2005/06 Rule Changes

Bringing The Ball Into Play From A Restart
Objective is to get the ball back in play as quickly as possible. The referee should blow their whistle once the taker is in position and the
opposition moves away from the taker so that he is no longer closely hindering. If the opponent fails to move back the referee may blow and if
the pass is affected or the ball is not allowed to go 2.5M then the opponent is punished. Once the whistle is blown the taker has 4 seconds to
bring the ball into play. Unlike free passes, for restarts there is no need for the attackers to be 2.5m apart.

To come into play the ball must travel 2.5m horizontally from a restart. (Note that this is a different criterion to the free pass, where the
ball can be passed to a player who is standing 2.5m from the place of the free pass, but leaning in.) Anyone who stops the ball from travelling
2.5m from a restart must be penalised. This situation can come about in two ways:

1. The person taking the restart passes the ball to a team mate without the ball travelling 2.5m. This is punished by a restart to the other team.
2. The restart pass is intercepted or hindered by the opposition without the ball travelling 2.5m.

Hindering / Intercepting Restarts
Hindering on restarts can be passive or active. Active hindering is self explanatory and can occur when a player is actively trying to block the
restart or intercepts the ball before it has travelled the 2.5m distance. Passive hindering involves standing so close to the taker of the restart
so that they do not have freedom of movement. Neither of the above is allowed. If the attacking team is taking the restart then a free pass from
the same spot is awarded, if the defending team is taking the restart then another restart is awarded. In both cases the offending player should
be given a warning. Further infringements by a player following a warning should result in a formal warning.

The Free Pass - Taking Free Passes
Free passes are now taken from a spot which the referee has to indicate. The taker of the free pass must put a foot on the spot and all the other
players must be 2.5m away from that spot.

Putting The Ball Into Play From a Free Pass
The wording of this rule has not changed. However, it was clarified that because the taker of the free pass only needs to have one foot on the place
of the free pass the distance travelled in the second of the ways in which the ball is brought into play from a free pass may now be quite short if
the two players are leaning towards each other.

When is the ball in play following a free pass?
The ball is in play following a free pass if either:
1. The defender touches the ball.
2. The ball is passed to a team mate who is standing 2.5M away from the space
3. The ball has travelled 2.5M away from the thrower (parallel to the floor) within 4 seconds after the start of the free pass.
(ie the ball need not be under the control of either an attacker or defender).
Remember a free pass can only happen in the attack zone!

Football
If the ball touches the leg (defined as the thigh down) then a football infringement has occurred.
The referee would normally award a restart but can play advantage if this is clear and the ball goes to the non-offending side. The exceptions to this would be:
A free pass should be awarded if the defence is deemed to have deliberately played the ball with the leg/foot. (A restart should be awarded if an attacker
deliberately plays the ball with the leg/foot as all offences by the attack result in a restart).
A penalty should be awarded if the defence is deemed to have deliberately played the ball with the leg/foot and this action results in the loss of a scoring opportunity.

If a player deliberately throws the ball against the leg of an opponent this is a form of misbehaviour. A re-start is awarded against the culprit and he is given a warning.
Repeated instances by the same player can lead to a yellow card. Note that the football rule has been tightened so that all instances of football, even those which do not
appear to have a significant influence on the game, should be punished (unless advantage is played).
So if someone drops a pass, it hits their foot, bounces up and they catch it again, this should be classed as football, even if there is no-one else near them.
It is not football if the ball touches the leg whilst it is under complete control in the player’s hands.

Compulsory Hand Signals for Restart & Free Pass


Restart
Whenever a restart is awarded the referee points to where the restart should be taken and gives the direction with the other arm.
It’s good practice to communicate verbally with the players, “That’s a restart!”



Free Pass
The referee puts up his arm showing an open palm and points to the place of the infringement.
When the taker is in position he/she can then open four fingers to indicate that the whistle will be blown within 4 seconds to restart the game


Compiled by Barry Dibble