Attackers Entering and Running Behind the Goal | How to Apply the Rules of Hockey | #RuleyTuesday Ep. 13

How do you manage an attacker who intentionally enters the goal or runs behind it? Find out on this #RuleyTuesday!

Transcript

Guarding against an aggressive ingress on goal? Grasp the groundwork today on #RuleyTuesday. Let’s do this.

Hey friends! I’m Keely Dunn of FHumpires, we’re the third team and this is another a hot take on one rule in the book. 13 down, 121 to go. Give or take.

 Andy Halliday got in touch with this gremlin of a situation, where he needed to manage an attacker who was deliberately standing with one foot inside the goal, with the aim of annoying or distracting the goalkeeper. Does one foot constitute “entering” or not? And what do you do about it?

Rule 9.14: Entering or Running Behind the Goal

Let’s get to the genesis: Rule 9.14.

Players must not intentionally enter the goal their opponents are defending or run behind either goal.

Nice a simple, right? How very dare you. This is hockey we’re talking about.

First of all, the concept of intent is tough to grapple with. Some argue that the player must intend in the sense of pre-planning and deciding to break the rule. The more logical take is a player intends only their action and whether that breaks a rule or they even know that there is a rule is not the point.

Example Clip: WALvSCO

In the example here, the attacker is going after the rebound and his momentum takes him into the goal. This for me doesn’t satisfy either interpretations of what can be construed as intentional.

But let’s assume you have some form of intent, either to commit the action or to break the rule. We’re always going to look for a disadvantage to occur. Again, nothing turned on this particular attacker being where he was. It’s a good goal.

Annoyance Isn't Disadvantage

Getting back to Andy’s case, annoyance is not disadvantage. If that were the case, every time I stepped on the pitch my opposition would have cause to appeal to the umpires they were disadvantaged. No, the actual action that infringes on the rule needs to make a difference that makes it harder for the other team to compete. If another rule like obstruction isn’t broken, then we’re looking for defenders being pulled away and spaces and time being created that couldn’t have but for that entry into the goal.

Running Behind the Goal in the Olympics

Another example of 9.14 but where the attacker runs behind the net may help. The goal scored by Germany in the 2012 Olympic final will go down as one of those moments where, had it been detected, may have been deemed as advantageous. However, would the other completely unmarked attacker been able to score that goal? Both players were wide open and only one of them went behind the goal. In any event, it goes to show how difficult it is to pick up these moments.

Example Clip: ORAvBLO

Here’s an example where a clear disadvantage occurs, which has a lot to do with the fact the attacker grabs the defenders stick and conveniently disposes of it for him. Absent that egregious behaviour, the space created by the ingress on goal should have been enough for a free hit to be awarded.

What is “Entering”?

As for the final point: what is “entering”? We can look to the penalty corner rules and specifically 13.3(i), where no attacker or defender is permitted to *enter* the circle, cross the centre-line or back-line until the ball has been played. The common understanding is that means a player’s body or stick can break the vertical plane of space above the line, but their body can’t touch the ground inside. So yes, for me, one attacker’s foot on the other side of the goal line  (but not just on the line) would be a technical breach, but in order for it to be a foul that requires an intervention, must be intentional and disadvantage the defending team.

So if you have an attacker being a jerk, deal with it proactively. By telling them to knock it off, you’re largely destroying the “element of surprise” that’s necessary for this gambit to work.

Did this granular gambol grip you with its gravitas? Show your gratitude for this #RuleyTuesday with a like, regale me with your questions in the comments and replies and tag someone who could gain from this gripe. Don’t forget about the FHumpires Third Team, where your Green membership for $3 a month will keep us grooving: I’d be eternally grateful. Chau for now!

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