Saving the Australian rules football game?

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Gizza

Premiership Player
Apr 29, 2008
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instead of canning a rule, they introduce 20 to fix the problem they caused
This is one of the biggest issues I think. They never back track on rules. But they never really think about the domino effect that rules will have. So from one rule we end up with 5 or 6 just to solve problem which introduced by previous rules in the first place.

We need to go and scrap every single rule made in the last 10 years. Then take a step back and really look at was has worked and what hasn't.
 

Sprout

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Just posted this on the Dogs board.

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Free kick against Clay Smith for forceful contact below the knees.
That seriously better have been an umpiring mistake. Horrible call.

The day when putting your head over the footy is punished is the day that the game dies for me.
 

Gizza

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And as for the rules committee, KB had a go at Brad Scot saying that the coaches were responsible for the rolling scrums and 36 men around the ball. Err, bullshit KB, that's the AFL and the rules committee changing the interpretation of holding the ball and incorrect disposal so that there are less stoppages (which the AFL has said they don't like) and the umpires just keep letting play go on until the ball spills out of a pack, and people just drop it. So every man on the ground runs in to help out his team, and the umpires just let play go on with the ball not moving and suddenly there are 30 people trying to get to the footy.

That is the AFL's fault, NOT the coaches.

The holding the ball rule has become so ridiculously butchered over the last few years. It has somehow morphed into a rule that penalises guys going for the ball and getting to it first but letting guys who drop the ball in a tackle get off with nothing. It's like the rule is the complete opposite of what it was 10 years ago, and it's make the game uglier.
 

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Dr Awkward

Norm Smith Medallist
Mar 23, 2009
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The rules have been farcical for the last 2 or 3 years.

The forceful contact below the knees rule is the worst one I've ever seen brought in.

One of the big problems is that when they bring the rules in - even if they are clearly shocking, they still keep them. They never reverse it back to the way it was. I still can't stand hands in the back, and the holding the ball thing I have no idea what the rule is and neither does anybody else.
 
Oct 9, 2006
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Actually it's the other way around. the pressure is really on umpires so when they see an infraction they pay it, because they can and they get evaluated for making "right" decisions. Because of this umpires can show leniency or even "common sense" as some people want.

The problem is that umpires get accessed on the number of right decisions.
Where as, I think the public would like (if they could express themselves correctly) that umpires scores include a degree of difficulty. i.e. the focus should be on getting the grey area decisions right.

.
Totally wrong.There should be no grey areas at all. Umpires scores???? you've lost me mate. Don't know what your talking about. The game is not about umpires its about players and the game and having rules interpreted simply and correctly . Not having a situation where a fellow sees something and its his idea of what happened rather than what he sees as an infringement because he cannot be totally sure.
That happens. It never used to.
Its because the game is too fast and the AFL in its wisdom has created this greyness in the rules so the game can keep its massive pace and still be adjudicated but on a whim in the brain of one person. If you push someone in the back its a push in the back. If thats clear its easy to umpire
but there are degrees of pushing and body work its just ridiculous.Dim and his rules boys do it all because they think its good for TV and that is all that counts to these so called elites of the game. AND MONEY.

We definately need a huge change in how the sport is run, and played , call me what you like but others have spoken about this other than me. And its true that we don't see big man on man contests any more.
But it is probably too late the game has been hijacked by promoters and money and TV , to be honest I don't really know why , because our game has always been brilliant , so why rule changes every year , except for the head high stuff, its not needed.
Explain a simple thing to me, Why would Bartlett and Mathews or whoever in the rules committee would turn the punching of an opponents arm in a contest, when there is no other way to stop him, especially if your shorter. What would be the purpose of this rule change. Maybe to create more oppertunity for full forwards to get lots of free shots on goal and produce TV bred forward heroes, why is the back man given that terrible disadvantage when his whole endevour is to stop the forward marking, You tell me why thats a good rule.
In fact that rule when I have watched games almost leaves the backman with maybe the only choice of standing back and watching the forward mark.
OK I know what the answer will be , "he should be in front or he should be able to keep up with the forward, he should be able to judge what the kicker running down the ground is going to do before he does iot , so he can be in frontt or in a legal spoiling position" GIVE ME A BREAK.
How many other different advantages and disadvantages have been handed to and away from different aspects of Aussie football. And that full back V full forward scenario is only one?
So why change that rule , why ? I am very curious for any one to tell me why that or any other except for head tackles any rule needs changing. Rule changes brought about rolling scrums . Because coaches work out ways of beating or twisting the rules.

Karl Langdon is right, slow down the game by getting rid of this bulldust supersonic speedway interchange
the whole thing is frazzled. Soon a player will be lucky to have 4 years in a carreer, any wonder people are on helpers to keep abnormally supremely fit.
That is the problem we have let sneak into our very special unique sport, and we'd better slow it down now.
 
Oct 9, 2006
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"It was difficult to express the happy medium in a rule, but umpires were instructed verbally as to what the league required, yet in several instances on Saturday there was the old tendency on the part of umpires to confuse accident with intention, and to look for instead of to overlook trivial breaches of rule. "
If thats about 100 years ago, then realise that the game is a million times faster now. All human error is normal. When human error is bandaided by nonsensical rules, then any decision can be argued as " it was the right decision" as Mr Gieshan does every week when someone asks him in an interview.
Umps make mistakes, but now they can make them and not even know, because of that old colour grey. Thats just a fact.
 

cos789

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If idiots didn't try to pick it up and just kicked it off the ground we wouldn't see so many all in, ball held up, stop the game, have a bounce, wrap it up, bounce again.

I admire the way Adam goodes uses the deft little soccer kick to bring the ball up on the hop to his advantage. You'd think a few more Irish recruits would use this skill.

the afl could go further and use a round ball - far more predictable and easier to kick on and away, less .

