By Justin Rodski
February 5th 2010 @ 5:05am
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Stamping out staging presents another issue
Essendon's Brent Stanton and Collingwood's Brent Macaffer dive for a loose ball during the AFL ANZAC Day Round 05 match between the Essendon Bombers and the Collingwood Magpies at the MCG. Slattery Images
The move to make ‘staging’ a reportable offence has the AFL diving into unfamiliar territory. Under the new rule, for the first time in the games history players can be reported and subsequently charged with staging for a free kick, the first offence is merely a written reprimand, while a third offence carries a maximum penalty of $2400.
Slapping players with fines might help curtail some offenders, but this has the potential to become an even bigger problem for the AFL.
Often a criticism of the round ball game, staging is for the most part considered a form of cheating. The very guilt of a player is inadvertently questioning his integrity. Fearful of a damaged reputation why would anyone simply lie down and not fight the charge?
To be labelled a cheat is the biggest insult possible in any sport and while the players might end up paying for milking a free kick, the AFL could in fact end up paying an even bigger price.
Now don’t get me wrong, I know any game is tarnished by staging but is it that prevalent in the AFL that it even needed to be stamped out? How hard will it be to prove even with 5 different camera angles? Either way the tribunal review has put the issue back in the spotlight and firmly back on the agenda.
We saw first hand in the world cup of soccer how quickly a game can be brought into disrepute, just ask Socceroo captain Lucas Neill. There’s no doubt the stakes are higher in the penalty box of a quarter final in a world cup match against Italy, compared to round 2 match between Richmond and Adelaide with the ball in the back pocket at the MCG with 5 minutes still remaining in the first quarter. But the principle remains the same, we can’t simply accept hypocrisy across different football codes.
Winning though is seemingly more important than playing within the spirit of the game or even the sportsmanship of a fair contest. Perhaps that’s what separates our indigenous game from the rest of the world?
This is not an issue players take lightly and nor coaches. West Coast Eagles coach John Worsfold said it all when asked if his players staged for free kicks
“Staging’s not an issue for us – its going to take a lot to knock us over. We’re fair dinkum”
The league sort feedback from the AFL Players Association and all 16 clubs as a part of its tribunal system review, subsequently identifying staging as a reportable offence because it may incite a melee, it could affect an umpire’s decision making and it is not in the spirit of the game. While all three may be true to some extent, when players are charged with the offence, they will always contest or appeal the decision…otherwise they are publicly shamed as a cheat.
Melbourne Football Manager Chris Connolly hadn’t even considered a players integrity in approving the new rules changes
“well that’s a good point, we hadn’t thought of that”
I hope the AFL has…..
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lemo said | February 5th 2010 @ 8:13am | Report comment
I hope im wrong but I can see the whole week taken up with appeals from players not wanting to be seen to be cheating – when in fact it is just gamesmanship and has been in the game for years – i for one dont care if players stage for free kicks because I believe the umpires should be on top of it and not pay the free kick in the first place. How many times have you seen the player throw their arms out or fall to the ground – not get the free kick and be totally out of the contest. So, this new rule is just a way of covering the umpires inabiltiy to police “staging” in the first place. How is it going to change anything if the umpires cant tell what is staged and what isnt – it doesnt matter what the penalty is. As I said before the biggest penalty is getting the decision right and not paying a free in the first place. I think in that situation the coach might be in the best postion to curb the behaviour of the player by suggesting he doesnt play for frees or he might be having a rest in the seconds.
Lazza said | February 5th 2010 @ 3:04pm | Report comment
Lucas Neil said afterward that Grosso just did what he had to do for his country. Most Football fans have changed their view as well. It was an emotional night and we thought we were robbed but in reality Lucas made an error by diving into the box and NOT getting the ball. That just invites that kind of thing from a wily player.
That’s the same problem that the AFL will have. A lot of it is just interpretation and not always clear cut. How can it bring Soccer into disrepute when the AFL have just admitted that it happens in their sport as well?
Justin Rodski said | February 5th 2010 @ 3:28pm | Report comment
Thats partly my point, by making staging a reportable offence the AFL is actually putting the issue in the spotlight, when in my mind, it hasnt been a significant problem at all. The occasional ‘over acting’ is for the most part picked up on by the umpire and play goes on. The AFL has by their own ommision admitted it exists, but the other big difference is on the scoreboard as the consequence of a goal in soccer is far greater compared to AFL. Because of this, a soccer match is often decided by one critical decision by a referee….that is when staging brings the game into disrepute.
chips said | February 5th 2010 @ 11:28pm | Report comment
i agree – it’s not a problem in the game, so why address it. the damage to reputation is enough. how many free kicks did lloyd get paid in the second half of his career once he had a reputation as a stager?