Premier League Rules

Rules as of 21/02/2022

If you have a query about the relevant rules and their correct interpretations, please speak to the Competition Manager Yugandh Zende or the Events & Clubs Officer, Claire Montgomery, who is a highly experienced Tournament Director as well as one of the Pennant Committee Members.

1. RACKET RULE

One side of the racket must be red colour and the other side must be black colour and have the ITTF logo on each rubber covering. Rackets cannot be exchanged at any stage during a match except when a racket is accidentally damaged so badly it cannot be used.

If there are concerns about any player’s racket, the Team Captain should report this to the Competition Manager prior to play commencing who will have the final discretion.

2. BALLS

One (1) white 3 STAR plastic ball will be supplied, by the Competition Manager, at the start of each week which will then become the responsibility of the HOME Team (First named team on the draw). If any table requires an extra ball then they may ask the Competition Manager for a used 3 STAR plastic ball. If both captains want to use another ball, they must have it approved by the Competition Manager first prior to its usage.

All balls must be returned to the Control Desk by the HOME Team Captain at the end of each round.

3. SCORE SHEETS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT

A score sheet will be supplied by the Competition Manager with a clipboard, score indicator, and pen which will be on the allocated table where the match is to be played. Additional score indicators, paper, and pens will be provided if requested.

All score sheets, clipboards, score indicators and pens must be returned to the Control Desk by the HOME Team Captain at the end of each round.

4. LODGING RESULTS

The HOME Team (The first named team on the draw) is responsible for signing & lodging the score sheet in the results box at the Control Desk. Score sheets must be filled out completely, giving full names of players (as specified in Ratings Central), correct adding up of matches, games & players’ individual performances.

The AWAY Team (the Second named team on the draw) is responsible for reviewing & signing the score sheet prior to lodgement.

In the event there is an error, the Captains of both the Home and Away teams will be contacted in order to provide an accurate recollection of the result in question.

It is the responsibility of the Competition Manager to ensure the results are collated, entered into RCPennantSubmitter, submitted to Ratings Central, and upload all results to the TTV Website by COB Monday following the Round.

5. DRESS REGULATIONS

It is expected that all Club team members will wear their club shirts and that team members of all other independent teams should preferably wear matching shirts. The main colour of the shirt must be distinctively different from the ball and not WHITE.

Jeans, WHITE shirts/shorts are not permitted and non-marking shoes must be worn.

If there are any concerns about any player’s dress code, the Team Captain should report this to the Competition Manager prior to play commencing who will have the final discretion.

6. STARTING TIME OF MATCHES

The starting time for pennant matches is 7.30 pm or earlier by mutual agreement (if so please notify the Pennant Committee and the Competition Manager). If by unforeseen circumstances a member/members of a team will be late, then matches should be played out of sequence until they are able to be played in sequence again (i.e. the missing member/members become available) – though it is recommended to play them as C/Z if they are usually prone to lateness. If after the completion of all matches that could be played and a member/members of a team is/are still missing, then and only then after a five (5) minute waiting period should the remaining matches be considered a walkover at the discretion of the Competition Manager.

If any player is required to play back to back matches as a result of lateness, they are entitled to up to 5 minutes rest.

A player who has commenced playing a scheduled match cannot be substituted at any time during that scheduled match.

If by mutual agreement matches are to be played on another night due to special requirements where the number of Fill-in players required is above the appropriate number, the captains should inform the Pennant Committee and the Competition Manager and it will be their responsibility to organise and play that match.

7. FINISHING TIME OF MATCHES

It is expected team matches will be completed between 10.30 pm with 10.45 pm being the latest. It should be expected that teams should use the extra tables available should one become available in order to finish matches on time.

If 6 matches are not completed by 9:00 pm, then another table should be used at the discretion of the Competition Manager.

8. WARMUP TIME/PRACTICE PERIOD

Players are entitled to practice on the match table for up to 2 minutes immediately before the start of a match but not during normal intervals.

9. INTERVALS

Play shall be continuous throughout a match except that a player is entitled to:

• An interval of up to 1 minute between successive games (i.e. at the end of each game); and
• Brief intervals for toweling after every 6 points from the start of each game and at the change of ends (when one player reaches 5 points first) during the last and deciding game.

10. ADVICE

Regulations regarding players receiving advice must satisfy the conditions specified in Chapter 3.5.1 of the ITTF Handbook and Rule 10 of the TTV Premier League with Rule 10 being of the higher authority.

• Players may receive advice from their teammates or nominated advisor including the umpire only if the umpire is a player from the HOME or AWAY team (player-umpire); and
• Players may receive advice from their team at any time except during rallies provided the continuity of play is not affected but may only receive advice from the player-umpire between successive games (i.e. at the end of each game).
• Spectators or players from another team are not authorised to give advice nor disrupt play unless they were nominated as an advisor by the player beforehand.

Examples of what constitutes legal and illegal advice can be found on the ITTF Website > Committees > Umpires and Referees > Documents > FAQ > Chapter 3.

11. TIMEOUT RULE

There will be no time out for any player in any grade during the Home & Away Season.

Time Outs will only apply during the Finals Series in which an interval of 1 minute is allowed.

Either the player or people authorised to give advice may claim one time out during the match.

