For field hockey umpires, by field hockey umpires
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 …
Continue Reading about ESPvARG GC Breakdown body obstruction →
A good question to ask in this situation is whether, at this level of play, and given that the first warning was clear, should the second instance be met with only a reset, or at this stage in the …
Continue Reading about INDvNED Reset for rolling ball at free hit →
This penalty stroke decision is referred to the video umpire to downgrade it to a penalty corner. The defender reached in from behind and obstructed by briefly hooking the attacker’s stick, preventing …
Continue Reading about NZLvUSA VR PS for intentional stick obstruction →
A team video referral is requested to review the umpire’s decision that a foul outside the circle constituted a breakdown. A pursuing defender may not change his line but if that line cuts across the …
Continue Reading about AUSvBEL VR breakdown foul outside 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 …
The ball is stopped by the goalkeeper splayed on the ground and rests against his kicker. The attacker makes no effort to bring the ball away and traps the ball there, other hand raised to demand the …
In this lead-up down the left side, the ball carrier’s continuing movement sidestepping and using the body to block the defender’s stick amounts to an obstruction that isn’t called in this instance. …
Continue Reading about ARGvNED Body shield on circle entry →
A yellow card is awarded for this breakdown of play that comes, as it frequently does, after a turnover in possession. This was the second card to ARG for a breakdown, and the 4th card overall. …
The umpire here stops time after some shouting and brings the ARG captain in for another chat. The body language here is more positive than the previous attempt, and the captain seems to make an …
Continue Reading about ARGvNED Stop time 2nd warning captain →
The play moves into the high left corner for the supporting umpire/far deep corner for the controlling umpire. The support moves up very high and close to the opposite back-line in order to assist …
Early in the first game of this two-match home-and-home set, the umpire chooses to set the tone of the communication he will not be accepting. The involved player protests that an earlier foot had …
This is the first time a player has played the ball after the whistle in this game but, given the number of seconds left in the half, the effectiveness of this misconduct to prevent any last-second …
Continue Reading about AUSvNED Playing ball after whistle warning →
The supporting umpire would have been positioned well upfield to be properly placed to assist his colleague during the taking of the PC. Focus on anticipating the breakdown and try to predict where …
The ball carrier is called for shielding as she carries the ball on her left side down the left sideline. The first defender isn’t in a front-on position but is parallel, while the ball carrier has …
On the attempted tackle, the defender comes through the back of the receiver in an uncontrolled manner. Although the attacker may have gone down a little too easily, the defender didn’t try to step …
Continue Reading about AUSvBEL Green card for reckless tackle →
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 …
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 …
Just prior to offloading the ball to a teammate, an attacker slips as he attempts a change of direction, knocking his defender back onto the floor as his teammate picks up the ball. It can be tricky …
The umpire plays advantage after a defender lunges for a tackle inside the circle, and then returns to the defender for the green card after the next foul is called. To sell the sequence more …
On this nullified goal, an attacker is not only standing in front of the goalkeeper but creating significant contact with him as the shot is being taken on goal, pushing him off balance and …
Continue Reading about ESPvARG No goal obstruction on the GK →
It’s a fine line picking out whether a ball is within playable distance of an obstructed attacker who is at a full run. Inside the circle, given the close proximity of many players and the goal, a …
Continue Reading about AUSvBEL No call third party obstruction →
An aerial is launched into the circle safely over the heads of the players with established positions, falling into a landing area where only a solitary attacker was making a great cut for the ball. …
On a dangerous break, the chasing defender effectively tackles the ball but her feet trip up the ball carrier. This is the same player who took a green card for a breakdown tackle in Q2 of this game …
Continue Reading about AUSvARG YC for breakdown dangerous tackle from behind →
A slide tackle brings down the ball carrier running freely through an extremely dangerous area of the pitch as the time in the quarter is winding down. The 10-minute yellow card must be issued in …
Watch the path of movement of the goalkeeper’s arm as she attempts the clearance, which travels too directly off the end line. This is deemed intentional by the umpire and play is restarted with …
