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.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 07: Bailey Williams of the Bulldogs attempts to tackle Charlie Cameron of the Lions during the 2024 AFL Round 13 match between the Western Bulldogs and the Brisbane Lions at Marvel Stadium on June 07, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

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.

Bailey Williams looks to tackle Charlie Cameron on Friday night. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“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.”

🗣️ "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."

Luke Beveridge goes long on the holding the ball interpretation... pic.twitter.com/xgt2RIfCfY

— 7AFL (@7AFL) June 7, 2024

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.

Luke Beveridge says the holding the ball rule has become a challenge for the AFL. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“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.

Originally published as AFL round 13: Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge flags concerns with holding the ball rule change