Object of the game: To score goals by getting the duck in your opponent’s goal.

Okay so it's really to get as wet, physical and exhausted as you can!

The winner: First team to score 10 goals.  Play is continuous with no time limits. A reduced game of first to 5 may be played by the elderly, unfit, wimps or sad people who can only muster teams of two players.

The Court:        The Official Duckball court is a water-filled pool 11.5m by 5.6m.  The depth of the pool varies asymmetrically as shown between 1m at one end to 3.4m at the other.

The Goals: originally large shells, the modern game adopted a new Goal for the 2004 season.  The goal consists of a round receptacle approx 400mm diameter and 500m deep (technical term: plastic flower pot), surrounded by a floatation ring.  (See picture)

The Duck: The most important element of the game.  Practise ducks can be any size or weight from 50mm to 150mm in height. Match ducks are 75mm to 90mm in height. (see third duck from the left)  Usually made of light, flexible plastic or occasionally rubber.  The duck should be sealed to prevent it becoming waterlogged.  This should be checked at regular intervals by the referee.  The Duck MUST be Yellow.

Rules of Play

In keeping with the Mystical and Ancient traditions of the Game of Kings, there are 13 rules of play.

1)     FIRST DUCK (or Centre Duck) - The game begins with the "First Duck".  The team players start at opposite ends of the court.  They must be in the water and in direct contact with the end wall.  The duck is thrown into the middle of the court by the referee (or bemused attendant, innocent passer by, lame Duckball player etc).  Only when the duck has hit the water may the players loose contact with their respective end walls.

2)     Players work in teams (or as individual selfish star players) to get the Duck into their opponent’s goal.

3)     Players may move with the duck until they are tackled.  Once takled the player with the duck must pass the duck without travelling in the water. Players may not move with the duck outside the court.

4)     Players may move outside the court, but must be within the court to play the duck. (see “Duck In” for exceptions).

5)     A player is deemed to have been tackled when any part of their body has been touched directly by a player from the opposing team. The tackling player must be “in court” (in the water dummy!) to play.

6)     There is no rule 6.

7)     The duck may only be passed to a player who is in court.

8)     Actual drowning (Ducking) of a player during a tackle is not permitted.  Anything short of that is encouraged.  Inducements to pass badly or give up the duck include the use of sharp nails, removal of clothing, splashing, all over body holding and sinking.

9)     A GOAL is awarded when the duck is placed or thrown into the goal and stays there.  A Duck that bounces out of the goal without assistance from a defending player is still in play and does not count as a goal.

10)     After each goal the direction of play changes so that a team is defending the goal they have just scored in.

11)     DUCK OFF  - After each goal, the team that conceded the goal must “Duck Off”.  A player in contact with the end wall of the court that they are now defending must take the “Duck Off”.  All other players may be anywhere in – or out of - the court. A player taking a “Duck Off” may pass the duck, or may ‘bring’ the duck onto the court until tackled.  A “Duck Off” may be taken immediately as long as the player taking it is in contact with their defending end wall and is in court.

12)     DUCK IN  - If the Duck goes outside the court at the sides or the ends, a “Duck In” is awarded against the team whose player was last in contact with the duck before it went outside the court.  A “Duck In” is taken at the point on the edge of the court where the Duck went out of court and can be taken immediately.  Players taking a “Duck In” may pass the duck or move with the duck from that point until tackled.  A player taking a “Duck In” may do so from outside the court at a point immediately adjacent to the point where the duck went out of court.  A player taking a “Duck In” from outside the court must pass the duck immediately.

13)     Intimidating, interfering with and obstructing a player taking a “Duck In” or “Duck Off”, in-play with the Duck, or off-the-duck, in any other part of the court is OBLIGATORY.