I know you're having a shot, but it's good to remember that Australian Football is the only football that uses a ball specifically designed for accurate kicking over long distances and we have the IR experience to demonstrate what the introduction of a round ball would do.
 

cos789

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Karl Langdon is right, slow down the game by getting rid of this bulldust supersonic speedway interchange
the whole thing is frazzled.

That's what the AFL attempted to do isn't it.
The AFL reduced the number of interchange players but coaches continued to flog their players.
Reduce the number of interchanges and coaches will just flog their players harder.
 

cos789

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Totally wrong.There should be no grey areas at all.

Face facts. Everybody knows there are grey areas.
Laws need to be framed to make decisions as easy as possible.
As I stated before the premise use by umpires was simply "was the player going for the ball" and did the player " make every attempt possible" to dispose of the ball when tackled.



Umpires scores???? you've lost me mate..

FFS. You shouldn't be posting here if you don't understand the mechanics of umpiring.
Did you think umpires wheren't scored???

The game is not about umpires its about players and the game and having rules interpreted simply and correctly .

And that's why I suggest and most thinking people agree that the focus has to be on getting the grey area decisions right.
.
 

cos789

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We definately need a huge change in how the sport is run, and played

We don't need any such thing.
People love to whinge and magnify the negatives way out of proportion.

And its true that we don't see big man on man contests any more.

That's due to coaching tactics and has nothing to do with the AFL.
 
Explain a simple thing to me, Why would Bartlett and Mathews or whoever in the rules committee would turn the punching of an opponents arm in a contest, when there is no other way to stop him, especially if your shorter. What would be the purpose of this rule change. Maybe to create more oppertunity for full forwards to get lots of free shots on goal and produce TV bred forward heroes, why is the back man given that terrible disadvantage when his whole endevour is to stop the forward marking, You tell me why thats a good rule.
In fact that rule when I have watched games almost leaves the backman with maybe the only choice of standing back and watching the forward mark.
OK I know what the answer will be , "he should be in front or he should be able to keep up with the forward, he should be able to judge what the kicker running down the ground is going to do before he does iot , so he can be in frontt or in a legal spoiling position" GIVE ME A BREAK.
How many other different advantages and disadvantages have been handed to and away from different aspects of Aussie football. And that full back V full forward scenario is only one?

From what I can decipher from this, are you suggesting that marking the ball is easier than than punching it away? Or that the advantage a team gains from having a midfielder who can put the ball in an advantageous position for the forward to mark should have this exquisite skill negated by the backman being able to ignore the ball and simply knock the forwards arms away?
 
Mar 20, 2002
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Yeah.

Stop looking at the past with rose-coloured glasses, review some of the actual footy games from the past and stop whinging and accept the glorious footy we have today.

Glorious footy we have today ??

You obviously don't know what you have been missing out on and it will be near impossible to explain it to you too.
 

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Mar 20, 2002
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ybe to create more oppertunity for full forwards to get lots of free shots on goal and produce TV bred forward heroes, why is the back man given that terrible disadvantage when his whole endevour is to stop the forward marking, You tell me why thats a good rule.
In fact that rule when I have watched games almost leaves the backman with maybe the only choice of standing back and watching the forward mark.

The reasoning is quite simple .....

More goals = more ad time

More ad time = more ads

More ads = more $$

This is the problem when big money comes into play in any sport.

It's also disgusting that the umpires have to actually wait now till the ads have finished before they will restart play after a goal.
 
The reasoning is quite simple .....

More goals = more ad time

More ad time = more ads

More ads = more $$

This is the problem when big money comes into play in any sport.

It's also disgusting that the umpires have to actually wait now till the ads have finished before they will restart play after a goal.

Are there really that many more goals per game than there was previously?
 

Covertackle

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Jan 26, 2012
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youve only got to look at NRL to see how rule changes ruin a game.

1st, they changed from the slippery leather steeden ball, to a synthetic ball with ripples to aid in ball handling; RESULT. RL could have had a ball product like sherrin to market its game. a leather 'steeden' could have been every kids dream. who wants a synthetic footy? also, now anyone should be able to catch a ball. most of the skill is taken out. even in wet weather, no excuses for dropping the ball. no reward for the skillful.

2nd. no striking for the ball in the 'play the ball'. RESULT; once every play the ball was a ruck. it was an opportunity for a skillful player to strike for the ball after every tackle. now no one can strike and the brain dead can play the ball without fear of losing it. no reward for the skillful.

3rd. scrums are now no contest. the halfback puts the ball in the second row. RESULT; men who were once treasured ball winners now are out of a job to some huge cloned thug who puts his head in a scrum and doesnt know why. nor do i...no reward for the skillful.

4th. interchange has resulted in huge gorilla clones running for 20 minutes before a break is taken. there is no attrition. there is no room for the athlete. it is roid munching, low IQ, gorilla clones at ten paces. RESULT; smaller players are targeted in attack and defence. robotic, dumb, huge roid munching dummys have taken over the game. no reward for the skillful.

NRL has lost it soul. it is a zombie without heart. it will die.
 

Lyyynnnchy

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Oct 10, 2007
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If idiots didn't try to pick it up and just kicked it off the ground we wouldn't see so many all in, ball held up, stop the game, have a bounce, wrap it up, bounce again. It's a start but the afl could go further and use a round ball - far more predictable and easier to kick on and away, less scrambled air shots that result in some idiot then trying to pick up the ball, get tackled, ball held up, stop the game, have a bounce...
Of course! Just ban use of hands! So. Obvious.
Round ball. No handball. It's a start.

I really hope this is a sarcastic post. Why dont we just join the a-league
 

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