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NEDvBEL No advantage
This is an example of when possession isn’t accompanied by opportunity, so the better remedy is to blow your whistle. Although the ball carrier may have had the skill to dribble away from the …
AUSvBEL Tackling a turned player
The ball carrier turns her back to the defender while keeping the ball mostly moving. Twice, the defender attempts to tackle, the first around the attacker’s legs and the second between them. On the …
INDvBEL Aerial into circle
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 …
ARGvNED Attacker breaks early on PC
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 …
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NZLvBEL PC upgrade
An upgrade penalty corner is awarded on this last-ditch desperation tackle, a classic example of attempting to stop the play with no real opportunity on the ball. To access this content, …
ARGvNED Stick obstruction GC
A green card is given for this breakdown stick tackle from behind. It’s very subtle but near the end of Q1 in which a few niggling tackles have already occurred, this isn’t a bad time for this level …
GERvKAZ Advantage goal
As an outnumbered counterattack flows into the circle, the deflected crossing attempt is deflected high off the goalkeeper’s stick. It then strikes his defending teammate in the chest and slowly …
INDvBEL Understanding of flow
Here are two sequential examples in the same passage of play that feature the umpires’ excellent understanding of flow. We’re now in Q3 and the players have been respecting 5m and ball placement thus …
NZLvARG VR not available
One for the video referral nerds out there: after ARG concedes a goal, they attempt to refer a free hit decision outside their attacking circle at the other end. This decision isn’t referrable because …
ARGvNED GC for breakdown stick
Green card given for a tackle occurring before a long advantage is played. Note the timing of the tackle, which is immediately after a turnover is earned with the opposing player in a good space. …
NZLvGBR Stick obstruction
The defender attempts a tackle from behind the ball carrier. He misses the ball and strikes the attacker’s stick, but the attacker is able to retain possession of the ball and has an opportunity to …
NZLvGBR Danger on deflected shot off turf
An unusual circumstance where the ball is hit with pace onto the turf and deflects high into the defender. The general principle is that from close proximity and at that height, a defender isn’t in a …
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AUSvBEL Reversal of free hit for time-wasting
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 …
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NZLvESP GC for playing ball after whistle
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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GERvKAZ Body shielding on the boards
When the ball carrier collects this reception along the left boards, he steps forward with his right foot pushing into the defender’s space and interposing his leg between the defender’s …
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AUSvNED GCx2 playing ball after whistle
Two instances within 45s of the same team playing the ball after the whistle and breaking down play. In both examples, the fouling player subtly moves the ball further away from the spot of the foul …
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ARGvNED Defender hits umpire with PE after PC
After a penalty corner concludes, a defender discards her protective glove and inadvertently throws it at and strikes the umpire with it. Although the rule does prohibit players from throwing any …
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AUSvBEL Clarity on the self-pass
The importance of establishing where the self-pass is taken from is shown in this clip. The foul occurs ~2m behind the 15m line, and from a dead stop, the AUS player puts the ball in motion. He then …
BLRvNED Third-party to advantage
A defender is blocked from attempting a tackle when a teammate of the ball carrier cuts in front of the defender. However, by running that line she brought the ball carrier right into another …
ARGvNED GC breakdown stick obstruction
A long pursuit by a defender leads to two breakdown tackles and one green card. To access this content, you must purchase FHU3T Green, FHU3T Green 365, FHU3T Yellow 365 or FHU3T Yellow. …
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ESPvGER Reckless physical tackle early
Seconds into this game, a ESP player attempts to dispossess the GER ball carrier and rather recklessly makes body contact (as per the wording of the rule), bowling his opponent over. The GER player is …
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ESPvGER GC hitting ball away
After creating body contact with an attempted tackle and the whistle sounding for the attacking free hit, the defender continues his attempts at the ball and knocks it away from the ball carrier, who …
NZLvGBR No stop on the free hit
The ball deflects off the surrounds and back towards where it needs to be taken on the sideline. The attacker takes the ball in full flight and doesn’t stop the ball. Given where the defenders are, …
CHNvBEL SO obstruction by attacker
The attacker carries the ball to the goalkeeper on this shoot-out, turns her back and continues her motion into the goalkeeper’s space. This is an easy obstruction call with no doubts from any …
AUSvNED Breakdown from the 23m on upgrade PC
A dangerous run down the left sideline leaves a defender chasing hard, and starting around the 23m starts to lean in too much with his shoulder, taking the ball carrier to ground and breaking down the …
