Walk, do not march, to your end of the ground.

Place flags in holders and secure against the wind.

Walk 5 metres out past the behind post in both directions checking the ground surface. If, when running hard for a wide ball, you know you are going onto soft ground, you are better prepared.

Kick all tins or rocks etc. up against fence.

Check that all scoring lines are clear. If there is no line, then try to make a line with your boot.

Check in which direction you will have trouble with the sun.

Check wind direction - if side to side make mental note that a dropping, slowing ball will possibly drift with the wind. Best if you have already thought this out before it happens in the pressure of the match.

Check sun location - if you need to stand up on the line for a dropping ball and you have the option as to which post you back up to (i.e. ball is close to centre of goal posts), then you should avoid looking into the sun.

Indication of Scores

Irrespective of a goal or behind decision the indication with the hands and arms shall be crisp and precise.

The hands shall not be raised above the head during the signal procedure and must finish level with hips and parallel with the ground, and in the case of a goal, body width apart.

All scoring signals are to be given within the scoring area.

When giving indications goal umpires are to be stationary and at attention.

Goals
All goal indications are to be given from goal line in the centre of the goal area.

Behinds
Any ball crossing the scoring line near the goal post, or within 2-3 metres into the behind area - indications are to be given from the centre of the goal area (excepting where momentum of goal umpire makes this impractical, then indication can be given on the line from centre of behind area).

Any ball crossing scoring line further than half way into behind area - indication is to be given on line from centre of behind area.

With ball hitting goal post, first movement is to hit goal post three times from inside goal side of post, then indicate behind on line from centre of goal area.

After receiving "all clear" from the field umpire, all indications are to be given facing directly down the ground.

A touched decision is given only when the ball is going through the goal area and has been touched by a player before it crosses the goal line. This is done by hitting one hand with the other above head height. Do not give a touched signal if the ball has been touched by a player prior to crossing the behind line.

If the ball has hit the goal post, the goal umpire will hit the side of the nearest goal post (on the goal side) above head height three times, and then give a behind indication with either hand.

Flag Waving

The first movement is to raise the flag or flags above your head at a position akin to five to 1 on a clock face. The flag movement will be executed above the head and there is not to be any embellishment.

Goal
From starting position flags will be brought across once, back once, and down to sides.

Behind
From starting position across, back and down.

General
From the position of having indicated a score, move smartly to pick up flags, or flag, looking up the field as you do so to detect any incidents that might occur just after a score. Likewise check whilst returning flags to holders.

Umpires should attempt to move together when getting their flags and waving a score, and the umpire at the non-scoring end should attempt to keep in time with his partner.

If the umpire at the non-scoring end is distracted and does not see his partner signal a score, the umpire at the scoring end shall hold his flag(s) above his head ready to start waving until his partner is ready to wave.

If you need to move out to an incident, wave and record the score first.

Cooperation with other Umpires

Boundary Umpires

The boundary umpire is the sole judge of when the ball is out of bounds, except when the field umpire awards a mark before the ball passes completely outside the boundary line or awards a free kick, or a goal umpire over-rules the boundary umpire in relation to a score or when the ball hits or goes directly over the behind post (in which case the goal umpire directs the boundary umpire that the ball is out of bounds).

The goal umpire may over-rule the boundary umpire if he considers that the ball has passed across the goal or behind lines and the boundary umpire signals the ball out of bounds, or the goal umpire considers that the ball has not passed across the goal or behind lines and the boundary umpire is of the opinion that it has.

Scoring

Goals

Record goals on card on returning to the centre of the goal area after replacing the flags.

Behinds

If unable to record the score before a defender prepares to kick in, wait for a kick off and mark the card after the next act of play which takes the ball away from the goal area or on a cessation of play (e.g. out of bounds, free kick).

If the ball goes outside the boundary line near the behind post and the goal umpire is in a better position to see than the boundary umpires and/or the boundary umpire is looking to the goal umpire for assistance, the goal umpire is required to assist the boundary umpire by indicating as follows:

1. (Goal Umpire Assists) Ball Out of Bounds on Full

When the goal umpire is to give an out of bounds on the full indication they will face the boundary umpire and extend their outside arm straight and level with the shoulder.

If the ball was touched before going out on the full, the goal umpire will extend their outside arm straight up and tap the back of their fist three times.

2. (Goal Umpire Directs) Ball Hits Behind Post on Full

When the ball hits the behind post on the full or goes directly over the behind post from a kick without having been touched by a player, the goal umpire shall give the out of bounds on the full indication, as per 1. above, until acknowledged by the boundary umpire. The goal umpire will then hit the behind post three times if the ball hit the post.

3. (Goal Umpire Assists) Ball Out of Bounds - Having Touched the Ground

When the goal umpire is to give an out of bounds indication, he will face the boundary umpire and extend his outside arm straight up.

4. (Goal Umpire Directs) Ball Hits Behind Post - Having First Touched the Ground or Being Touched by a Player

When the ball hits or goes over the behind post after first having touched the ground or having been touched by a player, the goal umpire shall give the out of bounds indication, as per 3. above, until acknowledged by the boundary umpire. The goal umpire will then hit the behind post three times if the ball hit the behind post.

