Playing on Outside The Boundary

[Reginald Perrin]

Was one of my favourite rules when boundary umpiring, especially when I picked it up and the field umpire wasn't even aware of the rule (long time ago, country league).

I understand there has been some amendments to the rule/interpretation about the ball being in play when the player crosses back over the line, but I am noticing more and more examples in AFL of playing on outside the boundary which I believe should be penalised.

1. OOTF - Player was standing outside the boundary line when the umpire called play on due to time taken to take his kick.

2. OOTF - Player was standing outside the boundary line and changed the direction of play to kick backwards. I have seen this more than once, with one a few weeks ago where the player actually ran nearly 10 metres toward his own goal parallel to the boundary line before crossing.

3. Player took a mark inside the field of play but his momentum carried him over the boundary line where he stayed to get distance between himself and the man on the mark. He played on and ran for about 5 metres out of bounds before kicking back into play, field umpire called play on.

Perhaps the umpires know something I don't, but there is something fundamentally wrong with using space outside the legal field of play for advantage.

 

[Bob_vic]

A call of "play on" doesn't automatically mean it's OOB.

1. Not OOB. The player is still allowed to bring the ball into play correctly after the "play on" call for taking too long, like kicking in from behind.
2. Should be OOB if he's run 10m around the outline of the line, but this normally happens if the player runs around the outside of the mark, ie. forwards. I've never seen anything like you've described, but I have seen players choose to run or kick backwards coming straight in, which is allowable.
3. If the field umpire called "play on" while the player was still OOB, then the boundary umpire should have called OOB. The FU should have been aware of what was happening though.

In addition to below, the player may move forwards or backwards directly behind the mark before bringing the ball into play in one direction.

16.5 DISPOSAL — FROM OUT OF BOUNDS
16.5.1 When Permitted
(a) A Player who is awarded a Free Kick or a Mark may
bring the football into play from beyond the Boundary
Line provided that the Player moves in one direction
whilst in the act of Kicking, Handballing or moving to
cross the Boundary Line.
(b) If a Player taking their Kick from outside the Boundary Line
(i) fails to bring the football into play;
(ii) attempts to play on outside the boundary line; or
(iii) does not bring the football into play in
accordance with 16.5.1 (a) then the football shall
be deemed to be Out of Bounds and the boundary
Umpire shall throw the football back into play
at the spot where the original Mark or Free Kick
took place.

16.5.2 Standing the Mark Adjacent to Behind Post
(Not relevant)

16.5.3 Football Back in Play
The football is deemed to be back in play when any portion of it
is on or above the Boundary Line.

 

[Reginald Perrin]

Thanks for contributing Bob.

A call of "play on" doesn't automatically mean it's OOB.

1. Not OOB. The player is still allowed to bring the ball into play after the "play on" call.

What if he just stands there, how long will the umpire give him to move and what happens if he doesn't? What would happen if, after the umpire calls play on, the man on the mark rushes forward and tackles him while he's still standing outside the boundary line? Could he be penalised for holding the ball if he's outside the field of play?

2. Should be OOB if he's run 10m around the outline of the line, but this normally happenes if the player runs around the outside of the mark, ie. forwards. I've never seen anything like you've described, but I have seen players choose to run or kick backwards coming straight in, which is allowable.

I've noticed 2 incidents in the last 3 weeks. One where the player changed direction completely to kick to full back for the switch and one where the player used the ground outside the boundary line to run past the man on the mark who was standing on the line. I'll keep an eye out for any more and see if I can get a video posted.

3. If the field umpire called "play on", then the boundary umpire should have called OOB. The FU should have been aware of what was happening though.

OK, so just one missed there.

 

[Bob_vic]

What if he just stands there, how long will the umpire give him to move and what happens if he doesn't? What would happen if, after the umpire calls play on, the man on the mark rushes forward and tackles him while he's still standing outside the boundary line? Could he be penalised for holding the ball if he's outside the field owf play?

How long to give? The player can stand there and do nothing if he wants to, but the likelihood is that he's going to be tackled within 5 seconds. Technically, if no-one challenged him (which is really a nonsense situation), he could stand there for longer, but then the FU could call OOB for failing to bring the ball into play.

As soon as the player tries to evade an opponent outside the boundary line (not bringing the ball into play in one direction) or he loses the ball in the tackle (failing to bring the ball into play), then it's OOB. HTB cannot be paid because the ball's not in play, but an incorrect tackle is still a free kick.

I've noticed 2 incidents in the last 3 weeks. One where the player changed direction completely to kick to full back for the switch and one where the player used the ground outside the boundary line to run past the man on the mark who was standing on the line. I'll keep an eye out for any more and see if I can get a video posted.

The first instance sounds fine if the player turns backwards and brings the ball in one direction.
The second instance is definitely OOB.

 

[LordLucifer]

If at anytime, the umpire calls "play on" and a player is outside the boundary with the ball in hand, then the boundary umpire has to blow his whistle and call for a throw-in.

