Eagles’ free-kick tactic queried in AFL
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North Melbourne coach Brad Scott weighed into West Coast’s ability to draw free kicks after the Eagles won their AFL match by 25 points.
The Eagles overcame a long injury list to beat the Kangaroos on Sunday at Patersons Stadium 17.18 (120) to 15.5 (95) to be the only unbeaten team after six rounds.
While the number of scoring shots – 30 to 20 – indicate West Coast deserved the win, the free kick count was 29-15 their way.
A few days after being warned for approaching the umpires at the end of a match, Scott avoided a near-certain fine by not commenting specifically about his team’s free kick treatment against the Eagles.
But he noted how well some West Coast players are able to duck their heads to draw frees.
The Eagles have now received 52 more free kicks than their opponents this season.
“Most of the free kicks are there for the high contact and we spoke at length about Ashton Hams and the way he draws free kicks,” Scott said.
“We spoke about the technique and I would not like our players to get a reputation for doing that.
“The umpires call it as they see it. There is a specific technique that is employed and there is a specific technique to counter that.
“Too many times today they employed their technique and we did not employ ours.”
Richmond finally broke through for their second win of the season, beating Port Adelaide on Sunday at AAMI Stadium by 37 points.
Tigers key forward Jack Riewoldt kicked four goals in Sunday afternoon’s 13.13 (91) to 8.6 (54) win.
Carlton easily beat Greater Western Sydney by 67 points at Etihad Stadium, but Blues coach Brett Ratten gave his side only five out of 10 as they won 15.20 (110) to 6.7 (43).
Playing his first game for GWS, former Carlton key forward Setanta O’hAilipin hurt his knee and might need a season-ending reconstruction.
The Crows continued to impress on Saturday night at the SCG with their 15.9 (99) to 14.10 (94) win over the Swans, ending Sydney’s unbeaten start.
Adelaide forward Taylor Walker leads the AFL goalkicking with 20 after kicking five against the Swans, while Sydney star Adam Goodes limped off with a leg injury.
Hawthorn bounced back with a vital 35-point win over St Kilda at the MCG.
Cyril Rioli was best afield with six goals and fellow Hawks star Lance Franklin kicked 5.6 in the 18.15 (123) to 13.10 (88) win.
Gold Coast nearly staged a major upset for their first win of the season at home on Saturday against Fremantle.
But the Dockers finished better to win by seven points, 14.10 (94) to 14.3 (87).
The other two Saturday afternoon matches were all one-way traffic, with Essendon smashing Brisbane 19.15 (129) to 9.8 (62).
Geelong were always in control and won 17.17 (119) to 11.10 (76).
Collingwood had a hard-fought 22-point win over the Western Bulldogs on Friday night at Etihad Stadium.
The Magpies pulled clear in the final term to win 15.8 (98) to 11.11 (77).
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May 7th 2012 @ 8:30am
Redb said | May 7th 2012 @ 8:30am | Report comment
Memo to West Coast players – stop dogging it!
Ducking your head going into a contest is a cowards act – you might get away with it at Subi but you’ll be booed off the ground at Etihad next Saturday, but more importantly everyone is watching including the Martians.
May 7th 2012 @ 8:47am
GrantS said | May 7th 2012 @ 8:47am | Report comment
So, the Selwood brothers must have taught the West Coast players their technique for obtaining free kicks as the method employed by Hams and Shuey is EXACTLY the same.
I have always considered the Selwoods to be nothing short of cheats but I would hate for a very good team like the Eagles to be labelled the same for using dirty tactics.
Let us hope West Coast see the error of their ways and the coach tells them to cut out the crap. If a player should be severely hurt when using these tactics it would be poetic justice.
May 7th 2012 @ 9:13am
Fussballs AFL tracking spreadsheet said | May 7th 2012 @ 9:13am | Report comment
I saw two acts in the Hawks V Saints game that, whilst not directly equivalent to the ‘Selwood Duck’ were in some ways worse, one by Rioli the other by Hayes. In both cases the players took possession, then literally bent over at the waist and charged headlong at an opposition player! In both cases they drew free kicks and no doubt praise from various commentators for their ‘courage’ at ‘putting their head over the footy’ but I thought it was clear evidence the umpires need to be much more rigorous in their policing of this trend.
