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 YC breakdown tackle
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. …
GERvKAZ Obstruction trapping on boards and caught inside 3m
The ball carrier dribbles towards the left sideboards and as he comes into contact, moves his stick to trap the ball against the boards, actively preventing the defender from playing it. This is a …
Continue Reading about GERvKAZ Obstruction trapping on boards and caught inside 3m →
AUSvBEL Penalty stroke on tackle from behind
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 →
AUSvNED Interior positioning for sideline play
Notice the umpire’s positioning and movement as the ball moves around his deep and near sideline area. Instead of moving too quickly outside the play from the preferred interior position, he moves …
Continue Reading about AUSvNED Interior positioning for sideline play →
AUSvGBR First shot sweep hit too high on PC
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 →
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 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 …
Continue Reading about ARGvNED PC dragflick strikes below knee for foot →
ARGvNED Danger to the goalkeeper
The goalkeeper makes a save, resulting in the ball momentarily sitting balanced on the side of her leg guard. As the goalkeeper attempts to move the ball, which ended up falling between her pad and …
AUSvNED GC breakdown tackle from ground
A defender attempts a tackle from a poor position in behind and interferes with the ball carrier with their arm or stick. Although the defender is on the ground, they haven’t met the criterion for an …
Continue Reading about AUSvNED GC breakdown tackle from ground →
AUSvGBR Penalty corner collision
This collision on the penalty corner is worth examining, for a variety of reasons. For context, there was a significant incident at last year’s Pro League Finals during the semi-final between these …
BLRvNED Duck!
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 …
UKRvAUS Trap for bully
The ball carrier dribbles into trouble and ends up in a stalemate with one opposing defender. When the ball doesn’t move, the umpire calls a bully for the no-fault obstruction and it takes two tries …
NZLvESP YC after advantage for trip behind play
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 …
Continue Reading about NZLvESP YC after advantage for trip behind play →
NZLvUSA YC after long advantage
A yellow card is shown after a long advantage was played. Note the communication between the two umpires as the trail confirms over the radio they should as a team come back for the card. The trail …
ARGvNED VR body contact on the tackle
The umpire awards a penalty corner for body contact made on this tackle, and the defending team refers this to the video umpire. Although the defender gets the ball, they are behind the attacker at …
Continue Reading about ARGvNED VR body contact on the tackle →
ESPvARG GC 5m free hit management
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 …
ESPvGER Positioning for the press of the 15m FH
Reading the structure and tactics of the teams is crucial when adjusting your positioning. ESP (red) is committing to an aggressive press, which should be accommodated by moving back behind the last …
Continue Reading about ESPvGER Positioning for the press of the 15m FH →
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 …
INDvNED Green card for 5m infringement
This green card for a 5m infringement has two interesting aspects. First, note the frustration of the NED player when he doesn’t earn the call he believes he’s entitled to on the immediately preceding …
Continue Reading about INDvNED Green card for 5m infringement →
ARGvBEL Non-obstruction going to end line
In many parts of the playing field, this tackle may well be deemed a body obstruction as the defender steps in with his shoulder and blocks the path of the attacker. However, when you take into …
Continue Reading about ARGvBEL Non-obstruction going to end line →
ESPvARG Stick obstruction after turnover
Immediately after a turnover is created in the circle, be aware of (previously) attacking players trying to poach the ball back and subtly obstructing or otherwise impeding the break by the (former) …
Continue Reading about ESPvARG Stick obstruction after turnover →
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 …
USAvBEL Aerial interception foul
On this aerial pass, the defender moves laterally, slicing across the line of the ball as she should. The real question is whether the interception attempt is outside playable distance and done …
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 …
ESPvARG Inattention to ball placement
After a defensive free hit is awarded for danger on the cross, the umpire gets distracted addressing players away from where the ball has drifted to. The team in possession takes advantage and takes a …
