Taking the ball out of the ruck - What gives?

[JamesCroft89]

Originally, you were allowed to grab the ball out of the ruck, but if you got tackled, it was always holding the ball, regardless of prior opportunity.

Then they banned grabbing the ball out of the ruck for a few years.

Then they brought it back, and if you get tackled, its not holding the ball. Even if you have prior opportunity, its still not holding the ball.

If they're trying to make the game faster and less congested, can someone explain this stupidity to me?

 

[BarneyBent]

The one inside 50, I thought Hickey got a stifled hand pass away as he was tackled, ball ended pressed up against his chest, which is why the umpire was alright with it.

The one where he took about 5 steps, yep, should have been HTB. Seems like an over-correction.

 

[IluvHarvey]

because they wanted a new way to fu** Essendon

Oh please

 

[sobrave]

Matty primus would dominate with this current interpretation

 

[FISTO]

Apparently you can now hold the ball for as long as you want if you take it out of the ruck

 

[master bate]

Umpire made a mistake. For me anything more than 2 steps is always prior and Hickey had 3. But in fairness to the umpire it's hard to judge when exactly Hickey has possession and how much prior he should be given to land and really have possession. It's not quite the same as a midfield having the ball tapped right to his chest.

The rule is grey now when it used to be black and white. So now we get the potential for mistakes.

Should never have been a throw in. Was a clear deliberate kick from Cunningham.

 

[master bate]

also while we are at it deliberate out bounds 3 to Sydney including two spoils

There was a Francis spoil clean out of bounds ahead of Buddy that looked dodgy until you saw the replay and the ball had bounced about 10m prior. It's deliberate if it isn't a marking contest!

 

[11kgm]

There was a Francis spoil clean out of bounds ahead of Buddy that looked dodgy until you saw the replay and the ball had bounced about 10m prior. It's deliberate if it isn't a marking contest!

we had another fly out from a spoil deliebrete

 

[MF]

Yeah that Hickey one late should have been a free to Essendon. Clearly had prior when he was tackled. Funny that Hooker didn't know the rule at the other end though

 

[citizen-erased]

Yeah that Hickey one late should have been a free to Essendon. Clearly had prior when he was tackled. Funny that Hooker didn't know the rule at the other end though

i think that was Hooker trying to con the ump.

 

[The Passenger]

The rule change has made it so it's no different taking the ball out of the ruck in comparison to taking possession of a loose ball.

They just made the wrong call with that Hickey one. He took 5-6 steps (ish?)... Do that with a loose ball and its HTB. Should have been the same here.

 

[JamesCroft89]

It was umpired correctly. Luke Darcy doesn’t know the ruck rules.

Wrong.

 

[sprockets]

because they wanted a new way to fu** Essendon

AFL are doing Whatever It Takes you reckon?

 

[Rob]

Yeah it baffled me why they changed it. They're always telling us umpiring is hard, so why change a rule that made umpiring a lot easier? You take it out of the ruck, that's prior. No interpretation required.

 

[Purple Suit]

Yeah it baffled me why they changed it. They're always telling us umpiring is hard, so why change a rule that made umpiring a lot easier? You take it out of the ruck, that's prior. No interpretation required.

Sandi retired.

 

[Ron The Bear]

Hickey had ample time to dispose of the ball prior to being tackled, but the AFL has ticked it off. Two wrongs for the price of one.

 

[Jack5]

This rule changed at the start of the 2018 season largely as a response to some teams playing a smaller player in the ruck, effectively conceding possession out the ruck in exchange for having a more mobile midfielder at the stoppage to either apply immediate pressure on the ruckman who grabbed the ball and would be pinged for HTB or just be a more mobile midfielder than a normal sized ruck and provide an advantage at the stoppage. It was deemed as detracting from the ruck contest element of the game.

It has been referred to as the Grigg rule by some in the media.