The worst football in a generation

[ArachniX]

Said the same thing a few pages back and got shot down for not understanding the rule, but I agree with you. The non call of HTB is a complete farce and frustrating to watch.

Sorry! Was simply trying to point out that just because you want a free kick for something that isn't a free kick by the laws doesn't make it a free kick and you're just going to be forever frustrated if you expect one. As I pointed out, the example you gave isn't a free kick, never was a free kick and shouldn't be paid as a free kick.

I also didn't mean to put the blame on you, as due to poor umpiring and the AFL's wording and rewording of the rule, sometimes it is paid as a free kick and often depends whether it's at the start of the game or the end. Whether it's a close game, in the forward line or backline, finals or home and away, wet or dry day etc.

And if you want it to be a free kick, that means the AFL have to change the rules again, and we don't want that.

 

[ArachniX]

It doesn't seem to be. Although I can't find any strong support for this in the rules as I understand them.

I am saying they should pay it and a lot of our congestion problems go away.

It's not a free kick and never was. It shouldn't be paid. As I mentioned in another reply, that doesn't mean it hasn't been paid in the past or won't be paid in the future.

It shouldn't be paid as the reason the HTB rule exists is to keep the ball in competition. A player shouldn't only be penalised if he prevents that happening. If the ball is knocked free in a tackle, then the ball is free and still in competition so it should be play on. That's the way it's always been.

Rugby Union has the same rule, though people may not realise. It's worded differently and applied differently of course. But they have no problem with their rule as it's well defined. Use it or lose it. If you're tackled and go to ground, you must release the ball or you are penalised. You can't prevent the opposition playing at it. If we worded and defined our rule better, it would be a lot clearer.

 

[RookiePick]

It's not a free kick and never was. It shouldn't be paid. As I mentioned in another reply, that doesn't mean it hasn't been paid in the past or won't be paid in the future.

It shouldn't be paid as the reason the HTB rule exists is to keep the ball in competition. A player shouldn't only be penalised if he prevents that happening. If the ball is knocked free in a tackle, then the ball is free and still in competition so it should be play on. That's the way it's always been.

Rugby Union has the same rule, though people may not realise. It's worded differently and applied differently of course. But they have no problem with their rule as it's well defined. Use it or lose it. If you're tackled and go to ground, you must release the ball or you are penalised. You can't prevent the opposition playing at it. If we worded and defined our rule better, it would be a lot clearer.

If you are deemed to have had prior opportunity and you are being tackled you are obligated to dispose of the ball correctly. You can't drop it or claim it has been knocked loose or that you tried really hard to dispose of it correctly.

Free kick blokes for holding and dragging players down who aren't in possession and players will have prior opportunity when they take possession much more often.

 

[marty36]

100% it would.

there's no evidence that interchanges ever adversely affected the game in the first place. I'm not sure who came up with that idea....

in round 3 of 2013 the crows had 169 interchanges (most ever recorded) and lost the showdown 118-109. 2013 is the year that interchanges were at their maximum before the cap came in and is also the highest scoring season in over a decade. scoring has been in decline every year they've reduced interchanges.

Now scoring isn't a true measure of how good the game is going, but it's probably the only objective metric we can really use.

team defense (flooding, forward press, zone etc) is what's destroyed the game as a spectacle but unfortunately there is no real way to combat that without introducing rigid zones for 100% of the game.

Holding poseesion seems the best method of defense, whether it be a short 15m kick or backwards kicking

Two solutions increase a mark to a kick of 30m or more or no marks paid for backwards kicks

Make it hard to defend and there will be more goals, the ball will remain live and needed to be moved on and moved on quickly, will need to increase interchange guidelines maybe even bigger bench as the game will not be stopping as much and players will blowup

 

[yeahmate]

The rule that seems not to be getting paid is dropping the ball. I get that its not holding the ball if it gets knocked out in a tackle without any prior opportunity, but the interpretation of that rule now lets players just drop it as soon as they get tackled. I always thought dropping the ball was a free kick in its own right, completely separate to holding the ball. Perhaps I'm wrong though or the rule has changed.

 

[JohnnyFontane90]

I agree totally.

They want to speed the game up, and open it up; and then they reduce interchanges, which has the complete opposite effect.

I've got no problem with unlimited interchange - the guys can run their arses off and then take a break - slowing them down and making them more exhausted doesn't open the game up, as the players are too knackered to keep running and creating space.

yep, the AFL deliberately inducing fatigue on the players has hampered the offensive side of the game far more than the defensive side of the game for this reason

 

[JohnnyFontane90]

Holding poseesion seems the best method of defense, whether it be a short 15m kick or backwards kicking

Two solutions increase a mark to a kick of 30m or more or no marks paid for backwards kicks

Make it hard to defend and there will be more goals, the ball will remain live and needed to be moved on and moved on quickly, will need to increase interchange guidelines maybe even bigger bench as the game will not be stopping as much and players will blowup

IMO we need to encourage more possession of the ball because when possession is in dispute is when the players from all over the field close in to create congestion.

what you're saying has more potential to increase scoring but not necessarily to make the game a better spectacle.

 

[marty36]

IMO we need to encourage more possession of the ball because when possession is in dispute is when the players from all over the field close in to create congestion.

what you're saying has more potential to increase scoring but not necessarily to make the game a better spectacle.

Very true, that could occur it may not, are posters worried about the constant backward kicking to players getting the quick chip kick or backwards kick which slows scoring down and tbh is rather boring

I see the rules are in place to stop congestion with the dragging the ball in rule and deliberate out of bounds.

Not allowing players to have an easy escape valve would probably mean more pack marks and crumbing and with the fact you cant waste time and hold possession there should be more goals

 

[schmuttt]

Lowest scores in 52 years according to Mick Warner in the sun. What a joke!

 

[Aussie in exile]

Lowest scores in 52 years according to Mick Warner in the sun. What a joke!

What did he put that down down to, better defence, or worse offence, or perhaps lack of quality?

 

[situationz]

Let's hope the first 3 quarters of Cats-Dogs is a sign of things to come. 95-81 approaching the end of the 3rd.

 

[bresker]

How many more of these threads do we need mods?

Geelong v Bulldogs is an absolute cracker. Brisbane playing exciting footy too.

There’s always been s**t unmemorable h & a games. Heaps of them. Every year. It’s just because every ******* game is televised that you’ve started noticing.

Watch 2 games a week. One will probably be good .

 

[situationz]

So much for amazing free-flowing Essendon... what happened to the Bombers?

 

[Macpotata]

This round a rare exception and in any case look at the first half between Essendon and Freo. As I said, this round a rare exception. Most games every week are s**t.Just because we get a few good games in a round doesn't erase most of the BS served up week to week.

 

[situationz]

But I love the way Swans are playing tonight - eight goals at halftime - mind you, in rainy conditions!