Shruggers beware

[jonbe54]

Discussion on the law/s governing high tackles considers the effect of shrugging and dropping

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/high-tackle-rules-part-of-afl-review-20120829-250x3.html

AFL players who win free kicks for high tackles by lifting their arms or lowering their legs might not next season, under changes being considered.

On the issue of players deliberately trying to earn free kicks for high tackles, highlighted by coaches at times this season, particularly in relation to West Coast players, Anderson said the AFL might need to respond to emerging tactics.
Some players burrow into contests head-first, others shrug their arms and lower their legs so tackles slip higher, while others forcefully lift opponents' arms with "upper cuts".
"What they're doing this year is if a guy shrugs and the tackle starts low and finishes high, they're paying a free kick," Anderson said.
"I think that's pretty clear.
"The question is 'Should they?'"

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/high-tackle-rules-part-of-afl-review-20120829-250x3.html

Also a discussion on players diving into opponents shins, interesting times.

 

[Bay Pie]

Happy ****ing days. Joel Selwood has reduced the number of times he does this but Shuey is the new king and Scott Selwood is not far behind.

If the tackled player contributes to his own high contact, it should be play on.

 

[Quicky]

It swings full circle. This is the sort of thing that umpires once considered when making a decision but were blocked from doing as a result of rule changes. All this does is introduce more provision for umpires to make judgement calls. Which to me is a good thing. Our game and its interpretation is grey, not black and white. Circumstance matters. The master umpires will be the ones that can make the right call in the spirit of the moment. Hopefully this rule change will help initiate this.

 

[Swooop]

It swings full circle. This is the sort of thing that umpires once considered when making a decision but were blocked from doing as a result of rule changes. All this does is introduce more provision for umpires to make judgement calls. Which to me is a good thing. Our game and its interpretation is grey, not black and white. Circumstance matters. The master umpires will be the ones that can make the right call in the spirit of the moment. Hopefully this rule change will help initiate this.

Yes and no I reckon Quicky.

Absolutely get what you say re circumstance. But, the greyness has been driving people crazy this year due to the variation of interpretation from one ump to the other, one game and one week to the next, the effects of crowd noise on the umps' interpretation - inconsistencies have reigned supreme. Even the MRP with a thousand replays are all over the shop, with the rules are so grey.

Every few seconds, there's a 50-50 interpretation in our games now, I'm starting to crave just black and white rulings, but alas I just don't think that's the nature of our game.

Maybe I need to get passionate about lawn bowls or tennis!

Reckon the umps need to be employed full time, so they can all sit down and go to school on all the interpretations. The game is so big, it deserves that, as the umpiring has been terribly inconsistent and is a clear weak link in our game.

But I do very much like the intent of this possible new interpretation.

 

[jonbe54]

The current interpretation has been exploited by the smarties so its time to shift the deck chairs again, the last little bit about looking into players diving into other players shins is something that IMHO is desperately needed. Someone will get seriously hurt if the umps continue to reward this outrageously reckless behaviour.

 

[morgues]

I think jonbe54 has highlighted one of my biggest fears for players. Who was that Gold Coast player that lurched head first and hit Pendles' leg? The injury suffered was by no means intention, but I would go as far as to say it was reckless. Injury could have been so much worse if the force or size of the player moving head first into legs was increased.

With regard to the head high things and putting heads into chests, etc, is anyone else worried that Daisy has let this creep into his game recently? I have seen a few occasions where he has done this, and I am worried that he has the wrong idea, and may end up hurting himself OR be the boy who cried wolf and lose out on legitimate free kicks.

Full time umpires with a full time support staff is needed.
Surely, with the $1billion that the AFL now has to play with, they can do this.

 

[rose jam]

I have no respect for the way Luke Shuey plays, I hope they burn him and his cheating team mates and Duckwood.

The rule is already there something under "if the player intiates the contact" then it's not paid. They just need to use that.