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Taking Frees From Where The Foul Occurred

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again this weekend all teams guilty..Dublin on Saturday, got 2 frees almost on endline, going nowhere really when fouled..frees awarded..by hokey when the free came to been taken it was on the 20 yard line..in 2/3 metres toward the goals (almost in front) and again the kick was taken it was as good as infront...don't agree with this..fair enough..the forward was prevented from getting near the goal to score, but he was fouled not in direct sight of the posts, free should be from where the foul happened..either off the ground or from the hands..particulary from the hands players are stealing load of yards.. Fairplayalways (Offaly) - Posts: 1034 - 13/08/2018 15:34:59 2132781 Link
Replying To Fairplayalways: "again this weekend all teams guilty..Dublin on Saturday, got 2 frees almost on endline, going nowhere really when fouled..frees awarded..by hokey when the free came to been taken it was on the 20 yard line..in 2/3 metres toward the goals (almost in front) and again the kick was taken it was as good as infront...don't agree with this..fair enough..the forward was prevented from getting near the goal to score, but he was fouled not in direct sight of the posts, free should be from where the foul happened..either off the ground or from the hands..particulary from the hands players are stealing load of yards.." Fully agree with you. This is endemic in the game and has been for some time. A simple solution would be for the referee to mark the spot for the free with some spray, similar to soccer, and if the free taker kicks the ball from a more favourable position than this, the ball should be thrown up. Not too difficult to police either. Kurt_Angle (Dublin) - Posts: 567 - 13/08/2018 15:45:51 2132784 Link
I think option should be given (as you say) mark the spot and either: (a) take it from the ground from that spot, or (b) take it from the hands say from the 45 in a straight line out the field from the endline where the free happened..(further out but from the hands is the compromise)..people go on about Gooch being a great free taker, he used to run in in front of the goals..he would commence his run FROM where the foul happened..its gone very bad now as you and I agree..., your system of marking the spot and the kick must be taken from there though (either from hands or ground) sounds a good solution... Fairplayalways (Offaly) - Posts: 1034 - 13/08/2018 16:01:42 2132797 Link
Replying To Fairplayalways: "again this weekend all teams guilty..Dublin on Saturday, got 2 frees almost on endline, going nowhere really when fouled..frees awarded..by hokey when the free came to been taken it was on the 20 yard line..in 2/3 metres toward the goals (almost in front) and again the kick was taken it was as good as infront...don't agree with this..fair enough..the forward was prevented from getting near the goal to score, but he was fouled not in direct sight of the posts, free should be from where the foul happened..either off the ground or from the hands..particulary from the hands players are stealing load of yards.." If you're fouled inside the 13m line the resulting free is from the 13m line in line with where the foul took place. The stealing of yards should be pulled up by the ref but I wouldn't hold my breath. mhaith_fear (Donegal) - Posts: 75 - 13/08/2018 17:01:42 2132818 Link
Marking the spot would be a good idea but I'd say they'd forget the spray half time. seanie_boy (Tyrone) - Posts: 4235 - 13/08/2018 17:13:59 2132823 Link
Linesmen are used to indicate the point at which the free should be taken but in one of the games at the weekend whilst the linesman stood at the point where the foul occurred, the free-taker ignored him and took a quick free from about twenty metres away. The ref had his back to the play as he ran towards goal and play continued. Kicking a free from the hand seems to give licence to the kicker to 'steal' anything up to ten yards and needs to be stopped. Marking the spot has merit but that may be depriving the player who was fouled the opportunity of a quick free so he would be a double looser - having been fouled and having the free delayed giving the opposition to get organised. neverright (Roscommon) - Posts: 1648 - 13/08/2018 17:37:52 2132836 Link
Replying To seanie_boy: "Marking the spot would be a good idea but I'd say they'd forget the spray half time." Yes a simple solution indeed and would be vital in alot of close games. The spray along with a stop clock would stop alot of the problems and would be easy to introduce but it would probably take 5 years for the gaa to agree to and implement it. KY4SAM2015 (Kerry) - Posts: 898 - 13/08/2018 18:35:06 2132874 Link
The modern I C player has no respect. Wild, volatile, spoilt, stroppy and completely disrespectful to officials. Sanctions are nowhere near hard enough. Officials are afraid of players the managers coaches and fans. Officials seem to be afraid that they might hurt someone's feelings. Modern players are unruly cheaters and will do almost anything to win. Feign injury to get fellas sent off, disgracefully play backwards to run the clock down, constantly argue with refs linesmen and umpires, kick or throw the ball away down the line for an opposition sideline, sneakily and slowly stealing in toward the goal away from original foul for frees for an easier shot, all these things. The modern player is a sneaky cheating unsporting snake. No ethics, no character, no respect. Acceptance of authority is the biggest problem in the gaa today. Players need to cop on, team ethics, team captaincy need to be looked at. No nonsense officiating is seriously wanting. 70_laps (Limerick) - Posts: 31 - 13/08/2018 19:15:28 2132893 Link
