The dramatic pause. In the theatre and in films it’s a significant moment. Such moments are important in sport too.
Gridiron and baseball, it could be argued, have pregnant pauses as their major attraction.
The AFL though is determined to get the game moving – to discourage over-defensive plays and unsightly congestion but also to make the game more attractive to potential converts – and has declared outright war on lulls in the action; threatening the game’s value as theatre.
Our once were warriors used to strut around supremely or stand erect and dignified at kick ins. Today, they’re treated like street urchins and made to cower by the umpires who demand they “move on” after just five seconds.
The changes are even more profound at the other end of the ground where the gladiators – the sport’s major attraction – reside: full forward.
The power forward, if he is to fulfill his role as entertainer and kicker of goals (which is of course the ultimate aim of the game), must perform several important procedures, which may or may not be unique to him, such as: walking back slowly while looking about as if preparing to pass it to someone else, rotating the ball in the hands, pulling up the socks, placing the mouthguard inside one of the socks, throwing grass in the air to determine wind direction and strength, having a teammate tell him to relax, and so on.
This gives both sets of supporters extended time to contemplate the result and build dramatic tension – like the crowd at the Colosseum waiting for the emperor’s thumb.
The great full forwards like Tony Lockett and Jason Dunstall, in front of a crowd in awe of their ability and defenders sh*t scared to put such big angry men off their game were permitted to perform their meticulous preparations in relative silence.
Today, the full forward will be interrupted by a reminder from a harrying pipsqueak that 15 seconds have elapsed, followed 15 seconds later by an undignified “whistling up” from the wind-tooled ump.
The hurried re-start to play after a behind has been kicked (which is the usual result these days) also doesn’t allow the forward time to express his disappointment because he’s too busy zoning up or chasing a defender.
Of course the obsession with manic undignified movement is not the preserve of the AFL. The coaches, with their 140 interchanges per match, have the players resembling ants on a jam tart.
Players being substituted in rugby and soccer get to saunter off the ground and receive the accolades of supporters while our interchangers have to sprint with their heads down hoping they don’t get abused on the telephone about taking too long to get off.
Of all the rule changes designed to speed up the game the one I find the most abhorrent is the one that appears to be the most innocuous: the throwing up of the ball at stoppages around the ground.
No, no, not throw ups. A volunteer father lobs the ball in the air to momentarily clear a pack of AUSKICK kids – and it’s used in netball, I think – but it doesn’t belong in a professional game of football.
The bouncing of the ball, or rather the slamming of it into the ground, suits the dramatic masculinity of the game.
It seems a little strange that the AFL has done its best to speed up the game and yet also plans to slow it down by capping interchanges and fatiguing its players.
John Worsfold is the only coach supporting the slowing down of the game to “preserve the great moments… The way it is at the moment, the way it’s zipping around, you’re not really getting to see as much of that.”
I agree. Put an end to this undignified scuttling and restore the pregnant pause where to the outsider, nothing appears to be happening.
Floyd Calhoun
Guest
The bounce requires more skill than people might imagine. It could be said that the Aussie Rules umpire has more skill than some other codes' players. Not naming those codes though. Too controversial.
sheek
Roar Guru
Yeah, I agree with the primary theme of the article. We need pauses in our life to reflect upon & enjoy (perhaps a second time) something good that has happened to us. It's the same with sport. A break allows us to reflect upon & appreciate a wonderful passage of play that has just been witnessed. This is why I don't think basketball is a particularly great game because while full of constant action, it isn't always quality action. And when do you get to enjoy the great baskets, or steals, except when replaying the match! Because the action never stops. Quantity is never a substitute for quality. Pauses are good, indeed they are essential.
Redb
Roar Guru
You are the one talking dribble agga78. Football is a game of constant contest it was designed to be a game of turnovers. If you truly understand the game the best games are one on one contests all over the ground where possession is constantly broken as your opponent had a 50-50 chance to win possession. Is it not rugby league. Fatigue is a bigger influence over skill execution.
agga78
Guest
@Brewski that is a load of dribble, it's an oval ball it is hard to kick, having kicked many a footy over 30 years, kicking a footy is very easy, the ball is designed to fly and passing should very easy for someone who is at the elite stage of the game. Making excuses for poor skill levels at the top of the game is not going to improve the sport, the fact the so called best player in the league misses as many shots as he scores from 30 metres out directly in front is down to technique not because the ball is oval shaped.