May 7th 2012 @ 9:20am
stabpass said | May 7th 2012 @ 9:20am | Report comment
Saw the Rioli one, not good IMO.
May 7th 2012 @ 1:26pm
joe blackswan said | May 7th 2012 @ 1:26pm | Report comment
if this tactic is now viewed as an issue that is becoming more influencial on a game, then just like other tactics considered not in the spirit of the game (eg. rushed behinds, boundary sanctuary, flooding) this will either have laws altered/added to counter or tackling technique will evolve. Many players from different clubs have done this over the years (and some use it more than others), but it is a cop out to focus on one club…in fact it sounds very whiny when coming from a losing team. It might be prudent for coaches to focus on tackling technique given that we are still at start of season.
May 7th 2012 @ 1:52pm
Nathan of Perth said | May 7th 2012 @ 1:52pm | Report comment
Flooding was/is a far larger blight on the game than this stuff and there were never any laws changed. Tactics simply evolved to punish teams that wouldn’t put outlet/counter-attacking options outside of their fifty.
May 7th 2012 @ 2:13pm
joe blackswan said | May 7th 2012 @ 2:13pm | Report comment
agree. coaches worth their salt can devise tactics/improve skills to counter….this is what makes sport (at least challenging sports like aussie rules) such a beautiful battle of strength, skills, and wits.
May 8th 2012 @ 1:34pm
CraigB said | May 8th 2012 @ 1:34pm | Report comment
umm…. except for the reduction of the bench from 4 to 3 and a sub. DEsigned to keep players out there longer, making them more tired and therefore less able to flood back.
May 8th 2012 @ 2:37pm
Nathan of Perth said | May 8th 2012 @ 2:37pm | Report comment
Designed to fight soft tissue injuries primarily, flooding was an only partly expected side benefit. For the most part it was the tactical change that did it.
May 7th 2012 @ 9:35am
Vig said | May 7th 2012 @ 9:35am | Report comment
Hams is knee high to a grass hopper, he’s also smart the way he attacks the play. It’s not one way traffic on this issue!
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May 7th 2012 @ 10:24am
Nathan of Perth said | May 7th 2012 @ 10:24am | Report comment
Dear everyone,
Eat Me.
Cheers,
Nathan of Perth
May 7th 2012 @ 12:42pm
Redb said | May 7th 2012 @ 12:42pm | Report comment
Classic response from a West Coast Eagles fan – as with the players always thinking of their head first.
Saw a few Lions players try it in the Dons-Lions game – umpire called play on. Deliberate ducking of the head as Swampy alludes will soon attract a free kick to the opposition.
May 7th 2012 @ 1:24pm
GrantS said | May 7th 2012 @ 1:24pm | Report comment
It is not the same tactic Redb!
The umpires have become aware of players putting their heads down and running into opponents legs and are not paying the free kicks as often as they were.
In the “Selwood” method the player with the ball sees the tackle coming, drops a shoulder, pushes the opponents arm up and then throws his head back. In the slow motion replays you can see that the head is thrown back before the tackle has in fact ridden up.
Unfortunately the Bombers had a player in Gavin Wanganeen who was also very good at a similar method of obtaining free kicks.
With several players in the same team using this method it wont be long before the AFL will have to do something to prevent it. We will probably complain then that legitimate free kicks are not being paid.
Until it is made illegal players will continue to use the ruse.
May 7th 2012 @ 1:37pm
joe blackswan said | May 7th 2012 @ 1:37pm | Report comment
“The umpires have become aware of players putting their heads down and running into opponents legs and are not paying the free kicks as often as they were.”
Yet when you talk of the “selwood method” you say “Until it is made illegal players will continue to use the ruse”…think you might find that a ruse is a ruse and should be regarded as such by umpires, though difficult to police at times. An improved tackling technique can address the latter ruse, not sure of the former though.
May 7th 2012 @ 2:36pm
GrantS said | May 7th 2012 @ 2:36pm | Report comment
I agree with you up to a point Joe.
