AFL set to trial 20-metre kick rule

[one-eyed]

AFL set to trial 20-metre kick rule
Breaking News - The Age
January 16, 2007 - 8:09PM

The AFL will trial a 20-metre kick rule during the 2007 pre-season competition in a bid to encourage longer kicking and more contested play.

Players will now have to kick a ball at least 20 metres for it to be marked, instead of 15, under a law to be introduced during the NAB Cup, which starts on February 23.

In a further modification to be used during the pre-season competition, players will only be prohibited from kicking backwards in their defensive half of the ground.

Players will now be able to kick backwards to a teammate in the forward half of the ground without fear of umpires calling play-on.

Previously players were only allowed to pass backwards in their team's forward 50-metre arc.

The new rule modifications will not apply to the home and away season or for practice games once teams have been eliminated from the NAB Cup.

The AFL hopes extending the distance a kick has to travel before it can be marked will encourage players to boot it longer instead of chipping it short to teammates.

Continued short kicking and possession football has been a blight on the game in recent years, with many fans bemoaning the lack of contested marks in games.

"Player skills in finding targets for a mark under the current 15-metre rule have got better and better in recent years and the trial rule may encourage longer kicking and contested possession," said AFL football operations general manager Adrian Anderson.

"We will examine the impact of the trial rule and whether it increases contested marks, long kicking and contested possession."

The AFL modified the kicking-backwards rule after several coaches told the league outlawing backwards kicks in the forward half of the ground encouraged teams to flood an opposing side's attack.

Flooding has been a tactic which has also had its detractors in recent years.

The NAB Cup will also be the first time umpires give more protection to players with their head over the ball.

Late last year the league decided to penalise players who bump an opponent whose head is over the ball by making it a reportable offence.

The league brought in the rule to protect players whose head was in a vulnerable position.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/Sport/AFL-set-to-trial-20metre-kick-rule/2007/01/16/1168709749810.html

[mightytiges]

Every year AA has a need to "fix up" footy. Just leave the rules alone for once FFS and let it evolve and sort itself out over time.

[Jacosh]

The revamped kicking backwards was a step in the right direction, why oh why do they have to go and nullify it by adding another rule like this.
The rule was 10 Yards/Metres then 15 now 20... Give the powers to be much more leverage and we wont have any players in the league that can kick far enough for a mark to be payed

[mightytiges]

The revamped kicking backwards was a step in the right direction, why oh why do they have to go and nullify it by adding another rule like this.
The rule was 10 Yards/Metres then 15 now 20... Give the powers to be much more leverage and we wont have any players in the league that can kick far enough for a mark to be payed

The problem is Adrian Anderson doesn't get that no matter how many changes he makes to the rules, it's the coaches that have the final say on how the game is played. 

Btw welcome to OER Jacosh 

[Stephanie]

Why do they feel the need to change the rules every year? It's all getting too confusing

[Jacosh]

After looking at AFL.com.au
Ive come to the conclusion i must be of the wrong opinion as 60% of the people voting say they are for the new rule. 

[WilliamPowell]

I don't know how some of the umpires are going to go enforcing it - some of them struggled with working out how far 15 metres was - so now it's going to be 20 - heaven help 'em.

Personally I cannot see how it being 20 metres is going to encourage more contested possession

Players will still zone off and get free whether it's 5, 10, 15 or 20.

I suppose the only thing it has going for it is that it is only for the NAB cup

[mightytiges]

We've been using the NAB Cup rules in the scratch matches and haven't noticed any difference from last year ???

[WilliamPowell]

We've been using the NAB Cup rules in the scratch matches and haven't noticed any difference from last year ???

Hmmm..........

I hope our boys realise the rule applies to distance rather than how far it travels upwards 

[mightytiges]

I hope our boys realise the rule applies to distance rather than how far it travels upwards 

 

Is Duncan making a comeback? 

[WilliamPowell]

I hope our boys realise the rule applies to distance rather than how far it travels upwards 

 

Is Duncan making a comeback? 

He doesn't need to - some of our blokes can not kick low flat passes if their lives depend on it

[mightytiges]

After saying I didn't notice the new rule on Monday I did today in the scratch match and what a stupid rule it is. How dumb is it when a pass from the forward 50 hits the leading forward on the chest 32m out from goal and it's called play on. Talk about encouraging flooding because it'll be now harder to pass inside forward 50  .