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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 8 2024 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Collingwood
Last post by Baggers -wait, wait, wait … just watched the Sunday Footy Show highlighting how they blocked Cripps at every centre bounce.
I mean, COME ON. If that sort of treatment doesn’t warrant a rule change I don’t know what does.
So the ball is NOT in play, there’s NO actual contest yet, in some instances the location was more than 10 metres away from where the ball was about to be bounced, and the opposing player did NOT have eyes for the ball.
So if you take your eyes off the ball and look at your opponent for a split second in a marking contest it’s a free every single time.
Also an instant free for “blocking” if the player’s path to a marking contest is impeded.
Why is that treated differently?
Of course, nothing new here - has been happening for years, and not just to Cripps. McCrae is portrayed as the good guy but I think this belies his Sheedy- or Clarkson-like approach to pushing things to the limit. He was even astute enough to make Pendlebury the blocker knowing he’s an ump favourite who has the footballing IQ to disguise the blocks.
Which brings me to Pendelbury’s last centre clearance - did he or did he not head straight for the boundary line?
Great observation from one commentator that doing that is win/win. If the ump pings him for “insufficient intent” it gives them time to set up behind the ball. If the ump is too gutless to make the call it’s a throw in just far enough away from goal.
You can bet the family home that if the same tactics were done to Pendlebury, there'd be a hue and cry... and he'd get plenty of free kicks!
So glad the footy show highlighted this. In effect, opposition clubs are using illegal tactics to blunt our strengths - I include H and Charles in this as well.