Leigh Matthews slaps down critics of third man up rule

LEIGH Matthews has taken aim at critics of the AFL’s most hotly debated change that’s sparked controversy in 2017.

Leigh Matthews can’t understand the whingeing.

FOOTY legend Leigh Matthews has taken aim at critics of the new third man up rule.

The AFL introduced the rule in 2017, stipulating only one nominated jumper from each team can compete in the ruck at a throw-in or ball-up, making it illegal for a third player to join the contest. The move was reportedly made with a view to ensuring the role of the specialist ruckman is preserved.

However, the change hasn’t been without its speed bumps. Richmond won a free kick against Collingwood in round two when midfielder Shaun Griggs made the surprise move of nominating to be the Tigers ruckman at a contest. Pies big man Brayden Maynard was unaware and blocked Griggs, giving away the free.

“I don’t think we want to get the game looking like that,” Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury said. “All (other) sides will see that tonight and think they can take advantage of that.”

Richmond legend Kevin Bartlett has slammed the rule change.

“By making a ruck rule change ... (the AFL) may have killed off the ruck contest,” Bartlett told SEN. “For some clubs don’t even nominate now for a ruck contest.

“The rule change has created a monster for the time being.

“Laws of the Game committee was worried about three players going up in the ruck, now it seems there is some concern that no one in the future will contest a ruck contest.”

The ruck looks very different in 2017.

However, Matthews says the rule change isn’t the reason behind teams occasionally choosing not to nominate a ruckman. According to him, that was always a possibility in footy even before this season.

“For some reason, in the evolution of the game there was a time where the umpires nominated the ruckmen or the ruckmen nominated themselves and they were positioned a metre apart to stop them wrestling under the footy,” Matthews said on Sportsday.

“Obviously what’s happened is a couple of coaches have decided every now and again not to jump the nominated ruckman. That’s got nothing to do with banning the third man up. It’s got nothing to do with it — nil.

“It beats me how people are joining the dots — the fact you can’t have a third jumper is somehow the reason some clubs are deciding to have none up.

“I can’t join the dots and I don’t know how anyone else can.”

Originally published as Leigh Matthews slaps down critics of third man up rule