Continue Reading about ESPvARG Inattention to ball placement →
ARGvNED Clean tackles between legs
This passage of play shows not one but two clean tackle attempts between the ball carrier’s legs. In each instance, the attacker was quite stationary and the defender did a good job in coming in low, …
BELvAUS VR for danger in the circle before goal
After the goal was awarded, the defending team asked for a video review for danger before the goal was scored. The ball was crossed in from the right side and played towards the goal in a slow, high …
Continue Reading about BELvAUS VR for danger in the circle before goal →
ARGvBEL Breakdown tackle just outside 23m
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 →
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 …
NEDvAUS No obstruction
When the attacker makes a moves around the tackler at the edge of the circle, they throw the ball too far towards a second defender. As they were unlikely to catch up to the ball, no disadvantage has …
AUSvBEL No call third party obstruction
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 →
BELvAUS breakdown tackle not penalized
Although this tackle happens early in the game, only 30 seconds into the first quarter, it’s important to be engaged and prepared to provide the correct intervention. This defender reaches in …
Continue Reading about BELvAUS breakdown tackle not penalized →
NZLvBEL PC upgrades
Upgrades are given during these sequences of play. What are you looking for in these situations, and when would you upgrade or not? Is the defender tackling from behind the ball? Does the defender …
NZLvGBR GK scramble and off end line
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 →
BELvAUS dangerous play swing and miss
There’s a lot of confusion about the dangerous use of the stick and the so-called “swing and a miss.” This happens when someone swings and misses the ball, creating danger. The speed and path of …
Continue Reading about BELvAUS dangerous play swing and miss →
AUSvGBR Positioning staying ahead of play
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 …
Continue Reading about AUSvGBR Positioning staying ahead of play →
UKRvAUS Drilling
This attempted pass towards the circle is sent through the set defender’s stick hard from close range. To access this content, you must purchase FHU3T Green, FHU3T Green 365, FHU3T Yellow …
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 …
CHNvNED Stick obstruction no advantage
An attacker receives the ball in an unusual kneeling position after fighting her way around her tightly-marking defender. The defender clearly holds her stick down with her own, but the ball springs …
Continue Reading about CHNvNED Stick obstruction no advantage →
AUSvARG VR drag flick danger
A drag flick that strikes a defender who has closed to within 5m will be judged as dangerous if it hits at knee height or above. It’s crucial that in the absence of video referral, the supporting …
AUSvGBR Stick obstruction or not
This clean tackle is misread by the umpire. Notice the front-on positioning, lack of movement by the defender’s stick, the path of travel of the ball after contact, and the attacker’s …
GERvAUT No advantage ball placement
Early in a match is a great time to set your standards for ball placement. When advantage doesn’t accrue after this stick obstruction foul, the umpire steps in with a clear double-whistle and …
Continue Reading about GERvAUT No advantage ball placement →
ARGvUSA PC injector goes before whistle
The injector is sent to the centre line for a feint (rule 13.6(a)) because she did not wait for the whistle to restart time and the penalty corner to proceed. The penalty corner is reset with a …
Continue Reading about ARGvUSA PC injector goes before whistle →
NZLvBEL VR PC stick block by attack
An upgraded penalty corner is awarded by the umpire after two loud stick tackles. The decision is referred to the video umpire, who determines that on the first tackle attempt, the ball carrier …
Continue Reading about NZLvBEL VR PC stick block by attack →
BLRvNED No bully for trapping obstruction
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 …
Continue Reading about BLRvNED No bully for trapping obstruction →
NZLvGBR GC physical play
A green card is awarded after the turnover in the circle leads an attacker to use her arm to push against the defender in possession. It’s a small bit of physical play properly dealt with. …
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 …
Continue Reading about GERvAUT Trapping into stick for foul →
CHNvNED Recovery from support on PC
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 →
NZLvBEL Not 5m from free hit inside dotted line
This scenario shows the difficulty in balancing the need for flow and penalizing players who breach the rules. A free hit is awarded to the attack 1-2m outside the circle and inside the 5m dotted …
Continue Reading about NZLvBEL Not 5m from free hit inside dotted line →