New In the Back Rule

[FootyMad]

Boys I watched a few blokes running around the weekend in a couple of games and teh new In the Back Rule is going to take some getting used to. Umpires were over the top in using it in two games I saw, very frustrating for players I am sure.

Any thoughs the new rule?

Personally I think that if two players are contesting the ball and both are flat footed it should be deemed a fair contest, now I'd be telling blokes that they need to make sure that there hands are clenched so that they dont give the impression for in the back.

[Dogwatcher]

I wrote this elsewhere earlier:

I played with this rule on Friday night. It sucks!
It'll see more players holding their heads over the ball, pushing it around between their legs and refusing to take possession of it (the AFL with its continual fidgeting of the rules may have to ban this player tactic to keep the game flowing).
A player can now dive on the ball in front of a player coming towards them and expect a free kick every time - even thoguh it's them that's caused the situation.

However - didn't help me get any free kicks in the trial game we played on Friday night - even though I was barrelled over twice!

[Pag]

There were a couple of soft in the backs given in our trial on the weekend, no major outbreak though. Who says the amateur leagues have to employ that rule just because the AFL does?

[200 Killer Wasps]

We are not introducing the in the back rule on EP.

If hands are in the back it is a common sense decision on whether a free kick should be paid.

[Dogwatcher]

common sense decision by the league there super.

[am Bays]

You are going to need some smart coaches to do some teaching over the next few weeks becasue you can still bump to hold your position and you can use a fore-arm to hold position (can't push with it or extend it, though) if you have read the flight better or your opponent has led under the ball, and is out of position backing back.......

In other words some good old fashioned art of body work is going to come back in fashion like you used to see in the old days none of this lazy hands in the back sh!t we have seen in the last 10-20 years

Bottom line though in 2007 be first to the footy...

[Dogwatcher]

Bottom line though in 2007 be first to the footy...

And then sit on it and wait for someone to run from in front of you and knock you over, or come from behind you and push you in the back.

[BenchedEagle]

yeah new rule is pretty piss weak but i like the kickout after point rule.

[FootyMad]

And when you do get hit for being over the ball, play dead like an Italian at the World Cup!

[Loves to slot one]

What about the rucking circle...up in the Hills they introduced it in 05 and then took it away, now they're bringing it back...it's the most ridiculous rule going around. It was introduced to reduce injuries in the AFL because of their big bodies, it's slightly different in amateur footy. It's terrible because you can have some 40year old massive bloke just standing in the middle tapping the ball. many teams don't have a huge bloke and rely on more athletic players getting up there, but this is completly nullified by this ridiclous rule that has zero benefit in amateur footy!

[Dogwatcher]

We had the situ on Friday night where an opposition ruckman took the ball out of a throw in contest, was tackled and then got the ball away with a handball......."play on, he got a handball"

even though we've been playing with the rule in which a player is holding the ball if he's tackled after taking the ball out of a ruck contest!

I questioned the umpire (conversationally) about it later on and he said "it's play on if he gets a hand ball away, it always has been".

This bloke's been around for five years umpiring and KNOWS it all!

Which brings the point - these AFL umpires are able to handle these new rules and administer them properly. Just like players at our level make more mistakes, so do the umpires and many of the rules introduced to AFL and then dropped down the grades make life even harder for them.

[FootyMad]

Hang on - grabbing the ball out of the ruck, isnt that holding the ball no matter what??

[Dogwatcher]

if he's tackled before disposing of it yes!
tihs ump swore black and bluie that because he handballed away it was ok.

one of our more experienced umpires too!

[Baron Greenback]

That umpire wouldn't happen to have the initials GD would he Dogwatcher???

[Dogwatcher]

Ha ha ha - how'd you know?

[The Girth]

i think the rule is ridiculus we had it being interpreted diferently by each umpire friday night which ment that you had to check and see which umpire was at your end before contesting the ball to know what you could or could not do. very frutrating. if you have a big body get in front and push back hard the natural reaction for the defender is to put his hands out to hold you then whamo the whistle goes and you have recieved another bullsh#t free which you didnt deserve.

[Baron Greenback]

Wild guess mate!!

The rule is bogus along with the other one they brought in several years ago making it so you can't chop the arms of the forward.
The AFL is making life harder and harder for defenders to be able to play the game.
And for a bloke with limited skill like me, I'm up shit creek in a barbed wire canoe without a paddle.

[The Girth]

i agree mate it is becoming very forward friendly which ofcourse means more goals scored which from an AFL view point is great to attract more viewers but with the standard of umpiring in country leagues being what it is i think it will turn people off our great game and cause head aches for all the players and coaches. Leave local footy the way it is if it aint broke dont fix it

[FootyMad]

Agreed, games getting soft which isn't attracting more players just making it easier to get kicks if your soft.