There are significant changes to the rules that include - 2 minute green cards, punishing defenders who break early when defending short corners, playing the ball with the stick above shoulder height and getting rid of long corners.

The rules are already used at international and national league levels, but are now being rolled out at all levels of the game.

The only exceptions are that the new 2 minute green card and playing ball with stick above shoulder rules will not apply to small-sided junior games (specifically In2Hockey and QuickSticks).

The rule changes you need to be aware of are summarised below:

	Old Rule	New Rule
DEFENDERS BREAKING EARLY AT A PENALTY CORNER	A penalty stroke can be awarded for defenders persistently crossing the back-line before permitted during the taking of penalty corners.	A penalty stroke can no longer be awarded. Instead, a defending player breaking early will be sent to the half way line, meaning that a retaken penalty corner will be defended by fewer defenders
TWO MINUTE GREEN CARD	The green card is used only as a warning to an offending player. The offending player is allowed to remain on the field of play.	When an offending player is awarded a green card, he/she will be required to leave the field of play for a period of two minutes.
USE OF THE STICK ABOVE THE SHOULDER	A player cannot play the ball with any part of the stick when the ball is above shoulder height (except that defenders are allowed to use the stick to stop or deflect a shot at goal at any height).	Players can play the ball with any part of the stick when the ball is above shoulder height, provided that they do so in a controlled manner and in a way that does not create or lead to danger.
FREE HITS AWARDED WITHIN 5 METRES OF THE EDGE OF THE CIRCLE	If a free hit is awarded within 5 metres of the edge of the circle, the free hit must be taken from the 5 metre dotted line.	A free hit awarded within 5 metres of the edge of the circle can be taken from the point of the offence. The ball still has to travel at least 5 metres before it can be played into the circle, or alternatively has to be touched by another player of either team, other than the player taking the free hit.
LONG CORNERS ABOLISHED	When the ball is unintentionally played over the backline by a defender and no goal is scored, play is re-started by the attacking team with the ball on the mark 5 metres from the corner of the field on the side-line nearest to where the ball crossed the back-line.	Play will be re-started by the attacking team with the ball on the 23 metres line and in line with where it crossed the back-line.