Holding The Ball - Main Interpretation

Main Interpretation

The most basic description of the law is: if a player does not dispose (kick or handball) of the ball legally whilst being legally tackled (between the shoulders and knees, and not pushed in the back) by an opposition player, then the umpire will award a free kick to the tackling player.

There are technical laws concerning whether or not the free kick will be paid. The categories under these laws are prior opportunity, no prior opportunity, and diving on the ball or dragging the ball underneath oneself.

An umpire will deem that a player or players from the same team have had a prior opportunity to dispose of the ball if one of those players have had a reasonable time to dispose of the ball prior to being tackled.

Holding the ball still applies if multiple players from the same team are holding the ball without the opposing team also having joint possession of the ball.

A player being tackled must not hold onto the ball, unless it is trapped to his body by the tackler or the ground.

A player may correctly dispose of the ball by hand (handball or handpass) or by foot. Bouncing or deliberately dropping the ball is not a correct disposal. Throwing the ball is a free kick, regardless of the holding the ball law. An attempt to handball, or the ball being slung out of one hand by the force of the tackle, is not a throw if a player is being tackled, but it is an incorrect disposal if there is prior opportunity. A player is not deemed to have made a correct disposal nor an incorrect disposal while being tackled, if the player handballs the ball in the air and catches it again without the ball touching the ground or another player (the player is in possession of the ball if he has control of it, even if he is not touching the ball), but may be penalised for holding on to the ball too long, under the prior/no prior opportunity laws.

In 2009, clarification was given by the AFL regarding drop kicks (the ball touches the ground slightly before being kicked), meaning that drop kicks are not considered to be a correct disposal for the purposes of the holding the ball law. The clarification confirmed the convention that if the ball drops to the ground before being kicked, when there is prior opportunity, it is an incorrect disposal.

When there is no prior opportunity, the player will be penalised only if the umpire deems that he has made no genuine attempt to dispose of the ball correctly within a reasonable time of being tackled and the ball is not trapped to the player by the tackler or the ground, including when his non-carrying hand is pinned by the tackler with the ball not being trapped (making a handball impossible). Any genuine attempt to correctly dispose of the ball within a reasonable time will result in a "play on" decision - the disposal does not have to be "correct", i.e. the hand or foot does not need to make contact with the ball in the attempted handball or kick, and the ball can touch the ground. (See next paragraph.) A player may knock the ball clear of his possession instead of attempting to correctly dispose, without penalty, if the tackle brings him to ground causing the ball to be grounded. If the ball is jarred free immediately by the force of the tackle; including if the ball is slung out of one hand, or both arms are pinned to the side of the player causing the ball to drop; the player will not be penalised. Furthermore, if the ball is held to the player by the tackler or the ground, causing the ball to be trapped, a bounce will result.

An umpire could technically penalise a deliberate drop kick (because it is not a genuine attempt at a correct disposal), but such an instance would be extremely unlikely because deliberate drop kicks are extremely rare and would be difficult to substantiate as not being a "genuine attempt" at kicking the ball without it touching the ground. (N.B. This is only in relation to holding the ball. Players can legally drop kick the ball if they are not being tackled.) If a player attempts to kicks or handball correctly and the foot or clenched fist makes no contact with the ball, it is a "play on" decision.

If there is prior opportunity, the player must correctly dispose of the ball immediately when he is tackled to avoid giving away a free kick. If the ball is held to him, jarred free by the tackle or the ball drops to the ground, holding the ball will be paid. An attempted kick or handball is only allowed if there is no prior opportunity.

If a player elects to drag the ball underneath himself or dive on the ball, he is then required to immediately knock the ball clear of his possession (a player is no longer in possession if he is not laying on the ball or the ball is not within his grasp) or correctly dispose of the ball. The laws in relation to prior/no prior opportunity do not apply in this instance. However, if opposition player(s) fight for possession, rather than tackling the player(s) with the ball, a bounce will result. This law does not apply if two or more opposing players simultaneously dive for the ball and one player wins possession of the ball - prior/no prior opportunity laws apply.

If a player is not dispossessed on the instant of the tackle, the application of "immediately" is applied in a reasonable fashion so that the amount of time given to make a correct disposal is not impossible.

If a player is dispossessed upon being tackled, then is pushed in the back in the completion of the tackle, a free kick for a push in the back will result, even if the dispossession happened first. This also applies to an illegal disposal that is not a throw. The player must execute the tackle correctly for holding the ball to be paid.