Free Kick (Australian Rules Football) - Playing On

Playing On

A player taking a free kick is allowed to take his kick or handpass unimpeded unless the umpire calls play on. Play on will be called if:

• the player runs off his line; i.e. off the direct line between the man on the mark and the centre of the goals.
• the player runs over his mark; i.e. if the man on the mark has not set himself and the player runs towards his goals. This often happens deliberately if the player is pressing an advantage (such as setting up a goal kick while the opposing players are not yet in position to defend).
• the player takes too long to take his kick or handpass. Typically, this is after about eight seconds for any free kick around the ground, and thirty seconds for a set shot at goals. Some players abuse this disparity in their forward lines by taking thirty seconds to take a set shot, then playing on or passing short anyway.

The umpire has sole discretion over whether he believes the player has played on. Once a player plays on, he can be pursued by any opposition players. While the man on the mark can advance to hurry his disposal, he is most vulnerable to being tackled from a player pursuing from behind.