New rule idea: re gathering own handball

[Muffo]

I have had this idea for ages, and it comes from Leon Davis doing it all the time.

When a player is on a run with he ball and they get tackled, i often see the ball handler simply handball the ball to the ground. Effectively making the tackler either let go of him, or if he holds on still, gain a holding the man free.

If the tackler lets go, the ball handler is free to pic the ball up again, and dispose it, without being tackled.

I recon the rule should be that you cannot gather your own handball. Therefore making players make more of an effort to dispose to a team mate and keep the game going, and also rewards the tackler.

Thoughts....?

 

[blaze036]

Must better to just allow the player to go through with the tackle if its clear they tried to handball to themself. Otherwise u'd have nasty situations where a player is by himself and has to leave it!

 

[Freo Dr]

Must better to just allow the player to go through with the tackle if its clear they tried to handball to themself. Otherwise u'd have nasty situations where a player is by himself and has to leave it!

But how do draw the line between this and handballing off to a teammate. Allowing the tackle to continue for one situation but not the other?

Davis's trick was an extension of what Peter Matera used to do by bouncing the ball just before he was tackled so he was not in possesion and would get a free. Rule was changed to still count as being in possession as a result of that.

For now I would not make further changes unless somehow we see it happening all the time. Makes it simpler for the umpires as well.

 

[agro]

Davis's trick was an extension of what Peter Matera used to do by bouncing the ball just before he was tackled so he was not in possesion and would get a free. Rule was changed to still count as being in possession as a result of that.

You're a bit late with that - it was changed when Kevin Bartlett was doing it over 30 years ago, not Peter Matera.

 

[ChrisFooty]

I would prefer no rule changes for the AFL. It's really not an issue this for most fans.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

just stop paying holding the man (keeping it only for ruck and marking contests) and the problem disappears

 

[cos789]

I recon the rule should be that you cannot gather your own handball.

The law was changed sometime ago that bouncing the ball was not a disposal but in possession. Kicking or handballing the ball to yourself is deemed to be in possession until the ball hits the ground. Also if you have controll of the ball then you are deemed to be possession. I haven't seen too players having been penalised for holding the ball for just having controll of the ball and umpire's are reluctant to pay holding the man when a player has followed the letter of the law and handballed into the ground.

 

[Admiral Byng]

I've never really noticed it, don't see it as a problem.

 

[tzglovehj]

I am a rookie

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[calyam]

I would prefer no rule changes for the AFL. It's really not an issue this for most fans.

I agree.

Is there really an epidemic of players handballing to themselves that I don't know about?