The AFL head-ducking debate, is yet more proof that modern day footballers cannot win the media game. The papers were stating that players ducking their heads will end with someone breaking their neck.
Ducking, for those who don’t know, is when a player who is in possession of the ball ducks his head as he is about to be tackled to intentionally draw high contact and therefore win himself a free kick.
The Herald Sun’s Warwick Green recently wrote that Kangaroo Liam Anthony could have been carried from the ground on a stretcher after Anthony ducking to gain a free kick.
On the AFL site, Nick Bowen wrote that ducking is ‘just for a free kick’.
Bowen was arguing that the risk of spinal chord injury involved in ducking outweighs the minimal reward of a simple free kick.
What are the armchair experts trying to tell players? That the game is dangerous? That if they put their heads in dangerous positions they might get seriously injured?
This shouldn’t be news to any player in the competition.
AFL umpires manager Jeff Gieschen believes that some players are taking advantage of the rules that have been implemented to protect them he said on his weekly AFL show ‘What’s Your Decision?’
“I think what’s happened now is they’ve realised that we will protect that area, and now they’re actually taking a few liberties to put their head down in an attempt to draw (a free kick),” he said.
After the AFL made the head sacrosanct by bringing in a new rule in 2007. The rule set out to penalise any player that makes forceful front on contact to a player who has their head over the ball.
But there is only so much the AFL can do.
It is a very grey area, if a player is intentionally drawing contact, do they deserve a free kick?
Most people believe they don’t, but AFL chief executive officer Andrew Demetriou defended the criticism of the rules protecting player’s heads.
“Head high injuries, neck injuries – the head is sacrosanct and we make no apologies for it,” he told The Age.
The most famous of very few spinal chord injuries occurred in 1975, when Bulldog Neil Sachse in his second game was awkwardly collected head on by an opponent. He never walked again.
It was an accident, and realistically players won’t heed Sachse’s advice, which was printed in numerous papers, “don’t duck your head’. Unfortunately one day it will happen again.
It is a part of the reason why AFL players receive such high salaries, they put their bodies on the line to receive the big bucks. They are more than fairly compensated for the risks they take.
The pressure the media puts on players to perform is somewhat responsible for this new ducking trend.
If a player doesn’t go for the ball with his head over it, he will be criticised. If he stops to think about the dangers of a situation, he will be criticised. If he isn’t getting enough possessions, he will be criticised.
Therefore if ducking will get them a kick, they will duck.
Geelong’s Joel Selwood, who has been targeted as one of the worst head-ducking offenders, has had his playing style ridiculed because of it. It is seen as too risky to duck your head to win a free kick, but not if it’s for a mark or to advantage your team.
Ironically the worst hit Selwood has received in his career did not involve ducking.
In round one Selwood clashed with Saint Farren Ray in a contest where both players slid in to win the ball.
Selwood copped Ray’s shoulder to his jaw and was instantly knocked out. In a sickening scene, Selwood lay on the ground motionless as blood slowly leaked out of his mouth.
Yet, there was nothing written in the papers telling Selwood not to go hard at his next contest to protect himself.
The poor players just cannot please journalists.
If you take the view that ducking isn’t worth the risk, you could easily apply the same logic to anything else that happens on a football field. After all, is football – or indeed any game – worth a spinal chord injury?
Yes ducking is dangerous, but so is a player blindly going back with the flight of the ball just for a mark, or to prevent their opponent from getting an easy disposal.
The danger inherent in the game is part of the reason why we marvel at these athletes. The fact that players relentlessly throw their bodies into harm’s way is astounding.
Footballers are modern-day gladiators and the MCG is their Colosseum. If ducking their heads will get them the ball, they will do it, and why wouldn’t they? It’s their job, let’s leave them to it.
Injuries are bound to happen in contact sports. That’s footy, it’s the worst part of footy, but like it or not, the high level of risk is why so many of us love footy.
fraser
Guest
Yes, but what is the point of tackling below the shoulders if you know they will get the ball out, so pin one arm i guess...
bam
Guest
Peter, You are spot on. For a long time players have been coached in tackling high on the body, not above the shoulders, to try and stop players lifting the ball above the tackle and keeping the arms free to dispose of the ball and hit a target. Joel Selwood doesn't lift his arms very often until the contact is made and more often than not the tacklers arms slide up over his shoulders as a result. Go a bit lower on him and he may end up penalised. Of course if you get the ball before him that saves all the trouble
Peter Care
Guest
Selwood does NOT duck his head. The reason he gets a few free kicks is a) he goes in and gets the ball b) he goes in lower than the opposition c) poor tackling technique from his opponents. His opponents tackle him in the upper arms or shoulders, and thus can easily slip up over his shoulder. If they tacked him lower around his lower arms, they would execute a perfect tackle and receive a free kick. It is no different to takling a player around the thighs and slipping down and giving a free kick away for tripping. The best way to stop Selwood is to get the ball yourselves. Rather than complain about somebody who goes in hard to get the ball, how about getting the ball instead, or failing that execute your tackles better, i.e lower in the body.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
I completely agree. "I confess I find it mildly amusing that Gieschen is surprised that some players are using the rule to their advantage. This has been one of my rules bugbears for some time. Changes to rules, and the application and interpretation of same, without sitting down to wonder what the next step might be. Frankly, I’m astounded that Gieschen seems surprised. I would have thought this was the obvious extension of the “high tackle” emphasis now in place." I don't know why he is surprised either. Afterall the players and coaches are only doing their job; there is nothing wrong with attempting to use the rules to their advantage. Heck, they would be negligent if they didn't. When making new rules, it should be taken for granted that the players and coaches will attempt to use the rules to their advantage, and as such, the rule-makers should adjust the rules accordingly.
Bayman
Guest
There is a vast difference between accidental high contact and that made when a player goes looking for it. Ducking should be discouraged in every way. I confess I find it mildly amusing that Gieschen is surprised that some players are using the rule to their advantage. This has been one of my rules bugbears for some time. Changes to rules, and the application and interpretation of same, without sitting down to wonder what the next step might be. Frankly, I'm astounded that Gieschen seems surprised. I would have thought this was the obvious extension of the "high tackle" emphasis now in place. Yet another rule interpretation brought in to help which has only muddied the waters. Pretty normal for the AFL. As for Neil Sachse, that was a terrible way for someone to become famous. A quadriplegic following a collision with a Fitzroy player in 1975. Neil saw the tackle coming and ducked into it. The Fitzroy player's knee then collected Sachse and the rest is history. Back in Adelaide, while shocked, noboby was surprised. As a North Adelaide player, Neil had made ducking into an artform. It annoyed the hell out of opposition supporters and many feared what may happen. Finally it did. It hasn't happened for thirty five years but luck's a fortune. The next time is does though I'll regret it like everyone else. But, if it's a "ducker", please don't bother telling me how unlucky he was.
Football United
Guest
Ducking in AFL is in the same league as diving in Football. its a pathetic manipulation to the laws and should be stamped out. rugby has the right idea, if you duck your head into the tackle then you are fair game to get your head knocked off.
Rob McLean
Guest
I think the angst around ducking isn't necessarily around the danger, although in these OH&S rigid times it is part of it. Most of the angst is in regards to the cynical decision to duck, knowing it will inevitably draw a free. Like diving in soccer. I've always said the new rule takes away teh duty of care on the person who ducks, despite them being the provocateur, if you like, of the contact. It is now totally in the hands of the woul be tackler, who may not necessarily have time to do anything more than to run into the player due to the timing of the duck.