(07-20-2022, 09:39 AM)kruddler link Wrote:re Bold.....Bevo just said the same thing...but i think he just likes taking digs at the AFL, so who knows.
Personally i think its relatively clear in an unclear way.
If a player goes looking for high contact, he doesn't get it unless its completely unreasonable like a player tries to take his head off.
If a player is legitmately making a play and gets taken high, reward it.
Its like diving...even if contact is there, if its unreasonable in how you react to it....stiff you don't get the call.
STOP PLAYING FOR FREE KICKS.
If a player ducks, or drops his knees or does anything that is done for the sole purpose of drawing a free....he doesn't get it.
No player in history has dropped his knees for a footballing reason.....its always to draw a free. So don't reward it.
No player has ever lowered his shoulder on a tackler for a footballing reason....its always to draw a free. So don't reward it.
If its clear as day when a player is playing for a free kick....why do we give it to them?
I guess where I have a problem with that is we're asking the umpire to get into the head of the player.
No doubt there are players who play for that free but....
There are occasions when the impact of the tackle causes what appears to be a dropping.
A high tackle will often result in the players legs going out from under him.
I've watched some of the examples and I'll be buggered if I can pick intent on most of them.
Whereas it's easy to pick a high tackle.
It's obvious.
Now factor in the fact that we're judging with the benefit of slow motion and replay compared to real time for the umpire...how hard is that.
I reckon when they review some of these decisions and non decisions in coming weeks there will be as many wrong interpretations as right ones.
It's just another set of judgements (and pressure) for the umpires.
Perhaps there should be an onus on the player not to play for free kicks.
We'll see how it goes in interpretation in the coming weeks....but maybe there is some degree of fault with the tackling technique as well....and both can result in injuries.