AFL Gone Crazy with talk of Zones - Paul Roos lashes out

[bornadog]

The AFL are the makers of their own demise, all they need to do to get the game flowing and to open it up more is to pay a free kick for incorrect disposal.

If they are worried about slowing the game down with too many free kicks they can just reduce the time the player has to get rid of the ball once the player is back on his mark.

Players get rewarded for the effort they put in for a good tackle and the fans are happy because when they yell ball they can also get reward.

One of the worst elements I saw in the game last week was a group of players standing waiting for someone to get the ball and then dive on him. The one making the play was then penalised for holding the ball. Keep this up and we will have a stop in play with players standing in a circle watching the ball on the ground wait to pounce on who ever is stupid enough to go and get it.

You pretty much hit the nail on the head. I was discussing this at the game last week with a woofer. Players take possession and also wait for the tackle and they just hold it in. This is then repeated over and over.

In the old days, especially on a muddy day, there would be 15 players on the ball. Umpires would pay a free to just break it up and keep the game flowing, now they are reluctant to pay a free.

Tell me, how can Freo only have 4 free kicks in three quarters of football.

[Bulldog Joe]

You pretty much hit the nail on the head. I was discussing this at the game last week with a woofer. Players take possession and also wait for the tackle and they just hold it in. This is then repeated over and over.

In the old days, especially on a muddy day, there would be 15 players on the ball. Umpires would pay a free to just break it up and keep the game flowing, now they are reluctant to pay a free.

Tell me, how can Freo only have 4 free kicks in three quarters of football.

This is the real problem and contributes most to the congestion.

Players standing up take possession, get tackled and just hang on to the ball until the ump calls a ball-up, yet someone makes an effort on the ground has multiple opponents jump on him with no regard to an old in-the-back rule and then gets pinged because he can't do anything.

If we simply had umpires reward good tackles, penalise incorrect disposal and pay in the back when it occurs for the one on the ground, we would soon reduce the congestion and have some flow.

Unfortunately players are happy to play for stoppages as it gives a breather and they are not seen as making an error.

All we need is some constructive umpiring. Reward and protect the ball player but also reward good tackling.

AND anybody leading with their head in ANY situation MUST stop being rewarded. Someone will get seriously hurt.

[bornadog]

AND anybody leading with their head in ANY situation MUST stop being rewarded. Someone will get seriously hurt.

On AFL360 they were discussing the bump and leading with one's head. I suddenly worked out why this has become a big issue, ie the bump to the head. When the rules committe brought the sliding rule in (another knee-jerk reaction to one incident) the effect is players now don't dive on the ball, like a Scotty West would. Players approaching the ball at the same time, keep their feet and if they arrive at the same time its inevitable they will clash heads, or one will turn their body and hit the other in the head. In the past, one player would dive on the ball, so there was no way there was going to be a bump on the head. of course just coming in and bumping to the head has always been a rule.

Just another example of change one rule and effects the game.

[LostDoggy]

Tell me, how can Freo only have 4 free kicks in three quarters of football.

Was quite staggering. But I think the fact we had more numbers around the contest and were first to the ball pretty much all game was a fair reflection of this.

[Mantis]

You three don't like current games because we are losing more than winning, no other reason.

How can you judge what I do and don't like?

We are playing a shocking brand of football which is terrible to watch regardless of the results... It's that bad that I have absolutely no interest in going on Saturday night to game which we will probably win.

[bornadog]

How can you judge what I do and don't like?

We are playing a shocking brand of football which is terrible to watch regardless of the results... It's that bad that I have absolutely no interest in going on Saturday night to game which we will probably win.

Fine, but will changing rules help you enjoy the game?

[Greystache]

You three don't like current games because we are losing more than winning, no other reason.

I used to watch a lot of neutral games where I didn't care who won, now I don't watch any, is that because we're losing?

I haven't been to an Essendon game with the in-laws this season, whereas I would go to 10+ in previous years.

[Mantis]

Fine, but will changing rules help you enjoy the game?

If the rule change/s stops teams having all players in one half of the ground (for extended periods) or a scrum of 26 around a contest then I would say yes.

[bornadog]

If the rule change/s stops teams having all players in one half of the ground (for extended periods) or a scrum of 26 around a contest then I would say yes.

But it won't work as the coaches will come up with something else. Its the nature of our game. This is not basketball or soccer.

[bornadog]

I used to watch a lot of neutral games where I didn't care who won, now I don't watch any, is that because we're losing?

I haven't been to an Essendon game with the in-laws this season, whereas I would go to 10+ in previous years.

We play crap football, because we are crap. Go watch Port and see how exciting they are.

When we were playing free flowing football, kicking lots of goals, many posters said this can't win a final. Now we have gone the other way and posters don't like it.

[chef]

Rule changes won't make the game look like the 80's.

Not sure what it's got to do with the 80's, I just want to watch something that resembles footy.

[bornadog]

Not sure what it's got to do with the 80's, I just want to watch something that resembles footy.

Rules committee all made up of players from 80's and think that is what footy should look like.

[Greystache]

We play crap football, because we are crap. Go watch Port and see how exciting they are.

When we were playing free flowing football, kicking lots of goals, many posters said this can't win a final. Now we have gone the other way and posters don't like it.

We play crap football in part because we have no attacking strategy, just as previously we had no defensive strategy.

All out attack won't win finals, but that doesn't mean the answer is to have no attack. Success will be balancing the two effectively.

None of that accounts for my lack of interest in watching neutral teams.

[bornadog]

We play crap football in part because we have no attacking strategy, just as previously we had no defensive strategy.

All out attack won't win finals, but that doesn't mean the answer is to have no attack. Success will be balancing the two effectively.

None of that accounts for my lack of interest in watching neutral teams.

All I am saying is rule changes won't stop ugly football.

I am only guessing, but If we were winning games and playing ugly, fans would come to games.

[chef]

All I am saying is rule changes won't stop ugly football.

I am only guessing, but If we were winning games and playing ugly, fans would come to games.

We are taking about neutral games and the lack of interest in them aren't we?.