[SERIOUS] The shape of the ball is a huge part of what makes AFL great

[Meteoric Rise]

ah yes, the ol chest mark.

I still remember from my early childhood the Footscray full forward Simon Minton-Connell, who resolutely refused to go for anything other than chest marks. It was so consistent that it was almost like he lacked opposable thumbs

Yes I too recall he had a predilection for chest marks. There have been a few players like that over the years. D Martin is one with a strong preference for the chest mark, yet otherwise a superb ball handler. Franklin is another one. So much easier to spoil an attempted chest mark than a player marking with extended arms.

 

[RichLeMonde]

Yes I too recall he had a predilection for chest marks. There have been a few players like that over the years. D Martin is one with a strong preference for the chest mark, yet otherwise a superb ball handler. Franklin is another one. So much easier to spoil an attempted chest mark than a player marking with extended arms.

Absolutely. I think Plugger and M Lloyd are the best I’ve seen at marking with arms fully outstretched and straight while sprinting at top speed, which is incredibly hard to do. Not a small part of why they were 2 of the very best FFs of all time imo

 

[Osho]

Ever heard of a Fritsch mark? Used to be known as a chest mark.



I suppose the best of the best make up their minds which balls to attack and which ones to do the Dusty 2019 Grand Final (screamed)“didn't want the body contact, I’ve never seen anyink like it,” according the the partially intelligible Brain Taylor.

And to a great extent that relies upon the ability to instinctively and instantly perform a lot of calculations including the risk of one course of action versus another. So there can be no absolute rule to be applied to every situation, I guess other than it makes you predictable to your team-mates.

I coached local footy and cricket. I used to say to my players in both sports if you are in any doubt whether to advance or retreat then attack the ball, we can soon come and visit you in hospital and bring flowers to cheer you up etc.

ROAR, regarding the hospital and flowers.

Attack ball approach may be best applied by mortals.

Also, not attacking ball and someone else getting it first is a huge hit on one's credibility.

 

[Meteoric Rise]

Absolutely. I think Plugger and M Lloyd are the best I’ve seen at marking with arms fully outstretched and straight while sprinting at top speed, which is incredibly hard to do. Not a small part of why they were 2 of the very best FFs of all time imo

Yes when I hear Lloyd speak I always think this too.

I think it is an individual thing the marking on hands at top pace. Some like the guys you pointed out don’t have much trouble but many others do. I think(from experience and experimentation and coaching etc) it comes down to shock absorption and hand positioning and formation, and actually tracking the ball carefully with your eyes.. You need your hands quite flat behind the ball fingers spread, arms relaxed but apply a strong grip, heels off the ground. There are a lot of sporting movements that work best like this, bowling catching or hitting a cricket ball, punching someone in boxing to name a few. Usually I think when players struggle to mark a ball on their hands at top speed the issues are wrong positioning of the hands trying to grab the sides of the ball, rigid arms, and not keeping their eyes or focus on the ball long enough due to impending physical contact.

 

[Osho]

I recall my ol ruckman, no names, who complained relentlessly that our full back would only kick in with torps.

Let's pause briefly to applaud that artistic, and optimistic, full back from 4 decades past!

The complaint was that torps were too hard to mark. He insisted on drop punts.

The full back refused to follow the directive. They came to blows during a game, Sister Betnadette, our coach, was shocked. Needless to say both boys were applied a pennance, is that the word?, but the full back had his pleasure, getting the better of the fight with lovely left right flourishes of his fists.

 

[Breretonisahood]

It’s also why the “lack of intent” OOB rule is a joke, or at least how it’s interpreted. Umps seem to expect a level of precision from players that is simply not possible given the shape of the ball. So many OOB decisions stink because there is no way the player disposing of the ball can predict how it will bounce. That’s not lack of intent, but rather lack of predictability!

 

[threesixpio]

AFL thinking of trialling this in the 2023 pre-season

Tim OBrien needs this

 

[PhatBoy]

What I find interesting about the sherrin is that it’s a ball that actually benefits those who kick it worst ahead of those who kick it a little bit off.

Ie. it seems that when you get the drop just a bit wrong and you still get that end over end flight it will never ever go where you want it to. If you actually completely belly it and kick a floater it’s actually more likely to go straight

 

[Meteoric Rise]

What I find interesting about the sherrin is that it’s a ball that actually benefits those who kick it worst ahead of those who kick it a little bit off.

Ie. it seems that when you get the drop just a bit wrong and you still get that end over end flight it will never ever go where you want it to. If you actually completely belly it and kick a floater it’s actually more likely to go straight

If it goes straight you didn’t get the drop wrong.

 

[Kram]

Suprised they havent considered puting a gripping texture on the ball yet to improve the spectacle of the game.

Kevin Sheedy once suggested that.

 

[GoTheSwannies]

I've always stuck with the theory that the ball favours the side that attacks it the hardest. While there is always that element of unpredictability, the thing I've found, is that the ball disproportionately tends to fall in favour of the team that's on top, is attacking the ball, and has momentum.

I've seen countless examples where I've seen a team dominating and thought to myself "geez, even the ball is bouncing in their favour". But I've yet to watch a match where I think, "they're being dominated, but they've been saved by a few lucky bounces".