Double Penalty Corner Injectors | How to Apply the Rules of Hockey | #RuleyTuesday Ep. 11

Seeing double with two penalty corner injectors? Get back on a single track with the help of this #RuleyTuesday!

Transcript

Seeing double on penalty corner injections? I’ve got your prescription for vision correction right here, on #RuleyTuesday. Let’s do this.

Hey #thirdteam friends!  Keely Dunn of FHumpires back with another a hot take on one rule in the book.

Big thanks to Gary Wright, a new friend of FHumpires who was delighted to hear that he had a good question for an umpire for once. We’re going to talk about the Germans and their trick play of preparing two injectors on each side of the goal before playing a PC. Gary wanted to know: is this double jeopardy legal, and how should we handle it?

Let’s go through the rules, double-time:

Rule 13.3 Taking a Penalty Corner

Rule 13.3, taking a penalty corner:

13.3 (b) The ball is placed on the back-line inside the circle at least 10 metres from the goal-post on whichever side of the goal the attacking team prefers.

Under c),

13.3 (c) an attacker pushes or hits the ball without intentionally raising it. 

Then sub e) says,

13.3 (e) the other attackers must be on the field, outside the circle with sticks, hands and feet not touching the ground inside the circle.

So what we know at this point, under the rules, a single attacker injects the ball, and all of the other attackers must be outside the circle. Back to the rules.

Under sub i),

13.3(i) until the ball has been played, no attacker other than the one taking the push or hit from the back-line is permitted to enter the circle.

Pitch Measurements

If we look quickly at the pitch measurements, you’ll see that the injection spots are 10m from the outside of the goal post, and inside the circle. We’ll come back to that.

Rules 2.4 – Players Entering and Exiting the Pitch

Finally, under 2.4, 

2.4 Field players who leave the field for injury treatment, refreshment, to change equipment or for some reason other than substitution are only permitted to re-enter between the 23 metres areas on the side of the field used for substitutions.

Leaving and re-entering the field as part of play (e.g. when a defender puts on a face mask at a penalty corner) takes place at any appropriate part of the field. 

It’s not a clear prohibition, but there’s definitely a strong inference that an attacker should not be permitted to step off the end line and re-enter the pitch when play has resumed on the injection of the ball from that second injection spot.

So what’s really happening when the German team runs this play?

The Double Injector Trick Play

The key to understanding why they can get away with this duplicity is knowing there’s a firm 40s clock in play in televised FIH matches, which is reflected in the Pro League regulations. 

If either team is not prepared to start the penalty corner right at that 40s mark, they will be green-carded for misconduct by the umpire. But up until that 40s is up, they don’t have to be ready.

So the Germans have two injectors setting up a ball at both 10m injection spots. As the 40s winds down, one of them knocks that ball away and gets into position outside of the circle in compliance with 13.3(e). If, for example, she didn’t get there before the umpire is ready to blow the whistle to start the penalty corner, she would be green-carded.

The intention of this play is to keep the defenders guessing until this 35s mark or so what they’re going to be facing. Is that somehow two-faced? Not under the rules and regs as they stand right now.

That’s all well and good for the Pro League or Euros, but what about the rest of us at home? Here’s the good news: it’s not a thing.

Without a set time clock, it’s your job as the controlling umpire to get all the ducks in a row before you start the penalty corner. That means the defenders are behind the line, attackers are outside the circle, and only one injector is outside the pitch. 

Could a team argue that attacker isn’t affecting anything? Well, from looking at the pitch measurements, a second injector would only be 10m away from the goal instead of 15m like all the rest of the attackers. I’m pretty sure that’s a nice little benefit there!

So as the controlling umpire, you would notice the hijinks, direct the team to make their election, wait for them to move into the correct position, and then allow the PC to proceed. Thusly, you have completely thwarted any double-dealing.

Did this #RuleyTuesday let you see the situation with 20/20 vision? Don’t wait 40s, hit the like button now, and inject your comments and questions below. Also, make sure to tag a coach you know who wants to try this in your local league. For twice the karma, go to fhu3t.com and sign up for a with a $3 monthly Green membership with the FHumpires Third Team and help keep us doubling in size.

Chau for now!

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