Rule Change- Rucks....

[smooth mover]

So with the AFL's latest rule change regarding the Rucks stating that "they are not allowed to make contact with each other at around the ground ball up's or more importantly throw in's"? If this is the case I think it will benefit a few teams big time, the like's of ourselves, west coast, freo (Clarke not Sandi), etc! Teams that have more athletic ruckmen will benefit as strength in a ruck contest will be useless if you can not make contact with an opposing ruckmen! I think at around the ground ball ups it will suit the athletic ruckmen more who can use the space to jump over their opponents, the only way I think the bigger bodied ruckmen will benefit is by getting front position at the throw ins meaning the weaker ruckmen wont be able to try & push him out of the way but this tactic can be beaten by the likes of Ryder & Nic Nat who have the ability to jump & reach over the top without touching the opposition?

So as I said could this rule change actually suit us more than most other teams??

Peoples thoughts?

Ps I didn't look if there was already a games rules thread so feel free to merge it if need be! Cheers

 

[Phone]

that's all well and good, but in the eyes of many on here, ryder is actually our full forward

 

[Bunk Moreland]

That’s a massive rule change. So it basically makes every ruck contest like a centre bounce??

Think TBC and Ryder will be ok.

This will hugely impact some rucks though. Mumford? Jolly might as well retire.

I think it’ll dramatically shorten ruckmen’s careers too. Once they lose their spring they’ll be useless.

 

[smooth mover]

that's all well and good, but in the eyes of many on here, ryder is actually our full forward

Yeah I know it wont suit some peoples thoughts on here but with this new rule change it could very well change how Hird & Co think of using ryder? This could also help hille with his decision on whether to play on or not??

That’s a massive rule change. So it basically makes every ruck contest like a centre bounce??

Think TBC and Ryder will be ok.

This will hugely impact some rucks though. Mumford? Jolly might as well retire.

I think it’ll dramatically shorten ruckmen’s careers too. Once they lose their spring they’ll be useless.

My thoughts exactly! Those rucks with big upper body strength as a key to their game are guna struggle in my opinion?

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

I call it the "Let's make Nic Nat AA again" rule.

 

[Zach Package]

jolly is absolutely farked. He has one move.
fake an early jump and then semi tunnel the other bloke out of the way.

Guys like ryder, clarke and nic nat will dominate (sandi as well).
Bellcho should be alright as well, he's actually pretty crafty with his tap work and long arms and reach should help a bit as well.

For what it's worth I think the rule won't last. It's basically whoever gets there first wins. It'll be a horrible spectacle to see 2 blokes competing for the ball and then have one guy give up because he knows he's either gonna be beaten or give away a free.

 

[BrunoV]

I didn't like that they had to change the rules at centre bounces but appreciated that there was a real problem with PCL injuries among ruckmen. This is an obscene rule change that is going to impact on certain types of players because the AFL is obsessed with manipulating the AFL product.

If they were after consistent decisions they could just instruct the umpires not to bother with free kicks because both players infringe and there is no risk of injuries.

 

[monty1104]

The way I understand it is they can make contact as part of the contest, but not before the ball is thrown up/thrown in. "No contact will be permitted until the ball has left the umpire's hand" There is still scope there for bigger bodied ruckmen to engage in wrestling.

 

[bombermick]

Ryder will do very well out of this, but so will Belly - who has a good leap.

If he hasn't already, Hille will retire on the back of this rule.

 

[DapperDon]

Yeah, pretty much put the nail in Hille's coffin.

 

[Pweter]

Oh yay, another rule change.

I want to see this in action before I pass comment

• Do the rucks have to come from opposite directions?
• What consitutes realistically going at the ball vs blocking your opponent? Big bodied ruckmen will rely on positioning, if they can't do this they might as well retire
• What happens if neither ruck jumps and both rucks start grappling?
• Will a well timed bump be acceptable to make your opponent lose balance?
• etc
• etc

It can potentially be a good thing but I will certainly reserve judgement.

Also what happened to trialing rules in the preseason comp? If this rule falls flat on it's face are we stuck with it for the season?

 

[Phone]

it was used in last season's nab cup

 

[Oh Tayteridge]

**** me, just leave the ****ing game alone Demetriou you fat wog

 

[Jade]

Ryder and NicNat are the two obvious beneficiaries of this rule......