Umpires are not paying the “high” contact as often when a player runs into another’s legs because they see that there was no wrongdoing by the “tackling” player. Where the umpire does not have perfect line of sight the free is still paid.
Where I disagree is that in the “Selwood Duck” the opposing player is in fact tackling correctly but the actions of the tacked player make it appear to be a free kick or turn a legal tackle in to one which is illegal. The Selwoods have been doing this for a long time so it is a wonder that some of the more intelligent umpires haven’t caught on.
May 8th 2012 @ 5:58pm
Nathan of Perth said | May 8th 2012 @ 5:58pm | Report comment
Not the tackled player’s responsibility. If you are tackling in a method where it is a risk that you will have your tackle shifted to a proscribed area and are unable to prevent it from happening then you have tackled poorly and expect to hear the whistle.
Fact is that the league lads are right, we have gone years with crap tackling techniques. If it weren’t a matter of tackling, the Eagles would still be giving away an average amount of them – they’re not, they’re on the ball in countering poor tackling techniques and also in executing good tackles.
May 7th 2012 @ 4:01pm
Redb said | May 7th 2012 @ 4:01pm | Report comment
Players also pick up the ball and go head first into a pack of players.
May 10th 2012 @ 9:42pm
The Cattery said | May 10th 2012 @ 9:42pm | Report comment
don’t like that either – there’s a lot of stuff happening at the moment which I don’t like
May 7th 2012 @ 1:48pm
Nathan of Perth said | May 7th 2012 @ 1:48pm | Report comment
Goes double for Essendon supporters.
May 7th 2012 @ 4:02pm
Redb said | May 7th 2012 @ 4:02pm | Report comment
Prepare for your first defeat Chewbacca
May 8th 2012 @ 6:12am
The_Wookie said | May 8th 2012 @ 6:12am | Report comment
Im torn as to who I support in that game. If we beat the saints and the dons win, Carlton go top and I get to mock my father who is a rabid eagles supporter. On the other hand, no one likes to see the dons win….
May 8th 2012 @ 9:40am
Nathan of Perth said | May 8th 2012 @ 9:40am | Report comment
“Carlton go top and I get to mock my father who is a rabid eagles supporter”
Where O’ Where did you go wrong, Wookie?
May 8th 2012 @ 2:15pm
Redb said | May 8th 2012 @ 2:15pm | Report comment
The Wookie,
“No-one likes to see the Dons win” – especially when its against the blues.
May 9th 2012 @ 6:18am
The_Wookie said | May 9th 2012 @ 6:18am | Report comment
@Nathan – Eagles didnt exist when i came home from school in 1981 and proudly told my then-north loving father that I was a blues kid and there was nothing he could do about it. Turns out there was, I got sent to my room with no desert lol. Being a WA man born and bred, he transferred allegiances to the Eagles in 1987, where i remained with the club I chose.
May 10th 2012 @ 12:17pm
Nathan of Perth said | May 10th 2012 @ 12:17pm | Report comment
“Turns out there was, I got sent to my room with no desert lol”
Brilliant
May 7th 2012 @ 11:37am
Swampy said | May 7th 2012 @ 11:37am | Report comment
In a related note, there is a massive concern about the effect of concussions in the NFL. This discussion has been further pushed to the forefront with the recent suicide of future Hall of Famer Junior Seau, whom suffered numerous concussions over the course of his career. While it is noted that Seau was suffering depression, many, including his family, are questioning whether or not there is a link between his concussions and subsequent depression.
Is winning a free kick at the risk of concussion and the resulting long term damage something that players, coaches, clubs and the league should perhaps consider too high?
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May 7th 2012 @ 12:30pm
brendan said | May 7th 2012 @ 12:30pm | Report comment
Well put Swampy.
May 7th 2012 @ 1:49pm
Nathan of Perth said | May 7th 2012 @ 1:49pm | Report comment
So tackle around the hips already instead of trying to be cute so you can pin the arms.
May 8th 2012 @ 3:46am
NoObism said | May 8th 2012 @ 3:46am | Report comment
It’s amazing to me that the media covers this crap (well not really… west coast eagles top of the table and unbeaten, they must be cheating!), players have been breaking tackles since day dot.
