Season 2014 - League discussion

[Booney]

I caught three of the 4 games over the weekend and noted a few things different to last season :

( In no particular order )

- The umpiring. The whistles appear to have been put away over the summer. I like it. Although the holding the ball rule appears, at least at this early stage, to have almost swung too far back the "other" way, to the point where a player has now been given plenty of time to dispose of the ball and it seems anyway he can will do. Last year we saw players allowed to "dispose" of the ball in questionable manner, this year seems to have gone to another level. Yet they still get the ones on the ground wrong. Carltons Simpson and Ports Boak had a great tussle for the ball centre wing, it didn't matter IMO who got the ball there, it wasn't holding the ball, it was one on one and one of them had to win it while the other tackled.

- Quick hands at stoppages. There has always been quick hands at the contest, but it seems this season quick movement from a stoppage has been the focus of every club as the "spread" creates more and more scoring opportunities.

- Why are loose men in defence just allowed to stay that way? How often do you see that spare man have an impact on the contest and nobody pick him up? Looks like most coaches are happy to almost play 17 vs 17 with one spare each.

[whufc]

I caught three of the 4 games over the weekend and noted a few things different to last season :

( In no particular order )

- The umpiring. The whistles appear to have been put away over the summer. I like it. Although the holding the ball rule appears, at least at this early stage, to have almost swung too far back the "other" way, to the point where a player has now been given plenty of time to dispose of the ball and it seems anyway he can will do. Last year we saw players allowed to "dispose" of the ball in questionable manner, this year seems to have gone to another level. Yet they still get the ones on the ground wrong. Carltons Simpson and Ports Boak had a great tussle for the ball centre wing, it didn't matter IMO who got the ball there, it wasn't holding the ball, it was one on one and one of them had to win it while the other tackled.

- Quick hands at stoppages. There has always been quick hands at the contest, but it seems this season quick movement from a stoppage has been the focus of every club as the "spread" creates more and more scoring opportunities.

- Why are loose men in defence just allowed to stay that way? How often do you see that spare man have an impact on the contest and nobody pick him up? Looks like most coaches are happy to almost play 17 vs 17 with one spare each.

Agree with all of that.

The Boak/Simpson deciscion is everything that is wrong with current AFL football imho.

Am I the only person in the country that isn't fussed if there is a ball up when a contest becomes a stale mate, rather than a miscellaneous free kick just to keep the game moving.

[valleys07]

Am I the only person in the country that isn't fussed if there is a ball up when a contest becomes a stale mate, rather than a miscellaneous free kick just to keep the game moving.

Most definitely not mate.

I like the game to move, but if there is a genuine 1 on 1, such as Boak v Simpson, and it ends the way this particular contest did, then ball it up imo.

[Rik E Boy]

The ball up is to keep the game moving. Eliminate Rugby Union from the game please refs...I mean umpires.

regards,

REB

[whufc]

The ball up is to keep the game moving. Eliminate Rugby Union from the game please refs...I mean umpires.

regards,

REB

Agree but there seems to be the perception that the more ball ups in a game the less entertaining a game is. Personally I think a tough hard slog which finishes 11 goals to 9 can be just as entertaining if not more than a game that finishes 21 goals to 16 goals

[Wedgie]

I'd prefer rugby union to a game which stops after every tackle like League any day.

[Rik E Boy]

I'd prefer rugby union to a game which stops after every tackle like League any day.

Pfft. If you want to hear endless whistles go to the Carnivale at Rio.

Regards,

REB