a-dub
8th July 2007, 15:01
IN MY OPINION, the AFL is continually losing touch with its supporter base and what the fans want. This has stemmed directly from the way umpires are being told to administer the rules.
For a start, I cannot belive some of the free kicks which are being paid for high contact. A hand touching someone on the shoulder should never constitute high contact unless it severely impedes or dangers the opposition player. Why should high contact be paid a free kick when neither of these occurs? Are we paying a free kick for a technique error?
In this sense, the AFL can currently learn a lot from the regrowing success of the NRL, who give supporters what they want, to a tolerable extent. No one wants to see a free kick paid every minute such is the case in the current game, and no one wants to see people get suspended for a hip and shoulder, or throwing a couple fists on a rare occassion. Nor does anyone want to see free kicks paid for 'holding the man' in a wrestle situation.
And to another extent, the AFL can also learn a lot from soccer (football, as we should all be calling it). Soccer thrives throughout the world because of its incredible simplicity...the ambiguity being created by the AFL rules administers will forever detract from the quality and growth potential of the sport.
My closing words: AFL is ****ed - how many good games do you honestly see these days? The pride has been taken out of the game as the players have been prevented from flying the flag...not just punch ups, but the good old fashion hip and shoulder or 'rough up'
For a start, I cannot belive some of the free kicks which are being paid for high contact. A hand touching someone on the shoulder should never constitute high contact unless it severely impedes or dangers the opposition player. Why should high contact be paid a free kick when neither of these occurs? Are we paying a free kick for a technique error?
In this sense, the AFL can currently learn a lot from the regrowing success of the NRL, who give supporters what they want, to a tolerable extent. No one wants to see a free kick paid every minute such is the case in the current game, and no one wants to see people get suspended for a hip and shoulder, or throwing a couple fists on a rare occassion. Nor does anyone want to see free kicks paid for 'holding the man' in a wrestle situation.
And to another extent, the AFL can also learn a lot from soccer (football, as we should all be calling it). Soccer thrives throughout the world because of its incredible simplicity...the ambiguity being created by the AFL rules administers will forever detract from the quality and growth potential of the sport.
My closing words: AFL is ****ed - how many good games do you honestly see these days? The pride has been taken out of the game as the players have been prevented from flying the flag...not just punch ups, but the good old fashion hip and shoulder or 'rough up'