Play Nice Toby Greene and "protecting the space"

[kickthething]

He should keep doing it for as long as he likes. Nothing wrong with it except it looks bad. I hope he sticks with it. The AFL are gutless and will reap what they sew. This is what happens when too many ex players have significant roles in the game. They just dont ever really get it and have a litttle laugh and go on with crap. Wait until some kid in the under 15s has a crack at it and seriously injures another player.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

If the AFL was in any way remotely competent they would have suspended Greene last year for 3-4 weeks for his kick to Dahl's head in an open play situation - it was beyond farce that he was able to kick someone in the head and draw blood in open play and get away with any suspension let alone get an extended holiday. The AFL would have then changed the rules to studs-up in marking contests in the off-season so that any double action would constitute deliberate kicking and a straight to the tribunal appointment and lengthy suspension. But they sat on their arses collecting bonuses for not actually doing their job.

So under the present rules Greene did not do anything wrong in those marking contests on the weekend. The AFL has validated the action and given it the green light. Let's see what the dickheads at City Hall do this off-season.

Greene did nothing wrong under the present rules, correct. They need to tighten this so in future he will draw a free kick for these things. I dont think any of them on the weekend shoudl ever draw a suspension. Maybe a fine.

Last years incident was a farce that should have drawn a suspension but thats got little to do with this finals series.

 

[dlanod]

It should also been a free to Allir. Simply due to the fact that Greene didnt touch the ball in the marking contest, it should have been paid for interference due to an unrealistic marking attempt.

Yeah, that was a huge miss at the game. I was there supporting GWS and even I was left scratching my head at how someone going for a mark, impacting another player, and not getting a touch on the ball wasn't a free kick. It's been one of the few consistently called penalties this year, because it's so easy to adjudicate.

But I don't have an issue with putting a leg up to push off, as long as it's called consistent with someone using their hands.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Yeah, that was a huge miss at the game. I was there supporting GWS and even I was left scratching my head at how someone going for a mark, impacting another player, and not getting a touch on the ball wasn't a free kick. It's been one of the few consistently called penalties this year, because it's so easy to adjudicate.

But I don't have an issue with putting a leg up to push off, as long as it's called consistent with someone using their hands.

Which is a push and therefore a free kick. Ban the boot.

 

[Suma Magic]

Seems like a few people have missed the fact that the AFL ruled that under the current rules, the Newman incident should have been a free against Greene.

If it’s not incidental to the marking contest, you can’t do it.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Seems like a few people have missed the fact that the AFL ruled that under the current rules, the Newman incident should have been a free against Greene.

If it’s not incidental to the marking contest, you can’t do it.

And Allir. If you dont touch the pill in a marking contest its a free against if you interfere with another player.

See, youre missing things too.

 

[Suma Magic]

And Allir. If you dont touch the pill in a marking contest its a free against if you interfere with another player.

See, youre missing things too.

I agree with you, but that’s not what the AFL said.

 

[_Mike_]

It’s ugly to see, the action of a leg and studs showing to stop another player from contesting the ball, however until the rules reflect that it’s an illegal action it’s play on. Wonder if the AFL will crumble to public opinion on this one or let it go?

 

[dlanod]

Which is a push and therefore a free kick.

You're allowed to hold your ground, which is why holding someone out of your space is legal as long as you don't push them. Apply the rule consistently.

Of course actual paying of free kicks for pushes is one of the most inconsistent parts of umpiring.

Ban the boot.

Separate debate.

 

[Farm Boy]

Ruckman aren't allowed to use their arm to protect the space in a ruck contest but Toby Greene is allowed to use his leg to protect the space in a marking contest. Shame on the AFL.

 

[Suma Magic]

It’s ugly to see, the action of a leg and studs showing to stop another player from contesting the ball, however until the rules reflect that it’s an illegal action it’s play on. Wonder if the AFL will crumble to public opinion on this one or let it go?

The afl has said that the rules prevent it and it should have been a free against.

 

[John Who]

Greene did nothing wrong under the present rules, correct. They need to tighten this so in future he will draw a free kick for these things. I dont think any of them on the weekend shoudl ever draw a suspension. Maybe a fine.

Last years incident was a farce that should have drawn a suspension but thats got little to do with this finals series.

The more I think about it, Greene has actually broken a few rules with his fly kicks/dangerous kicks to block space. Rules that can be applied:
- "kicking in danger" - there is real possibility of causing harm if making contact to an opponent front-on.
- "frontal body contact" - when a player is charging at the ball and a player takes him out of the play with front-on contact

The problem is not so much rules aren't in place, but I think it's more to do with Umpires not familiar with seeing fly kicks in the air, and their minds can't process this as an "illegal act" according to most footy games they've umpired. What the AFL really should be doing is to tell Umpires to apply the rules as above when a player does a kick/fly-kick to protect the space. Once the umpires are properly trained, it will become second nature to them to start calling frees against Greene.

