Re: Super League Backchat : Thu Mar 20, 2014 2:23 pm
Long standing extract from Laws of the game:" The direction of a pass is relative to the player making it and not to the actual path relative to the ground.
A player running towards his opponents’ goal line may throw the ball towards a colleague who is behind him but because of the thrower’s own momentum the ball travels forward relative to the ground. This is not a forward pass as the thrower has not passed the ball forward in relation to himself.
This is particularly noticeable when a running player makes a high, lobbed pass. "
Hence why referees look to see that the ball comes out of the passing player's hands backwards - even if the ball subsequently travels forward relative to the ground.
(Good job Dutoni is no longer with us!)