General. A penalty is to be awarded for an infringement by any player in accordance with the rules contained herein.
Location of the tap for a Penalty . The mark for a penalty is normally at the location of the infringement unless otherwise detailed in specific rules. For infringements which occur on the boundaries, within five (5) metres of the defending scoreline or outside the field of play, the location of a tap from a penalty is to be five (5) metres infield (or on the five metre line) from where the infringement occurred.
Method. A method of taking the tap from a penalty is detailed in Rule 6.3. The ball does not have to be lifted from the ground for the tap. However, the ball must be at or behind the correct mark prior to the tap being taken. (See Rule 6; Player Note C).
RULING - A change of possession at the mark.
Attacking Team. Players of the attacking team are to be onside at the tap.
RULING - A change of possession at the mark.
Defending Team. Players of the defending team are to be onside at the tap as detailed in Rule 6.4.
RULING - A penalty awarded to the attacking team along a line ten (10) metres directly forward of the original mark and nearest the infringement.
Penalty Touchdown. A penalty touchdown will be awarded if any action by a player or spectator deemed by the referee to be contrary to the rules or spirit of the game, prevented the attacking team from scoring a touchdown.
The player who is to take the tap is required to wait until the referee indicates the location of the mark before the tap can be taken. However a player may take a quick tap providing the referee acknowledges such a request and providing the tap is taken at or behind the correct mark.
For any tap, players may take the ball directly behind the mark up to a maximum of ten (10) metres.
If a player chooses to Rollball in lieu of a tap, the player who receives the ball is not deemed to be a half.
To allow the full advantage of a penalty to be realised there is to be minimum delay between awarding a penalty and the indication of the appropriate mark.
A player may take the ball back behind the mark up to a maximum distance of ten (10) metres behind the mark for a tap to allow room to execute a move. In such cases the defending players must remain not closer than ten (10) metres from the mark or at the scoreline, whichever is the closest.
If an attacking player effects a touch on an offside defending player (usually following a quick tap) in an attempt to gain a further penalty, the referee may call "play on" depending on the actions of the defending player, but only provided the offside player or team has been warned.
If an offside defending player (whether that player is retiring or not) attempts to obstruct or effect a touch on an attacking player following a quick tap, the referee should play the advantage and allow play to continue or award a penalty, whichever is whichever is of greater advantage to the attacking team.
To ensure control is maintained during a sequence of quick taps, the referee is to ensure that the location of the mark is correctly indicated.
With regard to awarding a penalty touchdown, a referee is to be sure that a touchdown would have occurred had it not been for the illegal action of the player or spectator concerned.
An attacking player in attempting a cut out pass causes the ball to go to ground in a forward direction. A defending player quickly taps the ball where it landed and plays on.
The referee would award the penalty, indicate the mark and recall the player in possession to tap the ball on the correct mark. (i.e. from where the ball was thrown).
If the referee had awarded the penalty and indicated the mark, there would be a change of possession for the tap being taken on the incorrect mark. Rule 8.2. Rule 15.2; Player Note A.
A player in possession passes the ball after being touched and it goes to ground behind another attacking player. An opponent quickly gathers the ball and taps from the mark where the ball landed.
The referee would award a penalty, indicate the mark and recall the player in possession to tap the ball on the correct mark.
If the referee had awarded the penalty and indicated the mark, there would be a change of possession for the tap being taken on the incorrect mark. Rule 10.4. Rule 15.2; Player Note A.
A player taking a penalty tap rolls the ball as for a Rollball and touches it with their foot. The receiver of the ball runs and is touched.
Touch counts. The receiver is not the half, even if the ball was not played with the foot
Attacking player taking a tap balks (i.e. goes to take the tap but hesitates) in an attempt to induce defending players to move forward before he actually taps the ball. What should the referee do?
Such action is not against the 'spirit of the game' and is allowed. The referee however, would instruct the player to tap the ball and refusal after the instruction may result in a change of possession.
An attacking player receives a penalty two metres from their attacking scoreline. Can the player with the ball take a quick tap at the mark or does the ball have to be returned to the five metre line?
Once the referee indicates the mark, the ball may be tapped. It doesn't have to be taken out to the five metre line. However, if the referee indicates the mark is on the scoreline (where it should be if the penalty is for offside) the mark is then on the boundaries of the field, and the ball is required to be taken back to the five metre line. - See Rule 15.2 and Rule 11 PN C
A penalty is awarded to the attacking team half a metre from the teams attacking scoreline, (a defender effected a touch with more than a minimum of force). The player taking the penalty, taps the ball forward and when the ball reaches the scoreline the player's hand is placed on the ball and a touchdown is claimed. Provided the player was not touched is the touchdown legal?
Firstly, the mark for the penalty is dependent on the position of the player in possession at the time of the hard touch, i.e. half a metre from the attacking scoreline. There are no other Rules that requires the mark to be moved back to the five metre line in these circumstances, so the tap was taken on the correct mark. - See Rule 15.2
Secondly, the tap may be taken in any direction and provided it does not travel more than one (1) metre, in this instance only half a metre, the taking of the tap does not infringe any Rules. - See Rule 6.3
Thirdly, the ball only needs to be placed on the ground ON or over the scoreline for a touchdown to be awarded. The ball does not have to be carried to, or over, the scoreline. - See Rule 4.5. Such an action would constitute a fair touchdown.
A penalty is awarded to the defending team half a metre from their attacking scoreline, (a player throws a forward pass only half a metre from their scoreline). The attacking player taking the penalty, taps the ball forward and when the ball reaches the scoreline the player's hand is placed on the ball and a touchdown is claimed. Between tapping the ball and placing the hand on it when it reaches the scoreline the player is touch. Would a touchdown be awarded.
The player taking the penalty is technically in possession once the ball is tapped and as such a touch would have been effected on the player prior to placing the hand on the ball on the scoreline. Thus a touchdown would not be allowed.
An offside defending player, near the scoreline, is called out of play by the referee. The line is wide open and the defender noticing this knocks the ball out of the attackers hands whilst still in an offside position. What action should the referee take?
The referee could penalise the defending player and/or send them off, but since the player was warned they were offside and the scoreline was wide open the better option would be to award a penalty touchdown and then consider further action against the offending player - See Rule 15.6
What happens when a team takes a quick tap before the referee indicates the mark?
A good referee will consider only two options: - Did the tap occur on or behind the mark? If - YES - Play on; if - NO - Change of possession.
N.B. Pedantic insistence by referees to wait until they are ready is a blight on the game and should be outlawed by Referees Directors. The same can be said for decision to being it back and restart the tap on the "next blade of grass". Such actions are not in accordance with the rules as an incorrect tap - not on the mark - is a change of possession. See Rule 15.3