Jetters wrote:Morell you prove my point about people complaining about umpires who have no idea.
"The problem, which I tried to explain, is that nowhere does it codify, categorically, what does and does not constitute "prior opportunity". This is where interpretation and discretion come in, this is where the AFL tinker and play. This is where everyone gets confused. Is it three steps? Is it 1.5 seconds? Is it 4 metres? Is it 360 degrees? Is it different for a handball or kick? Is it different if you get it contested or uncontested?"
The rules absolutely codify 'prior opportunity'.... the fact you don't know this is exactly my point.
No it doesn't Jetters! It's a deliberately designed interpretive rule. Leigh Matthews, a member of the laws of the game committee, said this:
The Australian wrote:THE AFL will move to end the confusion over the holding-the-ball rule — and how it is interpreted — after the vexed issue was discussed at the coaches’ dinner at AFL boss Gillon McLachlan’s house this week
Matthews, who is a member of the laws of the game committee,
says the central problem is that “prior opportunity’’ is not codified. “There is no actual definition for prior opportunity,” Matthews said. “Prior opportunity, if you want to handball it, you only need about half a step, don’t you?
“It’s really difficult when the rule book doesn’t actually give you a definition of prior opportunity.”
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/a ... 6994157120
here is a link to the official laws of the game:
http://www.afl.com.au/staticfile/AFL%20 ... ll_Web.pdfThe section we're interested in is 15.2.3:
15.2.3 Holding the Football — Prior Opportunity/No Prior Opportunity
Where the field Umpire is satisfied that a Player in possession of the football:
(a) has had a
prior opportunity to dispose of the football, the field Umpire shall award a Free Kick against that Player if the Player does not Kick or Handball the football immediately when they are Correctly Tackled; or (b) has not had a
prior opportunity to dispose of the football, the
field Umpire shall award a Free Kick against that Player if upon being Correctly Tackled, the Player does not Correctly Dispose or
genuinely attempt to Correctly Dispose of the football after being given a
reasonable opportunity to do so.
The bolded bits are what are open to
interpretation.
What we need, is sections like the below, for all forms of open play:
(c) Except in the instance of a poor bounce or throw, a Player who takes possession of the football while contesting a bounce or throw by a field Umpire or a boundary throw in, shall be regarded as having had prior opportunity. (d) has driven their head into a stationary or near stationary opponent, the Player shall be regarded as having had prior opportunity.