Im worried: AFL softer than Gridiron or Rugby

[POBT]

in rugby league, shoulder charges are perfectly legal. A young player going around by the name of 'Sonny Bill Williams' has excited the league world with his body hits in defense. and illustrating that he is a footballer with many strings to his bow, he is just as lethal with his off-loads in attack.

But it is illegal to attack a player's head. Difference is Williams' hits a bloke running upright. Pickett hits a guy bent over with his head in a vulnerable position. If Williams' did the same thing in League he would be suspended.

In all codes, attacking the head is quite rightly a no-no and players deserve punishment for doing so (not saying the severity of Pickett's suspension is warranted).

 

[Allblack]

People seem to be confusing the two rugby codes.

In Rugby Union you can not shoulder charge or shortfront. You can still smash a man as a part of the tackle.

In Rugby League you can certainly shoulder charge.

For my part having played both codes of Rugby and aussie rules, Rugby (both codes) is a much harder game and much more confrontational. Aussie rules is a much quicker exciting game and a much better spectator sport.

We dont need people being killed in the game or having their necks snapped by snipers to keep crowds at the game. Pickett played the man, constantly plays the man and now he has paid the price for it. What he did was ridiculously dangerous. He ran straight into a man head with his hip. Violent High contact gets you sent off in rugby as well.

 

[worthy]

Aussie Rules Footy is the only game on earth that you can be legitimately hit from any direction with or without the ball, that is the definition of a soft sport is it??

What Pickett did was stupid, it isn't the first time and all the clubs were told it was not going to be acceptable this year.

Begley got to the ball first, put himself in the line of fire in the quest of winning the footy, Pickett has plenty of options, the one option he didn't have was to run through him making heavy contact with his head.

That isn't too say that he couldn't run in and make heavy contact but if you run in and completely disregard the footy and make heavy contact with a players head you are going to find yourself in strife and so you should.

good post, agreed

 

[worthy]

It should be highlighted that Begley had the ball just prior to the bump but fumbled and let it go when he saw Pickett at the corner of his eye. At the same time, Begley ducked his head.

In the final analysis and under the circumstances outlined above, Pickett's hip and shoulder was high but it was not intentional or severe. It was very similar to Guera's bump last year which saw him get 3 weeks and I feel that would have been a more appropriate penalty here also considering his good record.

By implementing a tribunal system that hands out 6 weeks for a hip and shoulder, Adrian Anderson has certainly made his intentions to clear. He is determined to sanitise this great game by taking out this long standing skill and players with that ability.

But then again, how many games did Adrian play...................

Fair enough you will try and defend pickett, but honestly ask yourself this: at any stage during that contest was byron going for the ball? or was his sole intention to take someone out.
the game is getting softer, but that contest has always been reportable.

 

[Silverballs]

Was the ball within 5m.
Thats all you need ask

 

[Allblack]

Was the ball within 5m.
Thats all you need ask

That would be true if life was as simple as you are

 

[littleduck]

It's probably fair to say that of all codes the AFL has gone the furtherest in cracking down on anything remotely resembling aggressive behaviour and stamping it out. The result is a real perception that AFL is now much softer than Gridiron/Rugby/League, especially when its major competitor (League) is a game built around being being aggresive and overly psychical.

On the flip side, maybe thats a reason for a higher % of female supporters of AFL?