WATCH: North great sent off on local footy debut after appearing to headbutt opponent
Jack Ziebell was playing his first match for Avondale Heights when he was yellow-carded for headbutting an opponent during a scuffle following a late…
When I was a kid the rules of the game were there to be followed. It was how the game was played on the day and because the coach and the umpire said so – little other thought was given to them.
Now with a bit of age under the belt and hopefully some wisdom the rules I have come to realise are more than just how you play the game on the day.
The rules reflect the genesis of the game, they embody the steady incremental evolution of the game.
Yes they are there to manage the game on game day but also to ensure that the game doesn’t evolve into a different game – basketball or rugby or soccer or gridiron.
The rules of Australian rules provide for athletes of all dimensions, capability and talent – the 2.1m Aaron Sandilands and the 1.7m Brandon Matera.
The rules mean the ball is bounced to start the game or restart after a score – not thrown up or kicked off like other games.
The rules encourage and reward the players who go after and get their own footy or to leap into the air or run into the turmoil. The rules protect them when their head is over the ball or their ribcage is open or their feet are off the ground.
The rules should be cherished protected and nurtured. They should be only ever altered after very long consideration and in response to an issue of such import that to do other than make a change reduces player protection or makes a fundamental change away from the root of the game.
Changing the rules in response to a current fad or tactic should not ever be considered let alone acted upon.
Should change be required, the AFL should always ensure the change makes the game better into the future.
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Jack Ziebell was playing his first match for Avondale Heights when he was yellow-carded for headbutting an opponent during a scuffle following a late…
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