On the other side of the coin the unsporting behaviour of the other team in trying to distract the free taker is outrageous. Desie Dolan drew attention to Tyrone doing it on numerous occasions last Sunday. (No doubt Mickey Harte had no hand, act or part in it). This is a foul per 4.19 of the playing rules: "To interfere with a player taking a free kick or sideline kick by jumping up and down, waving hands, or any other physical or verbal interference considered by the referee to be aimed at distracting the player taking the kick". Aibrean (Kerry) - Posts: 263 - 15/08/2018 13:55:11 2133590 Link
Replying To Aibrean: "On the other side of the coin the unsporting behaviour of the other team in trying to distract the free taker is outrageous. Desie Dolan drew attention to Tyrone doing it on numerous occasions last Sunday. (No doubt Mickey Harte had no hand, act or part in it). This is a foul per 4.19 of the playing rules: "To interfere with a player taking a free kick or sideline kick by jumping up and down, waving hands, or any other physical or verbal interference considered by the referee to be aimed at distracting the player taking the kick"." Players are entitled to run across the line of a free taker as long as they don't encroach or do the above (jumping up and down etc.). How else would they track the run of an opponent (and I'm aware they weren't tracking runs in the game in question but the rule has to allow for this)? I think it was a bit underhanded by the Tyrone players in question but I don't think it was outside the rules. Kurt_Angle (Dublin) - Posts: 567 - 15/08/2018 14:49:14 2133610 Link
Replying To Aibrean: "On the other side of the coin the unsporting behaviour of the other team in trying to distract the free taker is outrageous. Desie Dolan drew attention to Tyrone doing it on numerous occasions last Sunday. (No doubt Mickey Harte had no hand, act or part in it). This is a foul per 4.19 of the playing rules: "To interfere with a player taking a free kick or sideline kick by jumping up and down, waving hands, or any other physical or verbal interference considered by the referee to be aimed at distracting the player taking the kick"." I don't like unsporting behaviour but the rule you quote seems open to interpretation . neverright (Roscommon) - Posts: 1648 - 15/08/2018 15:38:32 2133629 Link
If its taken from the hand its easy get a few extra steps in the run up. If its off the ground the linesman will be in if you try to gain even a few inches. Not a fan of players running across the eyeline of kicker either, but I suppose if refs ignore it players will keep doing it. conordee (Galway) - Posts: 440 - 15/08/2018 15:44:30 2133633 Link
Replying To Kurt_Angle: "Players are entitled to run across the line of a free taker as long as they don't encroach or do the above (jumping up and down etc.). How else would they track the run of an opponent (and I'm aware they weren't tracking runs in the game in question but the rule has to allow for this)? I think it was a bit underhanded by the Tyrone players in question but I don't think it was outside the rules." The rule is clear: "....or any other physical or verbal interference considered by the referee to be aimed at distracting the player taking the kick". Running across the line of the free taker surely falls into the latter category. It is 'physical; it is 'interference' and it is 'aimed at distracting, etc'. Your theory re tracking the run of an opponent is nonsense. And, of course Dessie Dolan seemed to think it was a free. Aibrean (Kerry) - Posts: 263 - 15/08/2018 18:47:58 2133686 Link
Replying To Aibrean: "The rule is clear: "....or any other physical or verbal interference considered by the referee to be aimed at distracting the player taking the kick". Running across the line of the free taker surely falls into the latter category. It is 'physical; it is 'interference' and it is 'aimed at distracting, etc'. Your theory re tracking the run of an opponent is nonsense. And, of course Dessie Dolan seemed to think it was a free." Of course tracking an opponent is allowed. neverright (Roscommon) - Posts: 1648 - 15/08/2018 20:08:34 2133704 Link
The spray idea has merit but it could potentially slow the game down and, as someone already mentioned, prevent the advantage to the fouled player of taking a quick free. Imagine the foul occurs 40 or 50 yards away from the ref, as is often the case. We'd have to wait for the ref. to catch up with play, mark the spot, get the freetaker to the spot and shoo away the opposition who invariably sand next to the player to prevent the quick one. TearsIn85 (Monaghan) - Posts: 193 - 16/08/2018 09:33:03 2133774 Link
How about just make players taking it from the ground and the referee is only player who can place it there. The days of craftily slotting over a score are long gone instead we have boyos with their 500 steps to each side performing their hoodoo type ritual. Hit the ball and get on with it for god sake WaitingInTheLongGrass (Roscommon) - Posts: 165 - 16/08/2018 16:11:18 2133886 Link