The Ref Stop

Kick off Grumble

Paul_S said:
Surely if you're kicking the ball backwards, you're inherently in your own half - or rather on the line - when it's kicked. One foot will be next the ball and one foot will be kicking it. In theory, you could take a 15 yard run-up from within the opponent's half and still be on the half-way line at the moment the ball is kicked. I'm obviously not suggesting anyone would allow that, but it's how the wording could be read at its logical extreme...
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Depends how good the player is! Although you're describing proper technique, it's certainly possible to toe poke it with the standing foot a distance behind the ball.
 
The Ref Stop
bester said:
Wholly in your own half is the logical interpretation. The FAQs even say there is now no reason for the receiving player to be given the latitude to stand in the opposition half.
We should Just accept we are ignoring the letter of the law by allowing it rather than trying to fudge the wording.
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So you're saying that players can't kick the ball backwards at a kickoff?
If you're going to take 'in your own half' to mean 'wholly in', then even extending a foot over to kick the ball behind is breaching the law.
We all know that (yet again) the LOTG are self-contradictory.
But if we consider the spirit and intent of the law change - to permit the player to kick the ball backwards - then they're going to briefly enter the opposing half to do that. It's just not possible otherwise. So either it's a trick and a law change that's impossible to implement, or the intent is to show leniency on the positioning at kick off law considering this change.
 
I'm saying we have to accept we're ignoring the letter of the law and are effectively giving the taker special privileges to stand in the opposition half.
 
There isn't in law. I agree that we shouldn't be bothered about the kicker being in the opposition half.
Kick-off transgressions have always been ignored by most referees apart from assessors who haven't spotted any other mistakes.

You can easily kick the ball backwards while staying in your own half. You can even kick it directly backwards with a drag back.
 
That's my point - and if you're saying that a player can't straddle the line, then surely you're saying he can't stick his leg over the line? and if he can't, then how can he kick the ball backwards?
 
bester said:
Would you let the left winger keeper one toe on the halfway line with the rest of his body in the opposition half?
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Would you ask a winger to move back if both his feet and his body are behind the half way line but his head is intruding beyond the half way line? :P
 
Probably not as I wouldn't get myself in a position to see such a minor infringement and wouldn't really care if he wasn't looking to gain an edge.
If a player wasn't involved in the taking of the kick-off and was a couple of feet into the other half with his toe on the halfway line of course I'd ask him to move back.


For the avoidance of doubt I've never said - in practice - that we should make the taker stand wholly in his own half!
 
Anybody see the kick off in the second half of the Spurs game the other night I think it was, player stood with both feet, 2/3 yards inside the circle of his opponents half. I'm not bothering anymore from this weekend. Grassroots will get the blame if it persists at top level again no doubt though :mad:
 
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