From the Herald Sun
Richmond's Joel Bowden a great leader: Paul Roos
Mark Robinson and Jon Ralph | July 21, 2008 12:00am
COACHES Paul Roos and Brett Ratten have praised Richmond's Joel Bowden for his leadership in the dying moments on Saturday. The coaches comments were made yesterday as opinions remain divided on the Tiger's controversial time-wasting move.
After Essendon midfielder Mark McVeigh yesterday called on the AFL to consider a deliberate rushed-behind rule, Roos and Ratten had no issue with the tactic.
"He (Bowden) is a really smart footballer, and if I was sitting there as (Richmond coach) Terry Wallace, I would have been really pleased with the way he handled himself,'' Roos said.
"We talk about leadership at a footy club, we talk about handling yourself under pressure. For a player to be able to think through a situation like that . . .
"I thought it was outstanding leadership, I thought it was outstanding footy.''
Carlton coach Brett Ratten agreed.
"If you win the game, and that is what it requires, he didn't hit anyone or do anything outside the rules. It was just smart play and all credit to him,'' Ratten said.
Bowden twice wound down the clock against Essendon by retreating over the goal line, burning valuable seconds before finding Jordan McMahon as the siren sounded.
It was a high-risk strategy, as Bowden reduced a six-point margin to just four as he took 26 seconds off the clock.
Jake King's identical ploy against the Bulldogs in Round 5 eventually cost the Tigers two premiership points in a drawn game.
Bowden had left the interchange bench with 4min 33sec remaining, but could not have known exactly how much time was remaining.
The football world was broadly supportive of Bowden's decision yesterday, but the injured McVeigh said it was a bad look for the game.
"I was sitting watching and it was really frustrating. I feel that, with the rule they have in the pre-season, the three-point rule, maybe we have to look at it,'' McVeigh said.
"I don't agree with that, that you have to just keep running the ball through. You have got to get the ball back into play. It was disappointing and frustrating as a supporter and as a player to watch.''
The NAB Cup rule - which penalises teams three points for a deliberately rushed behind -- clearly has an effect.
In the 2008 pre-season competition there was an average of 1.7 rushed behinds (13 deliberate in 15 games), yet the tally balloons 70 per cent to 2.9 a game in the home-and-away season.
Scott Lucas, who played on Bowden late in the game, said he had no issue with the Richmond defender's tactics.
"It was frustrating for us, but smart play by Joel,'' Lucas told Channel 9.
"We are there to win - there were some (Essendon radio) callers that were a bit disappointed that was the finish to the game, but I'm sure all the Richmond supporters went home happy that they won as a result.''
While Essendon could have given away a free kick upfield to get the ball back into play, McVeigh told Channel 7 the Bombers had not considered that strategy.
"You probably don't think about that when you are playing. We don't like to give away free kicks, but it is something you don't practise at training. You practise zones, you don't worry about player running the ball through,'' McVeigh said.
- with AAP
HOW IT UNFOLDED
53sec: Essendon's Brent Stanton marks, but takes 21sec for an errant shot at goal that puts Essendon six points down.
28sec: By the time the clock ticks down, Jay Schulz kicks out from goal with 28sec left. He finds Bowden at 26sec, stationed 35m out from goal. Bowden gradually retreats and assesses his options until he rushes his first behind, as he is chased by Bomber Kyle Reimers.
10sec: Bowden holds the ball aloft in the goalsquare, then kicks to himself with 10sec left. Then as he is pressured by Reimers, he handballs through the goals with 6sec left. By the time the umpire signals and the clock is stopped, only 2sec remain.
2sec: Bowden finally finds Jordan McMahon with a kick 20m out. McMahon plays on but the siren sounds, giving Richmond the win. THE RULES
Bowden must play on - only by kicking the ball to himself - for the clock to re-start, thereby wasting time on the clock.
If Bowden had simply handballed the ball back over the line from the kick-in without playing on, no time would have elapsed and a bounce at the top of the goal square would have resulted.
THE SOLUTIONS
In the pre-season competition a deliberately rushed behind (judged by the umpires) results in a three-point penalty.
The AFL is determined not to alter the game's scoring system, which leaves two options.
1) If a player deliberately rushes a behind, the score to the opposition counts, then the ball is bounced at the top of the goalsquare, or 15-20m out. It takes away the advantage of rushing a behind then retaining possession for an attacking thrust, or time-wasting option.
2) If a player deliberately rushes a behind, the score counts, then the opposition is awarded a set shot at goal from a point between 20-40m out.
It is the more drastic option, but would ensure players did everything in their power to avoid a rushed point.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,24049578-19742,00.htmlEssendon supporters should be more angry at Stanton missing the goal which would have avoided the whole situation.
