Query When did the 50m arc come in and why?

[Big Blood]

Does the 50m line have any purpose other than just informatively marking a space?

I can't remember when exactly it was brought in, but I'm guessing in early 90s. Does anyone know? What was the thinking at the time?

I love counting inside 50s as much as the next fan but I can't think of any ground marking in any sport that doesn't serve as a reference point under the rules of the game (the batting crease, penalty box, basketball key, etc). Exception maybe NFL. If so maybe that was what inspired the AFL (not that I'm suggesting the AFL would flagrantly copy from another code. As if.)

 

[Mr Ripper]

Mid 1986 in the VFL.

 

[Royals]

pretry sure it started in WAFL and they had 2 lines a 50m and 25m, a while later VfL took it on but only the 50m .. interesting that blokes didnt kick as far after lines went in .. no more commentator 65m drop punts which were barely 40m : )

 

[footyfan1978]

I can't remember when exactly it was brought in, but I'm guessing in early 90s. Does anyone know? What was the thinking at the time?

I think it tended to get a run when the 15 metre penalty was increased to a 50 metre penalty some time in mid 1980's.

Certainly this video from 1983 shows Robbie Flower moments into the game take the first mark in forward line around 50 metre arc and kick first goal of the game at Subiaco.

 

[Freofalcon]

Mid 1986 in the VFL.

WAFL early 80's

 

[35Daicos]

Mid 1986 in the VFL.

AFL Record Season Guide (Rule Changes section) confirms this:- 1986 Fifty-metre arcs in goal areas introduced.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

The 50 metre arc came in to remind umpires not to pay free kicks to any forward inside that arc.

 

[Mr Ripper]

The arc itself made its debut in round 10, 1986 after a 50 metre 'line' - a straight line running parallel to the front edge of the centre square - was seen in round 9.

Round 9, 1986

Round 10, 1986

 

[Borussia Teeth]

The arc itself made its debut in round 10, 1986 after a 50 metre 'line' - a straight line running parallel to the front edge of the centre square - was seen in round 9.

Round 9, 1986

Round 10, 1986

Obvious follow up question is why were the 50 metre arcs introduced mid-season in 1986 then?

 

[Gibbke]

TV. There was a debate going on for a while after it happened as to whether it could serve a function rule-wise, but ultimately it just made viewing easier...

 

[bigshooter]

The fields are quite usefull for the players since the lines make it easier to calculate the distance. The Docklands and Casey Fields Stadium were build after the lines became 50m.

 

[Borussia Teeth]

TV. There was a debate going on for a while after it happened as to whether it could serve a function rule-wise, but ultimately it just made viewing easier...

Thanks for your reply.
But why 'mid-season' in particular? Seems a strange time to institute this change (but not if you look at today's rule interpretations by the umpires/AFL)!
And if you're aware, what was the general reaction, if any?

 

[Gibbke]

General ambivalence was the attitude. It wasn't a rule change, which might account for the relaxed adherence to timelines by the VFL...

 

[footyfan1978]

Interesting it is listed below on afl site under rule changes even though I cannot see how it actually is a rule of any type.

http://www.afl.com.au/afl-hq/the-afl-explained/rule-changes-1858-2013

Rule changes 1858-2013

1976
Introduction of the two field umpire system.

1978
Interchange player system introduced.
Goal umpires required to touch goal post if the ball had hit post. Also two flags were positioned at one post and one flag at the other to save time when signalling scores.

1980
Introduction of line across centre circle to avoid physical interference at centre bounces. Ruckmen had to stand on the defensive side of the line.
Fifteen-metre penalty extended to include kick-in after behind scoring situations.
Field umpires required to carry notebooks to record details of reportable incidents.

1981
Fifteen metres instead of 10 metres allowed for running with ball without it making contact with the ground.

1986
Fifty-metre arcs in goal areas introduced.
Video investigations for on-field misconduct introduced.

1988
Player awarded free obliged to kick the ball.
Replacement of 15-metre penalty with 50-metre penalty.
Player kicking in from goal-square obliged to clear ball at least two metres from the goalsquare before regaining possession.
Emergency umpires were empowered to report players.

1990
Player awarded free again given option of kick or handpass.

1994
Playing time for a quarter amended to 20 minutes plus time-on instead of 25 minutes plus time-on.
Introduction of third field umpire.
Introduction of third interchange player.
Introduction of third boundary umpire, using rotational interchange system in pairs.

1995
Revised system of adding time-on. Recorded when boundary or goal umpires signal, until the next act of play.
Tripping by hand becomes reportable. Penalty: Free & 50 metres.
Tripping by foot remains reportable. Additional penalty: Free & 50 metres.
Player must kick ball back into play following the scoring of a behind immediately after one warning from field umpire. Penalty for delay: Ball-up on centre of kick-off line.
Player kicking in after a behind is allowed to kick ball clear of hand and foot within the goal-square before playing on.

