Holding the ball & 2-on-1 marking contests rules tweaked for 2015 (afl site)

[one-eyed]

Holding the ball one of two rules tweaked for 2015

Nathan Schmook 
afl.com.au
February 19, 2015

THE AFL has tweaked two rule interpretations for the upcoming season, with two-on-one marking contests to be strictly policed to preserve contested grabs as a feature of the game.
 
And after a period of debate in 2014, there will also be a firmer interpretation of holding the ball, with umpires being coached to crack down on players with prior opportunity.
 
Umpires coach Hayden Kennedy has been briefing clubs on the changes ahead of the NAB Challenge, with players welcoming the stricter prior opportunity interpretation.
 
There have been questions, however, around the marking contest adjustment for two-on-one scenarios.
 
Kennedy said the two cues for umpires to pay a free kick in marking contests would be if a player moves off the line to prevent an opponent from contesting the ball, or if a player shepherds a player from contesting the ball.
 
"The game features spectacular high marking and contested marking and what we're really concerned about was the contested marking," Kennedy said.
 
"So what we're looking at this year is a stricter interpretation of two v one."
 
Players will still be allowed to hold their position in a marking contest or hold their line, even if that prevents their opponent from contesting the ball.
 
Kennedy said body contact and strength in marking contests would "certainly still be part of our game".
 
Retired St Kilda midfielder Lenny Hayes, who has a role supporting the Laws of the Game Committee, said he didn't expect the change to have a big impact on the game.
 
"I think this type of scenario only happens once or twice a game, so once the players are aware of the cues the umpires are looking for, they'll be able to adjust the way they play the game," Hayes said.
 
"I don't think it's a major shift in the way the rule's going to be adjudicated.
 
"From a players point of view you still want to be able to have a free run and jump at the ball."
 
The stricter interpretation of the holding the ball rule has been welcomed by clubs, with the umpires adding clarity to how they would determine prior opportunity.
 
Kennedy said the three cues umpires would use were:
 
- If a player with the ball is balanced and steady (has had reasonable time)
- If a player has chosen to take a player on (tries to fend or evade)
- If a player has had an opportunity to dispose and chooses not to
 
"They're the three things we're going to be coaching our umpires on," Kennedy said.
 
"It is a fine line, but we need to reward the tackler and we have to make every opportunity for the ballplayer to take possession as well."
 
Hayes, who has also been briefing clubs on the new interpretations, said players had "100 per cent" endorsed the stricter policing of holding the ball.
 
"More than ever your first option is your best option and that's the way they're going to be coached," he said. 


"I think it's a good rule."

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-02-18/two-rules-tweaked-for-2015

[one-eyed]

Umpires promise stricter, quicker holding the ball calls

Jay Clark
Herald-Sun
February 24, 2015

UMPIRES will fall in line with fans when they enforce a stricter interpretation of the holding the ball rule this season.

From Thursday night’s NAB Challenge opener, umpires will crack down on players with prior opportunity, with the AFL admitting the whistle blowers were “too lenient and too inconsistent” with the ruling early last season.

AFL operations manager Mark Evans revealed the umpires were asked to be more stringent with the rule in the back end of last season and that it would continue along the same lines in 2015.

Evans said the league had taken note of fans traditional cries of “baaallll” from the grand stands and had instructed umpires accordingly.

“I think we got to a position last year at the end of the season where we had already dialled it up a notch anyway, and, I think the game was better for that,” Evans said.

“We’ve really now put into words the way we were adjudicating towards the end of last year.

“I thought at the start of last year we were a little too lenient and a little too inconsistent with various parts of the holding the ball rule.

“Sometimes a player takes someone on and you can hear the crowd yell ‘that’s holding the ball’.

“So we’ve tried to capture that into how we brief umpires to pay those free kicks.”

Speaking at the NAB Challenge launch event yesterday, Evans said the umpires would also crack down on illegal blocking in marking contests.

The NAB Challenge series will kick-off with reigning premier Hawthorn’s clash against Collingwood at Aurora Stadium.

Fans will be permitted on to the grounds to kick the footy after each NAB Challenge game.

Four umpires will also be trialled in each game, to be played at traditional metropolitan grounds and some regional venues.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/umpires-promise-stricter-quicker-holding-the-ball-calls/story-fndv7pj3-1227235469546

[Chuck17]

 

[Penelope]

Interpetation of now we see lots of players pinned who dot have prior opportunity.

I just love seeing a player win a hard ball in congestion, get tackled immediately and get penalised.

Epitomises everything the game stands for . Yah bring on the game that rewards second to ball.

Good to see the rule makers being influenced by nuffies who scream ball every time the opposition even look like getting tackled.

[Mr Magic]

There have been questions, however, around the marking contest adjustment for two-on-one scenarios.
 
Kennedy said the two cues for umpires to pay a free kick in marking contests would be if a player moves off the line to prevent an opponent from contesting the ball, or if a player shepherds a player from contesting the ball.
 
"The game features spectacular high marking and contested marking and what we're really concerned about was the contested marking," Kennedy said.
 
"So what we're looking at this year is a stricter interpretation of two v one."
 
Players will still be allowed to hold their position in a marking contest or hold their line, even if that prevents their opponent from contesting the ball.