 

[Zach Package]

**** me, just leave the ******* game alone Demetriou you fat wog

on behalf of fat wogs everywhere I'd like to apologize for all past and future 'stuffing up the game' moments of the demitriou administration

 

[eth-dog]

Ryder will dominate. As will NicNat. My money is that the AA ruck combination will be between them and Sandi

 

[Squeaky]

What a load of shit!
Can't go one season without ****ing around with the game!

 

[Keystone agony]

Geez its gonna be hard for ruckmen as it will be so natural to body up. But as soon as the ball is thrown in the air they can body up is that correct?

A rule like this certainly benefits guys like Ryder, NN (on him for the brownlow as we speak ha). TBC should be alright aswell.

 

[smooth mover]

The way I understand it is they can make contact as part of the contest, but not before the ball is thrown up/thrown in. "No contact will be permitted until the ball has left the umpire's hand" There is still scope there for bigger bodied ruckmen to engage in wrestling.

Yes that is correct that they can body up after the ball has left the umpires hand but remembering the umpires have also been instructed to throw it up around the ground now & not to bounce it so the time the ball is in the air is even less so for a ruck to try & time his body contact after the ball has left the umpires hand then have him self in a good enough position to get an accurate tap is cutting it fine! If ruckmen take this approach I can only see them doing the old 'hit & hope' which will only last so long with their coach before he does a clarko & puts a hole in the wall!
I purely think this rule will turn rucking duties in the favour of the more athletic 1's which will also change the mind of recruiters & what they now look for in a ruck!

I'm not sure if the AFL has really thought about how much this rule will have a domino effect on more than just a game situation!! Interesting times ahead for Rucks....

 

[Duckworth]

I thought the rule was no wrestling before the throw in. That means ball in the air do what you like does it not?

 

[Phone]

it should be noted this actually isn't really a rule change. if anything, they're actually following the rule.

2012 rule book:

15.4.5 Prohibited contact and Payment of free kick

A field Umpire shall award a Free Kick against a Player where they are satisfied that the Player has made Prohibited Contact with an opposition Player.

A Player makes Prohibited Contact with an opposition Player if
the Player:
(f) pushes, bumps, holds or blocks an opposition Player who is contesting a bounce or throw by a field Umpire or boundary throw in;

pretty simple then. no wrestling (unless you somehow deem wrestling doesn't involve any of pushing, bumping, holding or blocking). somewhere along the line the interpretation, for better or worse, changed. i think they took a "well they're both doing it, so play on" view. but anyway, they've gone back to the rule as written. whether they're prepared to call a free-kick when both ruckmen are wrestling each other will be the litmus test.

so with that said, they've actually gone as close to 'leaving the game alone' as they ever will. the "if you realise you're not gonna make it to the ball before the other player will be, stay on your feet instead of being a dick and throwing your body at his legs" rule was introduced midway through this season (and when put as I have just then, makes a whole lotta sense), while throwing it up instead of bouncing isn't a big deal. so there's one rule that was introduced part-way through last season and now put in writing, a memo of sorts to actually follow the rule, and a rule change directed straight at the umpires.

unfortunately that's not really good enough. i can't believe they haven't done anything about players dragging or holding the ball under an opponent. i assume that will be trailed yet again in the nab cup, but i really don't get why they're waiting. i dunno know, maybe they hope by busting congestion they won't need it. and i think they could have introduced another couple things directed at umpires like the throw up rule (ensuring the 'right' player gets the ball from a free kick is the one that comes to mind. it makes sense in the forward line, but on the half-back flake, just get the game moving again, instead of 30 seconds of mass confusion as they try to get the awareness of the guy who has now bolted onto the wing.)

 

[Phone]

it should also be noted that, unless my memory is tricking me, paddy ryder has never really been one for wrestling anyway. not at throw ins anyway. my memory of the typical paddy ryder ruck contest from a throw in is that he starts a fair way behind the other ruckman and tries to make sure no wrestling takes place at all. so this won't affect him much at all really.

 

[Phone]

also really, i don't think too much wrestling takes place before the ball leaves the umpire's hand anyway. not at throw in's, anyway. really don't think too much will change.

 

[Synth]

Good ruck technique will prosper. All for it.

Also this should end the complete random ruck free kick calls we seem to get every week.

 

[Darealrath]

Going to be fun watching the umpires trying to adjudicate who initiated contact.

Don't like it. Stoppages add to the rhythm of the game but the AFL fail to appreciate this.