Shepherding on the goalline...

[tallngoofy]

So with all the talk regarding the late shepherd on Maynard, I thought it would be an ideal time to ask about shepherding a player who's trying to contest a ball eligible for a mark on the goal line.

It's something that's done multiple times every round of the season, and it's never questioned: when the ball is touch and go to make the goal line, players shepherd their opponents to let it go through. Look at this example from the 2018 Grand Final to allow Collingwood's second goal to Stephenson. Incident at 0.14second mark.

As i understand it, in a marking in contest, the 5m shepherding rule does NOT apply. Quite simply, you cannot take a player out of a marking contest by pushing, grabbing, or intentionally blocking. Is the goal line situation subject to a different set of rules to any other point on the ground? The Stephenson ball can be marked, therefore the shepherding rule should apply, no?

 

[WCE fan22]

So with all the talk regarding the late shepherd on Maynard, I thought it would be an ideal time to ask about shepherding a player who's trying to contest a ball eligible for a mark on the goal line.

It's something that's done multiple times every round of the season, and it's never questioned: when the ball is touch and go to make the goal line, players shepherd their opponents to let it go through. Look at this example from the 2018 Grand Final to allow Collingwood's second goal to Stephenson. Incident at 0.14second mark.

As i understand it, in a marking in contest, the 5m shepherding rule does NOT apply. Quite simply, you cannot take a player out of a marking contest by pushing, grabbing, or intentionally blocking. Is the goal line situation subject to a different set of rules to any other point on the ground? The Stephenson ball can be marked, therefore the shepherding rule should apply, no?

Your damn right it should have been gov got way blocked out i was going off at that

 

[Tony Harrison]

Jack Riewoldt got done for it. Haven't seen it happen to anyone else though.

 

[Agent93]

Mentioned the same to a former AFL boundary umpire on the weekend, in light of the free kick paid against Varcoe moments earlier. He couldn't tell me why the situations were any different.

 

[Le Class]

Same as kicking in danger, the rulebook seems to go out the window in the goalsquare

 

[Tony Harrison]

Same as kicking in danger, the rulebook seems to go out the window in the goalsquare

Kicking in danger has gone out the window in most instances, not just the goal square.

 

[kickazz]

Kent Kingsley used to often get pinged for this.

 

[radiojake]

with sheperding on the goal line I would have thought it's the difference between a player standing their ground, or whether they are on the move when they impact the player trying to touch it

but like a lot of rules in Australian Football, it can be hard for umps to adjudicate

 

[winty]

Kent Kingsley used to often get pinged for this.

Remember him getting pinged for one against Port circa 2004 when the ball went through half post high and neither player would've got anywhere near it, impeded or not.

 

[falcons2]

An interesting point. I think its just one of the things that is 'how the game is played' rather than an actual rule. When frees have been given there was probably further contact, pulling the jumper, high contact etc.

 

[2Knights]

OP is correct according to the letter and the spirit of the laws. That these infringements are ignored I put down to moral cowardice from the umpires - they are afraid of overturning a goal with a free kick.

 

[kranky al]

Can you brad sheppard on the goal line?