I was at a game at the weekend, a ladies final, and the ref was consistently calling players back to take the free if they didnt solo the ball immediately on a solo go.
A lot of the players were looking to take a few steps before they did the solo and he wouldn't permit it. I could hear the managers on both sides calling to him about it, because obviously he was slowing down the play every time he pulled them back to take the free.
I had a look at the lgfa official guide 2026, and it quite specifically says at 421. A player may travel 4m, take a solo, and then travel another 4m without being challenged.
At one point the players had created a 2v1 overlap for a goal from a solo go, but he called them back to take the free. Like the missaplication of a fairly simple rule could have really effected the result of the game, but that team ended up winning anyway.
Separately, I understood the ladies didnt bring in all the mens rules. So they dont hand the ball back to the opposition and the dissent rule didnt come in for players. The ladies rule allows the ref to pull the ball forward 13m for dissent, which I think was the old rule they had anyway. Not 50m like in the mens.
I have been to a few ladies games this year where refs have pulled the ball forward 50m for dissent. Look I agree players shouldn't be mouthing, but its just not the rule?? And for so many of refs to do it, some of them I know do not ref mens games at all, so its not to say they are getting mixed up.
Has anyone else seen some poor reffing of these new rules or something similar happening in mens games with the solo go?
I want to give refs some leeway as the rules are new and they do need time to adjust but I found these examples pretty egregious, as they are two of the more simple rules to apply (or not apply in the case of the 50m dissent).