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 …
AUSvNED When the ball is played on a free hit
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 …
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ARGvESP 5m infringement aerial vertical view
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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NZLvBEL Attempt to cut out aerial pass
The attacking aerial is heading for a NZL player, who is clearly occupying the receiving zone and is the intial receiver. The BEL defender attempts to cut out the pass but in doing so, encroaches in …
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AUSvARG Fair block tackle
A defender moves early into tackling position and makes a block tackle from a stationary position. As she’s deflecting the ball out of bounds, the attacker is unable to adjust her running path and …
BLRvNED Breakdown just outside attacking half
Just as breakdowns tend to be committed by defending teams just outside the 23m line in the outdoor game, the centre line is a big marker for players who are looking to avoid the team upgrade penalty …
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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 …
ESPvARG Extreme set of quick decisions and shots on the penalty corner and management
In this extraordinary sequence there are several shots, saves and near fouls. Notice the initial position of the umpire on the penalty corner injection, which is close to the end line; this serves him …
ESPvGER Height of drag flick on PC
When a raised shot at goal strikes a defender who is 5m or fewer from the ball, the rule requires us to examine the height. Had this shot struck the runner below the knee, it is not considered …
AUSvNED Clean tackle from behind
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 …
GBRvNZL Green card for breakdown after turnover of possession
Each time the ball is turned over, it’s important to prepare for the team who gave away possession to attempt to break the play down and allow their teammates a chance to get numbers and structure in …
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SCOvNZL Free Hit Reset Timing
The first step in our Free Hit Drill is to locate the spot of the foul. If the ball moves away, we can proactively communicate with the players and let them know where we need the free hit taken from …
INDvBEL Aerial into circle 2
This is a tricky aerial because the angle we have from the camera makes it impossible to see the true trajectory of the ball. Our side-on assessment may be that the attacking teammate would have been …
ESPvBEL Advantage while player turning away from attacking goal
The umpire reads the potential available to the fouled player very well and although he is moving away from the attacking goal at the time of the foul, he does have a great option for the pass out to …
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ARGvBEL Caught within 5m and retreating for good tackle
Note the exact spot where the BEL defender commits the initial foul, which is around 1m outside the 5m dotted line. She stands vertically to take up as little passing space as possible and picks up …
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INDvAUS Danger into GK
A melee in front of the goalkeeper goes on for several seconds, where one attacker, two field defenders and the goalkeeper jockey for the ball. Eventually, the attacker gets his stick on the ball but …
ARGvNED Aerial into space
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 …
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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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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GERvAUT No disadvantage off small raise
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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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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AUSvARG YC for breakdown dangerous tackle from behind
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 …
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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 …
GBRvNZL Yellow card for breakdown in Q4 stepping in with shoulder
Late in the game, the fouling team is up a single goal. After turning over the ball outside their 23m line, an attacker is able to beat a tackle. That tackler puts his shoulder in to interrupt the run …
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MASvIND Yellow card for stepping into running line of attacker
After a series of turnovers, the attacking team moves away at speed with the ball. A chasing defender clips the heels of the ball carrier, who is maintaining a straight line in his run (although there …
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ESPvGER Green card intentional use of foot
A green card is given for this intentional use of the foot after the defender moves his back foot towards the ball after being beaten on the dribble. Watch for the player moving their foot into the …
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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 …
GBRvNZL Yellow card for breakdown
A yellow card for the 3rd breakdown by the same team in the match, now in Q3. Note the space available to the attacker behind the two defenders he’s beaten that he would have been able to burst …
INDvBEL Free hit just inside 23m line
This free hit is awarded just inside the 23m line. Although the player in possession takes the self-pass and dribbles outside the 23m, that does not negate the requirement that the ball moves 5m …
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AUSvNED Obstruction body shield
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 …
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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NZLvESP PC upgrade without goalkeeper
The trailing team has pulled their goalkeeper in an effort to tie the game late. A sloppy turnover brings about a late tackle attempt, with the defender’s stick wrapping around the ball carrier’s legs …
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NZLvESP Obstructions around GK
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 …
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 …
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 …
BLRvNED 3m self-pass centre line and not intentionally off back-line
Two points on this play to examine. The first is that the passage begins with a centre-line restart after the ball is played unintentionally off the back-line by a defender. Although initially …
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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 …
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 …
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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AUSvGBR Stick over the head
An attacker attemps to place pressure on a defender who has recovered the ball, but swings his stick over his head from behind. A quicker whistle on these situations can help avoid the ball carrier …
AUSvBEL VR breakdown foul outside the circle
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 …
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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 Obstruction kicking stick away
This is an excellent pick by the umpire of an obstruction that goes unpenalized too often. As the attacker carries the ball towards the baseline, she kicks the stick of the defender away from the only …
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CHNvGBR VR aerial 5m infringement
Description to follow …
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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NEDvBEL Radio help from supporting umpire
Excellent communication from the supporting umpire over the radio throughout this sequence leads to an accurate and accepted penalty corner decision. It’s just as important for the support to say …
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AUSvNED Recovery on PC counter
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 …
NZLvESP Aerial not given for initial receiver
There are several moving pieces in this aerial, and shows the difficulty in parsing out exactly 5m of clear space for an initial receiver. In tracking the reception area prior to the ball arriving, …
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GBRvAUS VR danger can’t play advantage
A ball sent into the circle deflects high off a defender’s stick, striking the next attacker in the arm, where the umpire is unsighted. Rather than attempting to play on from a poor angle, the …
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AUSvARG Aerial to attacker 5m infringement
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 …
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