Head High Contact - Worth it for a Free Kick?

HTPunter

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Let's just ban tackles completely, turn it to touch footy. Because after all when a player has the ball and is moving, his movement might affect how accurately his defender can tackle him, we can't have the attacker go left when the defender though he was going to right. We don't want any movement from the player in possession to affect the defenders ability to tackle do we.... You should no longer be allowed to jump for a mark either because players are placing their heads purposely in the vicinity of spoilers fists in order to win freekicks for high contact. We can't have that, that's potentially fists to the head, and it's the person's who's trying to mark who is at fault, not the defender sticking his fist in therefore anyone who jumps for a mark will be penalised. That's how stupid you lot sound, arguing in favour of ruining a once grouse game.

This is so batshit insane. Congratulations, you missed the point by a ******* mile. Zyzz fans aren't known for their intelligence I guess.
 
May 23, 2010
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Anyone who actually plays footy will understand that the last thing that comes to your mind in a contest is attempting to win a freekick... It doesn't even cross the mind in the slightest. Except for maybe staging for a push in the back. A high tackle rather is given not taken.

You clearly don't understand the mentality and mechanics of dropping yourself when a tackler comes at you. It's to reduce your centre of gravity to a smaller area. It concentrates your power and strength into your core, makes you smaller, and gives you a chance to slip under and out of a tackle. It's like a slingshot effect when you stop, drop then pull your direction opposite to the momentum of the incoming tackler. The players mindset in that moment is all about being able to win clean posession and kick a goal etc, not a freekick attempt. Selwood dips because 90% of the time it allows him to slip away, you only notice the 10% where he gets necked. It's not his problem, the tackler should be more disciplined and understand his opponent. If a player is good at evading your tackle to the point that your always collecting him high then that's your problem, predict and place your tackle better, you can't expect concessions because your opponent is athletically superior to you.

If you want to see your players walking into a tackle limp as a dick and making no attempt at evasive action then keep arguing your point.
Oh behave Bevo!
 

zyzzbruh

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This is so batshit insane. Congratulations, you missed the point by a ******* mile. Zyzz fans aren't known for their intelligence I guess.
What's more stupid is thinking it's reasonable to adjudicate based on what the ump thinks is the players intention. To top it off they're basically telling players they can't move there arms legs and body in certain ways in some situations. Good luck. Now head high tackles are going to be rewarded, defenders can afford to be more careless now. Defeats the purpose of what they are trying to achieve, all for the odd twice a game questionable duck which never even causes concussions etc. Come at me bruh
 

Spearman

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One of the salient things I am getting from this thread is that professional footy players are too stupid to start to protect their heads when the umps start calling them on playing for frees.
They are demonstratively clever enough to see the tackle coming and position their shoulder and arm before impact but too dense to do anything else when they know it won't result in a free kick. :think:
 
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Who's getting head injuries from high tackles anyway? Bumps and sling tackles are the real danger.
Heck copping a knee in the back of the head from a speccy is more impact than these love bites that small forwards are happy to literally put their neck on the line for.
 

zyzzbruh

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… so how are the umpires adjudicating the deliberate out of bounds rule again?
Pretty shitly lol, was that question meant to give you a leg up? Because it makes your argument even worse....I'll rephrase your question - Are umpires accurately adjudicating deliberate out of bounds?

The deliberate rule is the best example on why this new interpretation is stupid, it causes so much frustration at times because they're basically guessing intent. Your adding an over complicated layer onto what was a fairly simple high tackle rule.

Get back to me when kozzie gets his head ripped off and gets pinged holding the ball.
 
Aug 29, 2005
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He actually did it once and umpire called play on. Hopefully that happens more often going forward to all teams.


It can be hard to differentiate between the players ducking for frees (Ginnivan) and those ducking to break tackles. Selwood for example is generally in the latter but then will play for a free occasionally

Selwood forces the high contact playing for frees, drops at the knee and raises the arm, he also does one with leading with the head as well.

Ginnivan is actually just lower and harder into the oncoming player, the tackle is initiated high as the first point of call he then accentuates that contact by then lifting his arm and letting the weight fall out from him.

There have been the odd player who delay the tackle slightly and caught him with no high contact. They adjusted their technique and it worked.
Most the time however defenders are sloppy, over exuberant and sometimes just plain looking to collect him high. Especially over the last 3 or so weeks where even legitimate normal high contact hasn't been getting paid to him.

Selwood tackles generally mostly start arm height he forces weaker players or unsuspecting players high and gets rewarded.

Jack generally set up the tackler prior and the very first contact is High it should be a free.
 
I said you cannot duck your head, but I have no problem shrugging, dropping your knees, pushing the tackle high if you can against the weak tackler.

I take it you have been watching footy for not that long, you think the player should stand up rigid and let the tackler tackle him?

You want it stamped out, then tackle lower. Just unbelievable the coaches are not training their players to tackle lower.

the actual * are you even talking about?

Whether you are ducking your head or dropping your knees the player is deliberately moving his head lower to invite head high contact.

Some of you old blokes still giving opinions does more harm than good. No bloody idea what you are talking about.
 
Aug 29, 2005
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Possibly the worse take I've seen on this. Congrats.

If the tackles were 'stronger' they'd probably take Ginnivan's head off. Also most of these high free kicks are not when he's got his head over the ball. He gets the ball and then runs around for a second and then performs his technique. Good for him, he get's the free kick and goal, but it needs to be stamped out.

By your logic a player could pick the ball up and just straight headbutt someone and it should be a high free kick.