Continue Reading about AUSvGBR GK clearance intentional off end line →
After a NZL player is judged to have deflected an attempted interception up into himself, he plays the ball after the whistle has gone against him. As the ESP attacker taps the ball in his self-pass, …
The umpire does a great job here making a quick decision on a free hit inside the dotted 5m line, and immediately “double-tweeting” to get the players’ attention and verbally signal the correct ball …
Continue Reading about INDvBEL Proactive ball placement inside dotted line →
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 …
Continue Reading about INDvBEL Advantage not taken on shot →
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 …
The aerial ball is missed by the initial defender and as the ball bounces into the space behind her, it appears it could be safely contested by the next set of two opposing players and play allowed to …
A 23m restart is taken with the smallest of dribbles, and although the taker draws it back to a stationary position before resuming his movement, has clearly initiated his self-pass. It’s important to …
Continue Reading about AUSvNED When the ball is played on a free hit →
The attacker approaches the top of the circle just as 3 defenders converge to all cut off his pathway to the goal. The defender to the attacker’s left, in particular, has good positioning and a …
An early instance where the defending team taps the ball away has the intended effect of allowing the defenders to get back in front of the ball in numbers. Although this particular moment may not …
When the ball carrier gets caught without many options on the right side-board, she eventually pushes the ball into the defending player's stick and causes the trapped ball obstruction, resulting in a …
Continue Reading about UKRvAUS Trapped ball on board for FP →
Very similar to the play in Q2, a free hit awarded right on the circle edge has a delay before the play can be restarted. This time, the umpire ensures the defenders stay 5m from the spot of the foul …
Continue Reading about NZLvBEL 5m from free hit inside dotted line →
The umpire takes a self-referral as to whether the ball leaves the circle on this bobbled penalty corner reception which leads to a goal. The number of angles that give us different views and show how …
Continue Reading about ARGvESP Self VR for ball outside the circle on a PC →
Watching this tackle in slow motion, it’s very clear the attacker went straight at the defender, who had to make no movement at all to meet the ball. The action of standing up and lifting the attacker …
Continue Reading about NZLvESP Fair tackle leads to non-bully →
As the ball is being switched across the circle through the defenders, a reception is bobbled to a small height. The nearest pressing attacker is far enough away that she is not disadvantaged or …
Continue Reading about BLRvNED No foul on raise inside circle →
This situation doesn’t result in a third party obstruction as the defender wasn’t within playing distance, preferring to take a more oblique angle to channel the ball carrier into his far corner. …
This aerial is called in favour of the attacking team as the initial receiver of the ball was in 5m of space before the ball began its trajectory towards the landing zone. The opposing defender subtly …
Continue Reading about AUSvARG Aerial to attacker 5m infringement →
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 …
An unusual third-party obstruction goes unspotted in the deep far corner of the attacking 23m. The defender was within playing distance and attempting to get to the ball when #28 passed off the ball …
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 …
As the defender recovers the ball inside his circle he is immediately in a congested space. The ball carrier doesn't intend to trap the ball or get trapped by the attacker, so after a brief moment, …
Continue Reading about GERvAUT Trapping into stick for bully →
The fine line between the onrushing goalkeeper putting himself into the attacker and the attacker receiving to back into the goalkeeper is in question here. Expanding your vision so you can perceive …
Continue Reading about ESPvNED Goal on potential GK obstruction →
When an attacker breaks away via the through pass, the goalkeeper leaves his circle and plays the ball away legally with his stick. Given that goalkeepers are a bigger, more heavily-equipped player, …
Continue Reading about ARGvNED Breakaway positioning and GK outside circle →
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 …
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 …
Continue Reading about ESPvGER Reckless physical tackle early →
It’s also a heart-in-mouth moment when you get caught supporting near the centre line on the penalty corner and a rebound and quick break fly by you. This umpire does the right thing by running back …
Continue Reading about CHNvNED Recovery from support on PC →
The umpire warns the fouled attacker about flicking his stick up in reaction to the stick obstruction foul. In isolation, this is an excellent intervention. However, we’ve already seen a green card …
Continue Reading about NZLvESP Verbal warning for dangerous use of stick →
