This will come across as a whine and it probably is in a way, but did anyone else notice Lenny Hayes charging with his head into stationary/ slow-moving Geelong players on 3 occasions?? He was wholly responsible for the contact, yet successfully drew a free-kick on two of these occasions (almost injuring Ablett's knee on one) and on the other, he managed to put James Kelly on the bench via the blood rule for the all important last few minutes.
Obviously, the head is sacrosanct, but surely the umpires can see that it was he who instigated the contact, with his forceful leading of the head and the momentum he carried into the contest.
I guess, this sort of tactic can be thrown into the same basket as the Selwood knee dropping, shoulder-rolling that induces high contact. However, surely, if the average football observer can see this, the umpires should be awake to tactics such as these that exploit rules designed for the protection of players.
Now, I know, that we should be rewarding ball players and I'd rather see players willing to sacrifice their bodies, at the risk of injury, rewarded over stagers like Steve Johnson (embarassing again tonight), Milne, etc. However, at what point does the art of self-preservation and awareness come into play?? It seems we now reward players who are stupid enough to put their scones in the firing line, becuase they know in todays era, they are likely to cop nothing more than a brush or a glancing blow. Honestly, these same players lauded as brave, would have been killed or at the very least, seriously concussed 15-20 years, if they adopted the same tactics that they do now.
Tonight was yet another reminder of how soft the game is becoming.
Obviously, the head is sacrosanct, but surely the umpires can see that it was he who instigated the contact, with his forceful leading of the head and the momentum he carried into the contest.
I guess, this sort of tactic can be thrown into the same basket as the Selwood knee dropping, shoulder-rolling that induces high contact. However, surely, if the average football observer can see this, the umpires should be awake to tactics such as these that exploit rules designed for the protection of players.
Now, I know, that we should be rewarding ball players and I'd rather see players willing to sacrifice their bodies, at the risk of injury, rewarded over stagers like Steve Johnson (embarassing again tonight), Milne, etc. However, at what point does the art of self-preservation and awareness come into play?? It seems we now reward players who are stupid enough to put their scones in the firing line, becuase they know in todays era, they are likely to cop nothing more than a brush or a glancing blow. Honestly, these same players lauded as brave, would have been killed or at the very least, seriously concussed 15-20 years, if they adopted the same tactics that they do now.
Tonight was yet another reminder of how soft the game is becoming.
