Did he actually "play" the ball????

[TheBFG]

Thoughts on this one???

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bT_oGdogCnc

 

[Phil E]

[LAWS]Definitions: Played: The ball is played when it is touched by a player.[/LAWS]

It's the age old argument. Is ball touches player the same as player touches ball?

Fact is the ball hits his head and play is affected. The player in front who picked it up gained an advantage from the ball hitting his team mate, so GG was right. He played the ball and the player who picked it up was offside.

 

[crossref]

I think the answer is yes and no ...

In other circumstances I wouldn't necessarily ping a player in an offside position for 'playing the ball' if it hit his head like that so in that sense he didn't play it (let's say a team mate behind him kicked it into back of his head, that's not a PK for playing the ball in offside position)

but I completely agree with the ref, ball that having hit his head, his team mates in front of him are offside.

 

[TheBFG]

I agree that GG got it right and I'd have given the same call, but the question over playing it in this case is an interesting one :chin:

 

[beckett50]

Spot on call. He should've been paying more attention to the flight of the ball BEFORE weighing up his options rather than just making assumptions.

To say nothing of the 10m Law

 

[crossref]

To say nothing of the 10m Law

10m law didn't apply - it was an oppo kick.

 

[Dickie E]

10m law didn't apply - it was an oppo kick.

That's why he said nothing about it

 

[jdeagro]

Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but could it not be argued as an accidental offside with the sanction being a scrum to the non-infringing team at the point where infringement occurred?

 

[Dickie E]

Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but could it not be argued as an accidental offside with the sanction being a scrum to the non-infringing team at the point where infringement occurred?

if it is accidental contact then accidental offside is the right call. It is up to the referee's interpretation of the event. For juniors & inexperienced players the referee is likely to be more lenient.

 

[Ian_Cook]

Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but could it not be argued as an accidental offside with the sanction being a scrum to the non-infringing team at the point where infringement occurred?

The player who's head was struck by the ball touched the ball unintentionally, but the player in front of him who picked it up did so intentionally, so PK

However, if, for example, the ball struck the player in the head, and bounced forward into the back of a team-mate in front of him, then as long as the referee is satisfied that the player in front did not intentionally touch the ball, then scrum for accidental offside.

 

[jdeagro]

The player who's head was struck by the ball touched the ball unintentionally, but the player in front of him who picked it up did so intentionally, so PK

However, if, for example, the ball struck the player in the head, and bounced forward into the back of a team-mate in front of him, then as long as the referee is satisfied that the player in front did not intentionally touch the ball, then scrum for accidental offside.

Ah gotcha. My mistake, I was assuming the guy who's head hit the ball was the one who got pinged. Ok, makes sense.

 

[Ian_Cook]

Spot on call. He should've been paying more attention to the flight of the ball BEFORE weighing up his options rather than just making assumptions.

To say nothing of the 10m Law

If you were thinking that the player who played it, or indeed any of the players in front of the player whose head the ball bounced off, were offside under the 10m Law, then no that is wrong.

The 10m Law only applies when the ball is kicked ahead. The first paragraph refers...

[LAWS]11.4 OFFSIDE UNDER THE 10-METRE LAW
(a) When a team-mate of an offside player has kicked ahead, the offside player is considered to be taking part in the game if the player is in front of an imaginary line across the field which is 10 metres from the opponent waiting to play the ball, or from where the ball lands or may land. The offside player must immediately move behind the imaginary 10-metre line or the kicker if this is closer than 10 metres. While moving away, the player must not obstruct an opponent or interfere with play.[/LAWS]

The 10m Law never applies when the ball goes forward off a player legally but not kicked (as in bouncing off a head or chest, or after a charge down) or as a result of an infringement such as a knock-forward or a forward throw.

 

[Taff]

but I completely agree with the ref, ball that having hit his head, his team mates in front of him are offside.

Personally I would have said "accidentally offside" and given a scrum.

A PK for that seems a bit harsh, but I can see why he did give a PK.

 

[Ian_Cook]

Personally I would have said "accidentally offside" and given a scrum.

A PK for that seems a bit harsh, but I can see why he did give a PK.

Yes its harsh, but its the correct call in Law

[LAWS]11.6 ACCIDENTAL OFFSIDE
(a) When an offside player cannot avoid being touched by the ball or by a team-mate carrying
it, the player is accidentally offside. If the player’s team gains no advantage from this, play
continues. If the player’s team gains an advantage, a scrum is formed with the opposing
team throwing in the ball[/LAWS]

If the offside player chooses to play the ball, then its not accidental; even if its an instinctive reaction, and even if the offside player might not have realised the ball was previously played by a team-mate. The referee must not try to second-guess what the player was thinking or what he might have believed.