Have a look at the free’s paid to west coast on the weekend! They are not running into packs with the ball, head down.
The problem is sloppy tackling and the fact that west coast are getting first use of the ball from centre bounces because of there star ruck duo. If you don’t have the ball you will get far fewer free’s for high contact.
May 8th 2012 @ 12:47pm
Ian Whitchurch said | May 8th 2012 @ 12:47pm | Report comment
Ducking the head into a tackle is recklessly endangering the head.
If you do that, and the head gets hit, then the player ducking into the tackle needs to be cited by the MRP and suspended.
May 8th 2012 @ 1:08pm
Nathan of Perth said | May 8th 2012 @ 1:08pm | Report comment
Yeah but its their own head and they’re trying to get out of a tackle. To be honest, they’re not really opening themselves up for anything league lads or rah-rahs don’t regularly cop.
May 9th 2012 @ 9:01am
Bayman said | May 9th 2012 @ 9:01am | Report comment
Nathan,
In truth, it’s their own head and they’re trying to get into a tackle! They don’t duck to avoid contact, they duck to initiate contact – that’s why we are having this discussion.
How hard is that to understand? I just hope that no player currently involved ends up like Neil Sachse did following his duck into the knee of his Fitzroy opponent. If it should happen, however, that player won’t be getting much sympathy from me.
I’ll reserve my sympathies for those who suffer an accident – not the guys who go looking for high contact.
May 9th 2012 @ 8:52pm
Nathan of Perth said | May 9th 2012 @ 8:52pm | Report comment
Sort of, a lot more complicated than that. After all, they HAVE broken the tackles using these methods and played on.
If an idiot tackler is pushed into head high contact I have no sympathy. They were weaker and they were clumsier.
May 9th 2012 @ 9:11am
Ian Whitchurch said | May 9th 2012 @ 9:11am | Report comment
Nathan,
I dont care whose head it is. The head is sacrosanct, and endangering it gets you a suspension.
You might be OK with West Coast Eagles players getting brain damage from repeated blows to the head if it wins them a flag, but I happen to like them as individuals, and think they should have a fair chance at a decent retirement.
May 9th 2012 @ 7:58pm
GrantS said | May 9th 2012 @ 7:58pm | Report comment
Ian up until a couple of weeks ago I had the greatest respect for the Eagles and their coach. After their blatant misuse of the rules and the interview today by their coach, in which he said he was quite happy with the things they are doing, that respect has gone.
When one of their players gets severely injured and they start whining the only word of sympathy they will get from me is “tough” !
May 9th 2012 @ 8:55pm
Nathan of Perth said | May 9th 2012 @ 8:55pm | Report comment
Rubbish. And you’ll thank us in the long run. The free kicks are because other players started tackling higher in order to pin the arms and in the process slam people into the ground unable to brace themselves. Now if they have to start tackling the hips the arms will be free and we’ll have a more free-flowing game because there won’t be free kicks and there won’t be nearly as many congested ball-ups.
Important to note, Gieschen said that all of the free kicks against the Kangas were there and when he provided an example of running head-first to initiate contact the example was *Cyril Rioli* not an Eagle.
May 9th 2012 @ 9:11pm
Ian Whitchurch said | May 9th 2012 @ 9:11pm | Report comment
Nathan,
That doesnt change anything I said in the slightest. Endanger *anyone’s* head by putting it in the way of a tackle, and its a trip to the MRP.
That includes high shots, ducking the head and using the head as a battering ram.
May 9th 2012 @ 9:19pm
Nathan of Perth said | May 9th 2012 @ 9:19pm | Report comment
Either way, its still the tackler going for the upper arms that is causing the problem, even if the tacklee is making it difficult to tackle otherwise – that is not the tackled players problem.
People are aiming for those upper arms to lock players arms in to prevent off-loading and to drive into the ground players who can’t defend themselves, but because this is the way it has been done for a while and because people are scared to move away from a congestion and stoppage heavy style they are complaining about the counter-techniques rather than the dodgy tackling!
May 9th 2012 @ 9:39pm
Ian Whitchurch said | May 9th 2012 @ 9:39pm | Report comment
Nathan,
I’ll ask again.
