Did Gold Coast’s Nick Holman get lucky with sliding rule?

GEELONG superstar Patrick Dangerfield raised his concern about players exploiting the sliding rule but Gold Coast rookie Nick Holman didn’t appear to be listening last weekend.

NICK Holman must not have received the memo from his players’ association president.

Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield last week expressed his concerns players were exploiting the sliding rule and easily falling to ground.

But the new AFLPA president’s plea for players to stop playing for free kicks when they feel the slightest of contact below the knees wasn’t heard last weekend, particularly from Holman.

The Gold Coast rookie won a crucial free kick in the final quarter of the Suns’ five-point win over Brisbane on Sunday.

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Brisbane defender Luke Hodge dived to knock the ball away before Holman toppled over him.

The free kick helped Holman to his first AFL goal, and with the final margin under a goal, the decision proved to be costly for Lions.

On the same day, another contentious sliding free was awarded to Hawthorn’s Jack Gunston against North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium.

While Roos defender Robbie Tarrant did slide in Gunston’s path to gather the ball, some could argue the Hawks forward could stayed on his feet as he leapt over Tarrant rather than going to ground.

Nick Holman falls over Luke Hodge last Sunday. Picture: Fox Footy

Former coach Paul Roos wasn’t happy with either decision.

“The ones with Hodge and Tarrant on the weekend were two guys trying to impact the contest,” Roos said.

“The concern is when the president of the AFLPA is having a little bit of a crack, in a subtle way, of his peers, I think we need to take notice of what Paddy’s saying.”

The sliding rule, which was brought in after Lindsay Thomas broke Gary Rohan’s leg with a challenge in 2012, initially protected players first to the ball who had their legs taken out.

But since last year umpires began penalising players who won the ball in low and made contact with an opposition player’s lower leg.

A sliding free is recorded as a trip by Champion Data.

A free kick for tripping also counts in the act of a tackle by hand or arm, or when a player sticks his leg out at an opponent.

Holmanin action against the Lions. Picture: AAP

After five rounds, 48 tripping free kicks have been paid, 22 more than at the same stage last season and the most since 2013.

While the statistics are inconclusive as to whether the upsurge of tripping frees this season is because players are milking the sliding rule, Dangerfield believes it is an issue.

“Sliding to the knees is the perfect one, we have had a few instances of that a few years ago and all of a sudden we change a rule,” he said.

“Now I think there are players who exploit it and fall to ground easily and the player who is putting their head over the ball and hunting the ball is disadvantaged.

“It is something we need to continue to work on.”

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Total free kicks for a trip after five rounds

2018 — 48

2017 — 26

2016 — 39

2015 — 44

2014 — 47

2013 — 56

Source: Champion Data