In 2015 there are No Law changes. However the changes to our game come in the form of Interpretation changes. There are two changes to how umpires interpret and apply the Laws in relation to:
¢ Holding the ball (prior opportunity)
¢ Marking contests (blocking)
The AFL has indicated through these changes that they wish umpires to apply a stricter interpretation of holding the ball (prior opportunity) this year. Umpires will now be considering the following as part of the process they go through to determine whether or not a player is holding the ball. These include:
- If the player with the ball is balanced and steady (reasonable time) or
- If a player has chosen to take a player on (fend or evade) or
- If a player has had an opportunity to dispose and chooses not to,
then the player is deemed to be holding the ball if the tackle is legal and the player has had prior opportunity to dispose of the ball.
The other area where umpires are strictly policing will at marking contests where players are blocking other players and preventing them from contesting marks.
As part of stricter policing, umpires are asked to look for players who intentionally block an opponent in an unreasonable manner from contesting the ball if the opponent is realistically attempting to contest the ball. Some of the things umpires will be looking for in marking contests are:
- Players who move off the line to prevent an opponent from contesting the ball and
- Players who shepherd an opponent from contesting the ball (2 v 1)
If you’d like more information in regards to these two interpretation changes then we would recommend visiting the following link:
http://www.afl.com.au/video/2015-02-18/how-the-game-will-be-umpired-in-2015
Last Modified on 23/09/2015 09:08