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ARGvESP VR for foot after arm
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 …
BELvAUS GC breakdown tackle 2
This was a reckless tackle attempt by the Australian defender. She reached in from behind the ball carrier who was breaking through the middle and approaching the 23-metre line. The low chance of …
AUSvNED Aerial across circle supporting umpire help
Some excellent cooperation on display on this attacking aerial across the circle. The ball travels across the pitch to a receiving area clearly occupied by an attacking teammate. A defender is in the …
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MASvIND Penalty stroke and yellow card given to defender for diving in front of the ball was tripped
On this play, a penalty stroke is awarded against the defender for intentionally throwing his body in front of the ball inside the circle. However, on replay it’s clear that he tripped over the leg of …
AUSvNED Sideline ball management
There are times when an imprecisely-placed sideline ball is no issue at all, and then there are times like this. It’s unclear to everyone, including the defender, as to whether the self-pass was taken …
AUSvARG GC breakdown quickly given
The defender takes an extra bite on this tackle as a clear attempt to slow down the attacker by making little attempt at the ball and just throwing her stick in the way. A green card is (quickly) …
ESPvNED Flashing in the circle
When the play is in the deep far side of your circle, “flashing” a few metres inside the circle towards the penalty spot is an effective and relatively safe way to get yourself a better view of the …
NZLvGBR Aerial steal
The NZL player receives this aerial with some difficulty, taking his time to bring the ball down. In the meantime, a GBR player reads the trouble and closes at full pace, stealing the ball. This play …
ESPvGER Green card 5m infringement
The tactic of tackling “in numbers” makes it difficult to sort out which defenders are caught within the 5m zone around the spot of the foul when the whistle blows, and which defenders are not and can …
INDvNED Management of time-wasting
It’s a small thing, but because it’s managed properly it prevents a problem from developing later in this game. With the blue team defending a 10min yellow card, they are presented with a 15m free …
NEDvAUS VR PS reversal
A penalty stroke is given for this tackle inside the circle, and goes to VR. The foul was initially given for the body contact on the tackle made by the AUS defender, which was reckless and took the …
INDvBEL GC playing ball after whistle
After the ball goes off his foot and both whistles have sounded, the BEL player continues to play the ball and passes the ball away. This breaks down a potential quick counterattack and is met with a …
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ESPvBEL Far side positioning adjustments
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 …
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GERvAUT Trapping into stick for foul
This trapping obstruction is an example of where the ball carrier is intentionally pushing the ball into their opponent's stick, which is seen as he turns his body and changes his stick angle to push …
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AUSvNED Shoot-out intentionally off backline by GK
The umpire mistakenly awards a penalty corner (which isn’t possible in a shoot-out anyway), or a retake, when the goalkeeper plays the ball intentionally off the backline during a shoot-out attempt. …
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USAvNED Transition positioning
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 …
ESPvNED Intentional use of body
A defender goes to ground outside the circle and creates a long barrier. The ball hits his stick onto his leg, and so this is adjudged an intentional breakdown of play on video referral and is a …
INDvBEL Anticipation into attacking area
This clip shows better anticipation and protection of the mission-critical area of the circle. Even as the ball is moving around behind the centre-line, the umpire is already deep in his attacking …
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NZLvGBR Breakdown missed
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 …
INDvBEL Advantage not taken on shot
Advantage is played on the foot as the ball falls to an attacker at the top of the circle. He’s unable to get the shot away as a defender is able to poke the ball away before the swing comes through …
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AUSvNED SO GK obstruction no VR
This is a highly complex shootout attempt. The first issue you may see is that the attacker backs into the goalkeeper, knocking him off-balance. Then, the goalkeeper attempts a poke tackle between the …
ARGvESP YC playing ball after whistle 2nd card
Knocking the ball away after the whistle leads to a certain yellow card at this stage of the match (and after a few cards had already been given). In addition, this same player had committed a …
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NZLvESP PC for intentional foul attacker not in possession
An intentional foul is committed by a defender inside the circle but the ball had yet to reach the attacker when it occurred. The question was asked by the attacking team’s captain as to whether it …
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CHNvBEL Long barrier or good tackle
This high-risk tackle could go either way. If you focus on the movement of the defender, they are basically set in position as the ball carrier comes in. They take a very low body position, and the …
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