<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<style>
<!--
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma}
@font-face
{font-family:"Arial Narrow"}
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{color:purple;
text-decoration:underline}
p.MsoAcetate, li.MsoAcetate, div.MsoAcetate
{margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:8.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"}
span.EmailStyle17
{font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext}
span.BalloonTextChar
{font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"}
.MsoChpDefault
{font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"}
@page WordSection1
{margin:72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt}
div.WordSection1
{}
-->
</style>
</head>
<body lang="EN-AU" link="blue" vlink="purple">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black">Hi all,</span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black"> </span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black">This week we welcome WA. Hello to Margaret River.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black">QLD is quick off the blocks and has asked about a couple of plays that, well, drive most of us stir crazy, both in defence and attack. Up front, I’ll use the term “impeded” instead of “obstructed”
to make it a little less inflammatory. It’s a lot like the difference between impeding and obstructing legislation-It’s all about the journalist/politician, or in our case the player.</span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black"> </span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black">Scenario One: The awesome forward with the flick of their career, and the defender’s butt.</span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black"> </span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black">So your strike goes forth, pings off an awesome flick, only to have the opposition player immediately turn and body check using their gluteus maximus.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black">Ping- infringement, right? Not necessarily. Its’ not a case of the defenders stepping aside, line up rolling out a red carpet shouting “bravo, nice flick” accompanied by the prerequisite golf clap.
As a defender, I’m not going to sit around and do the above, I generally swear in bubbles and spin flat out and chase the puck down. Now it’s HOW I go about that spin and chase that makes ALL the difference</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:#1F497D">:</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:#1F497D"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black">1. Turn (tightly!) and chase the puck</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:12.0pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black">Entirely legal, as long as you go directly for the puck, only the puck and nothing but the puck. So help me ref……….</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:12.0pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black">Any watching referee has to decide that you didn't turn 'wide' to impede the flicker as they chase the puck. You will be in the hands of the ref and how they interpret the
play, and this will depend on each and every ref.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="">2. Turn (tightly!) - and HOLD your position because you see that one of your players is behind you and now HAS the puck -(or is about to get it)</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="">Usually legal - again, as long as the referee/s think you were not deliberately trying to obstruct by staying there. i.e. they have to agree with you that you were a legitimate (immediate) passing option for the player behind you
who is now about to GET the puck (or has it)</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="">This is based on the fact that you can't just disappear (see notes in Scenario 2 re Collins class subs-they too find it hard to disappear) when someone flicks behind you - and after all, they PUT it there!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt">3. Turn WIDE TO BLOCK the chaser as they go past</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt">Nope, not on. If you do NOT turn and go directly for the puck and/or actively block the attacker, you will most likely
</span><span lang="EN-GB">enjoy your </span><span style="font-size:10.5pt">breather next to the deck ref, and shout team beers afterwards.
</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.5pt">If the attacker is worried about not getting the puck back because they flick behind the defender - flick further away to either side!!! That ought to draw the foul! :-) (Did I just say that?????)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black">Scenario Two: Someone deftly carries the puck under their body and spears into their opposition like skittles.</span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">This one is pretty cut and dried. I hear discussions about the defender has to be stationary (I’m built like a Collins Class sub, if I start moving, it takes on average 3 nautical miles to pull me up), they have to make
position first etc. Not relevant. The key here is whether the person in possession of the puck tucks up like iron man and proceeds to clear the decks at Mach 2. They cannot impede the defenders ability to get to the puck by actively using their body. It is
at the very least an obstruction, and with the head down and hooves thumping, a barge as well.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black"> Also - the defender DOES need to be primarily in front of the person with the puck. If they are alongside and just
reaching in - tough.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black">Scenario Three: The carefully placed body part “accidentally” impeding the player in possession as they sprint for the goal.</span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:#1F497D"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black">If you are chasing someone with the puck - don't touch them at ALL while chasing!!! The old dropped knee onto the shoulder in a melee, or the dropped body on the breakaway, or a braced arm along the
wall. I won’t mention any more, as it just gives you all too much to work with, and the refs a continuous nightmare.
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black">So what’s the problem here? The key word is accidental, because it is the difference between a 2 minute rest, or just an infringement. In all cases the sprinter has been impeded, and therefore wronged.
Once the Ref decides you are slowing them down with ANY body contact - even if you are now TOUCHING the puck with your stick, they should be playing the advantage for the defender, because you ARE obstructing them!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black">An interesting aside, if the breakaway is mid court, and there is nobody else in defence following the impediment (sounds a bit condescending, really. Never thought of a defender as an “impediment”)
then it can be deemed an almost certain goal, and therefore a penalty goal awarded.</span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black"> </span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black">“But it’s not in the D!!!” I hear you shout! Show me where in the rules where it states that an “almost certain goal” infringement has to start in the D, and I’ll show you rule 17.9.1. As a ref, however,
be VERY careful when assessing this one. But that’s another “rule of the week”……</span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black"> </span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black">As always:</span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black">Regardless of what you think of the call, it’s what it is. Live with it, and move on.</span></b><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black"> </span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black">See you all poolside!</span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black"> </span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt; color:#1F497D">Angus Sinclair</span></b><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt; color:#1F497D">Chief Referee, Tasmania Underwater Hockey</span></b><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt; color:#1F497D"> </span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt; color:#1F497D">P 03 6237 6401 | F 03 6233 5800</span></b><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt; color:#1F497D">M 0427 501 890</span></b><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt; color:#1F497D">email:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif"; color:black"><a href="mailto:angus.sinclair@development.tas.gov.au">angus.sinclair@development.tas.gov.au</a></span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black"> </span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black">PS. An addendum to the Stick rule- The best illegal stick I’ve seen was 1 m long. First we saw of it was when we looked up at the tray, to see nothing but stick. Yes it stopped a breakaway goal, which
was awarded as a penalty goal due to an illegal play. It was similar to trying to score against an ice hockey goalie propped on the bottom of the pool……….
</span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:black"> </span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
</div>
<br>
<hr>
<font face="Arial" color="Gray" size="1"><br>
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE AND DISCLAIMER<br>
The information in this transmission may be confidential and/or protected by legal professional privilege, and is intended only for the person or persons to whom it is addressed. If you are not such a person, you are warned that any disclosure, copying or dissemination
of the information is unauthorised. If you have received the transmission in error, please immediately contact this office by telephone, fax or email, to inform us of the error and to enable arrangements to be made for the destruction of the transmission,
or its return at our cost. No liability is accepted for any unauthorised use of the information contained in this transmission.<br>
</font>
</body>
</html>