AFL Rule Changes and Effect on the Swans

[Meg]

I really enjoy watching the weekly 'Whistle Blowers' video on the AFL site as it helps me to understand various rules and their interpretation by the umpires. The videos have been particularly good this season with Hayden Kennedy, usually with a guest past AFL player.

Today there has been a one-off video posted explaining an immediate tightening of the rule on head-high free kicks, such that "a player who drives or leads his head into a stationary or near-stationary player will be classified as having had prior opportunity. If the player is then tackled he will have to dispose of the ball properly to avoid being penalised for holding the ball under the prior opportunity rule."

AFL confirms new interpretation for head-high free kicks - AFL.com.au

The video shows examples of play which would be affected by this change from last weekend's round.

Contentious rule gets a make-over - AFL.com.au

Are there any Swans' players who might have trouble adjusting to this rule change? I think it is mainly shorter players who tend to lead with their heads - would Benny get caught on occasion for example if he doesn't immediately dispose of the ball correctly?

NB: this rule change does not apply to the Joel Selwood 'shrugging the shoulders' technique.

[storeymjs]

Really concerned with this rule change. Not for the Swans specifically but I think it creates a lot of grey areas as to what is shrugging, what is ducking, and what is leading with the head, or what is a combination of both. I think this will become one of the most controversial rulings in the AFL and wouldn't be surprised if it ends up costing a team a game! But we will see where it goes!

[Robtorq]

Interestingly most of these players actually drop their knees as well to draw the free kick