For field hockey umpires, by field hockey umpires
As soon as the ball popped past the planted defender near the centre line there was always going to be a breakdown tackle to stop this threatening run down the middle of the field. Note the exact spot …
Continue Reading about ARGvBEL Breakdown tackle just outside 23m →
A defender claims a stick block occurs on this attacking play. As he’s chasing the ball carrier from behind, the ball carrier changes his direction from cutting to the right to going straight at the …
Off the centre pass, a short aerial ball is sent into a crowded area. Although the opposing player is allowed to take it cleanly, the passer’s teammates don’t allow the ball to be controlled before …
The initial receiver of the ball is an attacker in navy, standing just in front of the 23-metre line. He is sandwiched by two defenders. One defender possibly unintentionally infringes by coming from …
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A clear foul occurs when the defender misses the initial tackle and pursues from behind and pushes down the attacker when in a dangerous scoring position. A penalty stroke is unquestionably the …
Continue Reading about AUSvBEL Penalty stroke on tackle from behind →
On the first penalty corner of the game, the far right attacker breaks early into the circle prior to the injection. The umpire correctly stops the play, sends the injector to the centre line, allows …
Continue Reading about ARGvNED Attacker breaks early on PC →
After playing a quick self-pass, the ball carrier meets a defender and passes the ball over the oncoming defender’s reverse stick. Although his path is blocked by the defender’s body, the ball has …
A green card is awarded for this breakdown tackle just outside the 23m area. The intent is easy to divine from where the defender decides to step in and stop the attacker’s progress. To …
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Martin Madden’s movement here is a great example of how there isn’t necessarily one “correct” place to be vis-a-vis the play. When the ball gets bogged down in a crowded area, he moves quickly to a …
Continue Reading about ESPvBEL Far side positioning adjustments →
A common positioning mistake is for umpires to get caught ball-watching on difficult decisions like aerials. Without knowing exactly where she began at the 15m free hit, it’s likely the umpire is too …
Continue Reading about USAvNED Transition positioning getting caught →
Two slightly different concepts are at play regarding aerial interceptions and 5m infringements here. Although the foul is described as missing the aerial interception, the umpire decides that the …
Continue Reading about BELvUSA Aerial interception attempt for PC →
Just as breakdowns tend to be committed by defending teams just outside the 23m line in the outdoor game, the centre line is a big marker for players who are looking to avoid the team upgrade penalty …
Continue Reading about BLRvNED Breakdown just outside attacking half →
A stick obstruction is called and the fouling team attempts to take the free hit quickly. The umpire whistles the correction, and an attacker takes the self-pass quickly from the point of the initial …
The free hit is reversed at a crucial moment in the game. GBR had held a 4-2 lead until the later moments when they gave up 2 late goals, so AUS were carrying the momentum in the last minute. Whether …
The initial decision on this play was a 23m restart, bringing a video referral from the attacking team for a penalty corner for intentionally playing the ball off the back line. The criterion to …
Continue Reading about NZLvGER VR for intentionally played off back line →
It’s a stomach-dropping moment when you’re supporting on a penalty corner and the ball suddenly turns over and is heading right at you! Before the attack breaks down, try to read where the players are …
The umpire here gets caught supporting too high and then watching the turnover with planted feet rather than getting on her bike immediately. Often when we realize we’ve made a mistake we get caught …
A scramble in front of the prone goalkeeper sees no foul awarded. Despite not moving the ball constructively for a long period of time, the attacker didn’t make the mistake of pushing the ball at the …
Continue Reading about NZLvGBR GK scramble and off end line →
Early in the game we see the first signs of what may turn into a physical battle as the defender here makes good contact with the ball but comes through the back of the attacker recklessly. The umpire …
Continue Reading about AUSvARG Physical tackle warning whistle →
After awarding an obstruction foul just outside the circle, the attacker visibly (and presumably audibly) berates the umpire. The umpire immediately communicates back to him, sending a clear message …
Does the goalkeeper obstruct or is the ball played back into her by the attacker? To access this content, you must purchase FHu3t Green, FHu3t Green 365, FHu3t Yellow 365 or FHu3t Yellow. …
Green card for playing the ball after the whistle has gone. There’s a fine line between players honestly mistaking whether the decision has gone their way, and the obvious concession that the fouling …
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A video referral for a foot is not normally noteworthy, but what is interesting about this is the communication between the pitch umpires and the video umpire. It’s incredibly refreshing for the …
At the end of matches, you’ll be called upon to make split-second decisions that could have an outsized impact on the perception of the weight of that call on the result of the game. It’s …
After a turnover deep in the ARG defensive end, an unexpected amount of space has opened up after the ball crosses the centre line. Although the chasing defender has a teammate in front of the ball …
