This is an excellent piece of positioning by the far side umpire. After the ball carrier evades a tackle, the umpire anticipates a route one pass and is already a full quadrant ahead of the play and …
BLRvNED Head injury bully
A player misplays her pass and, when she steps to follow-up, an opposing player inadvertently collides with her and strikes her head. Head injuries should be tended to immediately and so, if the play …
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 →
BLRvNED No foul on raise inside circle
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 …
Continue Reading about BLRvNED No foul on raise inside circle →
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, …
BLRvNED Outlet of reasonable size
An attacker dribbles in the low right corner in front of the controlling umpire. A second defender joins the first to cut off the playing lanes, and then a third. The third defender initially cuts off …
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 …
Continue Reading about BLRvNED 3m self-pass centre line and not intentionally off back-line →
BLRvNED Rolling and raised ball
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 …
BLRvNED Back-line play no trap
Here’s an alternate view on the trapped ball and how long to wait until calling the bully when the trap has occurred unintentionally. One approach is to jump quickly on the obstruction as soon …
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 …
BLRvNED Drilling on cross pass
The attacker receives a ball in the bottom left corner and attempts to send a hard pass across the circle to a teammate. A defender is set at a close and near to 3m distance, and the ball is sent …
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 …
Continue Reading about BLRvNED Breakdown just outside attacking half →
BLRvNED Body obstruction interfering with stick
As the attacker attempts to avoid the tackle from a defender, the defender is able to get her stick on the ball as the attacker’s legs block and interfere with the defender’s stick. A free …
Continue Reading about BLRvNED Body obstruction interfering with stick →
BLRvNED YC for breakdown
A defender (#5) reaches in after being beaten at the centre line and the umpire plays advantage through until a free push is awarded near the circle in front of her. The umpire initially has the …
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 …
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 …
BLRvNED GC for playing ball after whistle
With 3m left in Q4 and the attacking team up a goal, an attacker who has just turned over the ball on a stick obstruction foul pushes the ball away from the defender and prevents a quick …
Continue Reading about BLRvNED GC for playing ball after whistle →
BLRvNED GC for tripping
As the play is moving across the circle away from the controlling umpire, a chasing attacker clips the heels of the defender chasing down the ball. This may well have been blocked from the view of the …
BLRvNED Goal disallowed for hit
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 …
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 …
BLRvNED Supporting high
The play moves into the high left corner for the supporting umpire/far deep corner for the controlling umpire. The support moves up very high and close to the opposite back-line in order to assist …
INDvNED SO Retake ball trapped in GK
The ball becomes trapped in the goalkeeper’s equipment after making a save in this shootout attempt. As this is an unintentional obstruction, the correct decision is a re-award. To access …
Continue Reading about INDvNED SO Retake ball trapped in GK →
INDvNED Management of time-wasting
It’s a small thing, but because it’s managed properly it prevents a problem from developing later in this game. With the blue team defending a 10min yellow card, they are presented with a 15m free …
INDvNED Caught high in support
Here’s an example where positioning choices made 70m away can impact our ability to be in the right spot for our mission-critical calls.As the supporting umpire, we can get very enthusiastic about …
INDvNED Reset for rolling ball at free hit
A good question to ask in this situation is whether, at this level of play, and given that the first warning was clear, should the second instance be met with only a reset, or at this stage in the …
Continue Reading about INDvNED Reset for rolling ball at free hit →
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 →
INDvNED 10′ YC stick to face
The IND attacker lifts his stick dangerously when attempting to evade a tackle and strikes the defender in the face. This isn’t a red card situation, as the play was reckless but within the context of …
INDvNED VR intentional use of the foot
This video referral gives us the opportunity to examine a decision we aren’t faced with often, which is whether a player intentionally uses their foot to play the ball. The giveaway here is the …
Continue Reading about INDvNED VR intentional use of the foot →
INDvNED Dangerous shot on goal
While playing the rebound on a penalty corner, the attacker’s shot raises into the defender’s upper body from very close range. The goalkeeper is behind him and on the ground. After consulting with …
INDvNED Getting caught after a PC
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 …
INDvNED Green card for breakdown stick tackle
Either just before or on the 23m line, a defender throws in a tackle that lands halfway up the ball carrier’s stick. These tackles can be dangerous so it’s a good time to show a green card and try to …
Continue Reading about INDvNED Green card for breakdown stick tackle →
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 →
CHNvNED FHD taken too far away
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 …
CHNvNED Side line ball not moved 5m
An attacker is awarded a side line ball. Taking it on the roll, she doesn’t quite move it 5m before sending the cross into the circle, and the free hit is given. To access this content, …
Continue Reading about CHNvNED Side line ball not moved 5m →
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 →
CHNvNED Stick shield
The ball carrier receives the ball on the turn and moves to her left. Her dribble continues in that direction while she places her stick in between the ball at the tackler’s stick in a non-momentary …
CHNvNED Ball placement moving outside the 23m
If a player sets up a free hit inside the 23m line that should be taken outside and is looking to pass backwards, should the umpire interrupt play to move the hit outside the 23m, even if that …
Continue Reading about CHNvNED Ball placement moving outside the 23m →
CHNvNED GC playing ball after the whistle
At this level of play, a quick and subtle touch by the offending team after they’ve committed the foul and the whistle has gone can eliminate the chance for their opposition to take a quick free …
Continue Reading about CHNvNED GC playing ball after the whistle →
CHNvNED 5m infringement for GC
When NED turns over the ball on a foot foul, the CHN pass off the free hit is intercepted by a forward running back inside the 5m radius of the ball, resulting in a green card being shown. …
NEDvAUS SO taken not from centre
It’s difficult to be prepared for first time a player at your level breaks a relatively unknown regulation. The FIH shoot-out regulations (which are often mimicked in domestic competitions but not …
NEDvAUS VR for backstick on SO goal
On a sweep shot like this it can be difficult to see a back stick as there is no telltale spray or looping ball trajectory as indicators. Here, the best sign is the toe of the stick. When we don’t …
Continue Reading about NEDvAUS VR for backstick on SO goal →
NEDvAUS VR for ball intentionally off the endline
When the ball is cleared off the end line by a defender, the umpire deems it unintentional, and the attacking team requests their video referral. When you examine the travel of the ball, the body …
Continue Reading about NEDvAUS VR for ball intentionally off the endline →
NEDvAUS VR self on goal stick interference by attack
The umpire takes a self-referral on this go-ahead goal, which is a crucial decision to take when the defending team has already lost their right to refer.The question may initially have been whether …
Continue Reading about NEDvAUS VR self on goal stick interference by attack →
NEDvAUS Turnover drill
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 …
NEDvAUS Early break on PC
A defender breaks early and although she does stop her forward momentum into the circle, the umpire calls for the restart immediately in order to keep things safe for everyone. When the regular pace …
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 …
NEDvAUS Opponent within 5m of initial receiver on aerial
As this aerial goes up, two opposing players may have been within 5m of each other in a receiving area. However, from where the ball is heading there is an initial receiver from the attacking team who …
Continue Reading about NEDvAUS Opponent within 5m of initial receiver on aerial →
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 …
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 …
Continue Reading about NEDvAUS GC for breakdown play along sideline →
NEDvAUS GC advantage and communication
A green card is given after a short advantage is played through a transfer across to the other side of the pitch. The chasing defender beats the attacker to the ball and receives a little shove in the …
Continue Reading about NEDvAUS GC advantage and communication →