That 'moving off the line' will be bloody hard to police and will no doubt be the bane of a lot of contentious decisions and non decisions.
I hope they are able to get on top of it though.
Jack is one where this tactic has been very effective against.
Defenders regularly block him to prevent him getting a clean run at the ball.
It's a big reason why we haven't seen the spectacular marking in recent times.

[Chuck17]

There have been questions, however, around the marking contest adjustment for two-on-one scenarios.
 
Kennedy said the two cues for umpires to pay a free kick in marking contests would be if a player moves off the line to prevent an opponent from contesting the ball, or if a player shepherds a player from contesting the ball.
 
"The game features spectacular high marking and contested marking and what we're really concerned about was the contested marking," Kennedy said.
 
"So what we're looking at this year is a stricter interpretation of two v one."
 
Players will still be allowed to hold their position in a marking contest or hold their line, even if that prevents their opponent from contesting the ball.

That 'moving off the line' will be bloody hard to police and will no doubt be the bane of a lot of contentious decisions and non decisions.
I hope they are able to get on top of it though.
Jack is one where this tactic has been very effective against.
Defenders regularly block him to prevent him getting a clean run at the ball.
It's a big reason why we haven't seen the spectacular marking in recent times.

Oh I was under the impression from the whiney old moles that it was because he was a lazy sook

[Smokey]

Interpetation of now we see lots of players pinned who dot have prior opportunity.

I just love seeing a player win a hard ball in congestion, get tackled immediately and get penalised.

Epitomises everything the game stands for . Yah bring on the game that rewards second to ball.

Good to see the rule makers being influenced by nuffies who scream ball every time the opposition even look like getting tackled.

Yeah but conversely Al, there is nothing worse than seeing someone in possession take on another player, get tackled and it's play on or ball up.  You get 1 chance to dispose of the ball - don't take that and you're gone.  If they police it right (which would seem to me to be one of the easier rules to adjudicate) then it will be better for the game but if not, wait for the screaming!

[tony_montana]

Interpetation of now we see lots of players pinned who dot have prior opportunity.

I just love seeing a player win a hard ball in congestion, get tackled immediately and get penalised.

Epitomises everything the game stands for . Yah bring on the game that rewards second to ball.

Good to see the rule makers being influenced by nuffies who scream ball every time the opposition even look like getting tackled.

Yeah but conversely Al, there is nothing worse than seeing someone in possession take on another player, get tackled and it's play on or ball up.  You get 1 chance to dispose of the ball - don't take that and you're gone.  If they police it right (which would seem to me to be one of the easier rules to adjudicate) then it will be better for the game but if not, wait for the screaming!

agree with you both, stop the rubbish HTB where the player gets tackled immediateley, has 3 players on top of him and the poor bugger has no hope of getting rid of it

and

if a player has prior opp ie gets the ball  and is in possession for a minimum few seconds, or he takes off, or he stops and props-  he must dispose of the ball correctly when tackled, otherwise free kick for INCORRECT DISPOSAL

[Diocletian]

Here's an idea - how about we just get back to the way the game used to be umpired before Demetriou, his rules commitee, marketing gurus, soccer mum focus groups and the AFL Department of Corporate Sanitation stuffed around with everything?

[Chuck17]

Here's an idea - how about we just get back to the way the game used to be umpired before Demetriou, his rules commitee, marketing gurus, soccer mum focus groups and the AFL Department of Corporate Sanitation stuffed around with everything?

Sounds good to me

[Penelope]

Interpetation of now we see lots of players pinned who dot have prior opportunity.

I just love seeing a player win a hard ball in congestion, get tackled immediately and get penalised.

Epitomises everything the game stands for . Yah bring on the game that rewards second to ball.

Good to see the rule makers being influenced by nuffies who scream ball every time the opposition even look like getting tackled.

Yeah but conversely Al, there is nothing worse than seeing someone in possession take on another player, get tackled and it's play on or ball up.  You get 1 chance to dispose of the ball - don't take that and you're gone.  If they police it right (which would seem to me to be one of the easier rules to adjudicate) then it will be better for the game but if not, wait for the screaming!

agree with you both, stop the rubbish HTB where the player gets tackled immediateley, has 3 players on top of him and the poor bugger has no hope of getting rid of it

and

if a player has prior opp ie gets the ball  and is in possession for a minimum few seconds, or he takes off, or he stops and props-  he must dispose of the ball correctly when tackled, otherwise free kick for INCORRECT DISPOSAL

You would think it would be real easy wouldn't you. It really isnt that difficult to determine if the player has had a chance to dispose of the ball before they are tackled.

and yeah, i spew too when players have blatantly taken someone on, get caught and dont get pinned, but i would prefer the umps to err slightly on that side of the ball player in the 50/50 decisions.

The other thing i have noticed, even at lower levels is that umps tend to be harsher on incorrect disposal if the player attempts to handball rather kick, which i do not have a problem with. after all the game is called football.

[Yeahright]

Whatever happened to dropping the ball?

[Smokey]

Whatever happened to dropping the ball?

It was never a rule.

[dwaino]

Illegal disposal is though. Eade said it a couple years ago Insider I think it was when he was at Collingwood, that players are instructed to spill the ball on contact so they don't get caught with it and the umpire waves it on as it coming loose in the tackle.

Holding the ball and illegal disposal have been my number one peeve but now I'm anticipating a massive over correction.

[(•))(©™]

Whatever happened to dropping the ball?

KB