AFL Tackling Trends

[evo]

My favourite, traditional, sports are being dumbed down in an attempt to make them more accessible for the non-football fan. Twenty20 cricket, umpires in bright colours using nicknames and quick, easy-to-understand football.

It is true.

'soccer-momism'

 

[Tigers of Old]

- Having watched footy today I become frustrated at overumpiring and the decreasing level of real
contested football as tactical, possession-based keepings-off football has taken hold.

I think this is the single biggest issue facing the sport and why it's becoming blander by the year which leads to some of the soccer/basketball comparisons more than anything else.

It's actually quite ironic that the high emphasis on quality disposal by foot has contributed to this.
The majority of players now hit a target with far more regularity than they did 15 years ago. They'll wait until they take the best option rather than kick to a contest. Coaches now play the percentages and simply don't want to create a 50/50 situation where as once, even not too long ago(DD's Charlesworth quote) it was barely given a second thought.
IMO it's the improved 'science' of our game seen the disappearance of many of the things that made our sport great.

I think calls that our game has become soft are largely due to theses fundamental changes more than anything else.
If the AFL rules committee to wants to focus on one single issue, it's how will they get the contest back into the game.

 

[Willo]

I think this is the single biggest issue facing the sport and why it's becoming blander by the year which leads to some of the soccer/basketball comparisons more than anything else.

It's actually quite ironic that the high emphasis on quality disposal by foot has contributed to this.
The majority of players now hit a target with far more regularity than they did 15 years ago. They'll wait until they take the best option rather than kick to a contest. Coaches now play the percentages and simply don't want to create a 50/50 situation where as once, even not too long ago(DD's Charlesworth quote) it was barely given a second thought.
IMO it's the improved 'science' of our game seen the disappearance of many of the things that made our sport great.

I think calls that our game has become soft are largely due to theses fundamental changes more than anything else.
If the AFL rules to wants to focus on one single issue, it's how will they get the contest back into the game.

Good post ToOheys. I agree, that's it in a nutshell. I, too have been bemoaning the lack of contests, pack marks etc.
Its the "possession at all costs" that has been the major determining dilution factor for me.

 

[Tigers of Old]

Good post ToOheys. I agree, that's it in a nutshell. I, too have been bemoaning the lack of contests, pack marks etc.
Its the "possession at all costs" that has been the major determining dilution factor for me.

The ugliest game of football I have ever seen was Tiges Rnd 8 win against Adelaide at the Dome in 2006.
Unfortunately I think a large amount of that keepings off style football still remains in almost every game we watch these days and we have become so used to it know that we barely even notice..but I think we do.

 

[Baloo]

Great win though.

I still blame Adelaide for refusing to play man on man for turning the game into a farce.

 

[TigerMasochist]

The ugliest game of football I have ever seen was Tiges Rnd 8 win against Adelaide at the Dome in 2006.
Unfortunately I think a large amount of that keepings off style football still remains in almost every game we watch these days and we have become so used to it know that we barely even notice..but I think we do.

Fascinating game that one.
Plough picked the eyes out of the Crowbaits game plan and the dopey south aus-snailians were to stupid to revert from their sit back and wait to rebound game to a normal game of footy till it was to late.
We were so bad that we had trouble keeping the ball to ourselves and when the Crowbaits finally realised they were going to surrender the game without a whimper they played ten minutes of footy and nearly stole a win.
Cacked myself laughing at the stupidity of the mighty halfabrain Crows and the whinging of the experts and supporters crying that we'd somehow forever killed the game of footy.

 

[LeeToRainesToRoach]

May I suggest their may be some methodological issues because perhaps the way tackles are counted has changed over the years.

Undoubtedly.

One reason for Richmond's low figures is that we tend to zone off and corral opponents with the ball rather than commit to a tackle. The Bulldogs also had low tackle counts under Wallace. In contrast, our players are encouraged to draw tackles by taking the opposition on.

 

[The Don]

I've got a basic question to ask on this topic of tackles. Can someone please enlighten me on the definition of a tackle for statistics purposes?

Is it a tackle that results in a free kick?
Or perhaps a stoppage?
Or it disrupts the flow of play from the opposition?

What is it? I watch games and I see players getting grabbed all the time, but what I see doesn't reconcile with the published tackle counts. ???

 

[Dyer Disciple]

The game is becoming more like soccer in an attempt to stay relevant, when it should be celebrating what makes it unique.

I'm not sure it is to be relevant so much as it is natural evolution/progression, though I see where you are coming from and can see strong aspects of that on the side of say...political correctness etc.

I'm with you 100% on we need to be celebrating what makes our great game unique more and ensuring we preserve this instead of treating tradition like something to be given a token theme one round out of 22 for commercial gain.

It is true.

'soccer-momism'

:hihi