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OUR GREAT GAME would be better if STOPPED CHANGING THE RULES

PostPosted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 4:39 pm
by Dog_ger
Why do we keep changing the rules...?

Who really cares if we give a behind away if we are under pressure...?

I think with all these rule changes, we are stuffing up out GREAT GAME. :shock: :lol:

Re: OUR GREAT GAME would be better if STOPPED CHANGING THE RULES

PostPosted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 7:09 pm
by bayman
Dog_ger wrote:Why do we keep changing the rules...?

Who really cares if we give a behind away if we are under pressure...?

I think with all these rule changes, we are stuffing up out GREAT GAME. :shock: :lol:



blokes like kevin bartlett & co keep changing the rules or interpretations of the rules i think to justify their position


20 years ago it was called 'good defence'

they aren't stuffing up the game they've stuffed it


i always go to sanfl games even games that glenelg aren't playing in because the game is let go, however up to 2 years ago i was also a footy park member (category 1) (not barracking for any team just wanted to watch footy) & i found myself boored at most games & leaving between half time & 3/4 time because of the tactics used by clubs in trying not to lose rather than trying to win & also the very soft free kicks that are given (not the fault of the umpire), incidently there used to be a rule 'PUSH in the back' now it is 'HANDS in the back, there a numerous rule/interpretation changes that i can't fathom as to why this was done, the only decent rule change in the modern era imho only occurs in the vfl with the kicking backwards rule which should come in, imho with the forwards able to kick backwards to open up the goal square but inside the forward 50 metre line

Re: OUR GREAT GAME would be better if STOPPED CHANGING THE RULES

PostPosted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 7:18 pm
by JK
bayman wrote:they aren't stuffing up the game they've stuffed it



Hard to argue with

Re: OUR GREAT GAME would be better if STOPPED CHANGING THE RULES

PostPosted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:16 pm
by Pag
Agreed. In the Advertiser today, Andrew McKay admitted the rules committee were struggling to come up with a way to combat the rtolling zone, and they might have to let the game sort itself out. If only they thought that all the time.

Coaches may as well not have a job anymore. They come up with an effective tactic that helps their team win matches (and in Hawthorn's case, a premiership), and the rules committee just look to tear it down.

The rushed behidn rule is a joke too. Last week Jordan McMahon was being tackled on the defensive goaline, had a teammate next to him to give a handball to, but had his arm taken in the tackle while he was handballing and the ball went over the goal-line. Free kick given. Yet in the five minutes I saw of the Carlton-Hawthorn game, a Hawthorn defender was 10m out from goal and deliberately handballed the ball over the goal-line (at a decent height), and was given all-clear because 'there was a teammate in the vicinity'. It's all open to interpretaion, how can there be any consistency with it?

Leave the game alone. We must change our rules more than almost any other sport in the world, and it's almost always to the detriment of it.

Re: OUR GREAT GAME would be better if STOPPED CHANGING THE RULES

PostPosted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:23 pm
by Rik E Boy
Every year people get very frustrated by rule changes but not everything you'll see in NABasketball will be implemented in the premiership season. I think the worst one is not the no rushed behinds rule but the twenty metre kick rule. Umpires have real difficulty adjudicating this correctly and it causes teams to handball more than ever and actually increases incidences of 'flooding'.

I reckon the no rushed behind rule might actually improve the game but apart from that a moratorium of at least five years should be placed on any new rule changes.

regards,

REB

Re: OUR GREAT GAME would be better if STOPPED CHANGING THE RULES

PostPosted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:06 pm
by Hondo
Rik E Boy wrote:I reckon the no rushed behind rule might actually improve the game


I agree

I can't stand the white flag loop-hole, keep the contest alive!

There's no other rule or place on the ground where you can just give up .... AND then even worse get your own free kick out of it!

I have always thought it was a stupid rule, never understood why we had it and, from what I have seen in the NAB cup, the game would be better if the rushed behinds rule was permanent. It's great to see contests again!

The thing with rule changes is we get upset by those in the last 5 years while forgetting about all the others that happened in previous 145! The History forum has some great old notes from official meetings years and years ago where rule changes were discussed/decided. We'd be amazed to see the list of all the changes ever.

It's always been part of our game and always will be. The game has been evolving since it started who are we to say how it is now is the "perfect" version, forever? Or how it was in 1980?

