The Advantage Rule - why isn't it like other sports?

[Campbell's Chunky]

Have been thinking, why isn't the advantage rule like other sports.

If a free kick is given, they won't blow the whistle, but they will signal (usually with an arm being held up) that advantage is being played and if no advantage is apparent THEN they will blow the whistle and bring it back.

The amount of times that a team who is given a free kick is penalised because the umpire quickly blows the whistle and everyone stops is astonishing. Ruins all advantage and often becomes more of an advantage to the team committing the offense.

If they were to blow the whistle ONLY if a ball needs to be brought back for a free kick, then the players wouldn't stop and would continue as normal.

Seems a lot more logical than costing a side some of their run.

 

[borgsta2006]

Would be a great idea but until it happens we have to blow the whistle to acknowledge that a free kick has occurred. I have been saying this for years that the umpire yells ADVANTAGE and the team to get the kick and everything rolls on as normal. Then if an infringement occurs which stops advantage, then blow it back and pay the original kick.
It then brings us into some sort of parity with other sports and gives the players a roll on.

 

[Campbell's Chunky]

You can indicate this by holding up your arm like other sports.

Play just continues as normal if you don't blow the whistle. They don't stop to beg for a free kick.

 

[WALL-e]

Bloody good point CC. Would also stop players booting it away, getting 50 against and saying I thought it was our free and advantage.
If there's a whistle, you stop, if not go.

I like it.

 

[moose54]

Agreed. I've been wishing that did they for the last 3 years.. the way advantage is handled is appalling

 

[George Washington]

At what point does the advantage end? If a player scoops up the ball from say a tackle that is deemed a push in the back and begins running with it. How long can he run for before the advantage being deemed over and he can be tackled and penalized without bringing it back to the original kick?

 

[SCARD]

Would be a great idea but until it happens we have to blow the whistle to acknowledge that a free kick has occurred. I have been saying this for years that the umpire yells ADVANTAGE and the team to get the kick and everything rolls on as normal. Then if an infringement occurs which stops advantage, then blow it back and pay the original kick.
It then brings us into some sort of parity with other sports and gives the players a roll on.

Back to the future. What you are suggesting is what happened in the 1950's and it worked very well. Harry Clayton was Director of Umpiring and it was a golden era.

 

[Simon_Nesbit]

Been wanting this for a LONG time. Late 90s/early 00s was when it first became noticeable to me. Gets worse every year.

Goose - it would be the standard "next decision". So if the player with the ball kicks, handballs or bounces the ball that's the end of advantage. If he ran into a tackler, then that would create a judgement call from the ump I guess - similar to HtB.

 

[adey115]

I've thought this for years. Crazy why we don't do it. An obvious rule to improve the game, yet we stuff around with things like 'hands in the back' because umpires no longer have the ability to interpret....

 

[rooboy91]

According to the current laws of the game an umpire can pay advantage without blowing their whistle.

17.3 THE ADVANTAGE RULE
17.3.1 Paying Advantage

Where the field Umpire intends to or has signalled that he or
she intends to award a Free Kick to a Player, the field Umpire
may, instead of awarding the Free Kick, allow play to continue
if the field Umpire is of the opinion that doing so will provide an
advantage to that Player’s Team.

​

​

​

​

​

 

[Hoops]

I think it's up to the player with possesion to decide if he wants to play advantage. Then once he disposes or bounces the ball he has taken the advantage, and play resumes. Or otherwise he can stop playing on and go back to take the free kick. If he is tackled or runs out of bounds than there's no advantage and the ball comes back for the free in that instance also.

 

[lamaros]

Because the AFL is run by fools, that's why.

 

[reggie]

This is the most common sense thread on this whole site! I've never been able to understand why the whistle is blown in footy and then advantage paid.

In every sport you are taught as a kid to stop when you hear the whistle. But in footy it is best to start to play on, have a quick look to see if the free kick went to your team, and then hopefully your opponents may have stopped and you can run away and get a major advantage

 

[flight23]

totally agree, it seems ridiculous that this hasn't been looked at, been screaming about it for years

 

[Moonwatcher]

I like the idea that an umpire has stated his intention to pay a free kick if the advantage doesn't work. I may be cynical but it is nice to know that the ump isn't just pulling one from nowhere. When the whistle is blown the crowd now it was due to the play imediately before hand and there is less frustration from fans.

Though as has been said it would stop the 50m penalty as opposition players kick the ball away, claiming they thought they had the ball.

 

[damos#11]

The advantage rule is good when its called correctly but for instence the cats v saints match in round 14 it can alter the result when the ump pays advantage when its not there.

 

[ShearMagic9]

At what point does the advantage end? If a player scoops up the ball from say a tackle that is deemed a push in the back and begins running with it. How long can he run for before the advantage being deemed over and he can be tackled and penalized without bringing it back to the original kick?

Well, as a soccer referee, I can say I usually allow 3-5 seconds (depending on the situation) before bringing it back. That's what we're taught anyway....

 

[the ranger]

The flip side to this is when they pay advantage and the team with the ball ****s up and then gets to have another go at it. That really pisses me off. It shouldn't be a double chance.