Afl is slowly becoming a non-contact sport?

Question

i mean, i love the AFL to death, but just recently players have been getting reported and suspended for the softest of reasons. i really noticed it on saturday with the Lions v Crows match. so many decisions that were made were so soft (to both sides, not being biased) and then Nathan Basset is "in trouble" after his head high contact on a brissie player. i dunno about you, but the incident was COMPLETELY soft.

anyway, im just annoyed at the game atm, and where it's headed. who agrees/disagrees?

Answer 1

Totally agree.. Nothing like a bit of biff! If I wanted to watch a non-contact girls-d**k sport, I'd watch soccer.

Answer 2

Totally agree..

But then bein a Sydney supporter, everyone was expecting that answer... Goodes.... AGAIN... wen will he learn!!?

Answer 3

Totally agree with you there.

The game is ruined and its getting worse each season. What about Adam Goodes report? Now that's soft.

Answer 4

Bring back the biff.

Answer 5

Absolutely! Its g*y as well...

Answer 6

yes, stuff like that is effecting the Afl  but...

there has been alot of braws and stuff back then in was tuff footy and no fight not many players got hurt...

cheers aka

Answer 7

Its been that way for many years now which is why ive only recently got back into it,i didnt follow AFL for 8 years.

Answer 8

Yeah, agreed.

A few years ago they got very tough on contact with umpires, Todd Curley was suspended for 4 matches, which was halved on appeal.

I think this head high contact will just be one of those things that will later ease back in. The AFL are now making a stand on head high contact, but in a few years all will be back to normal

Answer 9

h**l yeah, as if its a game for the kids, afl became famous becasue of the actions and tackles, they r ruining the game for sure, and players taking advantage of it, and lowering their heads eveyrtime they r about to get tackled, and get free kicks out of no where,its just pathetic

Answer 10

yeah...i do see where your coming from.

but from what I have seen over the past few weeks, its been contact with the head which is getting attention of the umpires.

at local training, its stressed to us to protect the players head when they are going for the footy....even if its only light (or even a tap!), we are still told to pay free kicks.

i see it on both sides of the coin....its to prevent head inhuries (by paying frees when they are soft touches)...and on the other side...not as rough as 'back when I was a boy...'

Answer 11

I agree with you. The game wasn't like this years ago, and it was still safe to play. It was more enjoyable, fast paced and tough. I understand that all players need to be protected from unnecessary injuries, but it's gone too far. AFL is turning into a non-contact sport. The AFL need to stop making new rules before footy becomes netball.

Answer 12

This is what happens when  females get involved with men's sports

The Rules comity should be made up of people that have played at the highest level

and umpires

There is a place for them but not the Rules comity

Answer 13

Agree.

Yes, i hate the new rules:

-hands in the back

-hard bumps and big hits get pinged to easy

-they cant even scuffle anymore

BRING BACK THE BIFF! BRING BACK THE BIFF! BRING BACK THE BIFF!

But the question is: can we do anything about it too save the game from getting any softer?

I love AFL to death too. LOVE IT!

EDIT

Sorry Romper Stomper, Aussie rules, i love aussie rules.

Answer 14

It's the same in RL, too many pansies running the show!

Dear God X MAN, women on the committee? I don't think we have stooped to that in NRL, but I could be wrong. Of course women have their place, but in the matter of football, let them keep out of it, and this comes from a mother of 5, myself. Dont be fooled by the pic!

Answer 15

Any player that deliberately targets a player with his head over the ball is weak and soft and should be suspended if its a fair and honest bump (and in the general play of the game) then they have nothing 2 worry about even if it looks like a soft hit 2 the head it does'nt matter the Intention was there if premeditated

Answer 16

I understand the need to protect a players head and I understand the need to prevent "thugery" among the players, but yes, if things keep going as they are, it will become a non-contact sport - they might as well play ping pong instead!

I want to make an interesting point about protection of the players head; Henry Slattery being strck by Fevs knee. This was clearly without malicious intent, but when you look at the outcome and why we have the rules to protect players, doesn't it make previous punishment to other players look lame?

Answer 17

Most of the sports that were formerly body contact sports have gone soft. AFL, RL & RU for examples.  If I hear the phrase "role model" again I think I will have a hissy fit.

Some of the decisions I see these days for contact are just lame. Is it the umpires/refs or the adminstrations?

Answer 18

I agree but isn't that a good thing that players are injured less by opposition players, wouldn't you rather have your players up next week rather than see them in hospital I agree afl is getting softer in someways but it is getting faster and more skillful at the same time .but that was one of the worst umpiring performances I've seen for a long time and I don't usually bag the umpires I always think they do their best can't get everything right all the time but that was a stinker

Answer 19

yep i definitely agree. i mean i understand why they have to have those kind of rules but surely there are instances where things are unintentional or just so ridiculously soft there is no need to cause a fuss over it or report it.

Answer 20

Good Question,  i agree with your thoughts, it is a less tougher game now,  bu in other ways it is more tougher, with amount of work the players do, really taxing on the body all the training and matches. They run more than they ever had. half of the people couldn't run a lap of an oval, these blokes run all day except when being given a spell for a minute or two.

p.s  lets make an effort in here to call the aussie rules hey, it's not called AFL, that is name of the league.  thanks, go tiges

Answer 21

It shouldn't be a non contact sport, After seeing what happened to Adam Goodes it was a horrible way to get someone suspended. He didn't even do anything and yet other players are doing the same as he was doing and he was the only one that really got in trouble. It proves the AFL is nothing more than a load of c**p and should not get people into trouble for really stupid reasons.

Answer 22

As Reg Reagan would say: "Bring back the Biff". At least some of the decisions today aren't as bad as the 2 week ban Fraser Gehrig got for the 'love tap' on Jason Cloke a few years age.