No you are wrong a bit on that, most of them are just after or during getting the ball, then odd one he does now and then is when he gets the ball and runs towards the tackler.

The last one is the one that probably should be play on and or HTB, but even then why can't he try evade in said manner if they don't get him there is no free for but instead will be afree against for HTB. The tacklers are sloppy and aiming for his kneck.

I think the issue with JG is he is doing it too often of late definitely increased vs early season where he evaded with steps or disposed of the ball, if he mixed it up a little more I'm not sure we'd be here with a rule change to stop him.
 
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Just following on, which clip do you want to see in the AFL. Is the first clip really Ginnivan trying to slip a tackle? Come on, don't be ridiculous. Why didn't he use that technique when he was actually trying to slip the tackles. He's actually a good little player, he will be fine and now hopefully he will actually use his skills.


Lol I like seeing both skills used.

LDU initial contact was above shoulder at that stage Ginnivan was still mostly upright.
 
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I fear for footy when Selwood retires. Who else is going to draw this much heat after doing something for 300 plus games?

And getting away with it.

I remember vs Collingwood where half the team remonstrated with the umpire and explained his technique in game. They also put a tape together of it to show the AFL and Umpires boss.

We were all told and conditioned that it was a skill and that the onus is on the tackler to get lower and tackle correctly.

Ginnivan improves on selwoods technique is a dead eye dick goal sneak playing forward and all of a sudden its cheating and a bad look for the game. Just laughable.
 
Apr 26, 2006
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Most Collingwood supporters spent years laying into Selwood. Now that they have someone doing it there some are rushing to defend it. Poor look.
I can't speak for all Collingwood supporters but I'm happy for Ginnivan not to be called.

However I do have a problem with others getting frees for the same action.
On the weekend Pendlebury, Pickett, Walters, Ryan and Fisher.

The fact that the "New rules" have been in place for five years and havn't been applied to Selwood, McLean, L Thomas, etc. during that time is also annoying.

See my previous post:
If the way Ginnivan was umpired on the weekend was correct then I have no problem except:
- The same umpires gave Pendles a high contact free when his body was dropping.
- Different umpires gave high contact frees (when the body was dropping) to Michael Walters, Liam Ryan and Kysaiah Pickett.

Why is it that the rules are only being followed for Ginnivan and not the rest of the comp?

Either Ginnivan is being treated differently to the rest of the comp or the umpires are wrong in every other case.











 

FourthTimeAround

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How about just not letting them draw you in. Aim for his knees instead of his waist and you might get him around the waist instead of the head.

If they can train to draw it in, then defenders should train to counter it.
On that we agree.

Tacklers have to accept that the risk of tackling to trap the ball to win a HTB is that the opponent will look to draw a free kick from it.

As mentioned previously, I'd remove HTB as a free kick except for dragging it in. Have trialled it coaching myself and works amazingly well at improving game flow even at first attempt. The benefit of a tackle should be to hold up the opposition to create a stoppage, or strip the ball free.

No doubt the professional players would look to exploit it somehow.
 
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I can't speak for all Collingwood supporters but I'm happy for Ginnivan not to be called.

However I do have a problem with others getting frees for the same action.
On the weekend Pendlebury, Pickett, Walters, Ryan and Fisher.

The fact that the "New rules" have been in place for five years and havn't been applied to Selwood, McLean, L Thomas, etc. during that time is also annoying.

See my previous post:

AFL should have shut it down over a decade ago. Pretty easy to see and police.
 
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the actual * are you even talking about?

Whether you are ducking your head or dropping your knees the player is deliberately moving his head lower to invite head high contact.

Some of you old blokes still giving opinions does more harm than good. No bloody idea what you are talking about.

Whatever, opinions from you idiots on footy just gives me my weekly dose of footy humour.
I need a laugh, go straight to BF to here the sheep talking about a sport they know nothing about.

Thanks again.
 
Whatever, opinions from you idiots on footy just gives me my weekly dose of footy humour.
I need a laugh, go straight to BF to here the sheep talking about a sport they know nothing about.

Thanks again.
1658468678052.png
 
Jul 22, 2022
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Here's what bothers me, the AFL steps in and says "Okay, head high contact is now a free kick, because CTE is awful, we want to look after our players".
Nekminnit, you have players intentionally taking head high contact to milk free kicks.

Which is it? Do you want your head protected, or do you want to ruin the fabric of the game.
This diving s**t is soft, it's made soccer nearly impossible to watch for me, don't do it to footy too.

Selwood, Ginnivan and Weightman, we're looking at you.
Discuss.

Ginnivan, The Milkman
No no no, it’s allowed to challenge the tackler. If their tackles are where they’re supposed to be- at the hip- then there’s no problem. But if they’re higher, players have every right to do what they can to not give away a holding the ball free kick. Ginnivan is elite in my words.
 
Saw one tonight where Grimes backed into a tackle so obviously, I swear I heard the reverse beeps and thrust his arm out in a hitler salute almost before the tackle was made. He got the free for high contact but it looked so awkward and contrived.
 

Cyril says

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How many clubs grease their arms before each game to make sure that tackles that land on their player’s arms easily slip off/are shrugged off to hit them in the head?
 

zyzzbruh

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Saw one tonight where Grimes backed into a tackle so obviously, I swear I heard the reverse beeps and thrust his arm out in a hitler salute almost before the tackle was made. He got the free for high contact but it looked so awkward and contrived.
When you back into a tackle you are forcing your direction of momentum in the opposite direction to the tackler, it makes it harder for the tackler to stick his tackle because of the force going the other way. How people are happy to accept wanting players to just stand upright and accept tackles is actually beyond belief.
 
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