Intentional Contact by Defender. If the ball goes to ground following a defender's attempt to gain possession, the attacking team retains the ball and the touch count restarts. This also applies if the defending player deliberately knocks the ball to the ground. The mark where the Rollball occurs is where the ball first pitches or where the defender touched the ball, whichever is of best advantage to the attacking team.
Intentional Contact but not to Ground. If a defending player touches the ball in flight and the ball is retrieved by an attacking player, play continues and the touch count restarts at the next touch.
Intentional Contact and Touched again by Attacker. If an attacking player attempts to gather the ball after a deflection by a defender and the ball goes to ground, the attacking team retains possession and the touch count restarts as per Rule 12.1. (See Referee Note A below).
Rebound and Ball to Ground. If the ball rebounds from a defending player who has not made an attempt to retrieve the ball and the ball goes to ground, a change of possession results and the play restarts with a Rollball where the ball first pitches or where the ball rebounded from the defender, whichever is of best advantage to the team gaining possession.
Rebounds but not to Ground. If the ball rebounds from a defending player who has not made an attempt to retrieve the ball and the ball is regained by an attacking player, play on and the touch count continues.
If an attacking player considers a deflection from a defending player is difficult to retrieve, the player may either let the ball go to ground and receive six (6) more touches at the mark of best advantage, or the player may attempt to retrieve the ball, and even if the ball then goes to ground receive six (6) more touches at the mark of best advantage.
In the case of Rule 12.3 above, the referee is to decide whether the deflection by the defending player was the cause of the ball to ground.
If a ball deflected from a defending player travels in a forward direction and is then retrieved by a player of the attacking team, play should continue and Rule 12.2 applies.
Unintentional contact by a defending player includes contact on the arms and hands providing an attempt is not made to secure possession.
If the ball is passed forward and then deflected or played at by a defending player back to the attacking team or to ground, Rule 8.2 (Forward Pass) applies, with a penalty to the defending team.
An attacking player juggles the ball. The ball touches a defender whilst the ball is out of the hands of the attacking player. The same attacking player subsequently catches the ball. Has a touch been effected?
A touch has not been effected as the defender was not playing at the ball - Rule 12.5. However had the defender been playing at the ball then a touch would have been effected
The half crosses the attacking scoreline and passes the ball backwards to a team mate. The ball is deflected by a defender and rebounds to the half who places the ball on the ground claiming a touchdown.
Touchdown is awarded. Once having passed the ball, the half becomes just another attacking player. - Rule 12.2. See Situation 9:15 and 9:16