You don't have to reward the tackler, but stop punishing them!

[Vikingnz]

This seems to me to be the simplest rule fix to make - if a player does not dispose of the ball correctly, but had no prior so it's play on, then that player CAN NOT get a free for being held on to! The tackler thinks they still have the ball so of course they're going to hold on. I'm getting sick of players just dropping the ball and then getting rewarded with a free.

 

[Coalface]

This seems to me to be the simplest rule fix to make - if a player does not dispose of the ball correctly, but had no prior so it's play on, then that player CAN NOT get a free for being held on to! The tackler thinks they still have the ball so of course they're going to hold on. I'm getting sick of players just dropping the ball and then getting rewarded with a free.

I hate the current umpiring. If it ''spills out" pay a free kick for incorrect disposal. Very simple.

 

[Wacko23Jacko]

Absolutely agree with this, it's been shitting me up the wall for the past couple of seasons. If a bloke loses possession of the ball during the tackle it's HTB or play on and the tackler should get time to finish their tackle or whatever (to a reasonable extent) without having a holding decision called. They rattle on about rewarding the players for playing the ball.. there is nothing about that technique which says "I'm playing the ball".

But again, it's a consequence of the umpires calling ridiculous holding the balls and free kicks etc when players do go after the ball that has caused players to start doing this.

Too many obscure rules and too much grey area open to interpretation is the biggest problem.

 

[sprockets]

This seems to me to be the simplest rule fix to make - if a player does not dispose of the ball correctly, but had no prior so it's play on, then that player CAN NOT get a free for being held on to! The tackler thinks they still have the ball so of course they're going to hold on. I'm getting sick of players just dropping the ball and then getting rewarded with a free.

But do they, or will they take advantage of it? Other than that I agree. A player should just tap the ball clear rather than take hold of it if he's about to be tackled, which will also put an end to those kind of stoppages. If you can't see that you're about to be tackled too bad, you need better awareness.

 

[HairyO]

This seems to me to be the simplest rule fix to make - if a player does not dispose of the ball correctly, but had no prior so it's play on, then that player CAN NOT get a free for being held on to! The tackler thinks they still have the ball so of course they're going to hold on. I'm getting sick of players just dropping the ball and then getting rewarded with a free.

Yeah this really annoys me. You lay a great tackle and the player drops the ball. The umpire then calls Play On and next thing you know the tackler gets pinged for Holding the Man.

Just horrible.

Its a simple rule. When tackled you have to cleanly dispose of the ball. Which means the umpire has to know that it was a proper disposal. Pay more of those and the scrums disappear.

 

[Vikingnz]

But do they, or will they take advantage of it? Other than that I agree. A player should just tap the ball clear rather than take hold of it if he's about to be tackled, which will also put an end to those kind of stoppages. If you can't see that you're about to be tackled too bad, you need better awareness.

The tackler should get the benefit of the doubt if the ball is not disposed of correctly.

 

[PenfoldsFan]

You guys are missing the point im afraid, the AFL dont want black and white rules, they like the grey area's which allow them to manipulate the outcome play by play.
If a player from the favoured team is tackled and drops the ball prventing a proper disposal, the ensuing free for the hold returns the ball uninhibited.
When the same happens to the non favoured team its HTB.

This is not Aussie Rules, its the GreyFL

 

[El_Scorcho]

I hate the current umpiring. If it ''spills out" pay a free kick for incorrect disposal. Very simple.

If you do it this way then players prioritise ball retention and you get a 2005 Sydneyeque stoppagefest in every game.

The AFL want the ball to spill out so the game keeps moving. The rule is that even without prior opportunity, you have to make an attempt to kick or handball, and the AFL consider making an attempt to move the ball on to be more important than "rewarding the tackler".

You can't demand that players who have just taken possession and been instantly tackled make an attempt to dispose of the ball and also punish them if they stuff up that attempt. There'd be 100 free kicks a game.

 

[Coalface]

If you do it this way then players prioritise ball retention and you get a 2005 Sydneyeque stoppagefest in every game.

