Willie Rioli - Sling Tackle

Oct 3, 2007
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I think the issue here is the tackle motion. I have never understood why players, after having laid a good tackle, need to sling the player to the ground in a second motion. The idea of the tackle is to render your opponent incapable of disposing of the football, there is no necessity to throw him to the ground.

Unfortunately for Rioli, there was a second motion, it was a sling tackle and he must be found guilty. Whether it deserves matches or not is debatable.

It is happening because the umpires are not making a decision. The player is tackled, can't dispose of the ball so he is either holding it or its a ball up. The umps are waiting and waiting for the player to get the ball moving so the tackler is feeling like he needs to do more and hence starts slinging the guy to the ground. If the ump had of just said he will ball it up straight away in the Rioli case nothing would of occurred.
 
I think the issue here is the tackle motion. I have never understood why players, after having laid a good tackle, need to sling the player to the ground in a second motion. The idea of the tackle is to render your opponent incapable of disposing of the football, there is no necessity to throw him to the ground.

Unfortunately for Rioli, there was a second motion, it was a sling tackle and he must be found guilty. Whether it deserves matches or not is debatable.

If the umpires blow the whistle earlier rather than trying to force a clearance by letting the play go then you will see far less secondary motions from the player tackling.
 
Do you grant that at least one arm was pinned? Rioli had a firm grip on his right wrist.
Yep but he came down on the left and was trying to hold onto the ball so it didn't spill out in the tackle.
Made no effort to protect himself, was worried about the ball not himself

I think the issue here is the tackle motion. I have never understood why players, after having laid a good tackle, need to sling the player to the ground in a second motion. The idea of the tackle is to render your opponent incapable of disposing of the football, there is no necessity to throw him to the ground.

Unfortunately for Rioli, there was a second motion, it was a sling tackle and he must be found guilty. Whether it deserves matches or not is debatable.
Because they aren't consistent on anything, but the closest seems to be get the player to the ground if you want the tackle to count
 

HTPunter

Brownlow Medallist
Sep 27, 2014
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Was always going to be the result.

Don't love it. But it was never going to be anything less than the careless/medium/high grading.

It's what you get for an intentional, late strike after the ball has left the area...(ala Grimes, Cousins).
 

Numero Uno

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Mar 28, 2019
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No great surprise..Eagle players have a 100% strike rate with the MRP

compare this to Vic players at Vic clubs
 
No great surprise, we'll take the week.

Willie should have just elbowed the guy in the face.
He'd still go, you have to be up there in the brownlow getting and a media darling to avoid it.
Or do it the same day as one of the above does the same.
 
No great surprise..Eagle players have a 100% strike rate with the MRP

compare this to Vic players at Vic clubs
Chrstian is a ******* muppet there is no doubt.
 
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Jul 26, 2007
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Had one arm free but didnt use it.

He was taller and bigger than Willie but physics is physics. Tackles like that happen muktiple times in a game and its play on. Someone falls the wrong way and the MRP pull the trigger.

Watching the State of Origin and if we applied AFL rules there would be a free every second play and every second tackle laid.

The AFL has totally over corrected in these rules.

Stupid suspension but its AFL.
 
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The suspension is consistent with other similar actions on a footy field

My only issue is - where is the duty of care for a footballer to themselves ?

If someone has a hand free - they have a choice - hold onto a footy or brace

If it’s expected for a player to no longer
shepherd / it should be expected for a player to release a ball to protect themselves
 

Coasters7

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Nov 27, 2014
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Do you grant that at least one arm was pinned? Rioli had a firm grip on his right wrist.
That’s a textbook tackle though. Tackler can’t do much more in that situation. Holds on for 5 seconds then realises the ump won’t blow his whistle till the guy is on the ground. It’s a week for sure but where I have issue is he’s only getting that week because he was concussed.. they should all be 1 week minimum regardless of how the guy comes of the field.. and the fact this one is so unanimous in a tackle but an intentional elbow is debated for weeks about why and why not he should have a week off. System is broken..
 
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