Hondo wrote:FlyingHigh wrote:I don't get why everyone is saying the captain calling for the count is an antiquated rule. There are more eyes on the game and easier to get a message out these days to him. A field umpire isn't going to listen to a runner pestering him.
Because if there are 19 or more on field and that can be proven or is obvious then there are 19 or more on field which should be the end of the story. Why do you need the rigmarole of stopping the game (and in fact it only being a specific player who can request the stoppage) and counting to prove what is already obvious?
Forcing a count gives time for the team in the wrong to get it right before the count can be done, as happened on the weekend.
It was a rule written when the game was completely different to what it is now. The game was slower and in those days the captain probably could have counted the players himself if the ball was stuck down the other end. Nowadays the players are constantly on the move thinking about the play. This makes it harder for the teams themselves to immediately realise there are extra players on field.
Also technology allows this to be dealt with in lots of ways that weren't available back then. Most of the crowd carry a camera.
It should never be an "out" for a team that something didn't happen when it did just because an on field count wasn't done.
I suspect the AFL will look closely at their wordings on this as well.
FFS, the captain doesn't have to be the one to make the realisation of the 19th player, he just needs to be the one to alert the ump to it It's not hard, once the sidelines have figured it out, for the runner to alert the captain and then for the captain to call for it.
Goes with the rule that the captain being the only one to be able to query the umps, not the runner, not the other players and most definitely not the crowd. IMO, it's not for the media to make the call either.
FWIW, I dont' think there are actually any community comps left that actually still have the loss of points rule as an immediate consequence of too many on field. I think you'll find that most are jsut a free kick and any appeal for loss of points would go to the governing body for a decision.