Question about kicking after a mark

[KDSnap]

I am somewhat new to your game, and here is a question I have after watching a lot of games in the 2011 season.... What is the rule on the direction of the kick, after taking a mark? It is kind of difficult to describe what I am asking since I am no mathematician...
I know the player must kick directly over the spot of the mark, but that still leaves 360 degrees... what I mean is, if there was a push-pin on the mark, with a string to the kicking player, he could move around a circle to find the best angle, while still kicking directing over the mark. Are there any restrictions to that? Obviously there are certain situations where kicking straight to the goal may not be the best option.
I browsed through the on-line laws of the game posted at AFL.com.au. and it didn't really seem to address that.

 

[Speck]

You can kick in whatever direction you want to (ie. 360 degrees). You are not restricted to kicking over the mark.

 

[Gibbsy]

I may not be 100% right here, but when the player is kicking after taking a mark his line of steps before he kicks must be in a straight line. If he deviates from that line (like Buddy Franklin often does) then the man on the mark is within their rights to go forth and tackle the player, as by deviating from the straight line it is then known as play on, and anyone's ball.

Sorry if that sounds confusing but it's hard to interpret.

 

[KDSnap]

Thanks for the info. I just remember watching a game last season in which the referee made a player move before taking his free kick, but the mark was right down on the goal line.... i think the player tried to step out of bounds to make the kick, because the angle to the goal was too sharp to try. I am not sure about that, because I don't know all the rules, or else I wouldn't be here asking this question!
Can the player who takes the mark always decide if he wants a free kick or to play on? Or does the referee sometimes rule a play on?

 

[The Swert]

If a player takes a mark, which is signaled by the umpire blowing his whistle, then it is his decision to play on or not. Although the umpire can then call play on if the player moves 'off his line' or takes too long to take his kick.

Now what is 'off his line'? That is largely up to the umpire decretion. Generally a few immediate steps forward of where he marked it will create a play-on or if he deviates from his kicking approach.

To your original question, usually when a player lines up after a mark so that he is aiming towards goal. In fact when within goal kicking range the umpire usually enforces this. I have never seen anybody line up on any other angle as you suggest, it may be an unwritten rule. I could imagine a player marking on the wing and wanting to go back on his mark on an angle so that he is facing the centre circle, but if he did that i'm sure an umpire would tell him to move around so he is facing his goal.

He may kick in any direction, but he may have to line up so that he faces his goal.

 

[blue harvest]

Player is always lined up in a direct line from the mark to their goal, even when they are not taking a shot on goal. Can kick any direction but if you move off this line by more than a metre or so it is called play on.

However one special situation they seem to allow when taking a shot on goal from a sharp angle is letting the player start his run up a couple of steps off from this line, from an even sharper angle, enabling the player to make a short run up perpendicular to the correct line and snap the ball around his body once he reaches the correct line. Jarryd Roughead is one player who does this.

If you want some more confusion and hours of arguments on this topic then do a search on 'Buddys natural arc'.