Port Adelaide champion Travis Boak has admitted he’s the “most confused” he’s been across his 18-year career with the holding the ball adjudication as debate rages on.
Discussion around the holding the ball rule has been a hot topic in recent weeks amid umpires’ reluctance to award such free kicks including AFL coaches Damien Hardwick and Michael Voss expressing frustration over the weekend.
Speaking on Fox Footy’s AFL 360 on Tuesday night, Boak conceded he was also at a loss on where the rule sits.
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“I think I’d fail with flying colours (an exam on holding the ball),” Boak admitted.
“If you asked me the question: ‘What is holding the ball?’, I don’t think I could answer it clearly right now, to be honest.
“In the 18 years I’ve been in the league, this is probably the most confused I’ve been with the rule holding the ball.”
Injured Carlton veteran Sam Docherty said he was “on the same lens as fans” in not knowing what’s going to be penalised and what’s not.
“The one that gets me is basically not disposing of the ball at all, or just because you’re making an attempt, that’s deemed OK,” Docherty said on AFL 360.
“It’s a tough rule to know what to expect on game day and it seems to change week to week.”
One incident from the weekend has drawn the ire of the footy world, where Mac Andrew span Charlie Curnow around in a tackle instead of pulling him to the ground to avoid causing injury.
However Andrew wasn’t given a free kick for holding the ball, with Curnow eventually kicking the ball after having ample prior opportunity.
Docherty sympathised for the officials, noting it’s a “hard game to umpire”.
“It’s such a hard one to know what’s accepted and what’s not,” Docherty said.
“I know in a lot of other sports, they’ve banned that drop knee tackle. In the NFL, there’s heaps of injuries caused by that.
“Last year or the year before, we lost our mind because (spinning) 360 was prior and everyone hated that. Inevitably it got changed.
“The hard thing with the rule is we’re trying to find exact black and white science for every individual case and they’re so hard and so different.
“I find it hard in this quest for black and white we try and get away from all the grey area that is AFL footy. The things that happen in our game are so different week to week.
“People come from everywhere, it’s a 360 (degrees) sport and so many different things are happening with so many different layers to every decision.”
Coaches open up on ball holding drama | 03:25
AFL 360 co-host Gerard Whateley named four levers he believes could be “pulled immediately” without needing to change rules.
“There’s blowing the whistle earlier on the standing tackle to marry up with what the tribunal has demanded of the players,” he said.
“Police no genuine attempt on the player who’s just lying on the ball cuddling it, you still have to make a genuine attempt.
“There’s a difference between a ball being knocked out in a tackle and the player dropping the ball at the first sign of contact.
“And then what represents illegal disposal once you have had prior? Be more vigilant on the players who have had prior and are taking on the tackle.”
Whateley concluded the above tweaks would “double the number of holding the balls inside a game”.
“Abandon the principle to keep the ball in motion, that’s nonsense,” he said.
“Police the rule, it’s an excellent rule. The game is far better when holding the ball is paid.
“You don’t have to tip to rewarding the tackler and putting the balance out of whack with the ball carrier. Just police what’s there and it can be done far more vigilantly.”