Glossary of Rugby League Terms - G

G

Gain line

See Advantage line

Ger 'em onside

"Ger 'em onside", or "gerrumonside", is a corruption of "get them onside" shouted to match officials in some northern England accents. The term is used predominantly to express dissatisfaction with the distance back from the play-the-ball that the referee has taken the defending players.

Go

In competitions under some authorities, the referee will call "Go" to tell the defensive line that they may advance after an attacker has played the ball. This call is intended to reduce stoppages to deal with offside offences by defenders. This call may be used by the referee as part of a sequence: "Move, hold, go".

Goal

A goal is scored when a player either kicks the ball through the plane bounded by the two uprights and above the crossbar. A conversion or penalty goal count for 2 points and drop goals for one.

Goal line

Two solid, straight white lines (one at each end) stretching across the entire width of the pitch passing directly through the goal posts which defines the boundary between the field of play and the in-goal. As the goal line is defined as part of the in-goal, attacking players can score tries by placing the ball with downward pressure onto the goal line itself. The base of the goal posts and post protectors are also defined to be part of the goal line.

The goal line is often referred to as the "try line" though that term does not appear in the Laws of the Game.

Goal line drop-out

Awarded when a defending player grounds the ball in his own in-goal area, is tackled with the ball in his own in-goal area, or when a defending player plays the ball dead (into touch) behind his own goal line. The defending team must kick the ball from their own goal line and beneath the uprights to a minimum distance of ten metres.

Note that if a player grounds the ball on his own goal line in a tackle, he is regarded as being in the field of play, and play continues. This is contrary to the definition of a try, where the goal line counts as the in-goal area.

Golden point

The golden point, a sudden death overtime system, is sometimes used to resolve drawn rugby league matches. Minor variations exist to this system. In the National Rugby League, if the scores are level at the end of 80 minutes, 5 minutes are played, the teams swap ends with no break, and a further 5 minutes are played. Any score (try, penalty goal, or field goal) in this 10 minute period secures a win for the scoring team, and the game ends at that point.

Goose step

Change in running style from a sprint to high kicking in order to slow down a defender only to sprint once defender has slowed down.

Grapple tackle

A grapple tackle is a controversial tackling technique whereby the tackler attempts to impede the ball carrier by applying a choke hold-like manoeuvre. Although players can be penalised for its use, it is difficult to enforce.

Great Split

See: 1895 Schism

Grounding

Grubber kick

It is a type of kick which makes the ball roll and tumble across the ground, producing irregular bounces making it hard for the defending team to pick up the ball without causing a knock-on. It gives the ball both high and low bounce and on occasions, the ball can sit up in a perfect catching position.