Do you agree deliberate endangerment of any head should get you referred to the MRP ?
May 9th 2012 @ 9:56pm
Nathan of Perth said | May 9th 2012 @ 9:56pm | Report comment
Simply, no.
Let players take on the risks that they will.
Furthermore, the technique your complaint is most relevant to is the one we aren’t practicing, i.e., the charge into an opponent.
May 9th 2012 @ 10:03pm
Ian Whitchurch said | May 9th 2012 @ 10:03pm | Report comment
Nathan,
Actually, Im thinking Joel Selwood is the one who needs to be rubbed out repeatedly before he ends up not being able to remember his career.
But Im glad you’re clear about being OK with West Coast Eagles players being in wheelchairs or brain damaged, if it improves the chances of a premiership.
May 9th 2012 @ 10:05pm
Nathan of Perth said | May 9th 2012 @ 10:05pm | Report comment
They’re competitive souls, I’m sure they don’t need me to ask them to risk their necks, as it were.
May 8th 2012 @ 5:24pm
Lats said | May 8th 2012 @ 5:24pm | Report comment
Here we go again… every year WCE are near the top, the conspiracy theories come out.
Scott Selwood has been playing the same way for 3 years at the Eagles and no one has said a thing about his style.. suddenly he is a ducker and a cheat?? .. or is it that when West Coast start winning games the Melbourne Media love to create conspiracy theories?
Have a look at the frees, North players were consistently clumsy in the tackle, with one arm OVER the shoulder and AROUND the neck.. you cant blame the ump for giving obvious frees. Shuey, Selwood, Hams all got hit with high shots all day. Instead of complaining about he umpires, why don’t you blokes (Vic coaches) teach your players to tackle properly??
In the old days, players tackled around the waist.. nowdays they try the ball and all tackle around the chest… so if they get it wrong its a free kick. So stop complaining and get your arms and shoulder under the ribs.
What I like the most about the Vics and their moaning, is that the number 2 and 3 teams getting the most number of frees (according to another publication) are GWS and Port Adelaide!!! but no mention of them in the latest “conspiracy articles”
This is just another Melbourne media inspired scare campaign. Ten years ago the Lions (allegedly) cheated with pain killers to Michael Voss.. 7 years ago the Swans cheated with their man on man footy… today its the Eagles turn… ho hum..
IF you blokes in Melbourne hate the interstate sides so much, why don’t you just go and support Box Hill or someone??
Im really surprised the Kangaroos coach stooped to this gutter commentary, I guess the fact that WCE had 16 more scoring shots than the Roos had absolutely no bearing on the final result.. and I guess Melbourne really were the better team on the day.. etc etc..
May 9th 2012 @ 9:56am
Bayman said | May 9th 2012 @ 9:56am | Report comment
It’s been said before (especially by me) and it will no doubt be said again but the real villains here are not the Weagles or the Selwoods or any of the other divers and duckers in the league.
That mantle of villain sits firmly with the AFL and its rules committee who have created the monster we all complain about today. It defies logic to think that the AFL could bring in its “head is sacred” policy and not realise that it was opening a can of worms in which the smarties can survive and thrive.
None of us want ro see players having their head ripped off, figuratively or literally, and none of us want to see players with their head over the ball being shirt-fronted with a hip to the head. It’s dangerous, careless, reckless and should rightly be penalised.
The bump, however, should still be a legitimate action in a game of football. Being shirt-fronted does not necessarily mean that one player was bent over the ball. All the of the best bumps I’ve ever seen were handed out to players in an upright position. The removal of the bump as a legitimate tool has had other consequences too.
It has resulted in players “going low”, often with disastrous consequences. Players, historically, were taught to put their head over the ball and it was considered a sign, and a measure, of that player’s courage.
Today, players are sliding in low to avoid contact with the head of an oncoming player – and no doubt to minimise the “ducker’s” chance of conning the umpire. The slider has several advantages.
He avoids giving away a high contact free kick.
He may get a high contact free kick.
He may get a free for in the back when the oncoming opponent falls on him (because his legs have been taken out from under).
