For field hockey umpires, by field hockey umpires
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 →
A defender attempts to intercept a pass, deflecting the ball back towards a teammate who further tries to cut out the pass. That attempt deflects the ball high into the air where it’s falling into an …
Continue Reading about USAvNED Ball likely to lead to danger →
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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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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A breakdown tackle is rewarded with a green card just as the tempers start to rise in this game. It’s difficult to see exactly what occurred due to the players’ body positions and the distant camera …
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, …
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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 …
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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 …
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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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After an unsuccessful tackle leading to a clear and obvious body obstruction, a teammate follows through on the clearance perilously close to after the whistle. The controlling umpire uses a very …
Continue Reading about AUSvNED Verbal warning to leave the ball →
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 …
The second warning whistle of the game comes from this clear and unnecessary breakdown stick obstruction, 5’ after the first warning whistle of the game. On the ensuing free hit, the umpire …
Continue Reading about AUSvARG Breakdown stick tackle and ball placement →
The first two green cards of the game come in quick succession after first, a chasing defender pushes the ball carrier from behind just outside the 23m. The perfectly-timed and well-weighted nudge is …
A rare angle on an aerial ball shows us the defender encroaching towards the potential receiving area of the pass where the passer’s teammate is waiting as the initial receiver. This is closer to the …
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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 …
The umpire here shows excellent anticipation and reading of the play after the ball turns over deep in her colleague’s end. By the time she comes into the picture as the ball is being dribbled towards …
Continue Reading about AUSvARG Back-pedalling to the back-line →
As of the beginning of 2020, the FIH Rules Committee has confirmed that this interpretation can no longer be implemented, and if a personal penalty is given within the 23m area, it must be accompanied …
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This is the second card of the game for this player, who badly misses on this tackle and ensures his body stops the potential progress of the attacker to resume his run with the ball. Normally …
The ball gets unintentionally trapped for a short period of time between two players who maintain good control of their weight. The umpire sees the space around players and takes into account that …
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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 …
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 …
Continue Reading about GERvKAZ Bully for 2 balls on the pitch →
A defender plays the ball off her foot on a missed trap and after the whistle has sounded, pushes the ball well away from the spot of the foul. The two exacerbating factors are the obviousness of the …
Continue Reading about GBRvAUS PC upgrade playing ball after whistle →
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 …
Continue Reading about INDvBEL Anticipation into attacking area →
Amazingly difficult clip to determine whether there was any kind of shield or not. The ball carrier’s stick didn’t come over the ball to shield, but was the ball dropped behind his leg in order to …
After the penalty corner breaks down and a free hit defence is awarded for a dangerous ball inside the circle, the ball drifts to the opposite side of the circle and a (former) defender attempts to …
The timing of the umpire’s movement here is a bit off and in the end, has her running inside her circle as the ball is moving around. When the attacker picks up her dribble, the umpire pauses and …
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The aerial ball is sent to an attacker downfield who has a defender behind her. This is right on the line where players were in safe positions, and had the ball been sent just a little more shallowly, …
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This is a fascinating example of a penalty corner upgrade for a 5m infringement outside the circle. First, we consider what distances the tackler and any other player who influenced the play started …
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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. …
This is an example of what is sometimes a difficult call to make regarding 3 points of contact. Accompanying the advent of the prohibition against “drilling” as a specifically-described piece of …
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Although it’s rare, it is possible for players to make successful and clean tackles from behind their opposition. It’s important to make no assumptions and focus on the defender’s stick and body to …
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 →
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 …
Continue Reading about ARGvBEL Attack positioning with space →
It’s natural to look for absolute guidelines as to what should or should not be called as a raised ball. However, the most important factor to consider should always be: was an opponent …
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As the ball carrier comes into contact, the defender plants his feet, placing his stick and his back lower leg on the pitch. The long barrier he creates increases the area with which he’s able …
This is the third breakdown foul by this team so far in the game, and the two previous had been met with green cards. However, the reason this seemingly innocuous stick tackle is penalized this …
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 …
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Continue Reading about GERvESP Ball intentionally played off back-line →
Despite your best efforts, sometimes the ball will spin in unexpected directions after rebounding off the side-boards. Becoming a pylon can sometimes be your best defence! To access this …
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 …
On the free hit, the attacker pushes the ball from the stationary position and moves it slightly closer to the defender, while the defender is moving backwards away from the free hit. These two …
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 …
An attacking aerial is thrown beyond and equally between two opposing players and the free hit is awarded to the defending team. One way to interpret this situation is that the ball is receivable in …
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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 …
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It’s a small detail but makes a mammoth difference in the end positioning result. When the ball is turned over in the midfield, the umpire immediately turns to sprint hard towards her own circle. When …
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 …
The umpire deems this foul to be intentionally committed just outside the circle, and gives a green card at the same time. Given the physical nature of the breakdown, this is a good time to send the …
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. …
This team referral comes after the umpire chooses to play advantage from the body foul by the defender, and while the attacker manages to put a stick on the deflected ball the shot goes wide. The …
Continue Reading about ARGvBEL VR for advantage off the body ending in a shot wide →
On this penalty corner, the sweep hit crosses the goal line at a height over the top of the backboard. Because the sweep hit involves a backswing, it meets the definition of a hit under the rules and …
Continue Reading about AUSvGBR First shot sweep hit too high on PC →
