The AFL tweaked the ruck guidelines over summer time, forbidding gamers from crossing the centre line earlier than participating with their opponent, as a way to encourage each gamers to leap for the ball.
Coupled with the dying of the centre bounce, this was all carried out to create extra aerial ruck battles, given tossing it up successfully turns into a combat for who can get to it increased.
However the change has hit a velocity bump within the very first official follow recreation, with Geelong star Shannon Neale left in ache after knee-on-knee contact within the ruck.
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Shannon Neale and Marc Pittonet make knee on knee contact within the ruck. Fox Footy
The AFL truly moved away from ruckmen working and leaping at one another at centre bounces within the 2000s as a result of a spate of knee-on-knee PCL accidents.
And the choice to maneuver again in the direction of that has been a controversial one. Melbourne captain Max Gawn has expressed his doubts all through the pre-season.
Now, within the first official follow recreation, we’ve a knee-on-knee contact harm within the ruck.
Former Adelaide star Josh Jenkins took to social media to precise his frustrations.
“Get the rucks leaping as a result of it seems to be good they mentioned,” he sarcastically posted on X.
Neale has been cleared of a critical harm, with the Cats icing up his knee and shin as he sat out the rest of the sport.
Shannon Neale holding his knee in ache. Fox Footy
That change additionally led to 2 questionable free kicks towards Carlton on Wednesday evening, with ruckmen Marc Pittonet and Liam Reidy crossing the centre line earlier than participating with their opponent.
Nonetheless, on each events, the ball being tossed up leant in the direction of the Geelong ruckman, that means it could have been unimaginable for the Blues gamers to achieve the ball with out crossing the road. In Pittonet’s case, his opposition ruckman in Sam De Koning clearly jumps throughout the road first as properly.
“That is comical. And can worsen as we go,” Jenkins mentioned of the free kicks.
“These centre bounce ruck free kicks are diabolical.”
Former Adelaide ruckman Sam Jacobs replied to Jenkins, saying Neale merely wants higher approach to guard himself in a leaping ruck battle.
“There are strategies to guard your self from knee on knee!! Expertise in there’ll win out and easy methods to use the circle to your benefit,” Jacobs wrote.
The free kick paid towards Pittonet for crossing the centre line. Observe the place De Koning is… Fox Footy
As for the free kicks, Jacobs added: “There will probably be a interval of adjustment. Let’s give it an opportunity. Have not had one official recreation but.”
Throughout the recreation, Hawthorn legend Jason Dunstall gave a grim evaluation of the brand new rule.
“In case you encourage the ruckmen to leap, that is one of many undesirable by-products of the rule change, you get extra knee on knee contact,” Dunstall informed Fox Footy.
“That contact has created so many dangerous PCL accidents for ruckmen through the years.”
Talking final week, former Adelaide captain Mark Bickley mentioned the adjustments might mirror extremely poorly on the league.
“We’re one knee harm away from critical questions being requested of the AFL,” Bickley informed SEN.
“The one cause is aesthetics, they do not like wrestling. It will not be lengthy earlier than we begin to see the ruckmen taking a look at one another and stepping round.”
The AFL on Thursday issued a press release saying the umpire received it fallacious in paying the free kick towards Pittonet for crossing the centre line.
