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IMPORTANT // Please look after your loved ones, yourself and be kind to others. If you are feeling that the world is too hard to handle there is always help - I implore you not to hesitate in contacting one of these wonderful organisations Lifeline and Beyond Blue ... and I'm sure reaching out to our PRE community we will find a way to help. T.
PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
I read in a thread last week or the week before about how Pettifer squibed a running-back-with-the-flight-of-the-ball marking contest by first looking to see who was coming the other way. I don't know the exact circumstances because I can't remember the incident but, in principle, I don't think that looking first to decide whether to contest the mark is such a bad idea.
It could be that you will be running back into the lead of a team mate. It could be a pack situation where you're chances of marking are practically zero and, hey, isn't front-and-square a time honoured alternative(I'd like to see that).
Or it could be that maybe Jonathon Brown is coming the other way and you just don't want to die that particular day.
All of these things would be ascertained by looking first. Of course those that look never do end up marking the ball and we've all seen examples of this over and over again - and it looks really bad. I remember the shellacking David Spriggs got for doing exactly this in the wizzie cup a couple of years back.
I for one, however, don't want to criticise players for looking back to see what's coming the other way. It is the bravest act in footy but not necessarily the smartest. I for one could not look (even as a spectator!) if it were Deledio heading back as fast as he could run into a train wreck collision with say, Riewoldt or Maguire. Without a doubt it could have serious permanent health implications for both or either player. Better to live and fight another day, I reckon.
The fact that it was everyone's favourite whipping boy involved makes a difference too. If it were a Deledio that shirked it I reckon no one would say boo.
There are situations, of course, where such acts work against you. Take Graham's last minute desperately brave attempt to mark the ball on Saturday night. So close to grabbing the pill only for it to spill out the back to that fart-arse Mahoney for a goal. Maybe front-and-square would've been the better option.
Other forms of courage should be insisted upon - getting in and under when it's your turn, tackling, smothering, shepherding and taking a hit to deliver the ball are all minimum prerequisites of a footballer. But these all carry significantly less risk. I wouldn't want to be the coach that punished a player for not contesting a running-back-with-the-flight-of-the-ball marking situation.
It could be that you will be running back into the lead of a team mate. It could be a pack situation where you're chances of marking are practically zero and, hey, isn't front-and-square a time honoured alternative(I'd like to see that).
Or it could be that maybe Jonathon Brown is coming the other way and you just don't want to die that particular day.
All of these things would be ascertained by looking first. Of course those that look never do end up marking the ball and we've all seen examples of this over and over again - and it looks really bad. I remember the shellacking David Spriggs got for doing exactly this in the wizzie cup a couple of years back.
I for one, however, don't want to criticise players for looking back to see what's coming the other way. It is the bravest act in footy but not necessarily the smartest. I for one could not look (even as a spectator!) if it were Deledio heading back as fast as he could run into a train wreck collision with say, Riewoldt or Maguire. Without a doubt it could have serious permanent health implications for both or either player. Better to live and fight another day, I reckon.
The fact that it was everyone's favourite whipping boy involved makes a difference too. If it were a Deledio that shirked it I reckon no one would say boo.
There are situations, of course, where such acts work against you. Take Graham's last minute desperately brave attempt to mark the ball on Saturday night. So close to grabbing the pill only for it to spill out the back to that fart-arse Mahoney for a goal. Maybe front-and-square would've been the better option.
Other forms of courage should be insisted upon - getting in and under when it's your turn, tackling, smothering, shepherding and taking a hit to deliver the ball are all minimum prerequisites of a footballer. But these all carry significantly less risk. I wouldn't want to be the coach that punished a player for not contesting a running-back-with-the-flight-of-the-ball marking situation.