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Kevin Sheedy recently infamously said the immigration department was responsible for stunting the growth of AFL in Western Sydney, with arriving migrants sticking to the one sport they know, football/soccer.
However, one huge factor keeping pushing away locals, let alone foreigners, from the sport is the confusion of all the new and old rules and their interpretations.
Here was a conversation I had with a family member from overseas during a game.
A: How does the scoring work?
M: Kick between the big sticks, six points; hit the big sticks, one point; in between big and small sticks, one point; hit the small sticks, no points; if a player touches the ball before it crosses the line, one point.
A: Why was that a free kick?
M: Because he held the ball too long while being tackled.
A: But not that time?
M: Yeah, he sort of made it look like he was trying to get rid of the ball, so that’s okay.
A: That was a free kick but he got rid of the ball?
M: Well generally that’s also a rule, it’s called dropping the ball. You can’t do that.
A: He did the same there but no free kick?
M: Look, most of the time now they call play on just to keep the game flowing.
A: How come they didn’t throw that ball back in?
M: Huh? Oh someone kicked the ball over the boundary line without it bouncing.
A: It bounced!
M: Oh, then it must have been deliberate.
A: What is a ‘deliberate’?
M: Where you deliberately direct the ball towards the boundary line so it goes out.
A: But he did it there and no free kick this time?
M: Yeah, but he was under pressure and was trying to clear it.
A: So? They were still deliberately kicking it there.
M: True, but that’s just Mick Malthouse’s tactics to go wide 100% of the time.
A: These goal reviews are pointless, the camera angle is no good and the vision is blurred.
M: Yep, the reviews come back inconclusive 100% of the time.
A: How come that was a free kick?
M: He pushed him in the back
A: And that? He pushed him but not in the back!
M: Yeah, but he pushed him out of the marking contest regardless.
A: But not that?
M: Well the rule is you can extend your arms halfway or three quarters way, just not fully extended.
A: This is so confusing!
M: Dude, you’ll be fine. It’s too easy! But here are just some other things to know. No high tackle; illegal shepherd; no holding the man without the ball; don’t slide in first going for the ball; no throwing; bounce the ball after every 15 metres; kicks must go 15m to be paid a mark, don’t spoil a mark by chopping the arms, don’t trip anyone, don’t kick the ball while someone is trying to pick it up.
Also beware of giving away a 50m penalty if you kick the ball away or don’t give the ball back properly after a free kick is called.
A: Screw this!
M: But I explained everything so clearly!
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