Head High Tackles in the AFL

[Ms.Storm]

Last Sunday I was watching Ch.9's AFL Footy Panel where a stance was made on head high tackles in the afl and that the panel's agenda was to highlight this fact to the afl again.

It was distressing to see Michael's long blatant attack at Simmons head in the 2000 G/F Melb. Vs. Essendon and the panel thought that incident should have been the end of such tackles, but they are still emerging all the time in games.

Are the afl penalties for these incidences too light!

It was also refreshing to hear Brian Taylor commend the NRL on their stance on head high tackles and how severe their penalties are for such offences and that the NRL were not too concerned with small biffs and one on ones in their game, because damage to players was very negligible.

Well said Brian and its good to see you mixing and talking with the NRL/Soccer/Union Boys on the BackPage on Fox because you have a broader outlook on all footy codes.

 

[Freo Hitman]

If the AFL had set penalties for such an issue - it wouldne be an issue much longer !!

 

[bucksisbest]

Head high tackles aren't the issue , head high bumps are.

 

[Ms.Storm]

Bucks

I suppose that's what they meant.

But do you think the penalties are too lean and therefore not a deterrant?

 

[joshhem]

I'm suprised at this coming from a rugby league fan. It's funny every time i watch a league game I find myself yelling "High" every set of 6

Personally I don't mind the way it is now. if we add another standard it can just be interpreted the wrong way leading to more complaints about the tribunal.

 

[Pornstar]

There have been a lot of head high bumps similar to Long-Simmonds since that incident. But in the cases where the victim was not injured there was no report.

 

[The Scarecrow]

I think there should be a penalty for Dangerous Tackles in the AFL (I.e Lynch throwing Cloke onto his back during Lions/Magpies game this year) I've seen many dangerous looking tackles in the AFL and nothing done about them. Shouldn't the AFL report the people that make a dangerous tackle? Same with some head high tackles and stuff along them lines.

 

[The_Flying_Egg]

Originally posted by bucksisbest
Head high tackles aren't the issue , head high bumps are.

2 weeks ago Ricciuto cleaned Sam Power up and got him above the neck with his elbow and nothing happened to him. Theres gotta be some consistency. It will probably take somebody to get extremely seriously hurt for them to anything about it

 

[MarkT]

I saw the segment on Ch.9 and I thought it was an absolute beat up. To use the Sache (sp?) example was pretty lame too. That is one disaster in 100+ years at the VFL/AFL level. If you look at how many tackles or bumps have been laid in that time the odds of seriouis are so low that the argument has no merit.

The dangerous aspect of some tackles, as opposed to the concept of protecting the head/neck at all costs at all times is a different matter. IMO really dangerous and reckless tackles/bumps should be punnished severely. That is another difficult and subject aspect to our game but somewhere there has to be a line. We can't outlaww all head high contact because some is unavoidable. Apart from that, players will be inclided to run head down and get a free kick or even worse get an opponent reportes/suspended.

I had no problem with Kings bump but Long's 2000 effort was one that could go. The difficulty is the intent aspect or the degree of recklessness.

 

[peruka]

It would have been ok if Troy Simmonds realised he was playing in a Grand Final where anything and everything will happen. If he was a descent footballer, he would have realised that putting your head down in the 50m forward line of the bombers was a poor decision on his behalf, and fumbling the ball like a clown was his problem, not the Judge, Jury and Executioner's problem!

Has anyone had a whinge about Hickmont almost killing that Hadrill while he was in the pack? What about the dirty shirt fronts Pickett gives? Or do you prefer players like Cornes dropping their knee's into people ribs? Give me a break, Longy was playing in a Grand Final, and barring a few in here, half of you wouldnt know what to do to win one, and that is DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO WIN cause no one will remember that Hak simmonds, rather Longy collecting his premiership medal!