I have to admit that I was bemused by the confusion in marking contests recently.I have not been able to work out why after a hundred years or more they have decided to change the rules.
As I said I was bemused,now I am totally bemused, befuddled,confused even after watching Geishan last night try to explain the new ruling.He made it clear as mud.
Then to add to the confusion he says Razor Ray(Chambo)Chamberlain,was incorrect in his decision on Scott Thompson.Razor adhered all the right rule,but was told he got it wrong!!!
What an absolute joke it is.
a/man I think the easiest way to explain it is you are allowed to use your hands, forearm, hips etc… to “hold your ground”, but once you extend the arms it is deemed a push. There has to be contact otherwise a player can back into a player and force him out of the marking contest so the player at the back has to be able to hold his ground, but conversely the player in front has to be able to back back without being pushed in the back.
It is probably the hardest rule to interpret and the most controversial because these types of marking contests usually take place close to goal. Don’t get me started on Razor Ray, I could have ripped that blokes head off in the Richmond game.
If the umpire in question is wrong I certainly hope that he gets dropped due to his poor performance.
Whilst I am by no means a strong defender of the umpires it is time to get rid of 80-90% of the rule changes that have been made in the last 10 or so years. How about going back to:
(i) can’t tackle the player without the ball;
(ii) if the player has the ball is tackled he must dispose of the ball by hand or foot correctly and in a timely manner (i.e. before you do a 360);
(iii) you can’t push a player in the back under any circumstances;
(iv) don’t award 50 metre penalty when it is patently obvious that the ‘offending’ player has had no influence on the player with the mark or free kick.
Also, get the umpires to:
(i) stop commentating;
(ii) stop preening themselves prior to a bounsedown or throm up;
(iii) position themselves such that they can see all players without adopting the ‘clown sideshow alley’ action.
Johnno absolutely no explanation could make it clear to me.It is a total schmozzle.
with the rule and the way they want it used it will take all body contact out of the game.The game has thrived on body contact ever since JC was a boy.Bartlett and Co are killing the game.
It was interesting to listen to Glenn Archer saying he turn the tele off because the game is being slaughtered and is not the game he used to play.
When will the AFL and the rules committee just leave the game alone and let the players play.
After watching the games on the weekend the waters have become even more mudied
It seems that the umpires have forgotten about what they have been doing in previous weeks.
gone were the stupid frees for using your body.Gone were the silly frees for using your rear end to hold your ground.
Must make the game even clearer now for the players.I wonder what style the umps will bring this week. Geesh must have listened to the masses.