A danger area for correctly identifying and deciding to intervene on breakdown play is when the play is closer to one umpire but is moving away from them such that they are unsighted from the call. In …
AUSvBEL Green card for reckless tackle
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 …
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ARGvESP Late whistle on 5m aerial
This aerial is mistrapped but the opposition wasn’t 5 metres. Advantage didn’t accrue so the whistle was blown a little on the later side by the trailing umpire. Knowing your responsibilities is …
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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INDvNED Reset for rolling ball at free hit
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 …
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BLRvNED GC 3m infringement
The BLR defender commits a stick obstruction along the side-boards and, within hearing distance of the whistle, clearly puts her stick down in the way of the NED attacker’s self-pass, breaking down …
GERvKAZ Bully for 2 balls on the pitch
A shot rebounds off the boards and is in possession of the attacking team inside the circle when the ball patrol mistakenly throws in a second ball. A bully is called, and the ball is brought back to …
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AUSvNED 15m watch the players
All of us, even the top umpires, make the occasion mistake on out-of-bounds calls. Having the awareness to notice authentic body language by players can help us fix them. Here, the defender who sent …
NZLvBEL PC upgrade 2
A foul is upgraded just outside the circle to a penalty corner when the defender clearly uses his shoulder to push the ball carrier. Look for defenders who actively try to prevent attackers from …
BLRvNED Drilling on cross pass
The attacker receives a ball in the bottom left corner and attempts to send a hard pass across the circle to a teammate. A defender is set at a close and near to 3m distance, and the ball is sent …
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 …
NEDvAUS VR self on goal stick interference by attack
The umpire takes a self-referral on this go-ahead goal, which is a crucial decision to take when the defending team has already lost their right to refer. The question may initially have been whether …
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ARGvNED PC dragflick strikes below knee for foot
On the penalty corner, if the ball strikes a defender who has closed to within 5m and that ball is under the height of the knee, that ball is not considered dangerous and another penalty corner should …
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GERvAUT Advantage for attack then FHD rolling ball
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 …
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ESPvNED Sliding tackle YC
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 …
UKRvAUS PC intentionally off back-line
The defender is very subtle here but despite using the side-board and low pace, does manage to intentionally send the ball off the back-line and a penalty corner is awarded. To access this …
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GERvAUT PC insertion before umpire signal
Note: this occurred before the rule changed to require time to be stopped for penalty corners and therefore whistles to be used to restart the clock and play to resume with the penalty corner. This …
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GERvAUT Drilling and 3m self-pass inside dotted line
Two distinct issues are shown in this clip. The defender dribbles himself into pressure on the left side-board and tries to drill the ball at and potentially over one of the pressing attacker’s …
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AUSvBEL 3rd Party Obstruction
A third party is missed along the sideline when the red player screens a yellow player from attempting to make a tackle that was within reach. Sidelines are congested areas and our positioning is …
INDvNED Getting caught after a PC
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 …
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 …
INDvNED Green card for breakdown stick tackle
Either just before or on the 23m line, a defender throws in a tackle that lands halfway up the ball carrier’s stick. These tackles can be dangerous so it’s a good time to show a green card and try to …
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INDvBEL Danger on raised hit not on target
This attempted shot at goal is not on target or close enough to it so it’s deemed dangerous as it rises at pace and strikes a defender in the knee. Technically, this could also be called as an …
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ARGvNED Infringing 5m from behind
The defender runs through the 5m zone as the attacker was taking the free hit. In making an estimate based on the less than 2s and only 2 steps from the taking of the self-pass and the point of …
ARGvESP GC breakdown tackle outside 23
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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AUSvBEL Third party obstruction on penalty corner runner
On this penalty corner, an attacker runs in front of a defender, jumps in the air to avoid the ball but lands on top of her as the ball strikes her. What are the arguments for this being a third party …
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GBRvNZL Advantage played on breakdown tackle inside the circle return for the green card
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 …
NZLvGBR Aerial pressure from behind
An aerial ball is sent to a space occupied by an opposing player. A teammate of the passer starts behind the initial receiver and begins to close. At this level, is it a disadvantage for a receiver to …
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ESPvARG Stick shield on break into the circle
A quick break from inside the other 23m area leaves the umpire chasing the play into his circle. From his position, he adjudges a stick shield by the attacker who is dribbling with one hand on his …
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INDvAUS VR Goal for obstruction on GK
This AUS penalty corner goal goes to a video referral for the obstruction on the goalkeeper. It can be very difficult to track so many crucial pieces, especially when you as the controlling umpire are …
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AUSvNED PC upgrade for not 5m
A free hit is taken 2-3m from the circle edge with multiple defenders in play. One defender who had worked to back pedal doesn’t back off the full 5m and heads back towards the ball to attempt a …
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 …
NZLvGBR Allow advantage
The ball carrier is at full stretch and easily works through the two fouls committed on her. The umpire fails to play advantage and the player has to bring the ball back 10m from where the is when the …
BLRvNED Rolling and raised ball
Two separate elements can be highlighted in this passage of play. First, after the ball is rolled in from the ball patrol on a 9m free push, the defender puts the ball into play without making a …
GBRvAUS Back stick in midfield
A midfield pass is played off the back stick and called only for danger when the receiver tries to deflect it on dangerously into her marking defender. Watch for the speed of the swing and the lack of …
ESPvGER Difference between a PC and PS
A shove in the back from the pursuing defender is appropriately penalized with a penalty corner. The temptation may be to give a penalty stroke because it presents as an intentional foul, but the …
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NZLvBEL Short aerial into crowd
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 …
NZLvBEL No danger and cooperation
A defender makes a great save on the goal line, hitting away a deflection made by an attacker from her knees. Although the ball could have been seen as dangerous, the attacker had put herself in that …
AUSvGBR Reversal of free hit
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 …
GERvKAZ Hit out of mid-air
A crossing pass is deflected slightly into the air on the attempted interception. It bounces once but before it settles onto the court the oncoming attacker hits is out of mid-air into the goal. The …
BLRvNED Goal disallowed for hit
Big decisions require clarity, timing and a strong presentation. In disallowing this goal, the umpire is looking at the size of the backswing of this hit. Although the stick remains on the court …
ARGvNED YC 10′ for dangerous tackle
A breakdown foul occurs on the sideline on which the umpire plays advantage. The ball enters the circle, and the ball is then sent intentionally off the end line. The foul is dangerous and physical, …
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INDvAUS Free hit taken
After a free hit is awarded, the player on the ball cutely moves it slightly but pretends it hasn’t been played. The umpire audibly calls “play on” when an opponent closes and attempts to tackle. …
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 …
ARGvNED Aerial into D
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. …
NZLvGER Intentionally raised ball from a hit in mid-air
This contentious scenario, a testament to the skill and beauty of hockey, delves into the issue of whether players can elevate a raised ball with a hit. The execution of this skill is not only …
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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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ARGvBEL Attack positioning with space
The attack begins well behind the centre line. As there are large channels for the ball to move through, the controlling umpire is very high up the pitch and close to their end line. The lack of …
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ESPvNED Diving tackle
A diving attempt at the ball takes the ball carrier to ground. Questions to ask yourself include: from what angle did the defender approach (were they behind and trying to stop the play, or making an …
NEDvBEL Penalty stroke for stick tackle from behind
A penalty stroke is awarded for this intentional stick tackle which interfered with the shot taken by the attacker. To access this content, you must purchase FHU3T Green, FHU3T Green 365, …
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