Question Number: 28830

Law 15 - Throw In 10/8/2014

RE: All ages, rec and competitive

Barry Stewart of Chilliwack, BC Canada asks...

I don't know where it came from " but I woke up this morning from a dream of two new throw-in techniques.

I play the game and ref it, so my allegiances to the Laws are stretched at times by 'insider knowledge.' If I can get an advantage as a player by knowing the rules, I'll use it.

First scenario: two throwers lined up in a stack. Both have both hands touching the ball, feet on ground " on or behind the line, ball behind head(s). During practice, they find they can get an extra 30% distance by working together¦ despite the strange optics of the process.

Of course, the other team declares 'foul throw!'

The ref is inclined to agree¦ though the Law doesn't clearly rule it out. Assumptions fill in the gaps in many places.

(As I say: it was a dream! Far-fetched, for sure¦ though I think the next one might make it.)

Second scene: players work out a routine where one helps stretch the thrower back by pulling on the ball or thrower's wrists " a bit like when we pull back on an elastic, for more snap.

During the forward motion " with the ball not yet in play " the other player is no longer involved in the throw.

Opponents yell 'foul throw' as is (seemingly) their duty " but the ref is even more unsure of the Law now.

'But I allowed your guy to do the flip throw¦'

Third scene (fresh from my conscious mind): we know the extra distance a kicker can get out of a ball that is rolling to them, rather than stationary. If two players could perfect a routine where one hurls the ball to the thrower, who uses the inertia to get extra wind-up¦ would that be allowable?

Just looking for extra advantages, as a player " and to be ready for strange challenges, as a ref.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Barry
Reads like a bad dream to me!! Anyway a component of the Laws is tacit knowledge. In the examples you cite, even if they were possible, a referee would not allow same. It is expected that there would only be one thrower and that the throw would be taken in the manner expected by the players. The lawmakers have tried to keep the laws as brief and as simple as possible and as I said rely on tacit knowledge. Most know what a correct throw looks like and while that can be pushed somewhat by an unusual throwing action, situations involving two players acting together would not be allowed. I can assure you anything other than the norm will attracts howls of protest which the referee will punish with a turn over of the ball.
By the way the lawmakers have framed the laws in such a way that the game is played in a certain way. When teams used the laws in a way that was not intended it resulted in a change. The deliberate kick to the goalkeeper is one such example. Another was the foul that denied a goal scoring opportunity or goal.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Barry,
well where ever it came from I suggest you return it lol I see nothing but a headache if you try to integrate these tactics as they are contrary to the traditional understanding of a SIMPLE, EASY, NOT AT ALL HARD, RESTART designed to get play moving with a minimum of fuss by a single player .
law 15 Procedure
At the moment of delivering the ball, the thrower: (SINGLE entity here not two!)
I considered the timing of hard toss of the ball by one team mate towards another who would have to grab the ball and follow the throw in mechanics to achieve some extra distance sounds like a super coordinated complicated circus act, see it failing more often then gain any skillful display of a throw in art form lol

If you want to try a weird throw in other than a flip throw , sigh, why an I telling you this? Make it look like you are doing a huge wind up with a running start then stop at the edge of the field allow the hands to come over the head( thumbs touching fore head so the throw in is over the head) and drop the ball in front of your face at your feet, not off your foot, right on the touchline or just inside the field for a running teammate to take it on the fly to dribble or as a semi free kick. Depends on the nearby location of opponents but it is PERFECTLY legal complies with all parts of the mechanics and yes there will be cries of it being foul throw. No one said a throw in had to go far! This is not a spike throw either !

law 15 the throw in Procedure
At the moment of delivering the ball, the thrower:
• faces the field of play
• has part of each foot either on the touch line or on the ground outside the touch line
• holds the ball with both hands
• delivers the ball from behind and over his head
• delivers the ball from the point where it left the field of play

All opponents must stand no less than 2 m (2 yds) from the point at which the throw-in is taken.

The ball is in play when it enters the field of play.

. Cheers