The sling tackle is the popular debate topic of the AFL community at present. The crux of the argument seems to be what to do about the sling tackle, but does this issue need a solution?
In case you missed the story, Jack Trengove made a sling tackle on Western Bulldogs player Callum Ward last Friday. The umpire payed a free kick to Trengove for holding the ball and the game went on without any injury to Ward.
On 3AW Football Saturday, AFL umpire boss Jeff Gieschen confirmed that the free kick paid was correct but warned Trengove that the incident would be reviewed the MRP (Match Review Panel). The MRP eventually cleared him of any wrongdoing despite Trengove having form in the 2011 season.
Tuesday saw AFL champion and rule maker Kevin Bartlett call for yet another rule change and said the current commitment to player welfare was in “tatters”. This is despite many rule changes being made in the last ten years to guard against head injuries.
What really annoys me is all this talk of rule changes in regards to the sling tackle is coming from people who are outside the playing/coaching arena.
People like Bartlett are taking pot shots and making calls on this issue when many players and coaches are in the opposite corner.
Cameron Ling called the tackle “fantastic” on TV and many other players and coaches have expressed support for Trengove.
And if I were to take a straw poll of the fans (who the AFL claim to listen to) out on Swanston Street, nine out of ten would call the tackle Trengove made a good one.
What this debate boils down to is whether the AFL is going to make another rule change.
Already so heavy on regulation it would make a government department seem easy; another rule like this surely is just overkill.
More players are injured in contests with knees than the sling tackle. Apart from Patrick Dangerfield (whose tackle was the most severe), all other players have played on and not missed any matches.
The game of Australian Football is in danger of being a victim of overregulation.
Aussie No Rules is being replaced with Aussie Too Many Rules. The sling tackle is the perfect tackle and outlawing it will only create more confusion on what you can and cannot do.
Too many regulations make something confusing, and that is what AFL will become if it hasn’t already.
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