What if a free kick is paid just after the ball crosses the line but before "All Clear"?
Rule- Australia
- AFL
- AFL Premiership
- Score Review
- 2026
- Fans
Under Law 16.4.1, where a free kick is awarded immediately after the football passes the goal or behind line but before the field umpire signals "All Clear" or "Touched All Clear":
- Free kick to the attacking team: the field umpire signals "All Clear", the goal umpire signals and records the score, and the free kick is then taken from where the infringement occurred or where the ball is brought back into play, whichever is the greater penalty against the defending team.
- Free kick to the defending team: the field umpire does not signal "All Clear", no score is recorded and the free kick is awarded.
If a free kick is awarded to the attacking team before the ball crosses the line on the full (or hits the attacking team's goal posts on the full), the attacking team chooses either to have the score recorded or to re-take the kick from where the infringement occurred (Law 16.4).
Source: Laws of Australian Football 2026, Law 16.4.
Added 24 Oct 2026