Re: OUR GREAT GAME would be better if STOPPED CHANGING THE RULES

PostPosted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:18 pm
by bayman
hondo what you say about rule changes happening for 145 years well yes that's true, my problem with it is some of the changes are making the game far too sanatised for my liking (just my personal opinion) like the 'trial by video' when that came in it was to 'clean up' spiteful & behind the play incidents however these days in the afl 'love taps' & 'jumper puches' are now getting games where as that should be part of the game as you would know show some strength, intimidate etc etc

afl football is ballet` football these days & i think the initials afl stand for athletes football league

Re: OUR GREAT GAME would be better if STOPPED CHANGING THE RULES

PostPosted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:41 pm
by JK
hondo71 wrote:
Rik E Boy wrote:I reckon the no rushed behind rule might actually improve the game


I agree

I can't stand the white flag loop-hole, keep the contest alive!

There's no other rule or place on the ground where you can just give up .... AND then even worse get your own free kick out of it!

I have always thought it was a stupid rule, never understood why we had it and, from what I have seen in the NAB cup, the game would be better if the rushed behinds rule was permanent. It's great to see contests again!

The thing with rule changes is we get upset by those in the last 5 years while forgetting about all the others that happened in previous 145! The History forum has some great old notes from official meetings years and years ago where rule changes were discussed/decided. We'd be amazed to see the list of all the changes ever.

It's always been part of our game and always will be. The game has been evolving since it started who are we to say how it is now is the "perfect" version, forever? Or how it was in 1980?


I appreciate what you're saying mate, and I knew someone would suggest similar ... But I'd be interested to know how many rule changes were introduced in the first 100 years as say opposed to the last 20?

I understand that my version of how footy should be isn't the same as anyones, but most cricket fans will whinge that the bowlers have nothing in their favour and it's all geared toward the batsmen, and I almost feel a rule change like the rushed behind does the same to footy.

Not saying Im right, but that's just how I feel.

And at what price does fairness come into the game?? A holding the ball rule that allows someone to hold the ball into you (not to mention those that get tackled and drop it under duress, yet still get away with it) goes against my opinion of how the game should be.

I feel for the umpires, most rule changes over the years have been designed to increase the speed and/or continuity of the play, yet it keeps adding to the list of things they need to look out for and adjudicate on.

Re: OUR GREAT GAME would be better if STOPPED CHANGING THE RULES

PostPosted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 9:19 am
by Hondo
bayman wrote:hondo what you say about rule changes happening for 145 years well yes that's true, my problem with it is some of the changes are making the game far too sanatised for my liking (just my personal opinion) like the 'trial by video' when that came in it was to 'clean up' spiteful & behind the play incidents however these days in the afl 'love taps' & 'jumper puches' are now getting games where as that should be part of the game as you would know show some strength, intimidate etc etc

afl football is ballet` football these days & i think the initials afl stand for athletes football league


That's all fine but I was talking about technical rule changes like 50m penalty, rushed behinds, etc. To me, they are nothing more than tinkering around the edges despite some of the hype from fans. The most important parts of the game never change. If you went back to 1980 in a time machine and grabbed Russell Ebert and brought him to 2009 and dumped him straight into a game tomorrow, I bet he would adjust to the new rules in 5 minutes. That's after 29 years!

To me, the "cleaning up" of the game is a different thing it's more about being stricter on enforcing existing rules, rather than new ones. All as part of modern approaches to player safety. Whether it makes a better or worse spectacle is person opinion I guess depending on what you were used to. A 12 YO starting out wouldn't know any different and wouldn't care like we do.

I'll always maintain that by far the biggest change in 29 years is the way the game is played. The tactics and game plans used by the coaches - flooding, zones, etc.

I don't agree with every single rule change BTW. I agree with CP on the holding the ball rule, it's a pet hate of mine too.

Re: OUR GREAT GAME would be better if STOPPED CHANGING THE RULES

PostPosted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 11:01 am
by Brock Landers
I hate the current interpretation of the holding the ball rule.

1. A player with his free arm pinned should be holding the ball. Reward a good tackle. At the moment a tackled player can drop the ball with his free arm and the game be called play on, as the ball was dislodged in the tackle. How is this legal disposal?

2. Currently, a player diving on the ball has to get rid of it, even if an opposition player or 3 has jumped on top and are pinning the ball under the player. FFS, the player winning possession is making the play. The great thing I think that makes Aussie Rules head and shoulders above any other code of football is that a player is never offside, but the current interpretation is creating an unofficial Rugby Union "no playing the ball off your feet" rule in the AFL.