12. FILL-INS (Updated)

• A Fill-in is a player who is available to play on any given night provided they are not already required to play for their registered team on any given round. These could range from external fill-ins (players not listed on the original entry form nor paid the relevant fees and thus not listed in a team) or internal fill-ins (a player who has a bye/not scheduled to play). 
• Teams/Clubs requiring fill-in players are primarily responsible for finding a suitable fill-in player though they may ask the Competition Manager for assistance. A list of available external fill-ins can be found on the Fill In List. Teams/Clubs are also responsible for informing the Competition Manager if they have organised a fill-in player. They do so at the earliest convenience to help ensure the smooth operation of the Premier League.
• Division 1: All fill in's should follow a 'like for a like' rule such that the fill-in cannot be more than 75 Ratings Central Points above the player they are filling in for unless they are substituting for that team's best player. 
• If a team has a fill-in that contravenes the above rule, Division 1 teams have until Round 3 to lock in a revised team and from that, no alterations may be made without an exemption from the Pennant Committee in conjunction with the Competition Manager. 
• All Fill-in players can only play for one team per night i.e. Fill-in A cannot play for Team 1 in Division 1 if they are already filling in for Team 8 in Division 2.
• Internal Fill-Ins: For players already entered in the pennant who have a bye (including those who are not scheduled to play for their team), playing for other teams in a higher grade or within the same grade (provided no other suitable fill-in is available) is allowed - preferably for the same club or at the request of the Competition Manager if urgent fill-in players are required.
• External Fill-in players will be designated a minimum grade in which they can play as indicated in the Fill-in List. If in the opinion of the Pennant Committee, a player is deemed to be above the standard of the grade, then his/her matches, games, and points may be deleted at any time without warning during the season.
• External Fill-Ins may only participate in 3 rounds and from that they must be financial members of TTV in the event they wish to participate in any further round or would like to be considered for finals. 

13. MOVEMENT OF PLAYERS BETWEEN GRADES

• Where a Club has two or more teams in the League a player from a lower grade can only play up to 33% of rounds in a higher grade and still be eligible to return to his/her original grade. If more than the limit specified has been completed, the player cannot return to the lower grade without the permission of the Pennant Committee.
• No player can move down in a grade without the permission of the Pennant Committee.
• The Pennant Committee has the final discretion of movement of players between grades and their eligibility but the Competition Manager may waive this rule if urgent fill-in players are required. It is within the spirit of the TTV Premier League that all players have an opportunity to play all their matches every week.

14. RATINGS CENTRAL

As with all events sponsored by TTV, all results (except Consolation Play Off Matches) will be uploaded to Ratings Central thus it is important that the information on the scoresheet is an accurate and faithful representation of the match results. This is because the program used, RCPennantSubmitter determines all the results for the ladders and calculates Ratings Central points through Ratings Centrals – this can make the difference between State Team Selection and/or your Team making Finals.

Thus it is important for both teams to ensure the following:

• The Score Sheets are filled out completely;
• Full names of players are provided as specified in Ratings Central – including those of the fill-ins; and
• Players’ individual performances.

Failure to do so may adversely affect your Ratings Central points if the result cannot be recorded and/or submitted, so Captains of both teams should be wary.

For Example – consider St Kilda versus Maccabi with Claire filling in St Kilda. Additionally, assume all members in both teams have roughly 1250±40 points and Claire (who typically plays at another club) has 1360±67 points.

Assume the Captain of Maccabi, Jack, loses to Warren and Rod of St Kilda but wins against fill-in Claire but does not ensure her full name is written on the score sheet and Claire is unable to be contacted. Jack potentially loses an additional gain of around 15 points in Ratings Central from Claire to offset the fall caused by losses to Warren and Rod.

Points are also potentially gained from first-time players who are filling in. Thus we ask that you ensure all details are filled out completely.

New players who do not already have Ratings Central data will be allocated an Event Prior of mean 1100 and standard deviation of 200 by the Competition Manager.

15. COUNT BACKS

If at the completion of the final round, two teams finish on equal wins, then a countback of matches won over matches lost will be undertaken. A similar count back involving games and/or points will be undertaken if teams still are still equal.

Leading Player – If at the completion of the final round, two or more players are equal on wins, the player with the highest average shall be awarded the Leading Player for that grade.

The program used for ladders will be RCPennantSubmitter and its calculations regarding finals and leading players will be final.

16. ELIGIBILITY TO PLAY IN FINALS (Updated)

The Pennant Committee will use the following criteria as a guide and may waive certain aspects on a case by case basis (upon application by the Team Captain or Acting Captain) prior to finals:

• Has the player played a minimum number of rounds (3 matchess) during the Home & Away Season?
• The Movement of Players between Divisions
• The applicable playing standard, eligibility, and team/club representation of a Fill-in player
• Whether or not the player is a current financial member of Table Tennis Victoria and if they have/have not paid their playing fees.

It is within the spirit of the TTV Premier League that finals deserve to be conducted with a full complement of players provided players/teams/clubs have acted responsibly to comply with the rules and criteria above to ensure a fair playing field. If a team is unable to supply a suitable fill-in from their own club that fulfills the criteria, they may ask the Competition Manager to supply one if available. 

The minimum number of rounds to be eligible for finals is 3. 

17. VENUE AND TABLE ALLOCATIONS

All matches will be played at MSAC.

All divisions may be rotated on a weekly basis to provide equal opportunity on all of MSAC’s courts; although this condition may change depending on MSAC's layout and the quality of the competition.

The program used for determining table allocations will be RCPennantSubmitter; however if a team wishes to change tables, the Captains of both teams must appeal to the Competition Manager who will make the final discretion.

18. MATCH DISRUPTIONS

If any match is unable to be finished due to unavoidable circumstances and unresolvable within a reasonable timeframe (fire, light failure, etc.) the following rule shall apply – “If any game is in progress at the time of match disruption the player leading at the time of the disruption shall be awarded the match. Any un-played matches shall be evenly divided (where possible) and all matches already played shall stand. In the event, this is not possible (i.e. 5 matches are un-played) the Competition Manager will have final discretion over which team is allocated the additional match”