He gives himself a chance to get over the ball first while still having an exit path for the footy to avoid being caught “holding the ball” (which may have been a problem had he dived head first onto the ball).
He may damage an opponent (knees, ankles, broken legs – see Rohan) although, no doubt, this will be claimed as an unintentional outcome of the “slide”. Unintentional – but possibly match deciding all the same. It’s ok as long as he apologises!!
Once again, it defies logic to think that the AFL could not have seen this coming given their sanctimonious preaching about protecting a player’s head. It’s a pity they don’t care as much for his legs. After all, a player might miss a week or two with concussion and only a season with a broken leg or a knee reconstruction.
Interestingly, one of the most courageous players I ever saw, Chris McDermott, offered the view at a recent footy lunch that the sliders were, in fact, cowards and that the sliding in was a cowardly act. These guys are not risking their heads and bodies over the ball.
McDermott, however, was not criticising the sliders but the changes in rules and interpretations which have led players to respond in this manner. By effectively removing, through legislation, one of the courageous aspects of footy the AFL has created a monster which today is way out of control with no cure in sight.
The rules, as they currently stand, have brought us the divers, the duckers and the cheats – and they are indeed prospering.
I don’t blame the West Coast Eagles, or the Selwood’s generally, for showing us what fools the AFL really are. Good luck to them. As long as the AFL keeps interfering – and fixing problems which previously did not exist – then it’s human nature to take advantage.
Pious claptrap, though, from Eagles apologists about “teaching players to tackle properly” is simply rubbish. Most players – there are always exceptions, it’s why we have rules in the first place – do tackle properly but are undone by the smarties (and I’m not talking about the umpires).
For no other reason than the rules allow abuse and now, in fact, encourage it. This current trend to duck, dive, bend at the knees and slide are the direct result of AFL interference in the game. They give hope to the cowards in the game while denying those with the real courage.
If this is what the AFL intended I shall be very surprised. It is, however, what the AFL have got and I, for one, will be interested in observing from now on what they intend to do about it.
Interestingly, at that footy lunch I mentioned earlier, another footy legend, Malcolm Blight, agreed with Chris McDermott. When former players and coaches of that calibre question the way the game is headed surely somebody within the AFL might have the courtesy to listen – and take note.
May 9th 2012 @ 8:32pm
Stumpy said | May 9th 2012 @ 8:32pm | Report comment
Bayman
You’ve pretty much covered this to perfection, this systematic adaptation to the current rule-set has been coming for over ten years and the removal of the bump has driven this tactic.
There have always been players that have exploited the head high rule by ducking,dropping or shrugging their opponents arms over their shoulder, but now with virtually all players sliding or diving at the contest it’s gotten out of hand because of the protect the head mantra.
The end result has been leg injuries but sooner or later someone head and neck will be injured in the worst way.
And the AFL will have created the situation/result they were attempted to stop.
The “Selwood Shrug” for want of a better name is being taught, make no mistake coaches and clubs are exploiting this in a systematic way just as much as the sliding in tactic.
WC aren’t the only team doing this but they certainly have more players that are better at doing it then other clubs.
This also was a natural evolution of tactic to defeat players that are great at pinning arms to deny correct disposal,
( player see’s feels tackle coming – tackler is aiming to grab ball carriers arms – upon contact the ball carrier drops and lifts elbow high and turns into arm – umpire blows whistle = profit aka free kick.)
I’ll bet upright rows are a huge part of strength and conditioning programs at the present.
There are some ugly things about the game atm, hopefully the game gets past this rubbish with it’s Identity intact.
May 9th 2012 @ 8:56pm
Nathan of Perth said | May 9th 2012 @ 8:56pm | Report comment
“Pious claptrap, though, from Eagles apologists about “teaching players to tackle properly” is simply rubbish. ”
No seriously, most AFL players suck at tackling.
Get better, get stronger. We did, after all.
May 10th 2012 @ 9:40pm
The Cattery said | May 10th 2012 @ 9:40pm | Report comment
I agree with Chris McDermott re the sliding in – I don’t like it at all and I can’t understand how it has been allowed to creep into the game the way it has.
By rights, you should not be able to take possession of the ball in that manner – let’s reward players for keeping their feet.