Yesterdays game - as a spectacle - really was a shocker, and footy is going to " Hell in a handbasket" if it keeps going this way.
Yesterday we saw 2 teams play the entire game alomg the boundary line - there was complete refusal to switcb or go through the centre on too many occasions.
The preference - partcularly from us - was to boot it down the line , get it out of bounds, then set up for the ruck knock in the hope that yoi again get posession of the ball. So you can do.exactly th3 same again.
We at Freo know how it goes....
Both teams did it, the Crows went away from the boundary more times than Freo, and that probably won them the match.
Look at the" possession heatmap" on the AFL website of both teams. Its like there were doublegees on all but one side of Adelaide oval.!
Our game is at its greatest when teams are gooing "through the middle" but, its something rarely seen these days- particularly if you are a fremantle supporter.!
None of the recent rule changes have stopped this from happening. In fact maybe, they have encouraged this style of play. The full backs can now plonk a ball onto the centre wing and the set up can occur from their rather than half back.
The 666 rule makes play after a centre bounce a bit more attractive, but does nothing once the ba is in general play.
I resent rule changes, but I'm thinking the only thing that could/will stop coaches (particularly ours) doing what they did yesterday, is get rid of the boundary throw in, and pay a free kick if your team takes it 'out of bounds'.
Its been thought of before - i think its even been trialled in preseason games one year?.
Yes, it would tire players quicker.
Yes, it will probably put lumbering, push& shove ruckman like Hodor out of a job, but it might favour the mobile, marking type ruckman to the point where 2 of these type of players are played, just so a mark can be taken to allow a team a moment to "setup'.
Yes, it would take out a historical 'feature' of our game.
But how else do we get the ball back into the centre corridor where it belongs.?
Because if 90% of the match was played there, it'd be a fantastic spectacle ...in comparison to the dour, low scoring struggle that yesterday was.
Yes, it had pressure & intensity, and it takes skill to handle that. It certainly was "hard contest".
But geez, it was very difficult to watch....