How do we deter diving?

[Jimmy 2 Shoes]

One thing I've noticed from round 1 was diving is alive and well in the AFL.

I watched 6 games this round, 4 with more then passing interest. From those 4 games there were 2 games in which this issue stood out like dogs balls but there were instances in the other games aswell I noticed but sorta didn't notice at the time.

The two games were Geelong vs Hawthorn and Doggies vs Freo.

Luke Hodge against Geelong playing for free kicks with a little push and shove off of the ball and Brad Johnson in several instances against the Dockers. Johnson was almost farcical, did anyone else notice the ease of which he'd hit the deck then hold the back of his head like he'd been sucker punched?

There are also players who have reputations ie Lloyd, Harvey, yet there are no rules discouraging these players from doing it and from time to time they're rewarded for it. Just like in Soccer, it is a blight on our game.

Am I the only one who feels this way?
Am I the only one who feels that diving is a bigger issue then deliberate rushed behinds and having a finger on your oppositions back in a marking contest?
Am I the only one who feels it should be a punishable offence?

Although I witnessed several instances of dives this weekend, there wasn't really any issue made of it at the time which makes it hard to reference the incidents I witnessed, but I'm thinking 90kg athlete grown men shouldn't go down like female anorexic junkies desparate for their next hit.

Should it be a free kick against? Reportable? Just wait until it decides a game, I couldn't imagine a worse way to win.

 

[MacMum]

Very simple really.......give a free kick against them every time..and make it very plain to them why ... after a few times of giving away a free kick, the penny might drop that it is just stupid to keep doing it..

 

[Neville Bartos]

Luke Hodge against Geelong playing for free kicks with a little push and shove off of the ball and Brad Johnson in several instances against the Dockers. Johnson was almost farcical, did anyone else notice the ease of which he'd hit the deck then hold the back of his head like he'd been sucker punched?

Lonergan took a dive too. We're not all immune...

I absolutely hate it. The reason players are diving is because umpires are gutless softies who pay a free kick for bad hygiene. If we stop paying so many free-kicks, players will stop staging for them, guys like Selwood will stop ducking his head, Lloyd will stop diving and Nick Maxwell will stop whining. Surely this is the solution

LESS DECISIONS!

 

[Harry Yorkie]

If the umpires stopped paying 64 freaking free kicks in a game, players would not be so inclined to dive.

Knowing everytime you fall over an umpire will pay a free kick only encourages diving.

Mitchell, Hodge, Ablett, Selwood et al, all go down like they've been shot a few times in a match, its a blight on the game and over-officiating, limelight seeking, grandstanding umpires are to blame.

 

[Helfarch]

Leaving it up to the umpires is a bad, bad idea. Adding more rules just compounds their incompetence.

Referred to MRP, $5000 fine per incident for bringing the game into disrepute, paid by the player.

0 diving.

 

[borgsta2006]

If the umpires stopped paying 64 freaking free kicks in a game, players would not be so inclined to dive.

Knowing everytime you fall over an umpire will pay a free kick only encourages diving.

Mitchell, Hodge, Ablett, Selwood et al, all go down like they've been shot a few times in a match, its a blight on the game and over-officiating, limelight seeking, grandstanding umpires are to blame.

So very wrong.

If a player dives, they should be given a free kick against them. Why not bring out the yellow card....

 

[The Tigers Nuts]

Helfarch has got it in one.

 

[Last of the Roys]

I agree with the 'fine' idea. It is getting ridiculous. We use to pride ourselves on how footy players were not like soccer players in terms of diving. Problem is that when a player dives or throws up their arms they get rewarded with a b/s free kick at least 3/4 of the time.

 

[JHF1870]

They should get the death penalty! and if they do it again....well!

 

[Harry Yorkie]

So very wrong.

If a player dives, they should be given a free kick against them. Why not bring out the yellow card....

The problem is umpires reward diving with a free kick to the diver, this is why players dive in the first place, incompetent umpires who can't tell the difference between a dive and a genuine free kick.

I ask you, why do players dive?
Answer: to con the umpire into giving them a free kick.
Solution: Don't pay so many free kicks (ie 64 in a match between the two best sides in the comp), this only promotes diving.

How freaking simple is it.

 

[borgsta2006]

The problem is umpires reward diving with a free kick to the diver, this is why players dive in the first place, incompetent umpires who can't tell the difference between a dive and a genuine free kick.

I ask you, why do players dive?
Answer: to con the umpire into giving them a free kick.
Solution: Don't pay so many free kicks (ie 64 in a match between the two best sides in the comp), this only promotes diving.

How freaking simple is it.

I agree. 64 frees in a match at AFL level is obscene. I answer to your question, Players dive for exact same reason as every other code. To get a free kick they don't deserve.