[NFHS] Is there room for judgement on this

[Adam]

Originally Posted by just another ref

4-42-1: The thrower is the player who attempts to make the throw-in.

If he doesn't have the ball, he is not attempting to make the throw-in.

If we're going to get technical and literal here, by your definition he ain't a thrower until he actually attempts to make the throw in pass. Until I see a case play, interp, or rule change that clearly delineates the thrower as the person with the ball on an end-line throw-in for purposes of the rule in question, I'm considering them all throwers and fouls committed against them on the OOB side of that plane will be considered intentional.

It seems to me the rule is written with a spot throw-in in mind, but I could be (and have been) wrong.

It seems to me the intent is to come down hard on defenders who reach across and foul a player; splitting hairs on who's a thrower and who isn't seems a bit extreme. IMO of course.

Personally, I don't think a player needs to have the ball to attempt the throw in any more than having the ball makes him the thrower. It would be more accurate to say he's not a thrower if he throws the ball to a teammate out of bounds on this particular play.