Rnd 19 - vs Adelaide Crows at the SCG on Saturday at 1:45 PM, 23 July,

[Goal Sneak]

I am not protesting trying to break a tackle and trying to free the arm to handball.

I am protesting the raising the arm to point straight up in the air which has the only and intended effect of causing the tackler’s hand/arm to collect you in the neck/head.

Look at the replay last wknd where Ginnivan is tackled in the front left pocket. His arm ended up pointing straight up in the air like he was a kid in a classroom as he dived or was brought down.

There was no attempt to hand ball or to break free of the tackler to run further.

I don't see the issue if he want's to raise his arm, as long as the umps can determine if he is trying to evade the tackle or just trying to play for a free. In the case you've mentioned, it should be clear that no attempt has been made other than attempting to play for a free.

liz has provided the most simple and effective basis for how it should be adjudicated in post #41 of this thread.

[dejavoodoo44]

Surprise! Which senior coach has come out squealing about the new high tackle interpretation?

Well of course it's the coach of the worst team of stagers. They've been perfecting this type of cheating since 2016.

And it was very much a straw man argument, as well. He claimed that people like Selwood deserve plenty of frees, because they go in hard for the ball. When in actual fact, what infuriates most people, is players who get rewarded for the opposite of going hard. That is, players who when being tackled, who instead of using strength to break a tackle or get a contested possession away, just drop to the ground, push their arms out and throw their heads back.

And I'm also for more suspensions for that sort of staging. Especially if the footage shows that a player clearly hadn't been hit in the head, despite them violently throwing their head back as if it had.

[Mel_C]

Surprise! Which senior coach has come out squealing about the new high tackle interpretation?

Well of course it's the coach of the worst team of stagers. They've been perfecting this type of cheating since 2016.

I saw that he was sooking again. Not a surprise at all. He's worried because it will be less goals for them from frees. He said it is another "flinch" from the AFL.

[Velour&Ruffles]

And I'm also for more suspensions for that sort of staging. Especially if the footage shows that a player clearly hadn't been hit in the head, despite them violently throwing their head back as if it had.

100%. This happens a bit and yet the AFL does nothing about it. What is the staging rule for if not this?

[707]

Beveridge the only senior coach to sook about the new interpretation, all others I've seen have been supportive or just get on with it.

He'll have to change his training routine now!

[Agent 86]

Beveridge the only senior coach to sook about the new interpretation, all others I've seen have been supportive or just get on with it.

He'll have to change his training routine now!

Doesn’t say anything about throwing.

[Markwebbos]

I predict an unchanged side although JPK might be this week’s sub

[liz]

I predict an unchanged side although JPK might be this week’s sub

I'll be surprised. He looked a little rusty last week, or certainly that he'll benefit from getting some playing miles in his legs. I imagine they'd rather he actually plays the VFL game than sits on the bench doing nothing. I don't think our midfield needs him right now (and I don't think he really fits anywhere else) but a wave of COVID or an unfortunate injury to, say, Parker or Mills in the next couple of months could change all that.

[Markwebbos]

When is the VFL? Can he be sub and play VFL?

[liz]

When is the VFL? Can he be sub and play VFL?

It's a curtain raiser for the senior game (albeit on Tramway, rather than the SCG).

I've just noticed the start time - shortly after 10am. I'd imagined it would be a bit earlier, so that's good for an extra hour in bed on Saturday morning, but doesn't leave much time for a Centennial Park walk between games. At times earlier this year I've had to kill three hours between games (and in the dark, too, when a park walk isn't attractive).

[TheBloods]

We need to bring Gus and Joey back in but might be better to do one at a time , dont want mass changes to a winning side .

Gus in this week , Joey gets another run in the 2s to come back next week . Harry sub

[Thunder Shaker]

And it was very much a straw man argument, as well. He claimed that people like Selwood deserve plenty of frees, because they go in hard for the ball. When in actual fact, what infuriates most people, is players who get rewarded for the opposite of going hard. That is, players who when being tackled, who instead of using strength to break a tackle or get a contested possession away, just drop to the ground, push their arms out and throw their heads back.

And I'm also for more suspensions for that sort of staging. Especially if the footage shows that a player clearly hadn't been hit in the head, despite them violently throwing their head back as if it had.

Suspensions should not be necessary. Make a new infraction called "simulation" and pay a free against the stager. If the stager has already infringed other rules, pay a 50 metre penalty.

Timewasting used to be a reportable offence, but the rules were changed to make it a 50 metre penalty at about the time when the 50 metre penalty was introduced (c. 1988). This is still in the rules for the Brownlow medal where reportable offences "other than a timewasting offence" are grounds for disqualification.

[707]

We need to bring Gus and Joey back in but might be better to do one at a time , dont want mass changes to a winning side .

Gus in this week , Joey gets another run in the 2s to come back next week . Harry sub

Harry was sub last week? Will need a run in the VFL.

Has Gus been so outstanding in the VFL that he's earned a recall?

[TheBloods]

Harry was sub last week? Will need a run in the VFL.

Has Gus been so outstanding in the VFL that he's earned a recall?

Yes

[liz]

Suspensions should not be necessary. Make a new infraction called "simulation" and pay a free against the stager. If the stager has already infringed other rules, pay a 50 metre penalty.

Timewasting used to be a reportable offence, but the rules were changed to make it a 50 metre penalty at about the time when the 50 metre penalty was introduced (c. 1988). This is still in the rules for the Brownlow medal where reportable offences "other than a timewasting offence" are grounds for disqualification.

I think the argument for it being dealt with by the MRP is that it is often impossible for the umpires to see what is clear on TV vision, especially from multiple angles.

The MRP already has the right to fine or suspend players for staging, but it's something they are loathe to do.

I don't think there's a need to penalise players via fines or other sanctions for creating head contact. Not yet, anyway. While some actions are clearly just playing for a free, there are others where it's a bit less clear whether the player is genuinely trying to evade a tackle by moving sideways (and often lowering their body in the first place) or primarily playing for a free. First we should just stop rewarding the blatant ones, while acknowledging that the umpires don't always have a perfect view, and see how behaviour changes.