Why Is the AFL so PIG HEADED?

Question

I have followed/attended Vfl /Afl football since 1958,coached in 200something games at U18 level , worked at 4 afl clubs and believe for the first time,.. in the history of the game, victory of this years Grand Final could be decided by the RESULT of basic AFL, administrative "STUPIDITY". To win a job at the AFL you probably need a degree in something, but honestly Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck would have enough nouse to know , the "in the back rule" is"flawed" and inhibits basic human reflex bio mechanic's ,or whatever the fancy name for it is ! Every man, woman, child, AFL players,umpires and coach's are against it , however those who rule AUSSIE RULES,simply lack the basic, yes BASIC ...UNDERSTANDING..to know ,that its.... WRONG!...

Answer 1

your absolutely right, i watched a game on the weekend  

geelong's Mathew Scarlet was pinged and it was obvious his hands only brushed his opponents back and then later there was an obvious push in the back but the elbow was used and this was deemed legal.  I cant understand why such rules which have worked for nearly 100 years need playing with, the game needs to remain a tough physical match between 2 teams not keeping's off.  Another one is holding the ball You never could drop the ball once you had it, in one of the games last weekend the umpire told the player he had one arm free and should have let the ball go so is there no more dropping the ball once you have it, and if you were over the ball you were deemed to be in control. I cant understand why there needs to be change and confusion for players and supporters.

Answer 2

as i said in one of my previous answers-thats what you get when you put a LAWYER/SOFT C@CK FOOTBALLER in charge of our great game,then throw in the rules committee who basically change the rules every year so as to make sure they have a job the next year its PATHETIC!!.

Answer 3

I`ve got my pitchfork and burning torch....lets form a mob.......AND PUT JEFF GEISCHENS HEAD ON A STAKE, and parade it around the MCG......with Big Kev at our helm, covered in blood, yelling I AM THE NEW LAW! NO MORE HANDS IN THE BACK RULE!

Answer 4

I am a recent convert to AFL so can't remember what happened before the sledgehammer in the back rule was replaced by the shove in the back rule but am all for bringing whatever it was back.  

Put a hand out for balance while marking the ball from behind and does that mean that although you marked, you broke the hands on the back rule???

I have seen so many occassions this year where someone bumped someone else and got pinged and all it looks like is the AFL trying to turn the game into basketball or something where you get fouled for looking at another player.  It isunworkable.  If it keeps on getting worse I might go back to Rugby League (but it would have to get a lot worse, some of those refs get a new whistle every half)

Answer 5

Yep your right most people actually i think everboby thinks that the 'hands in the back rule' is stupid and hopefully this will change back at the end of this season til then unfortunately everyone has to put up with it. I think the people that find it the hardest is the senior type plays who have played the game for god knows how long and have to adjust to these new stupid rules they bring in. Just let the players play the game they and we all love i say. Leave it be, I think there was nothing really wrong with the game b4 now, so don't fix what ain't broke!

Answer 6

i dont really know what the afl is ??

Answer 7

The reason they wont change the rule now, is because they just don't change rules mid season regardless of how bad it is. We're stuck with it until the finals are over. I agree totally, the grand final could be decided by that 1 rule, it has already affected the outcome of at least 1 match played at the dome.

For some unknown reason ( as you said PIG HEADED / STUPIDITY ) they implented the rule before trialling it in the pre season cup ( where most new rules first get the chance to see if it will work or not ). After years of being able to stand your ground now players have to adjust, which is difficult due to the calls not being consistent.

All views tend to be pushing that rule to be looked at in the off season. Who knows what will happen.

Answer 8

I agree the rule is a stupid one.  I think the main reason it is stupid is because it is impossible to umpire.  At the speed of the current game it is not possible for an umpire who is running at full pace to determine whether or not there was hands 'touching' the back of an opponent.

I also think it is stupid because it seems to have encouraged the Alan Didak like players who choose to dive for free kicks.

However..... Having played the game for quite a while i still don't understand why so many players are getting done for hands in the back.  Yes it is a c**p rule, but the brain does still function during each quarter.  Use the forearms and not the hands....simple.  Then when the numnuts at the AFL see that nothing has changed, perhaps they will go back to the old rule.

Answer 9

what sparked the hands in the back rule?

prevventing spinal injury?

isnt  the whole hands in the back thing something to do with being cowardly , getting someone in the back when they arnt lookin

Answer 10

go the doggies....long live whitten oval....cheers