Once on Sunday I noticed one of our players, after a free against, when the ball was on the ground at his feet, actually pick it up, and throw it briskly to the free recipient. He gave off the quick handball to a guy running past who shot it downfield, resulting in a goal It was OUR quick pass that set it up!!! If you haven't got the ball in your possession, I'm sure the laws don't force you to pick it up and throw it back.

Perhaps the Ump. can order you to hand it back straight away. If so, they should enforce it every time. But the player doesn't have to do a bullet-like pass to the opponent!

If the Ump. is not allowed by the laws to tell players to pick up the ball and throw it back, players should NEVER, EVER DO IT.

Was a few moments in the last quarter when Dick Cox and Hunter both were told by the umpire to throw the ball to the Melbourne player after a free kick.... Hunter took his sweet time with his and I was actually calling for the umpire to give a 50m penalty.... The old throw the ball 25m high 5m long sorta thing....

I guess it's just one of those things about footy that [censored] you off when you are on the receiving end, but you are quite happy with it when the shoes on the other foot

99% sure the umps aren't allowed to order anyone to throw it back.

There was also a ball held up by an eagle, think it was Cox, and not thrown back on the full, yet we didn't get 50.

Agree though, 1%er count, don't throw the thing back at all.

Not sure of the exact ruling but totally agree with what your saying. Anyone clear up the exact ruling?

was always of the understanding you could just stand on the mark with ball at feet and ignore it. You may be directed to return it to the recipient of the free if you have it.

Be interesting to have the rule on this...why EVER give your oppo a break ??

18. FIFTY-METRE PENALTY

18.1

Where a field Umpire has awarded a Free Kick or a Mark to a Player,

the field Umpire shall also award a Fifty-Metre Penalty in favour of that

Player if he or she is of the opinion that any Player or Official from the

opposing side:

(a) has encroached the mark;

(b.) engages in Time Wasting;

(c.) uses abusive, insulting, threatening or obscene language

towards an Umpire;

(d) behaves in an abusive, insulting, threatening or obscene manner

towards an Umpire or disputes the decision of an Umpire;

(e) enters the Protected Area, except when the Player is

accompanying or following within 5 metres of his or her

opponent;

(f) has not returned the football directly and on the full to the

Player awarded the Free Kick or Mark;

(g) engages in any other conduct for which a Free Kick would

ordinarily be awarded, in accordance with 16.7;

(h) when not in the immediate contest, holds a Player after that Player

has Marked the football or who has been awarded a Free Kick; or

(i) a Player in the contest who unreasonably holds a Player after

that Player has Marked the football or who has been awarded a

Free Kick.

" Dick Cox and Hunter both were told by the umpire to throw the ball to the Melbourne player after a free kick...."

That was different. They had the ball in their hands.I'm sure that in that case, the Ump's within his rights to tell the player to hurry up and give it back .(but it doesn't have to be "bullet-like!")

They are such precious little petals the umpires.... haha....

Sandilands copped a 50 for it in the last quarter against carltank and he tired to get it back on the full, it was just a crap handball

I thought cox should have been penalised, he ran with it under his arm and was directing other people.

I am not sure of the specific incident but had the MFC footballer been in contact with the ball at the time the decision was given?

Having watched a number of non MFC AFL games in the past couple of weeks the umpires have been snappy on the 50 metre penalty if the ball has not been returned centimetre properly to the free kickrecipient. Hell, with our disposal it could be a touch and go situation!

Thanks for quting the Laws, KJ.

From my understanding of Rule 18(f),it doesn't actually specify the significance of whether the player on the mark is in possession of the ball. Surely he doesn't have to rush around and collect the ball for the recipient.

From my understanding of Rule 18(f),it doesn't actually specify the significance of whether the player on the mark is in possession of the ball. Surely he doesn't have to rush around and collect the ball for the recipient.

The difference between the rules as stated in the laws of the game and the interpretation is where the problems arise in the AFL....

The umpires, before each season, gather together with the Geesh and the AFL and whoever else had a hand in baking the scones they eat at these gatherings to decide on what sort of interpretation they will go with for the forthcoming season! It changes year by year and this is why the umpires are a curse on our great game

The rules can be black 'n white, but the interpretation differences turn it grey!

Trying my hardest to sell the game (and MFC obviously) to people overseas, this rule and about 5 others are the ones that stand in my way the most regularly. When you try to explain it, the person invariably just shrugs their shoulders and says "too hard basket." Anyone remember the Rivers one at the SCG a few years ago that nearly cost us the game? Or the Schwartz one where he denied one opposition player the ball, then looped the throw to the free-kick recipient and got pinged?

I hate that whole circumstance, but gee, you'd hate to be an umpire. Sometimes they have to have degrees in behavioural science and be experts in body-language.

If you don't pick up the ball, you don't have to give it to the player who has been given the free kick.

The issues arise when players go to pick it up, touch it, but then leave it where it is, resulting in a 50m penalty.

I hate that whole circumstance, but gee, you'd hate to be an umpire. Sometimes they have to have degrees in behavioural science and be experts in body-language.

And that Dappa, is what makes our game so frustrating. Because there is numerous umpires, these degrees in behavioural science and body language vary when they determine their decisions.

If you don't pick up the ball, you don't have to give it to the player who has been given the free kick.

The issues arise when players go to pick it up, touch it, but then leave it where it is, resulting in a 50m penalty.

I would agree with that interpretation.

How the hell was Cox not pinged?!?!

He whinged, like every other WC player when a free was paid against them, then didn't pass the ball, then when he did it didn't even reach the target (Dunn?).

Bloody hell, I was going spare. The night before, some Freo guy (Sandilands?) tried to handball the ball to a Carlton player but fluffed it and the ball didn't reach the target, 50 metre penalty. Yet this, at a crucial stage, is let go.

And what the flying f$%% was with the boundary umpires?

How the hell was Cox not pinged?!?!

He whinged, like every other WC player when a free was paid against them, then didn't pass the ball, then when he did it didn't even reach the target (Dunn?).

Bloody hell, I was going spare. The night before, some Freo guy (Sandilands?) tried to handball the ball to a Carlton player but fluffed it and the ball didn't reach the target, 50 metre penalty. Yet this, at a crucial stage, is let go.

And what the flying f$%% was with the boundary umpires?

Love the frustrations expressed here. I concur whole heartedly. The same discussions or should I say frustrations took place with me on the exact same topics.

The boundary umpires.......why can't their throw-ins be called back? %$#@!

Kindrid spirits HT

Surely there's no onus on the player to give the ball to the opponent if he doesn't have it. I mean, there have been millions of instances where the ball has been lying at the player's feet, and he's just stood up and waited for the other player to come and get it.

Exactly the point I was trying to make in this thread, Titan!