Rule 7: Advantage
Advantage allows umpires to keep the game flowing and avoid interrupting play in a way that disadvantages the non-infringing team. Playing advantage well requires good judgement, clear communication, and awareness of court positioning and player ability.
When to Play Advantage
The rules recognise two forms of advantage:
- Territorial advantage – the team has the opportunity to move the ball towards their attacking goal end.
- Tactical advantage – the team is free to play the ball as they choose.
Advantage should be assessed immediately after the infringement occurs. Ask yourself: at that moment, does the non-infringing team have one of these advantages? Whether the player goes on to use that advantage is not the determining factor. For example, a player may still make a bad pass after advantage is called—but they might have made the same error from a penalty.
If a new infringement occurs, or the situation changes (e.g. the contact continues or obstructing player moves closer), the umpire can reassess and make a new decision on whether to play advantage.
Factors to Consider
- Skill level: Higher-level players are more likely to maintain control or find passing options under pressure, so advantage is more likely to apply.
- Wide court vision: Look beyond the infringement—can the player pass forward or maintain control?
- Game control: In heated games with repeated or heavy contacts, it may be better to penalise early to maintain discipline and prevent escalation.
When Not to Play Advantage
- Any infringement that requires a game management action must be penalised immediately—advantage should not be applied in these cases. However, you may still play advantage and give proactive advice - this should be clear and loud so it is heard by the player concerned (e.g. "Advantage contact GD – GD, you need to clean up your contact").
- Suspected serious injury: Hold time immediately to allow the player to be assessed. Restart play with the appropriate sanction.
How to Play Advantage
- Do not blow the whistle.
- Use the advantage signal – a firm arm across the body.
- Call clearly: "Advantage (infringement) (player)" (e.g. "Advantage contact GD").
Even though no sanction is awarded, the infringement still counts toward game management (e.g. for repeated infringements), so it's important to acknowledge it.
If You Blow the Whistle by Mistake
- Acknowledge the error: "Sorry, my error – let's set the penalty."
- Set the sanction and move on.
Being honest helps build respect and credibility. Most players understand occasional mistakes. You don't need to apologise if a well-judged advantage results in a player error—the decision was still correct.
Specific Scenarios
In the Goal Circle
Advantage is rarely appropriate for attacking penalties in the goal circle, as the penalty itself is often more beneficial. However, it may be appropriate if:
- The infringement occurs near the edge of the circle and the shooters have not been attempting shots from that range.
- There's a clear opportunity to feed a better-positioned teammate closer to the post.
After a Goal Is Scored
If an infringement by the defensive team is called and a goal is then scored, the umpire should award the goal.
- Signal the goal and call: "Advantage (infringement) (player)".
- If you already stated the infringement (e.g. "Contact GD") before the goal was scored, there's no need to repeat it—just signal the goal.
Calling "Taken"
If a penalty pass is taken quickly from the correct position, the umpire may call "Taken" to indicate that no reset is required. While this is not the same as playing advantage, it can be useful when the umpire blows the whistle but then recognises that advantage would have been the better option. Calling "Taken" in these cases helps maintain the flow of the game and prevents the non-infringing team from being unfairly disadvantaged.