TOPIC:

Great to see AFL Umpires who penalize players ducking their heads into tackles. Pity they didn't do it to Walters who dropped into the tackler & was awarded two frees in which he kicked two goals. The rule wasn't meant only for the Selwoods & Thomas. He will get his neck broken & then complain.

One can only hope that Ballantyne gets 6 - 8 weeks' suspension for putting his head in the way of a legitimate attempt to spoil. I think it is imperative and incumbent upon the AFL at the highest level to introduce the Ballantyne rule NOW which will automatically suspend him for the number of weeks corresponding to the the month number in which the offence occurred whenever contact is made to his head.

Rule is designed to stop people leading with their heads into tackles or just leading with their heads full stop. If they don't do that then its no previous opportunity and if the tackler goes high then the free kick is awarded for a high tackle.

If people actually went low with the tackle in the first place then there is no chance for the tackle to be shrugged up higher.

fish wrote: Rule is designed to stop people leading with their heads into tackles or just leading with their heads full stop. If they don't do that then its no previous opportunity and if the tackler goes high then the free kick is awarded for a high tackle.

If people actually went low with the tackle in the first place then there is no chance for the tackle to be shrugged up higher.

Ahhh it will never work FISH, that would require commonsense by the umpires.
Lindsay Thomas ( not my fav footballer by a long long way), got GENUINELY clobbered head high today, BUT because he was Lindsay Thomas, the dumpires could NOT see beyond the player.

UNKA2 wrote:

fish wrote: Rule is designed to stop people leading with their heads into tackles or just leading with their heads full stop. If they don't do that then its no previous opportunity and if the tackler goes high then the free kick is awarded for a high tackle.

If people actually went low with the tackle in the first place then there is no chance for the tackle to be shrugged up higher.

Ahhh it will never work FISH, that would require commonsense by the umpires.
Lindsay Thomas ( not my fav footballer by a long long way), got GENUINELY clobbered head high today, BUT because he was Lindsay Thomas, the dumpires could NOT see beyond the player.

Yes Unka, see what you mean but its like diving in soccer. Certain players get a reputation for doing it and they have to live with the consequences. Umpires are only human and if they are hoodwinked several times by the same player they are inclined to take a dim view of even legitimate claims.

mikeh wrote:

UNKA2 wrote:

fish wrote: Rule is designed to stop people leading with their heads into tackles or just leading with their heads full stop. If they don't do that then its no previous opportunity and if the tackler goes high then the free kick is awarded for a high tackle.

If people actually went low with the tackle in the first place then there is no chance for the tackle to be shrugged up higher.

Ahhh it will never work FISH, that would require commonsense by the umpires.
Lindsay Thomas ( not my fav footballer by a long long way), got GENUINELY clobbered head high today, BUT because he was Lindsay Thomas, the dumpires could NOT see beyond the player.

Yes Unka, see what you mean but its like diving in soccer. Certain players get a reputation for doing it and they have to live with the consequences. Umpires are only human and if they are hoodwinked several times by the same player they are inclined to take a dim view of even legitimate claims.

Yeah true that Mikeh.

fish wrote: Rule is designed to stop people leading with their heads into tackles or just leading with their heads full stop. If they don't do that then its no previous opportunity and if the tackler goes high then the free kick is awarded for a high tackle.

If people actually went low with the tackle in the first place then there is no chance for the tackle to be shrugged up higher.

Bang on. The rule is designed for the people who lead with their heads, not ducking. Its only to protect the player who is actually leading with their head as it could lead to serious injury.
And there is no rule against shoulder shrugging, nor should there be, so dont know why it was even mentioned A/M?