All valid points, The AFL can't expect any umpire to micro manage a NEW rule change during a season, and the fact they force that on their employees, the umpires, doesn't help anyone! Even their mini management week to week, is crazy! 1 week the hot topic is holding the ball, the next week it's 15 metre kicks, and so it goes on! Even football clubs train all pre season with game plans so they can understand how to play it, umpires should be afforded the same rights! AFL is a difficult sport to understand and umpire, but the continuous tinkering they have done to it over the last 10/20 years really has diminished it as a spectacle!
Sure we still get some high flying marks, but so many players don't jump for the ball now because of this unrealistic intent!
The stand rule is an absolute farce of a rule! Just this week, players making the perfect tackle only to fall foul of laws because of accidental contact! All these new rules meant to improve the game, to me at least, have taken away from the fabric of the game that I grew up with!
I can still see the game I grew up with but it is definitely getting harder to watch not easier!
I think it's still a hang up with not wanting to bag umpires surely! They are so afraid of losing umpires and of not wanting to admit that they get things wrooo, wroooo, wronnnn, Heyyyyy! (insert double thumbs up ala 'The Fonz")
Which actually shows a poorer understanding of the realities of todays world! With so many problems happening in the game, whether forced on the game or not, you will never win the people that support the game if you don't bring them with you. And to do that, they need to be up front, admit the flaws and faults of the game, problem solve to fix them and bring everyone with them in a community spirit uniting way! Unfortunately the current administration (and under Gil) do not feel the need to involve the whole community, and the game seems to be a by product of their choices!
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Fixed!