Whilst these indications are to assist the boundary umpire, the decision is still the boundary umpire's responsibility. However, when caught behind play or out of position, they should look to the goal umpire for assistance.

In instances where the boundary umpire has been positioned at the behind post, they must wait until the goal umpire has given their decision before moving away from the behind post.

When the boundary umpire is positioned at the behind post and the ball hits the behind post on the full, the boundary umpire will tap the post three times after signalling out of bounds.

Where the goal umpire is giving assistance regarding normal out of bounds signal (no hitting of the behind post) they are not to continue giving signal until acknowledged. If the boundary umpire does not see the signal, or chooses to ignore it, the goal umpire is to resume normal position and if necessary indicate and record any subsequent score.

When the ball passes across the goal or behind line resulting in a behind, and the boundary umpires are not by the behind posts, the goal umpire will clearly tap their chest three times. This will indicate to the boundary umpires that if the goal umpire receives an "all clear" from the field umpire, they will be signalling a behind, therefore informing the boundary umpires that they do not have to run to the goal area to pick up the ball.

Field Umpires

1. Where a mark is taken on or just before the goal line, the goal umpire shall immediately place his hands behind his back and quickly back away, keeping his eyes on the ball at all times.

2. Where a mark is taken just behind the goal line, the goal umpire shall step up to the line and look to the field umpire for an all clear. If all clear is not immediately given, the goal umpire is to run out to the field umpire and seek all clear, provided a free kick has not been awarded to a defender prior to or at the same time as the score.

3. If the field umpire awards a free kick or a 50 metre penalty to a forward concurrent with there being a score (e.g. a player is downed after kicking but the ball goes through for a score), then:

(i) If the score is a goal, the goal umpire will immediately step up to the goal or behind line seeking the "all clear" from the field umpire. If there is a delay in receiving the "all clear" (e.g. because the field umpire is attending an incident arising from the awarding of a free kick), the goal umpire is to run towards the field umpire to inform him that a goal has been scored. In this case, the field umpire will give the "all clear" at the spot where the two umpires meet and the goal umpire will run backwards to the goal line to give the indication for a goal.

(ii) If the score is a behind, the goal umpire will clearly tap his chest in the usual manner for a behind, or give the touched signal, or the hit the post signal. Seeing this, the field umpire will run directly to the correct position to control the awarding of the free kick. If the forward declines the free kick in favour of a behind being registered, the field umpire will then give the "all clear" while moving towards the goal umpire from the spot where the free kick would have been taken. (This is a very rare event, but the goal umpire should nevertheless be alert for the possibility of it happening).

If there is any doubt in the field umpire's mind about whether a goal or behind has been scored, he will immediately run to the goal umpire to clarify the situation. In this case, the goal umpire should run to meet the field umpire as soon as he realises that the field umpire wishes to confer with him.

4. When the field umpire is 100% sure the ball has hit the goal post, he will give all clear whilst tapping one forearm with his other hand three times.

If the field umpire gives this signal and it appears obviously incorrect (out of context) the goal umpire is to run out and talk to the field umpire before making a decision.

5. When the field umpire sees the ball go out of bounds close to the behind post and the boundary umpire is caught out of position, in order to assist the field umpire will signal to the goal umpire by extending his arm with clenched fist at a 45 degree angle to his body. The goal umpire then makes the appropriate signal to the boundary umpire who will signal out of bounds.

Ensuring Scorecards are Correct

It is most important that all goal umpires correctly record the scores. The following procedures help minimise any scoring problems:

• Always record teams on your scorecard in the same order as on the main scoreboard.
• To enable a double check that each score is recorded to the correct team, on your scorecard identify with a mark the team kicking towards you each quarter - e.g. M for My end or, if you prefer, an X. Then, as you record a score to one of the teams, you double check that the score was made at your end of the ground, or the other end.
• Always record scores 1234 etc. not 1111.
• Always record your score before you leave your area to attend a melee, report a player, retrieve your hat if it blows off, or the siren sounds to end a quarter.
• Carry a 6 times table in your card holder.

If the goal umpires' cards are not identical, the following will assist in deciding who has the correct scorecard.

• If one scorecard is the same as the scoreboard, it is more likely that it is correct.
• The goal umpire with the higher score is more likely to be correct as it is easier to overlook recording a score than to enter a score twice.
• It is more likely that the goal umpire at the scoring end is incorrect, as his partner is under less pressure and able to immediately record the score in all instances.

Two Score Rule
Be prepared to register two scores. If a forward is infringed after an "all clear", the field umpire can award another kick and another score will be registered.

General Remarks

At no time shall a goal umpire turn his back to the play, even though there is a cessation of some kind. He is never to look into the public area behind him - always inward.

It is advisable when a score is imminent at the opposite end, to concentrate on the other goal umpire and his indications and not the ball.

Do not leave your goal area after the siren sounds to end each quarter until the field umpire signals to the timekeepers by raising arms in the air, and it is obvious that no further act of play is to take place.