what do you think of the rule changes?

[I@n S]

For those of you who don't know them from what I can gather the new rules are:
1, you can't hand ball to yourself
and 2, you can't just grab the ball out of the ruck in any bounce situation you have to tap or punch it away.

Personaly I hate them. Handballing to yourself is a still in itself because you have to be quick enough to get on the end of your own handball.
No2, well this is a joke. Again its a skill in itself. It means you are good enough the fend of your oposing ruckman go get the ball. It's also a stupid new rules because what if you can see on the oposition players or no one at all in that direction? You have to tap it and then takel or run after the ball again. Stupid if you ask me

[Proud Pies]

Watching the replay i noticed (as did the commentators) that one of the Richmond team handballed to himself and got away with it. If they are going to bring in new rules, they need to administer them correctly, especially in the opening rounds.

I think i need to see a few rounds of these new rules to actually get a feel for them. But i did like Buck's 9 pointer tonight.....what? that rule wasn't included??????

[I@n S]

No the 9 points didn't come in. Thank god I know we've got so many players who can kick outside 50 but I still don't want the game to be messed with

[Proud Pies]

yeah I@n, i know it didn't come in, i was just teasing ) but they still should have given Buck's 9 for that goal!

[I@n S]

LOL ok. yeah it would be nice. GO PIES

[bokka]

I think the game should be able to evolve to an extent, but definitely not anywhere near the extent they are stuffing around with it these days. Not being able to grab out of the ruck seems ridiculous to me, what is the rationale for that???? Unless it's to prevent Spider Burton from totally dominating but he doesn't anyway, Primus and Darcy who are relatively short do it more.

I also don't know why they are obsesssed with making the game more attacking and high scoring with such things as deliberate out of bounds etc. Think about it.... what is the most popular form of football in the world by far? (Christ knows why, but anyway if goals are made too easy it takes the excitement away - of course in soccer it's *too* hard to get goals but aussie rules is miles away from that). I think it comes from the policy of marketting the game overseas and the misguided idea that more goals = more excitement and entertainment value. A tight low scoring game can be just as or more exciting like last year's GF.

PS how do you vote for the poll?

[Fradam]

I think the rule changes worked ok.

[I@n S]

[bokka]

OK thanks I.S. - now the voting option has disappeared altogether - you probly only get one chance to vote.

[bokka]

Correction I just figured it out and voted

[I@n S]

ok what did you vote for out of interest?

[Black_White]

Another new rule.
When a player takes more than 15 - 20 seconds to kick the ball, as Tarks did in the first qtr, the ump screams "play on".
Now, why is this rule not applied to players such as Lloyd? He is allowed tothrow grass in the air, generally waste a minute or more, no penalty!
The rule has no wording to seperate backline play to forward line play.

-Craig

[Cam]

i like the new rules. for a start, its gonna hurt Port Power ALOT because the last time Primus got a decent hitout was when his mum whacked him for getting in trouble at school. He's a grabber and he will pay. Mind you Stunner is a grabber as well, also Darcy. It think its a good rule because ruckman last year just grabbed the ball and held up play if they couldnt get it away to their advantage. The handball rule also is good because it will teach Leon to bloody grab it and give it to someone instead of playing with himself like a 15 yr old in the shower.

[creedymagpie]

I personally like the new rules especially the ruckman cant grab it out of the ruck!

It annoyed me all last year when Primus kept taking it out of the ruck and getting tackled just to waste time. I think the rule is way overdue.

I was getting annoyed by the umpires all game as they were giving bitchmond everything, but i almost cheered when they pinged Mckee, he knew the new rules and was given the consequences, but of course he almost did it again 2 minutes later.

[I@n S]

the new rules won't be good untill the umpires call them like their suppost to