(Probably dumb) Question: why do we have the "in the back" rule for tackles?

[quotemokc]

Byron Pickett

 

[cryptor]

Just like the 'contact below the knees' rule, it is something that was brought in with the good intention to rub out a dangerous action. That dangerous action being the sliding in at speed that broke Gary Rohan's leg and that Adam Goodes became notorious for later in his career. Instead it's paid for pretty much any trivial contact made to the shin of a standing player by a player on the ground.

The 'in the back' rule should only be paid for instances where the tackled player is already on the ground and an opposition player essentially jumps onto the floored player with force. Also for when a tackle is being made and the tackler drives the tackled player into the ground and makes no effort to avoid having all their weight go onto the tackled player. In other words: Where the action is clearly reckless and could reasonably lead to injury.

Instead they're paying it for trivial contact like when a tackled player is brought to ground slowly, usually brought down onto their knees by the weight of the tackle and then momentum carries them forward and the tackler lightly falls into the back of the tackled player. It's paid when the tackler makes an obvious attempt to try and role off the side rather than just fall completely into the player. It's even paid when it simply looks like the player might have landed into them when really they've done a good job avoiding it by bracing their body by landing on their arms/elbows. I also bet there's some clever players gaming the rule by intentionally trying to force the tackler forward onto their own back as they go to ground.

It's a contact sport. Just let them play the damn game. Pay those frees only when it's genuinely dangerous.

 

[Winky]

Tackling is a skill just as much as marking and kicking. As such, a player needs to get the technique right. If a tackle forces a player forwards but is not paid, the game will just descend into non stop ram raiding where a team will recruit a couple of big units to just run around and knock players over like skittles. Definitely not a place you want the game to go.

In relation to players dropping the knees, that was addressed this year in relation to high tackles and if the umpire believes that a player dropped their body to turn a fair tackle into a high tackle, the free should not be paid - bit like ducking.

Players who obviously dive forwards or thrive on theatrics don't get free kicks for in the back either.

Yeah they do. There are many AFL players who just drop down when they are tackled and mostly that is paid as in the back as the tackler is dragged down by the momentum.