 

[RedV3x]

Obvious follow up question is why were the 50 metre arcs introduced mid-season in 1986 then?

The 50m arc is purely presentation not a "rule change". There was much talk about the presentation of the game w.r.t. television.
A lot of this talk stemmed around viewers being disorientated whilst watching television but it wasn't directed so much at the local market
but the overseas market. In 1987 you had the Foster's Cup being played in Britain, U.S.A and Canada.

 

[brad5668]

It was originally trialled during a WAFL Lightning Carninval in May of 1983 with 25 and 50 m lines. The trial proved so successful especially with the football commentators that it was kept in the WAFL for the rest of the season. The VFL introduced it a few years later.

 

[pz5151]

pretry sure it started in WAFL and they had 2 lines a 50m and 25m, a while later VfL took it on but only the 50m .. interesting that blokes didnt kick as far after lines went in .. no more commentator 65m drop punts which were barely 40m : )

Looking at you Malcolm Blight. That kick was only taken from about 55m out.

 

[Aut Vincere Aut Mori]

My recollection was that David Parkin had the arc marked on the Princes Park ground in the early 1980's for the benefit of his Carlton team. This gave his team an advantage of knowing the distance from goal both in attack and for his defenders. The VFL quickly recognized that this unauthorized marking gave Carlton an advantage and prohibited the practice until years later it approved and introduced the marking. If you think the VFL's stance was petty, they stopped Sydney from marking the goal squares red at one end and blue at the other.

 

[stmookeyj]

Round 9 would have been about the time the midweek Cup was ending wasn't it? Just thinking the theory was they could introduce it afterwards thinking it wasn't in the rulebook for the AFC (who in theory ran the midweek cup) and save Waverley the bother of marking the line for their comp on a Saturday then washing it off in time for the Tuesday Night game (and in this year it was relevant with North Adelaide being in the last 4, usually the non VFL teams were done by the quarters).

 

[Wallaby]

My recollection was that David Parkin had the arc marked on the Princes Park ground in the early 1980's for the benefit of his Carlton team. This gave his team an advantage of knowing the distance from goal both in attack and for his defenders.

I agree that the 50m arc has influenced tactics in the game.
A 50-metre arc is right on most player's limit for a shot for goal. As a result, the defending team will do all they can to keep the attacking team from possessing the ball inside the 50. You see the situation of the attacking team swinging the ball from flank to flank and the defenders barely pressuring them - provided they are not too close to the 50-metre arc. It sometimes resembles basketball, where teams will chuck the ball around outside, looking for the defence to break down, trying to set up the pass inside. The defenders can also use the 50 arc as a guide to setting up their spacing and zones.

Without the 50-metre arc, defenders wouldn't have this visual aid as to how far they can go forward. When a lead-up forward like, say, Eric Hipwood runs upfield for a mark, you can see the defenders have much less urgency when he's outside the 50. He can't kick that far, so he's no more dangerous than any other mid with the ball. Let him go - defend the Inside 50. (It's why the most important stat that I haven't seen - an effective disposal into the 50 arc - is the most valuable).

Of course the game has always been played with those ideas - but the 50-arc means defenders can be much more precise with their positioning, leading to the more formal zoning etc we have today.

 

[errant bounce]

I agree that the 50m arc has influenced tactics in the game.
A 50-metre arc is right on most player's limit for a shot for goal. As a result, the defending team will do all they can to keep the attacking team from possessing the ball inside the 50. You see the situation of the attacking team swinging the ball from flank to flank and the defenders barely pressuring them - provided they are not too close to the 50-metre arc. It sometimes resembles basketball, where teams will chuck the ball around outside, looking for the defence to break down, trying to set up the pass inside. The defenders can also use the 50 arc as a guide to setting up their spacing and zones.

Without the 50-metre arc, defenders wouldn't have this visual aid as to how far they can go forward. When a lead-up forward like, say, Eric Hipwood runs upfield for a mark, you can see the defenders have much less urgency when he's outside the 50. He can't kick that far, so he's no more dangerous than any other mid with the ball. Let him go - defend the Inside 50. (It's why the most important stat that I haven't seen - an effective disposal into the 50 arc - is the most valuable).

Of course the game has always been played with those ideas - but the 50-arc means defenders can be much more precise with their positioning, leading to the more formal zoning etc we have today.

It's a huge difference when you watch old 80s footage, for sure, there's so much more space on the ground and it seems like the forward entries are really natural, not considered or under that much pressure. nowadays 'inside 50' has such a threat attached to it and is a clear symboliser that one team is going to kick a goal.