must be at least 0.9m away, measured on the ground from the nearest part of their landing foot to the nearest part of your nearer foot (see obstruction). From there:

  • raising your arms to contest the pass or shot is allowed — the rule is about distance, not about arms being up;
  • if they lift their landing foot, the distance is measured from where it was grounded; if they pivot, you adjust to stay 0.9m from where it now is;
  • you may jump upwards or towards them and land inside 0.9m, as long as you don't interfere with the passing or shooting action;
  • if they step towards you and close the gap, you aren't penalised.

What you're trying to do

World Netball's coaching manual gives four aims when defending the player with the ball:

  1. Force them to pass in a particular direction.
  2. Force them to make a particular type of pass — a lob instead of a quick chest pass, for example.
  3. Tip or intercept the ball as it's passed.
  4. Direct their next movement after the pass — towards or away from the pass they've just thrown.

Where to stand

Rather than always standing directly in front, the manual suggests defending the player on their favourite attacking side, and covering left- and right-handed players on their preferred throwing side. Your position can also set up a teammate: marking the thrower towards the sideline, or towards the path of the ball, can dictate the play to come and give a teammate the chance to go for the ball at the receiver's end.

Keep your feet moving. If the player pivots, adjust with short steps so you stay at 0.9m and on the side you want to cover, rather than planting in one spot with your arms up.

Where it goes wrong

  • Too close. The same arms-up position becomes obstruction the moment you're defending from less than 0.9m. The most common way this happens is creeping forward while concentrating on your arms.
  • Touching the ball. Putting your hands on a ball your opponent is holding is contact.
  • Waving to distract. Arms waved erratically to put a player off is intimidation, not defending.

Note that you're allowed to stand within 0.9m of the player with the ball — for example while recovering — as long as you make no attempt to defend the pass and don't interfere with it.

How to practise

A practice from World Netball's coaching manual: defender X stands 0.9m (or slightly further) from passer A. A can pass to any of three stationary receivers, B, C and D. X's aim is to direct the pass, or make the intercept, by putting pressure on the passer. Give each defender eight attempts, then change over.

To build a feel for the distance, practise judging 0.9m by eye with your arms raised, then check it — that's when defenders most often drift inside it without realising. For contesting a shot, see the wall practice in how to defend a shooter.

Sources

All information on this page is given to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing (October 2026), after referring to the official sources below.

Common mistakes

  • Raising the arms while standing closer than 0.9m, turning a legal contest into obstruction.
  • Creeping forward while concentrating on the arms, without checking the distance.
  • Waving the arms erratically to distract, which is intimidation.
  • Planting in one spot with arms up instead of adjusting when the player pivots.