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Having now watched a few games with the backwards kick play on rule, it is clear for this rule to be effectively enforced that a faint line needs to be marked across the ground at 10m intervals.
I have seen repeatedly umpires call play on for close to lateral kicks but they have actually gone forward by the slightest margin. It is clear that the umpires from the angle they are on CANNOT competantly enforce the rule, but it can prove to be costly to a side relying on a switch of play to have play on called, the ball having to be coughed up and can quite easily go the other way for an opposition score.
A faint line across the ground, from boundary to boundary at intervals of say 10m would assist the umpires in adjudicating this rule and remove some of the errors that are being made at the moment. The umpire would be able to see a player say 2m inside one line kick to a player 5m from the line and know that the ball has travelled forward. And indeed if the ball goes backwards it would be quite clear as well. Wouldn't be fool proof but it would be better than whats going on at the moment.