On a side note, imagine Greene is allowed to do this for the rest of his career. This would be then called "AFL Evolution", where most players will:
- be doing backflips and triple somersaults, to evade tackles
- learn fly kicks and other Mortal Kombat moves to "protect the space"

 

[dlanod]

Ruckman aren't allowed to use their arm to protect the space in a ruck contest but Toby Greene is allowed to use his leg to protect the space in a marking contest. Shame on the AFL.

Ruckmen have to stand a metre away from each other, but Toby Greene is allowed to stand next to players in a marking contest.

Ruckmen have to compete one on one, but Toby Greene is allowed to compete with multiple players in a marking contest.

Ruckmen get penalised if they take the ball out of the ruck contest and are tackled, but Toby Greene is able to dispose of the ball after he takes it out of a marking contest.

It's almost like they're two different parts of the game and governed by different rules!

 

[Suma Magic]

He can use his foot if it’s incidental to the marking contest.

He can’t if it’s not.

That’s the relevant law here everyone.

 

[EagleShore]

So it's illegal to push the opponent with your hands during a marking contest but you can kick him anywhere you like with the studs on your boot.

Sounds about right.

 

[ManOfClay]

I would like someone to do it to him & see what his little smug face reaction would be

Probably this




After the final siren and against a player who had nothing to do with it

 

[Frank Gallagher]

AFL clubs now trawling Asia for Karate experts to CatB rookie.

 

[DogsAreBarking]

For everyone stating that he doesn't intend to hurt anyone with his little 'protecting space' trick let's not completely forget this incident from a few years ago -

"GWS Giants midfielder Toby Greene has been charged with several assault-based offences following a nightclub incident in Melbourne on Monday night.

Police laid charges of assault by kicking, assault with a weapon, assault in company, intentionally causing serious injury and unlawful assault on the 20-year-old."

He clearly has underlying violent impulses that possibly get the better of him at times.

 

[p5ych00n5]

For everyone stating that he doesn't intend to hurt anyone with his little 'protecting space' trick let's not completely forget this incident from a few years ago -

"GWS Giants midfielder Toby Greene has been charged with several assault-based offences following a nightclub incident in Melbourne on Monday night.

Police laid charges of assault by kicking, assault with a weapon, assault in company, intentionally causing serious injury and unlawful assault on the 20-year-old."

He clearly has underlying violent impulses that possibly get the better of him at times.

Thats when he smacked someone with a Crutch wasnt it, grub of the highest order

 

[Jables]

I really don't understand the position of anyone that thinks he did nothing wrong I really don't. He is a textbook thug and the AFL should be embarrassed, as per usual when it comes to protecting certain teams.

Don't even pretend Sicily would have gotten off if he did this.

 

[Farm Boy]

Ruckmen have to stand a metre away from each other, but Toby Greene is allowed to stand next to players in a marking contest.

Ruckmen have to compete one on one, but Toby Greene is allowed to compete with multiple players in a marking contest.

Ruckmen get penalised if they take the ball out of the ruck contest and are tackled, but Toby Greene is able to dispose of the ball after he takes it out of a marking contest.

It's almost like they're two different parts of the game and governed by different rules!

I wonder if ruckman are allowed to kick the other ruckman in the head?

 

[p5ych00n5]

Devils advocate atm. He's using a loophole to get away with unsociable behaviour, much like Selwood. Although Selwoods actions will only damage himself not opposition players

 

[sprockets]

3 times! (Alir,Newman, Jones)+ a knee drop (Parker).

Actually, he did it 4 times. The first one from the weekend hasn't been highlighted and was slightly more subtle, but it was there. The question now is 'Why weren't the umpires paying frees against?'.

 

[sprockets]

View attachment 556887

Once is enough.

So unlike Greene (and it's hard to tell if it was a deliberate act in Caddy's case) Caddy isn't a serial offender. I think that answers your question.

 

[sprockets]

It should also been a free to Allir. Simply due to the fact that Greene didnt touch the ball in the marking contest, it should have been paid for interference due to an unrealistic marking attempt.

It reall isnt hard to stamp this out with some tighter rules or tighter rule interpretations. If Greene knows he will give away a free kick doing it (and could possibly be reported) he will stop.

I agree to an extent but there's no way Greene was attempting to mark the ball in that incident. His first priority was to put the studs into Alir.