AFL round 13: Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge flags concerns with holding the ball rule change
Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has expressed concern about the AFL’s mid-season holding the ball tweak, calling on the league to make a key concession only weeks into its implementation.
AFL
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has urged the AFL to align with the “spirit of the game” as the strict new interpretation of the holding-the-ball rule enters its second round.
Beveridge has raised concern about the philosophy of prior opportunity coming under threat from the way the rule is now being enforced, and stressed that players who try to win the ball need to be protected by umpires as much as possible.
Brisbane earned seven holding-the-ball frees in the first half of their 43-point win over the Dogs on Friday night at Marvel Stadium.
It’s a dramatic increase considering two weeks ago, for example, 131 effective tackles were laid during the Carlton-Gold Coast game for only a combined total of four holding-the-ball free kicks being paid.
“It’s a challenge,” Beveridge said.
“In the AFL’s charter it talks about our game being a contested game.
“And in the charter you have to protect the player who tries to win the ball. So we can’t move away from that, otherwise the game changes.
“What happened last week was a reaction to some feedback from some senior coaches but they were talking about situations where players were standing up in tackles and the request was for the whistle to be blown a bit earlier, whether they’ve had prior opportunity or not.
“But now that’s been taken into situations where players have been taken to ground.
“What we need to absolutely uphold is the prior or no prior opportunity so when a player has not had prior opportunity, we’ve got to make sure that we protect the player … who wins the footy if he gets tackled straight away.
“We need to make sure we get back to making sure we’re in sync with the spirit of the game more than anything.
“What’s happened is now the game has evolved and changed within the space of two weeks and it’s risky now and a concern if we’re not looking after the ball winner.”
ðŸ—£ï¸ "What's happened is now, the game has evolved and changed in the space of two weeks, and it's risky now - and a concern - if we're not looking after the ball winner."
— 7AFL (@7AFL) June 7, 2024
Luke Beveridge goes long on the holding the ball interpretation... pic.twitter.com/xgt2RIfCfY
Beveridge warned against those calling for the abolition of the prior opportunity component of the holding-the-ball adjudication.
“It’s a very different game if you’ve got players who are hesitant to go and win it,” he said.
“We don’t want to be there.”
Of more immediate concern for Beveridge was the performance of his Bulldogs on Friday night who he said were “torched” at stoppages with the Lions convincingly winning clearances 50-32.
“Territory game was too far in the opposition’s favour,” he said.
“We didn’t negate their influence for most of the game, unfortunately.
“So, difficult to win with a landslide of clearance wins that they had.
“We just couldn’t get enough momentum around the whole ground. We didn’t have enough winners.
“We couldn’t have been beaten more convincingly.
“The main thing that was a concern, other than the clearance game, was some contests and a lot of broken tackles and the goals they got out the back close to goal.”
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs look set to be without Alex Keath for a period after the key defender injured his hamstring.
Forward-ruckman Rory Lobb (ankle) was subbed out, but it doesn’t initially appear to be severe.
More Coverage
Originally published as AFL round 13: Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge flags concerns with holding the ball rule change
Watertight or weak? McGuane ranks the defences 18-1
The backline has to be in order to contend for a premiership. Which clubs are set up to challenge and who will struggle to restrict a strong attack? MICK MCGUANE has his say.
Crows recruit not targeting leadership group amid high praise
He is Adelaide’s oldest recruit in seven years and the Crows’ only premiership winner. But what does Alex Neal-Bullen think about being anointed ‘one of the club’s best leaders this off-season’?