Is standing off the field allowed?

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[Fox47]

At a Summer League match a long corner is awarded. As the rules are still new, we have been calling out guidance, in this case "Remember, both teams 5"

One of the attackers is playing new rules for the first time and is a bit slow. I take the time to explain that the has to be 5m away from the hit. He moves off the pitch, behind the back-line and asks "Is this ok?" 

He was certainly 5m away from the ball, but I wasn't sure if he was allowed to leave the field. I let it go.

Obviously sometimes a wing or wing-defender ends up accidentally outside the field as part of normal play so we all know that players can at times end up outside the lines, but something in the back of my mind says that a player cannot deliberately run behind the goal. This made me question if a player can deliberately position himself outside the field. I did look at the rule book , but I couldn't see anything.

[Folmer]

A player is not allowed to walk behind a goal. But the rules say nothing else about stepping outside the field so it's allowed.
Note that substitution is only allowed around the middle line.

[mspice61]

surely there is no advantage at all to be gained from being off the pitch when the ball is back in play?? In order to play the ball he has to come within that 5yard circle at somepoint in order to play the ball within the pitch. Stop me if im wrong but the ball has to move 5 yards yes? therefore the only way he could receive the ball with it having moved 5 yards is when he is off the field?

[Fox47]

I don't think that the ball has to move 5 yards before he can play it. He has to 5m away from the ball until it is played.

So the corner taker could play the ball towards him and he could step into the pitch to receive the ball.

[redumpire]

Stop me if im wrong but the ball has to move 5 yards yes?

Stop!  You're wrong...!   

Players of both teams must be 5m away when there's a free-hit in the 23m zone, but the ball only has to move 1m before anybody other than the player taking the hit can play it.  Here are the relevant new rules:

13.2.c when a free hit is awarded to the attack within the 23 metres area, all players other than the player taking the free hit must be at least 5 metres from the ball.

13.2.g before another player of the team which took the free hit is allowed to play the ball, the ball must move at least 1 metre.
The ball does not have to move 1 metre before the player taking the free hit may play the ball again.

To answer the original question, there's nothing wrong with a player stepping off the pitch to make sure s/he's 5m away from a hit.

[deegum]

the ball only has to move 1m before anybody other than the player taking the hit can play it

the defending team can play the ball  as soon as they can reach it after it has been played.
only the attackers are limited:

before another player of the team which took the free hit is allowed to play the ball, the ball must move at least 1 metre.

[redumpire]

Good point deegum - thanks for clearing up my imprecision. 

[Diligent]

One of the attackers is playing new rules for the first time and is a bit slow. I take the time to explain that the has to be 5m away from the hit. He moves off the pitch, behind the back-line and asks "Is this ok?" 

He was certainly 5m away from the ball, but I wasn't sure if he was allowed to leave the field. I let it go.

Obviously sometimes a wing or wing-defender ends up accidentally outside the field as part of normal play so we all know that players can at times end up outside the lines, but something in the back of my mind says that a player cannot deliberately run behind the goal. This made me question if a player can deliberately position himself outside the field. I did look at the rule book , but I couldn't see anything.

We discussed this back in February.

It is OK for a player to step off the pitch and back on (except into an opponent's goal) while involved in play. But Rule 2.4 says if a player leaves the game for treatment, refreshment, or kit problems, then they must return between the 23m areas on the side of the pitch used for substitutions (that last bit is new for 2009).

[ItsBailey]

surely there is no advantage at all to be gained from being off the pitch when the ball is back in play?? In order to play the ball he has to come within that 5yard circle at somepoint in order to play the ball within the pitch. Stop me if im wrong but the ball has to move 5 yards yes? therefore the only way he could receive the ball with it having moved 5 yards is when he is off the field?

You're getting confused with the new self-pass I think. The ball doesn't TECHNICALLY have to move 5 yards, but every player must be 5 metres away, and if you decide to self pass you must move 5 metres with the ball. So basically the ball ends up moving 5 metres or more anyway.

[jtsoldier]

You're getting confused with the new self-pass I think. The ball doesn't TECHNICALLY have to move 5 yards, but every player must be 5 metres away, and if you decide to self pass you must move 5 metres with the ball. So basically the ball ends up moving 5 metres or more anyway.

Sorry to be pedantic.. actually, no I'm not. I love it. But not quite true: The player can run onto the ball from 5 metres away, so the ball doesn't have to move the whole 5 metres before it is hit. I haven't seen it done well yet though...

[ItsBailey]

Oh really? My mistake then.
I seem to have been taught wrong! 

[Neo]

Once inside attacking 23m:   At the point of taking the free hit (self pass or not) ALL players must be 5m from the offensive player who is taking the free hit. So a player stepping off the pitch a small distance to make sure they are compliant is OK with me - thought it seems a little pointless on face value as the attacker is not going to play the ball off the pitch (certainly for large distances - but of course being able to run in and challenge may make it a viable choice - see next paragraph).

However, once the free hit has commenced (hit or self pass) the defenders are free to run in and challenge; {as deegum has pointed out the ball has to move 1m before another attacker can legally play the ball, which they can run in and do if they were originally compliant with the 5m distance at the point the free hit was taken}
In au where the  new rules have been used for almost a season, we are seeing experienced players doing the above, e.g. a timed run by a fellow teammate to come in and receive a pass from the free hit taker::  5m at point of hit, but running at speed to intercept the pass <5m before static defenders can  get to it

The rule{s} regarding the distance the ball has to travel  {and player touches} before legally entering the circle is a separate consideration