Rocket's Rule Concern

[BulldogBelle]

With a few new rules coming into place as set out by the AFL for season 2007. Rodney Eade has given his views about it in the article below.

*****

Rocket's rule concern
6:48:33 PM Mon 22 January, 2007
Rob O'Gorman
Sportal for afl.com.au
Rodney Eade has expressed his concern over the AFL's new rule interpretations for season 2007.

The Bulldogs coach singled out the new stricter interpretation of the push in the back rule ? where players will be penalised anytime they place their hands in an opponent's back in a marking contest ? as one which will be sure to create much debate.

"I think the TV commentators will have a field day, it will give them something to talk about for quite a bit of time I would think," Eade told the media on Monday.

"I think it's going to make it harder for umpires to be honest. I think the rule was brought in to make it easier but it will make it grey so I think there'll be a lot of debate and a lot of arguing."

With the Bulldogs claiming 13 victories and a victory in week one of the finals over Collingwood in 2006, the coach says the club would accept nothing less than a return to finals action this season.

"You don't want to go backwards certainly, so we're looking to improve which only time will tell (if we have)," Eade said.

"It's a pretty tough competition, there's certainly going to be a lot of teams that are going to improve and get better so we've certainly got to get better as well but the expectation is that we at least would make the finals."

"We like to think what we've developed over the last few years, we think the guys now that have played less than 10 games will be the ones to step up ? (Shaun) Higgins, (Damian) McCormack, (Dylan) Addison, these sorts of players."

*****

What are your views on the new stricter push in the back rule?

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I agree with Rocket.

The rule will only cause more controversary, not that it needed any more.

If going by other rules made in the past few years is anything, then they'll be very strict in the first half of the season with the hands in the back but become far more lenient by the seasons end.

In any case I think it's a poor rule. There will always be trouble interpreting when a free kick should and shouldn't be given, but doing this will only increase it rather than decrease.

Like a lot of other things, the AFL should have left it the way it was. We're quickly turning this game into Basketball.

[The Big V]

I totally agree. It will also be easier for players to use the rule to their advantage in receiving a free kick. For instance when two players are involved in a marking contest and the man in front is leaning into the player behind. It is going to be hard for the player behind to gain control of the contest (or balance) without putting his hand(s) on his back.

The Footy Show will have a field day with this one. I predict it will be a talking point for many a Thursday night.

[MsBulldog]

As Bulldogs Bite said the umpires will clamp down on it early in the season, as instructed, but will slacken off as the season wears on. We seem to go through this tinkering process each year. Is the point of this interpretation tightening to encourage more set shots on goal? I can see some forwards having a field day with this one. Diving for free kicks is very annoying to watch.

[bornadog]

The stupid thing is that in a marking contest you can't touch the player in front of you ie in the back, but when a player is laying on the bottom of a pack, other players can sit on their back hold the jumper up and call for holding the ball. In most cases the player on the bottom has no chance to get rid of the ball.

WHY DOESN'T THE AFL LEAVE THE RULES ALONE