The AFL want the ball to spill out so the game keeps moving. The rule is that even without prior opportunity, you have to make an attempt to kick or handball, and the AFL consider making an attempt to move the ball on to be more important than "rewarding the tackler".

You can't demand that players who have just taken possession and been instantly tackled make an attempt to dispose of the ball and also punish them if they stuff up that attempt. There'd be 100 free kicks a game.

I would rather the additional stoppage. If there was no prior opportunity and the ball is held in it plays out the same as now, ball up. Just like it always was.

Bring back the penalty for sloppy incorrect disposal. The ball tends to "spill out" more so when there are team mates nearby compared with when their are opponents nearby. The current adjudication makes another grey area (which the sport already has too many of).

Reduce the acceptable actions down to holding it in with no prior opportunity or a hand pass or a kick.

 

[Goosecat]

I think all the various issues around tackling and disposal (prior opportunity, ball knocked free in tackle, interpretations etc that appear to change every week) come from the same basic change in "footy" around this area a number of years ago. All these additions and attempts to address the issues stem from one basic change that has been forgotten by many. Everything changed when the AFL decided to alter the same rule that had applied to every game since inception regarding tackling. The rule was (and I can't stress enough how fundamental this change was) if you are tackled and fail to dispose of the ball legally (handball or kick), you lose possession, it was that simple for roughly a century, that's it, no interpretational argument.

It didn't matter if the ball spilled free during the tackle, it didn't require arguable guesswork on things like prior opportunity or any other possible interpretation differences introducing uncertainty, confusion and frustration for players and spectators alike. If a player was tackled they had to dispose of the ball via kick or handball period, that's it, no arguments, no unknowns, no interpretational guesses. This single divergence from the games origins and long standing history has spewed all the vagaries and constant changes regarding this area since. It will never be resolved until the powers wake up and realise where the root of the problem lays.

This change was implemented in one of the early attempts to "speed up the game" and reduce incorrect disposal and holding the ball stoppages. That problem has now been resolved for the most part with the "advantage" rule. The answer is simple and right there in front of everyone. Remember the origins of the game, remember the ~ century of consistency in this area. If a player was tackled there was only 2 options available. Dispose of the ball correctly or lose possession. If a tackler is good enough to make a player spill the ball out of their grasp, tough, it's illegal disposal. If a player hung onto the ball to avoid that outcome it was holding the ball (I'm aware of the belief that enables defensive flooding at the hold up, well gee take a look, there no such thing as flooded defenses happening now is there? The stoppage happens now anyway with players holding onto the ball and being wrapped up in "tackles with no prior". Modern day fitness levels combined with the growth in professionalism changed all the possibilities available to coaching groups regarding player movement, structure and mass zone coverage. The point being, coaches, players and teams will develop new plans regardless, the key to consistent rules, understandable by all is get them back to the most basic, original designs without "ever-changing" interpretation options that introduce that very inconsistency).

That's it and as it was for roughly a hundred years with the tackler being rewarded for great tackles. If a player had prior opportunity or not is absolutely irrelevant, if a tackle is placed on the player at any time regardless, they must dispose of the ball via handball or kick, as it was for roughly a century and as it was originally designed (as far as we know). It's very simple, it's black and white and everyone including kids, newcomers, prospective audiences, players and fans know exactly what's going on.

Any other options will just add to the existing issues and be a continuation of the process that infected the game to begin with in this area. If a player is tackled at any time, no matter what, they must handball or kick, that is it, no argument, no misinterpretation. That is how the game was envisioned, how it was played for almost all it's history, roughly a century and the root change that has ruined this area of the game.

 

[Gralin]

I think all the various issues around tackling and disposal (prior opportunity, ball knocked free in tackle, interpretations etc that appear to change every week) come from the same basic change in "footy" around this area a number of years ago. All these additions and attempts to address the issues stem from one basic change that has been forgotten by many. Everything changed when the AFL decided to alter the same rule that had applied to every game since inception regarding tackling. The rule was (and I can't stress enough how fundamental this change was) if you are tackled and fail to dispose of the ball legally (handball or kick), you lose possession, it was that simple for roughly a century, that's it, no interpretational argument.

Pretty much this, get rid of prior opportunity and umpire the rule as its written