simple question about restart after goal

[mrkeeg]

1. After a goal has been scored the team who have conceded the goal will take the restart throw. The player taking the throw must be positioned with their kayak in the centre of the playing area. The referee will blow the whistle to restart play. There is no requirement for the player to hold the ball above their head.
2. All players of both teams must start with their bodies in their own half.


What is the accepted interpretation of "The player taking the throw must be positioned with their kayak in the centre of the playing area." ?

Is this anywhere on the center line, or exactly on the center of the center line?

Also, there seems to be a persistent rumour about having to be stationary, which does not appear to be the case.

Thanks
Keegan

[nutterwatts]

What is the accepted interpretation of "The player taking the throw must be positioned with their kayak in the centre of the playing area." ?

Is this anywhere on the center line, or exactly on the center of the center line?

Also, there seems to be a persistent rumour about having to be stationary, which does not appear to be the case.

Thanks
Keegan

personally I will allow a player to take the throw anywhere along the centre line. but I guess the rules kind of point towards the restart being in the very centre!

section 42 taking throws

42.1 the player taking any goal line-throw, corner throw, sideline throw, free throw or free shot must hold the ball at arms length with their kayak stationary.

a centre restart counts as a free throw therefore the kayak must be stationary.

[mrkeeg]

Why do you think a center restart counts as a free throw? I couldn't find it stated as such, and it already differs in that there is no requirement to hold the ball above your head.

hmmm

[sp_edey]

I don't believe it does actually Keegan. If that was the case then you'd be able to huck it at the net right away. But your not allowed to do that. You have to take a drribble or pass before you can shoot at a center restart.

[SeanT]

I'd say a restart throw is clearly different to a free throw according to the rules, why else would 42.2 mention them seperately? (and 42.2 is the reason you can't score directly off the restart) Additionally as you mention Keegan there's also no req to present the ball on a restart throw.

I'd guess the fact that 42.1 omits to mention restart throws is just one of the oversights in the rules. Given that it has been overlooked though it would be pretty hard to justify not allowing the restart soley cos the player was moving, but I can't really see this being much of an issue.

With respect to restart being in the centre I don't allow the whole centre line as some do but somewhere in the centre 1/3 or so does it fine for me

[mrkeeg]

Hmm, well those thoughts make sense to me.

I guess it's one of those things that doesn't really matter much until a ref decides to enforce his interpretation at a critical part of a game.

Keegan

[troy]

Hmm, well those thoughts make sense to me.

I guess it's one of those things that doesn't really matter much until a ref decides to enforce his interpretation at a critical part of a game.

KeeganI think a critical part in interpreting this rule is that rule states
"The referee will blow the whistle to restart play."
The timing of the restart is therefore obviously at the referee's discretion.

Add to this the requirement that the restarting player is 'positioned' at the centre of the playing area, and I think it is rather presumptious of any player to expect the referee to blow their whistle at the instant a moving player passes over the centreline!

I understand the term "positioned" implies a 'static' quality and I think it has been used here with that meaning, but also I think it is only courtesy that the player intending to take the restart positions themselves at the centre and waits for the referee to signal that it is time to take the restart - the referee will no doubt do this when other players are repositioned to the referee's satisfaction and more importantly when satisfied the other referee and officials are ready for the game to restart. This is the courtesy or observation of the rule that I see apparent in every other sport I can think of that uses centre-restarts.

I am not advocating that the referee slows the game down greatly, but I do advocate that this is one of the times in the game that should be completely under the (lead) referee's control, and in my experience greater delays are caused by players trying to 'jump the whistle' than by referees being too slow to blow the whistle.

Personally, as a referee, I will not blow my whistle to allow a moving player to take a centre restart - if they continue to disregard the requirement to position themselves at the restart position and wait for the referee's whistle I will penalise them for a restart violation with turnover of the ball to the other team.

This has been discussed before, and I think if only players were taught and refereed correctly in lower grades, this wouldn't create an issue nor need any debate at an elite level.

[SimonH]

Very 'courteous' reply Troy.

Actually I think it's a good question. The rule has room for interpretation, and would be easy to make clearer.