Field Umpires Coaching Session 21^st June, 2007 Focus Areas

1.   Players wearing jewellery - VCFL Rule 19.2.2 (o)  Placing tape over the item is not acceptable. Item must be removed. Yellow card offence - player to be sent from the ground. He can be replaced. He cannot return until jewellery is removed. 

2.   Waterboys being used to zone at kick-ins and during general play. A waterboy stood on the ground for the entire quarter last week in a GFL senior match.  Waterboys and runners duties are covered under VCFL Rule 17.2. Breaches of this rule - Umpires to send off for 15 minutes and report to the league via the umpire's match report for any breaches of this rule. Be mindful not to over-react. Allow sufficient warning. Be proactive.

 3.   Runners.    Where GFL/BFL clubs use 2 runners, runners must be numbered and interchanged via the designated interchange area.  VCFL Rule 17.2 Duties All official runners, trainers and water carriers are dressed in a uniform determined by the league.  The sole duty of the runner shall be to confer with the players of his/her club and to immediately leave the playing arena. The sole duty of a water carrier shall be to convey water to players and to immediately leave the playing arena. 

4.   Coaching Spirit of the Law Ruck Contests.   “ The player whose sole objective is to contest the ruck shall be permitted to do so”    Where there is incidental contact in a ruck contest when the ball is the sole objective (eyes on the ball), play on will result.

5.    Marking Contests.   “The player whose sole objective is to contest a mark shall be permitted to do so.”    Where there is incidental contact in a marking contest when the ball is the sole objective (eyes on the ball), play on will result. When a player leaps early, the attempt must be realistic. (player at least must touch the ball) .

6.    Diving on the Ball.    “The ball shall be kept in motion”.    Where a player elects to dive on the ball or, when on the ground, elects to drag the ball underneath his/her body and is correctly tackled, the player is to be penalized for holding the ball if he/she fails to immediately knock the ball clear or correctly dispose of it.

7.   Signals.    Clear obvious signals to be conveyed to the players, coaching bench and spectators. Every person in the ground should understand the free kick paid via the umpire’s signal.