The importance of establishing where the self-pass is taken from is shown in this clip. The foul occurs ~2m behind the 15m line, and from a dead stop, the AUS player puts the ball in motion. He then …
NEDvBEL Penalty corner upgrade
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 …
GBRvAUS Free hit defence inside circle taken far away
An attacker attempts a raised hit shot at goal but is off-target, making it dangerous. In this context the free hit would normally go back to where the hit was attempted, but the defender moves the …
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AUSvBEL Stop-time management with captain
The umpire uses a lightning interruption as an opportunity to have a word with the captain about her players tapping the ball away after the whistle. This is an excellent management step and should …
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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 …
AUSvNED No foul push in circle
At the end of matches, you’ll be called upon to make split-second decisions that could have an outsized impact on the perception of the weight of that call on the result of the game. It’s …
NZLvARG GC breakdown just outside
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 …
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. …
GBRvAUS Rolling ball on free hit reversed
The attacker is awarded a free hit a few metres inside the sideline, also inside the 23m area. She retrieves the ball which is rolling towards the sideline, and continues the roll without any change …
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UKRvAUS Drilling or penalty corner
This ball is forced into a fairly set defender from close range and should be considered dangerous. To access this content, you must purchase FHU3T Green, FHU3T Green 365, FHU3T Yellow 365 …
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 …
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NZLvGBR Advantage inside dotted 5m
There is an important but subtle advantage played here just outside the circle. The initial defender takes three swipes at the ball, obstructing the ball carrier twice from within 1-2m from the circle …
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 …
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 …
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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NZLvGBR PS for intentional foul
An attacker is sprung free entering the top of the circle. A chasing defender collides with her, taking herself to the ground and committing a stick obstruction in the process. This is clearly an …
AUSvBEL Fitness and footwork
When using the new positioning, umpires need to have the fitness and footwork required to backpedal at sufficient pace to stay well ahead of the play. Another crucial component is committing to …
ARGvNED Aerial no control
An aerial ball falls to two opposing players, and the attacking teammate attempts an unsuccessful interception 5m away from the defender, after which the latter is permitted to initially receive the …
GBRvAUS GC breakdown stick tackle
A green card, the first of the game, is awarded for this tackle attempted from a risky position which breaks down the play. To access this content, you must purchase FHU3T Green, FHU3T …
GERvAUT Attacker playing ball in the air
Rule 9.10 permits a player to play the ball in the air only when a legitimate shot at goal rebounds from an opposing goalkeeper, defender or post. The player may “stop” the ball, which is interpreted …
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ARGvESP Stop time management
The umpire stops time to send a calming message to the player that when he’s unsighted, it’ll take a moment to get the message through the radio to get to the correct decision. The game had been …
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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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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AUSvGBR 15m FH ball placement
A ball goes out off the endline, touched last by an attacker. The defending team attempts to set up a 15m free hit in the middle of the circle, and the opposition is reasonably close in their …
GBRvAUS GC YC for tussle in circle
Opposing players often jockey for position in the circle before a free hit will be played towards it. After a couple of interventions in this passage of play, the message isn’t taken up and the …
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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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. …
GBRvAUS PC upgrade playing ball after whistle
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 …
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BELvNZL Intentional off end line or misplayed
The defender gains possession of the ball and after a short adjustment, plays it towards her teammate who is completely unprepared for the pass and actually picks up her feet to get out of the way, …
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ARGvNED Verbal warning for dissent
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 …
BLRvNED Good goal no 3 pts
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 …
ESPvGER Green card 5m infringement
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 …
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. …
NZLvBEL No attacker touch inside the circle before crossing the goal line
For a goal to be scored, an attacker must touch the ball inside the circle before it crosses the goal line. There was no touch by an attacker here, and also no defender, so the correct decision is a …
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ARGvBEL Reading attacking play
Preferred positioning has the controlling umpire well ahead of the play, turned to face the attack as it transitions into the 23m area and from an inside angle. In order to get to this spot, umpires …
NEDvAUS GC for breakdown play along sideline
After a turnover, a defender tracks the ball carrier up the near sideline and presumbly trips her up. Note that the side-on camera angle doesn’t show what we need to see, but from the umpire’s angle …
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UKRvAUS Rebound played in the air and drilling
A goalkeeper save rebounds towards a waiting attacker. The player is only allowed to let the ball hit the stick but not actively play it out of the air, and it appears from the umpire’s signal that …
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ARGvNED YC physical breakdown
A yellow card is given for this breakdown tackle after green cards have already been awarded (one to each team), and a warning to the captains for physical play. The level of physical recklessness is …
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 …
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AUSvNED GC for breakdown tackle trip
A green card is awarded after a late stick trips up the ball carrier. To ensure you get this call right too, make sure you’re creating an angle off the sideline that keeps you from getting “caught in …
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ARGvESP Self VR for ball outside the circle on a PC
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 …
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AUSvNED Playing ball after whistle warning
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 …
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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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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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BLRvNED No obstruction
After being awarded a free push, the attacker takes the self-pass and dribbles straight at 3 defenders at the top of their circle. She pushes the ball ahead as she makes contact with one of them, …
ESPvARG GC 5m aerial infringement breakdown
The initial receiver of the ball is an attacker in navy, standing just in front of the 23-metre line. He is sandwiched by two defenders. One defender possibly unintentionally infringes by coming from …
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