If that is not the rule, what's to stop a player jumping the fence and playing on between the seats ??

Simply ludicrous !!

 

[Bob_vic]

If at anytime, the umpire calls "play on" and a player is outside the boundary with the ball in hand, then the boundary umpire has to blow his whistle and call for a throw-in.

If that is not the rule, what's to stop a player jumping the fence and playing on between the seats ??

Simply ludicrous !!

1. No, the BU calls OOB when it's OOB under the laws, as discussed previously. "Play on" doesn't automatically mean OOB.

2. If the player chooses to jump the fence, then he's obviously failing to bring the ball into play. Therefore, it's OOB, and probably a free kick and report for time wasting/delaying play...

 

[grouse mate]

This is the equal to booking every motorist that goes 1 km over the speed limit. The game would be infinitely shitter than it already is if Ray-Ray manages to stumble across this thread.

 

[hcd199]

This is the equal to booking every motorist that goes 1 km over the speed limit. The game would be infinitely shitter than it already is if Ray-Ray manages to stumble across this thread.

Rules exist for a reason, and should be enforced - correct application of the laws of the game is far greater than ignoring them for the sake of spectacle. Besides, as already shown in this thread, only one of the three raised situations was an incorrect call.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

If at anytime, the umpire calls "play on" and a player is outside the boundary with the ball in hand, then the boundary umpire has to blow his whistle and call for a throw-in.

Simple as that ... like most rules. It's only the AFL who try to complicate matters by instructing the officials to referee rather than umpire.

 

[Spook]

Was one of my favourite rules when boundary umpiring, especially when I picked it up and the field umpire wasn't even aware of the rule (long time ago, country league).

I understand there has been some amendments to the rule/interpretation about the ball being in play when the player crosses back over the line, but I am noticing more and more examples in AFL of playing on outside the boundary which I believe should be penalised.

1. OOTF - Player was standing outside the boundary line when the umpire called play on due to time taken to take his kick.

2. OOTF - Player was standing outside the boundary line and changed the direction of play to kick backwards. I have seen this more than once, with one a few weeks ago where the player actually ran nearly 10 metres toward his own goal parallel to the boundary line before crossing.

3. Player took a mark inside the field of play but his momentum carried him over the boundary line where he stayed to get distance between himself and the man on the mark. He played on and ran for about 5 metres out of bounds before kicking back into play, field umpire called play on.

Perhaps the umpires know something I don't, but there is something fundamentally wrong with using space outside the legal field of play for advantage.

Do you even know the rules mate? Is that what you did when you umpired, made them up. Well why didn't you read them and then apply them?

 

[Reginald Perrin]

Do you even know the rules mate? Is that what you did when you umpired, made them up. Well why didn't you read them and then apply them?

If I knew the rules, "mate", I wouldn't be making a thread clarifying what they are, mate.

When I umpired, the rule book was about 6 pages long, and no, I didn't make them up, mate, I adjudicated them as they were written, mate.

 

[Spook]

If I knew the rules, "mate", I wouldn't be making a thread clarifying what they are, mate.

When I umpired, the rule book was about 6 pages long, and no, I didn't make them up, mate, I adjudicated them as they were written, mate.

Now you bullshit, I umpired as well and that rule has not changed for at least30 years.

 

[Reginald Perrin]

Now you bullshit, I umpired as well and that rule has not changed for at least30 years.

So you just want to keep attacking me to make yourself look stupid? Try 1977-1979, mate. Then GFY.

 

[Reginald Perrin]

Classic case tonight. Carlton player has marked the ball inside the boundary line. His run up takes him very close to the line. As he is in the act of kicking, he wanders over the boundary line and the boundary umpire signals OOB. The field umpire (Margetts) comes in and overrules him and gives the Carlton player another kick stating "I haven't called play on". In my view the play on call is irrelevant because that only applies for OOTF, doesn't it? Bob_vic

 

[Bob_vic]

Classic case tonight. Carlton player has marked the ball inside the boundary line. His run up takes him very close to the line. As he is in the act of kicking, he wanders over the boundary line and the boundary umpire signals OOB. The field umpire (Margetts) comes in and overrules him and gives the Carlton player another kick stating "I haven't called play on". In my view the play on call is irrelevant because that only applies for OOTF, doesn't it? Bob_vic

Margetts is exactly right. The BU can only call OOB if the FU calls "play on" in this instance. Nothing in 16.5.1 applies.

 

[Reginald Perrin]

Margetts is exactly right. The BU can only call OOB if the FU calls "play on" in this instance. Nothing in 16.5.1 applies.

OK, but it doesn't seem right that the player can run out of bounds and kick it from there.

 

[Bob_vic]

OK, but it doesn't seem right that the player can run out of bounds and kick it from there.

Why not? The player is allowed a normal arc of kick anywhere else on the ground, in any set kick situation.

If the player does wonder slightly over the BL in his run up, as long as the he hasn't played on other than over the mark, then he's entitled to take his kick as per normal.

It's the way it's always been. Seems fair to me.