Preparation:
You should have 3 flags. Looking out towards the field you should have 2 on the right post and 1 on the left post.
Your flags should always be tucked neatly into the post padding.
Positioning:
The trick to positioning is to always have the ball in front of your line of vision coming towards you. For example, if the ball is coming from your left as you look out you should move to your right to keep the ball in front of your line of vision.
Generally you should try and stay 1m to 1.5m behind the line to avoid getting caught in the field of play.
For any ball dropping on the line you need to straddle the line side on to the ball and the players.
Decision Making:
The decision point is when the whole of the ball crosses the line. If the ball hits the goal post or anything connected to it a behind is recorded. If the ball hits the behind post it is out of bounds.
Should assistance be required for making a decision, the goal umpire should communicate with the field umpire and if necessary, the boundary umpires.
When you are about to make a decision, signal to the field umpire with three taps to the chest with one hand. Await the all clear from the field umpire prior to signalling any score. Signals are:
Goal Scored Finger raised on two arms at 90 degrees to your body
Behind Scored Finger raised on one arm at 90 degrees to your body
Ball Hit Post Three taps on the post above head level
Ball Out of Bounds If the boundary umpire is not near, a raised arm to the side that the ball is out.
Completing a Scorecard:
The scorecard is to be completed on a quarter by quarter basis using numbers not strokes and should be continual as per the example below.
|
Qtr
|
Goal
|
Behind
|
Score
| |
Goal
|
Behind
|
Score
|
|---|
|
1
|
1 2 3 4
|
1 2
|
26
|
|
1 2 3 4 5
|
1 2
|
32
|
|
2
|
5 6
|
3
|
39
|
|
6
|
3
|
39
|
|
3
|
7 8 9
|
4 5 6
|
60
|
|
7 8
|
4 5
|
53
|
|
4
|
10 11 12
|
7
|
79
|
|
9 10 11
|
6
|
72
|
|
Total
|
12
|
7
|
79
|
|
11
|
6
|
72
|
This methodology will ensure that the scorecard equals the scoreboard at all times.
Goal umpires should meet at the end of each quarter to ensure that their scores match and to have a field umpire sign the card.
If the score agrees with the ground scoreboard, wave flags in the direction of the scoreboard as if a goal is scored. If the score does not agree, cross the flags above your head and have the score attendant amend the scoreboard. The Goal Umpires score is the official score of the game.
Please record the goal scorer on the reverse of the card for League records. This should be checked with the other goal umpire at each break.
Cards are to be returned to the umpires room at the end of the match for League records
