Pre game postulations: AFL 2021 Rd 2: Carlton vs Collingwood

[Mav]

Moore will take 15 uncontested marks because Levi and Harry will be shoved out,  under or blocked at every contest.

It was obvious when they ditched the hands in the back rule that this was going to happen. At the time, the promise was that the umpires would only allow a player to “protect his space” but no one bats an eyelid now when the man who has taken front position is pushed out of the contest. It seems that “protecting the space” has now transformed into “stealing an opponent’s space”. I saw a particularly obvious example on the weekend - IIRC Tex Walker just pushed a defender with an arm bar right under the ball.

We’ve gone back to the days where it’s a sin to take front position. Stay on the side and wrestle. And whatever you do, don’t jump as it’s too easy to push you into a rotation that will make it impossible to take the mark.

The difference now is that the umpires won’t mind if forwards can kick goals by pushing out defenders as the AFL wants to see bags kicked. But what happens when the defenders team up and push forwards out of the contest?