How do I manage a rollball and the touches around it?
Rule- Australia
- Touch Football Australia
- Rules of Touch
- FIT 5th Edition
- All ages
- 2020
- Referees
- Procedure: the attacker faces the opponent's try line on the mark, makes a genuine attempt to stand parallel to the sidelines, places the ball between the feet in a controlled manner, then steps forward over it, rolls it back no more than one metre, or passes a foot over it. A breach is a change of possession at the point of the infringement.
- Mark and timing: the rollball must be on the mark and without delay, and must not be voluntary (before a touch). Each of these is a penalty to the defending team at the point of the infringement. A tap cannot replace a rollball: the team returns to the mark.
- When a rollball is allowed: after a touch, after a change of possession (sixth touch, dropped or grounded ball, attacking infringement at a penalty, tap or rollball, half touched or placing the ball on the try line), in place of a penalty tap, or when the referee directs.
- Seven metres in-field: when the player in possession or the loose ball contacts the sideline or ground outside the field, or the attacker does so while performing the rollball.
- Touch in the in-goal area before grounding: the rollball is seven metres from the attacking try line, unless it is the sixth touch or the player is the half.
- Touch between the dead ball line and the seven metre line: the attackers may rollball on the seven metre line directly in line with the touch.
- Touch while on or behind the defending try line: the touch counts, and you set the mark seven metres directly forward of the contact point.
- Defenders: they must not interfere with the rollball or the half (penalty ten metres directly forward of the infringement) and cannot move forward of the onside position until the half touches the ball, unless you direct it.
- You maintain the touch count throughout each possession.
Source: FIT Playing Rules 5th Edition, rules 10 and 13 and 25.1.5.
Added 24 Oct 2026