FINA Rule Changes

[ephpolo]

Interested in anybody's take on the new rules that were introduced--or at least I saw them for the first time--at the recent World Super Final brackets.

The only significant change in game play that I noticed was that there is now a box in front of the goal and ?2? meters to each side. The "inside the 2" rule only applies in this box--outside on either side of the goal offensive players can go inside. It seemed to open up some new offensive options for passes from a wing inside the 2 to a center, posted up player, or driver inside the box. I seemed to see this most as an option on 6-5, but also saw a few passes to a driver with inside water or a fronted hole set who had turned to face the goal.

I like it--it seems to open up the offense a bit. I think I remember Dante Dettamanti suggesting something similar many years ago on this board. (Dante would have preferred to not let the offensive players park inside the box to keep them on the move, but small steps!)

I also like the 2-game suspension for "acts of violence". I think Bowen was the only player to get tagged with it, so maybe it served to tamp down the escalating physicality that ends with thrown punches or kicks.

And it seems to me that the video review worked well. It was not clear to me whether referees were reviewing calls on their own initiative, in response to questions from coaches, or if perhaps the evaluators at the table called for review. Whatever it was, it did not overly interrupt the game.