How would players like Johnny Platten, Libba etc go under the current interpratation?
:evil:

Rant ended :D

Re: OUR GREAT GAME would be better if STOPPED CHANGING THE RULES

PostPosted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 11:06 am
by JK
I agree Brock ... One staple of the game, as far as Im aware (and happy to be corrected) has always been to get the ball first, yet what kind of reward is there for doing so? Massive change in the fabric of the game when it's better to sweat off and allow your opponent to grab the pill first.

Me no like

Re: OUR GREAT GAME would be better if STOPPED CHANGING THE RULES

PostPosted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 12:00 pm
by Drop Bear
Constance_Perm wrote:I agree Brock ... One staple of the game, as far as Im aware (and happy to be corrected) has always been to get the ball first, yet what kind of reward is there for doing so? Massive change in the fabric of the game when it's better to sweat off and allow your opponent to grab the pill first.

Me no like


I agree.

I must say forwards are very well looked after these days as well. A backman pretty much can't touch a forward and if he does it's a free kick. What's wrong with seeing a good old fashioned marking contest!!

Re: OUR GREAT GAME would be better if STOPPED CHANGING THE RULES

PostPosted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 1:13 pm
by Barto
Pag wrote:Leave the game alone. We must change our rules more than almost any other sport in the world, and it's almost always to the detriment of it.


Can anyone think of another sport that constantly tinkers with the rules? It gives off a sense of insecurity about footy

It was fun to watch 20 odd years ago anyway, why the need to screw so much with it? At what point will it become completely unrecognisable?

Re: OUR GREAT GAME would be better if STOPPED CHANGING THE RULES

PostPosted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 1:14 pm
by Dogwatcher
It probably already is to people that were alive in 1930.

Re: OUR GREAT GAME would be better if STOPPED CHANGING THE RULES

PostPosted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 1:49 pm
by HH3
Dogwatcher wrote:It probably already is to people that were alive in 1930.


Im looking at you Psyber ;)

Re: OUR GREAT GAME would be better if STOPPED CHANGING THE RULES

PostPosted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 1:55 pm
by silicone skyline
Well, I haven't seen much footy from that era as I spent much of my younger years pursuing the rare african hunting dog in the Sahara.
Although conditions were fierce with strong winds and high temperatures in the 40s, we were taken in by the Shihatri tribe and given shelter.
While in that camp, they did partake in a similar football game but used the dried crust of an expanded kiwi fruit as a ball.
Although unable to partake in such a game given their religious customs, we spend much time tending to the wounds of players who had gashed themselves in valiant attempts at scoring.

Re: OUR GREAT GAME would be better if STOPPED CHANGING THE RULES

PostPosted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 2:00 pm
by HH3
silicone skyline wrote:Well, I haven't seen much footy from that era as I spent much of my younger years pursuing the rare african hunting dog in the Sahara.
Although conditions were fierce with strong winds and high temperatures in the 40s, we were taken in by the Shihatri tribe and given shelter.
While in that camp, they did partake in a similar football game but used the dried crust of an expanded kiwi fruit as a ball.
Although unable to partake in such a game given their religious customs, we spend much time tending to the wounds of players who had gashed themselves in valiant attempts at scoring.


=D> =)) :d

Re: OUR GREAT GAME would be better if STOPPED CHANGING THE RULES

PostPosted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 2:29 pm
by panther
To be a truly International recognised game we need to incorporate aspects of Rugby, Soccer, Basketball, Netball, and the AFL is doing a very very very very good job of imitating aspects of the other sports and being a game of football as well.

Its still the greatest viewing sport Ive ever seen, but the constant rule changes are hard to get used to.

Re: OUR GREAT GAME would be better if STOPPED CHANGING THE RULES

PostPosted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 10:27 pm
by Adelaide Hawk
Not only stop changing the rules, but rescind just about every change to the rules in the past 20 years, then maybe we might get somewhere. But more than that, find some coaches with a duty to the game as a spectacle.

The game's rushing around the s-bend at 100 miles/hour and almost unrecogizable as the one I began to love many years ago. I find it difficult to watch football 21st century style.

Re: OUR GREAT GAME would be better if STOPPED CHANGING THE RULES

PostPosted: Fri Mar 06, 2009 7:46 am
by Psyber
hackham_hawk_3 wrote:
Dogwatcher wrote:It probably already is to people that were alive in 1930.
Im looking at you Psyber ;)
Nup, not quite that old. [Born late 1943.]