TOPIC:

anchorman wrote: It seems the AFL is dead set serious about trialing the new changes for next season.They want to trial them this year with clubs like Fremantle and three others ,who have no chance of making the eight and in games that will have no influence on how the eight will pan out.
Do we need the changes , and should we be making changes at all?

a/man I am not sure whether you have seen any WAFL colts' games because they have a "rule" where there has to be a certain number of players in both arcs or something like that. Who knows exactly when a free kick is awarded. There have been some occasions when the umpire will blow the whistle and gesticulate.

Personally if they went back to the situation where if a player gets tackled without the ball it is a free kick to the person who was tackled. If a player has the ball then he is required to immediately dispose of the ball by hand or foot. If the player has the ball held to them, throw the ball up. If he disposes of the ball correctly play on; if he doesn't dispose of the ball legitimately then a free kick is awarded to the player who made the tackle.

The other significant change would be that instead of the umpires yelling out knock it out, knock it out which is self defeating as more and more players are able to get around the ball the umpires should blow the whistle and throw the ball up. And throw the ball up quickly rather than coiffing their hair and preening themselves prior to throwing the ball up. By doing that it would reduce the number of players around the ball.

anchorman wrote: Good points Swan. I haven't seen any colts games.But I wonder if they are going to try going bacxk to how it was many years ago , where you lined up at the position named ,FF CHF,CENTRE,CHB FB etc.
I also wonder if they will look at third man in when a player sis tackled will be penalised.
I think that as much as the coaches, the umpires are to blame for the mass of players.As you say, get the ball up in the air as soon as possible.Stop looking around to see who is where.
Do you think it should be trialed during the latter part of the season, or wait until pre season next year?

If they are going to make changes to the rules then it should apply to all matches not a subset. It certainly shouldn't be introduced mid-season. The only exception would be relating to a safety initiative.

I could entertain you with a long dissertation on the woes relating to umpires.

Also interesting to hear Masten's feelings on the matter - note the passion in his presentation. I suspect there are other players feeling the same, but not speaking. Wait and see if the almighty of the AFL slaps him with a fine for speaking out against them.

58shark wrote: Also interesting to hear Masten's feelings on the matter - note the passion in his presentation. I suspect there are other players feeling the same, but not speaking. Wait and see if the almighty of the AFL slaps him with a fine for speaking out against them.

Yeah I was thinking that too. He was very forthright but I think it is great for players to be honest because they are the ones who have to live with the constant meddling with the rules.

mikeh wrote:

58shark wrote: Also interesting to hear Masten's feelings on the matter - note the passion in his presentation. I suspect there are other players feeling the same, but not speaking. Wait and see if the almighty of the AFL slaps him with a fine for speaking out against them.

Yeah I was thinking that too. He was very forthright but I think it is great for players to be honest because they are the ones who have to live with the constant meddling with the rules.

As I have mentioned previously other sports have made rule changes that made that sport a better spectacle. Can anyone think of the last rule change in Aussie Rules that has made footy a better spectacle?

swan42 wrote:

mikeh wrote:

58shark wrote: Also interesting to hear Masten's feelings on the matter - note the passion in his presentation. I suspect there are other players feeling the same, but not speaking. Wait and see if the almighty of the AFL slaps him with a fine for speaking out against them.

Yeah I was thinking that too. He was very forthright but I think it is great for players to be honest because they are the ones who have to live with the constant meddling with the rules.

As I have mentioned previously other sports have made rule changes that made that sport a better spectacle. Can anyone think of the last rule change in Aussie Rules that has made footy a better spectacle?

The only one I can think of that I particularly like is the time limit when kicking for goal. It was a time waster and people like Lloyd just screwed the dog with his preparation. Other than that can't think of another.

58shark wrote:

swan42 wrote:

mikeh wrote:

58shark wrote: Also interesting to hear Masten's feelings on the matter - note the passion in his presentation. I suspect there are other players feeling the same, but not speaking. Wait and see if the almighty of the AFL slaps him with a fine for speaking out against them.

Yeah I was thinking that too. He was very forthright but I think it is great for players to be honest because they are the ones who have to live with the constant meddling with the rules.

As I have mentioned previously other sports have made rule changes that made that sport a better spectacle. Can anyone think of the last rule change in Aussie Rules that has made footy a better spectacle?

The only one I can think of that I particularly like is the time limit when kicking for goal. It was a time waster and people like Lloyd just screwed the dog with his preparation. Other than that can't think of another.

Thanks 58s. Hardly the most earth shattering change given all the other crap rule changes they have made. Let's compare that change to say hockey's decision to abolish the offside rule.