Rules Analysis
At the start of the game, after half-time or after a score, play commences with a throw-off, called a pull.
The pull may be made only after both teams have signalled their readiness by having the puller and a player on offence raise a hand above their head.
After signalling readiness all offensive players must stand with one foot on their defending goal line without changing location relative to one another until the pull is released.
After signalling readiness all defensive players must keep their feet entirely behind the vertical plane of the goal line until the pull is released.
If a team breaches 7.3 or 7.4 the opposing team may call a violation ("offside"). This must be called before the receiving team touches the disc and the pull must be repeated as quickly as possible.
Note:
The Rules of Ultimate Appendix contains specific rules about Offside that apply at WFDF Events. It is recommended that the opposing team provide a warning to the captain of the team committing this violation before it is enforced. Team should also take into account that calls should only be made where a breach is significant enough to make a difference to the outcome of the action. Offside can only be called by the players on the field, and any call made by a non-player has no consequences. However non players may assist in monitoring offside and may provide advice based on their perspective, if offside is called.
No player on the defensive team may touch the disc after a pull until a member of the offensive team contacts the disc or the disc contacts the ground.
What:
A pull hits the ground and starts rolling towards the defending end zone, so a defender stops the disc, even before an offence player has touched it.
Result:
This is allowed (Rule 8.4). If the defensive player kicked the disc towards the offensive end zone, the disc may be put into play by the offence at the point where it was kicked (Rule 8.4.1)
Extra:
If the pull is still in the air, no defensive player may touch it, even if it flies back towards the defensive end zone (e.g. because of the wind). If a player does touch it, offence may request a re-pull. If the pull lands in the offence's attacking end zone (i.e. a really short pull), the offence should take it on the goal line. Any offence player can also stop the pull from rolling. That player is not required to pick up the disc after stopping it.
If an offensive player, in-bounds or out-of-bounds, touches the disc before it hits the ground, and the offensive team fails to catch it, that is a turnover (a "dropped pull").
If an offensive player catches the pull they must establish a pivot at the point on the playing field nearest to where it was caught, even if that point is in their defending end zone.
If the disc initially contacts the playing field and never becomes out-of-bounds, the thrower must establish the pivot where the disc stops, even if that point is in their defending end zone.
If the disc initially contacts the playing field and then becomes out-of-bounds without contacting an offensive player, the thrower must establish the pivot where the disc first crossed the perimeter line, or the nearest point in the central zone if that point would be in the defending end zone.
If the disc contacts the out-of-bounds area without first touching the playing field or an offensive player, the thrower may establish the pivot either at the brick mark closest to their defending end zone, or at the spot on the central zone closest to where the disc went out-of-bounds (Section 11.7). The binding brick option must be signalled before the disc is picked up, by any offensive player fully extending one arm overhead and calling "brick".
If an offensive player signals and calls "brick", a different offensive player may pick up the disc.