Brewski
Guest
@ Agga 78, IMO it is the oval ball, you are probably don't want to hear it, or probably agree with it, but its pretty hard to string 20 to 30 passes that hit your team mate on the chest when they are leading at a great rate of knots, with someone on their hammer looking to spoil. Oval balls are IMO harder to pinpoint than a round one, kicking hand to foot has a much greater margin for error than kicking a round ball along the ground.
agga78
Guest
The frenzied nature of footy where everything happens at a hundred miles an hour with players scrambling on their knees to grab the ball or kicking blindly anywhere forward leaves the game looking scrappy and unwatchable. AFL teams really struggle at keeping possession, with marking keeping possession should be very simple, it is not continous as the play can be stopped after every mark, but why is it every team is unable to hold possession for no more than 5 passes. If I was an avid follower of AFL, my concerns with the game would be, not how fast it is or how many times my player can be interchanged, but how footy is the only code of football where possession is giving up so easliy when with proper coaching and technique top level teams should be having 20-30 passes without losing the ball.
Martin
Guest
I recall about a decade ago when a player use to have to wait until the goal umpire had waved the flag before he would be allowed to kick the football back into play. I use to take in the moment of a near miss and think "what might have been". Now half the time I miss the kick back into play because I'm still discussing the near miss with people around me. I wish the AFL would change the rule back to the way it use to be in the olds days because the game doesn't need to be so fast, as Andrew says: you need a dramatic pause.
matt
Guest
With the passing of every season in come the inevitable rule changes to address congestion. What happens? players get fitter and stronger and coaches develop various strategies to turn the game into a contested footy stat. The only logical answer...reduce the number of players on the field.
Handles
Guest
I took a Canadian friend to a game at the G about 10 years ago. The next time I visited him in the US, we were at a dinner, and he explained to all his American friends the drama of the bounce - and described it as the most fantastic start to any sporting event he had ever seen. Sometimes you need a fresh set of eyes to remind you!
Australian Rules
Guest
The bounce is here to stay.
Andrew Sutherland
Roar Guru
Yes, Redb, I agree that is the most dramatic event of all. I just hope the Commission doesn't dilute it by having the umpire fling it in the air.
Andrew Sutherland
Roar Guru
Australian Rules and Jay, Stop making sense.
King Robbo
Guest
I must be getting old. I think there are too many stoppages, marks every 15 seconds, boundry throw-ins, ball up every 30 seconds, kick ins after a point, free kicks etc.Sometimes I dont know how on earth umpires dont faint from blowing the whistle non stop for 3 hours. Due to the way the game has changed in the last 20 years, there are more bounce downs (due to flooding tactics) and more marks (teams tend to try and keep possession more ie kick backwards or short, rather than boot the ball 50 metres to a one on one contest as done previously). Also fitness of players have improved and the way the 2 million interchanges are worked every match, makes the game more congestested Open flowing games are a rarity, look at the 89 grand final or the WA v Vic state of origin game in '86. Classics, compared to what we mostly get served up today.
Andrew Sutherland
Roar Guru
Thank you Tom
Andrew Sutherland
Roar Guru
Time off for a set shot at goal. An excellent idea fatboi.
Redb
Roar Guru
The article doesnt make a lot of sense to me. One of the most dramatic scenes in AFL footy is when the umpire hold the sherrin aloft at the start of each quarter, the siren blows, the crowd roars. The overwhelming message is "Who wants it more - game on!"
fatboi
Guest
i like the current rule of a player having to kick or handball or play on after about 10 seconds of marking the ball. It should be the same in the forward line. if a player wants to have a deliberate set shot for goal then here is were i think the rule should be changed. This is what we need: every time a forward player marks a kick and wants to take a set shot, he should be allowed ample time to prepare. To disqualify himself from the uniform rule of having to get rid of the ball by a certain time (as it is around the ground) and to stop the clock needlessly counting down whilst play has stopped, The forward should be given an opportunity to RAISE ONE ARM UP IN THE AIR AFTER MARKING THE BALL if he has decided that he wants to have a set shot at goal. the moment his arms are raised, the umpire blows time off, the clock is suspended and the forward is able to rest, take a few deep breaths, test the wind, pull up his socks, put away his mouth guard and get ready for the set shot. Hopefully this should not take up more than 60 seconds but i think players who are taking set shots at goal should be afforded the time, without having to resort to time wasting antics and thus not harming the opposition team and the match clock.
Jay
Guest
This is AFL's point of difference. Their zig to every other codes zag. The growth of AFL at the grassroots level should make other codes pay attention. On a few points I agree: 1. Kicking a goal should be allowed more time (especially in a tight game - ie: specific to the circumstances) 2. Some of the great strutting and gamesmanship needs to come back into the game. So, perhaps a brief pase before throw ins. However, AFL is popular and becoming moreso popuular due to the nature of the game. That nature is it's speed (in most instances) and not the stop start nature.
Australian Rules
Guest
One of the unique features of Australian Footy is the ability for the game to seamlessly and continuously change between 2 speeds: flowing and stop-start. What gives the game this unique tempo? The mark. When a player takes a mark he can choose (in a microsecond) to play on... or he can choose to stop. Obviously this includes players who mark near the goal. *That* is the game's dramatic pause.
TomC
Roar Guru
Chin up Andrew. Soon the off-season will be over and you'll be able to write about footy again.