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A subtle but physical breakdown foul is missed on the near sideline in front of the 23m line. The umpire is running the outside line with her head turned, making it difficult to see the push in the …
The umpire reverses the free hit as the player on the ball fails to put it in play within a reasonable amount of time according to the tempo established throughout the game. To access this …
Continue Reading about AUSvBEL Reversal of free hit for time-wasting →
After committing the foul, the GBR player clearly hits the ball away from the spot of the foul. Green card is awarded. To access this content, you must purchase FHu3t Green, FHu3t Green …
A yellow card is given for this breakdown tackle after green cards have already been awarded (one to each team), and a warning to the captains for physical play. The level of physical recklessness is …
Several issues of note in this passage of play: The umpire plays an advantage off the stick tackle along the side-boards. The attacker has good options available to him, including the immediate 2v1 …
Continue Reading about GERvAUT Advantage for attack then FHD rolling ball →
At the apex of this aerial’s path, the attacker was actually likely the clear initial receiver of the ball, particularly given it’s high trajectory and sharp drop into the circle. However, it’s …
A lengthy advantage is played after a collision between two players. Although this is clearly a 50/50 ball that the IND captain wins the battle for, there is a little extra afterwards that shows a …
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Here’s an example where positioning choices made 70m away can impact our ability to be in the right spot for our mission-critical calls. As the supporting umpire, we can get very enthusiastic about …
A defender (#5) reaches in after being beaten at the centre line and the umpire plays advantage through until a free push is awarded near the circle in front of her. The umpire initially has the …
A ball goes out off the endline, touched last by an attacker. The defending team attempts to set up a 15m free hit in the middle of the circle, and the opposition is reasonably close in their …
This is an excellent piece of positioning by the far side umpire. After the ball carrier evades a tackle, the umpire anticipates a route one pass and is already a full quadrant ahead of the play and …
The defensive foot just outside the circle could have been blown but, in this case, that would have disadvantaged the attack who would have had to stop the ball and then move it 5m before heading in …
Continue Reading about INDvAUS Advantage outside circle leads to PC →
Preferred positioning has the controlling umpire well ahead of the play, turned to face the attack as it transitions into the 23m area and from an inside angle. In order to get to this spot, umpires …
A player mistraps the reception on the aerial and clearly plays the ball off her own foot. She then pokes the ball away in a subtle but cynical motion to ensure the opposition can’t take a quick free …
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Although it’s ideal to be welcoming the play coming towards you from a relatively still position on the field, there will be times in fast, open games where the attack will move towards your end over …
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Another big decision on a goal in this game as the clock is ticking down. The turning moment here is the diving deflection from the top of the circle, and the question is whether that player had three …
A dangerous play emerges when a defender deflects the ball up in the air and the attacker attempts to pick it with their stick, hitting the fouling player in the forehead. The initial danger was still …
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A cynical breakdown of play with two consecutive stick obstructions in the double-team leads to a green card. To access this content, you must purchase FHu3t Green, FHu3t Green 365, FHu3t …
Continue Reading about NZLvESP Two breakdown stick tackles for GC →
Accepting the pass inside the circle, the BEL attacker picks the ball up to make a 3D manoeuvre but in mid-air takes the ball very close to a defender. Had the ball been taken away from the defender, …
Continue Reading about AUSvBEL Dangerous 3D skills in circle →
A defender commits a great block tackle and the dispossessed attacker goes over his back. As the attacker is getting up, the defender trips him with his stick and puts him back down again, which is …
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An aerial ball falls to two opposing players, and the attacking teammate attempts an unsuccessful interception 5m away from the defender, after which the latter is permitted to initially receive the …
A green card is shown as the NZL player ignores the whistle indicating the ball had gone over the sideline, and then clearly steps in and around the ball to interfere with it either being played or …
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The umpire stops time to send a calming message to the player that when he’s unsighted, it’ll take a moment to get the message through the radio to get to the correct decision. The game had been …
As we are seeing more frequently, players have the skill to hit the ball out of the air, raise it, and do so safely. However, there are real questions about whether we should be allowing it. In …
Continue Reading about BELvIRL Raising a ball with a hit out of the air →
This is an excellent pick by the umpire of an obstruction that goes unpenalized too often. As the attacker carries the ball towards the baseline, she kicks the stick of the defender away from the only …
Continue Reading about ARGvNED Obstruction kicking stick away →
