Leigh Montagna's sook on AFL 360 tonight.
“I'm not sure we want to see that in our game ... blokes are getting nailed 80 metres off the ball."
Richmond's "aggressive" off-ball tactics have been revealed on #AFL360, leading to questions over their legality.Watch here: https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/richmond-tigers/afl-2021-richmond-tigers-aggressive-tactics-blocking-off-the-ball-tom-lynch-jack-riewoldt-afl-360-video-news/news-story/2effec7fe478fe34424a5681a60d88c8-------------------------------------------------------
‘Blokes are getting nailed 80m off the footy’: Tigers ‘going too far’ with ‘aggressive’ tacticMax Laughton
Fox Sports
May 19th, 2021 9:12 pmRichmond has been heavily criticised for using “aggressive” off-the-ball tactics that “haven’t ever been part of our game” last week against GWS.
Two incidents were shown on Wednesday night’s edition of AFL 360, one of which saw star forward Tom Lynch fined $2000 for rough conduct on Giants backman Jack Buckley.
But neither of them drew a free kick at the time, with St Kilda champion Leigh Montagna questioning whether the acts were legal.
“There’s a fine line between pushing the envelope and going too far,” he said on Fox Footy.
“I saw a move that I’m not sure we really want to see in our game ... these are the hits off-the-ball.”
In the first incident, Toby Nankervis and Jack Riewoldt lined up as the Tigers’ two deep forwards at a centre bounce.
Riewoldt ran backwards, drawing his opponent Buckley to come with him, but Buckley kept his eye on the centre bounce. Nankervis then came forward, and Riewoldt appeared to push Buckley into the 102kg ruckman, sending him crashing to the turf.
“Nothing came of that. No free kick,” Montagna said.
Toby Nankervis collects a blindsided Jack Buckley, who appeared to be pushed into the Tigers ruckman by Jack Riewoldt.
Source: FOX SPORTSIn the second incident, which drew a fine for Lynch, the same thing occurred as Riewoldt ran backwards and led Buckley into his blocking teammate.
That enabled Riewoldt to have free reign to run at the ensuing marking contest inside his forward 50.
“These blokes are getting nailed 80 metres off the footy, and look at the room Jack Riewoldt gets because of that,” Montagna said.
“The umpires were right there (and didn’t pay a free kick). They didn’t see the first one - which was interesting in itself. There are three umpires on the field, and all three were watching the centre bounce, so no umpire actually watches what happens behind the play.
“That second one, the umpire stared straight at that and let it go at the time. Michael Christian picked it up after the fact and gave a $2000 fine.”
The moves were somewhat reminiscent of screens in basketball, where a player runs quickly around a teammate so his defender can be blocked by said teammate.
But these were much more aggressive, according to North Melbourne champion David King, and were well off the ball.
“There are blocking mechanisms and there are basketball tactics, if you like. Put a screen on. But they’re not done with such vigour,” he said on Fox Footy.
“I don’t think that’s ever been part of our game, to be honest, particularly when the defender’s eyes are off the ball. It was done with an aggression and anger to take the player to ground, I think that’s overs.
“When we look at these things in isolation they can look really poor; I get that’s considered still a football move.
“I just wonder what’s in play and what’s off ball. If it’s a centre bounce and you’re in the goalsquare, is that considered in play? You couldn’t be further away from the ball, could you?”
King suggested the Tigers would happily accept a financial sanction for these incidents if they meant they had a major tactical advantage.
He questioned whether the league should keep a sharper eye on the incidents, as to not set a bad example for lower levels of footy.
“This is a bargain at $2000, because you’ve got a free forward, free marking target, in the drop zone,” King said.
“If you gave Jack a run at 10 balls in a row unopposed, he’s going to mark seven of them.
“I do (think it’s unduly rough play). Do you want this everywhere you go? Do you want to see this at different levels (of footy)?”
https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/richmond-tigers/afl-2021-richmond-tigers-aggressive-tactics-blocking-off-the-ball-tom-lynch-jack-riewoldt-afl-360-video-news/news-story/2effec7fe478fe34424a5681a60d88c8
