I’m afraid the game’s unique and time-honoured hip and shoulder is beginning to look grubby. The spectacle of the classic bump (hip-and-shoulder against hip-and- shoulder) has been a source of wonder for followers of other sports.
It can be a thing of beauty but it has degenerated into a dangerous art form.
Previously when Kade Simpson heard things go bump in the night, he assumed he was imagining it. That was before Friday night last week when he heard a bump, and a crack, and his lights went out.
Despite harsh penalties being imposed by the AFL over an extended period now – remember Michael Long’s collision with Troy Simmonds in the 2000 Grand Final – the awful sight of players heads being hit with shoulders continues.
There is something intrinsically malicious about the legitimate hip-and-shoulder. It has always been the one legal outlet for certain players to act on their aggressive impulses. In the past it provided the game’s celebrated “hard nuts” with an opportunity to make a statement and instil fear into opponents.
Even for the more timid player, choosing the heavy bump over a tackle is often the result of anger or frustration.
But the days of theatrical posers are over. No longer do players have the time or permission to strut around like Dermott Brereton dishing out punishment and receiving it in due course.
The modern game has few pauses and is played at breakneck speed. Players arrive at contests at a fierce velocity. If bumps are to be permitted then the consequences are clear.
Now while it’s not the intention of most players to make contact with the head – althugh Matt White’s premeditated shot on a crouching James Frawley came close – it appears that “making a contest” is the sole aim.
What was Sharrod Wellingham trying to do exactly when he approached Simpson? In a panel discussion involving Wellingham, Tim Watson was charitable enough to claim that he was originally going for the mark.
Wellingham didn’t say what his intentions were, only that he didn’t mean “to hurt him [Simpson] that much”.
Part of the problem lies with the code of courage enforced by the playing group and more importantly the coach. Now while coaches don’t recommend certain courageous plays like backing into a pack – they expect their players to do everything to win the ball; including forceful dispossession.
When Collingwood successfully appealed against Nick Maxwell’s suspension for his jaw breaking bump on Patrick McGinnity in 2009, the defending QC argued that if Maxwell had not committed the bump he was going against the “spirit” of the game and the orders of his coach Mick Malthouse.
“I’m a tenth of a second away from impact. I’ll pull out of this. Sorry Mick”, said the counsel.
The argument that such a collision was unavoidable was dubious, of course. Maxwell was quite fee to run alongside McGinnity and contest the rolling ball, just as Wellingham could easily have stayed behind Simpson as Heath Shaw contested the mark.
But they were only doing what was expected of them; to make a contest. Unfortunately that meant the accidental breaking of jaws and serious concussion.
In any case, the bump is often ineffective in gaining possession. A tackle is more likely to produce a turnover or a free kick for holding the ball.
If the speed and the ‘spirit’ of the game aren’t going to change then perhaps it’s time to get rid of the iconic hip-and-shoulder.
Admittedly, it may be difficult to enforce because the umpires would have to decide whether a hit was a deliberate act or an incidental collision. There is also the self preserving bump – wrapping yourself up in order to protect your abdomen and ribs from damage.
Many old-timers certainly wouldn’t want the bump outlawed. Ex-players like Malcolm Blight wax lyrical about legitimate bumps such as the one by Lenny Hayes that flattened Dale Thomas a couple of years ago: “He got down low and just met the body. It was beautiful!”
Contact is inevitable. The game is about aggressive men with the ball and similar men trying to get it back.
Adrenalin, desperation, anger and coaches orders are a dangerous cocktail so perhaps it’s time to limit the contact to tackles.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Five meter rule is about the right distance - important to be able to clear paths and as for heavy bumps, well, some players just need a lot of convincing to clear the way. We are proud of the 360 degree nature of the sport, this is part and parcel, you have to keep your head on a swivel. Beau Waters is a master at the legitimate bump and it would be terrible to see that lost to the game.
BigAl
Guest
That 5 metre rule is ridiculous ! It lays it open for a player to be taken out, even if there are 2 or three of his team mates closer to the ball than he, by someone who just has a grudge against him? This is the scenario that the the good old-fashioned sniper loves . . . - DERMIE COME ON DOWN !!!
hawker
Guest
No , if he's within 5 metres of the ball he should be expecting contact... Besides that Hunt hit was good karma for Monfries for being a diving cheat
BigAl
Guest
'...performed correctly' ?? - what does that mean ! - surgery is safe when performed correctly.
BigAl
Guest
Weak ? Well just imagine if in the 2 cases discussed here, the player taken out of the play had been done so by being grabbed and dragged down ? There would have been screams of outrage and an immediate free kick given. If a player doesn't have the ball then he can't be tackled - so he shouldn't be be able to be bumped out of the play. - stupid !
BigAl
Guest
?? But in the 2 examples mentioned (Hunt & Brereton), there was no 'battle for the ball" !! One guy has the ball in mind, and the other has his eye on him and thinks . . . '... he doesn't see me, stuff the ball, I'll just take him - out easy/peasy ! '
DJW
Roar Rookie
That wasn't my point, it was the softening of the game, Watching the clearing of the breakdown in union, Its dangerous and guys get smashed but that is part of the game. As is the hip and shoulder in afl. I'm not talking about a guy running in and putting his hip into a guys head over the ball, that is just cowardly. i'm talking about a good hip and shoulder into another guy as a battle for the ball.,
Cameron
Guest
How many hip and shoulders have you seen while watching Union? Zero would be my guess.
DJW
Guest
And this is why I watch rugby union. Afl will soon be non contact with visits to the tribunal for looking at your opponent the wrong way. A hip and shoulder when performed correctly is part and parcel of the game. A method used to shepherd or get the opponent of the ball. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Swampy
Guest
Weak. Go play netball. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
GCS
Guest
I'm with you on the Brererton hit on Van Der Haar. There was only one player there showing courage, yet I remember at the time that the media made Dermie out to be the hero, with "Demolition Dermie" headlines.
BigAl
Guest
That hit should be made illegal, if it's not already ! Monfries had eyes only for the ball/the man with the ball - and Hunt only had eyes for Monfries. It reminds me very much of that low incident years ago when Brereton lined up Van der Haar - that was outrageous and gross ! Brereton could see that Van had his eyes on getting the bal and that he was on his blind side, so he just forgot about anycontest for the ball, lined him up and severely hurt him from a great distance - and Brereton thought he was the big tough guy that he just loved to think of himself as l Even in Rugby League where they love that sort of stuff it's illegal unless you have the ball I believe, and in Union it's outlawed all together ! The whole concept is uncontrollable, unmanageable, and down right dangerous - not to mention grossly unfair to the player who has eyes only for the ball
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Hunt's hip and shoulder against Monfries of Essendon argues that the bump has now become a specialist's tool.
Stumpy
Roar Rookie
I dispise that the classic hip and shoulder has been taken out of the game. It's not for the betterment of the sport either, in time worse injuries will occur due to head first style of play that has been developed. Players used to protect themselves turn their bodies as they met the ball, not anymore. It's obvious that players are encouraged by both the coaches and the interpretation of the rules to dive at the ball. Now that the play is structured in zone type forms in both attack and defense collisions happen more often then the game was played in the lead up positional game style. In time players will suffer more head and neck injuries and I can see the day when AFL players will be wearing head and shoulder protection and it'll be because they removed the bump.