Wildmoose wrote:So which of these is correct?...
a) I've misunderstood the rules & this is ok
b) This was the case but the rule / interpretation has changed at some point
c) This is the case & the officials missed it
The answer is a).
He isn't in possession of the ball when he plays at it and therefore his action counts as an attempt to gather a loose ball. The Rovers player and Horne are effectively contesting for the ball, so the fact that the ball travels forward is irrelevant.
If he had been carrying the ball and had thrown it over his opponent's head to regather it and score then he would have been guilty of deliberately propelling the ball forward to gain advantage. Or if he had headed the ball rather than play at it with his hand then he might have been pinged.
