AFL umpires have sped up the ball-up process, and it has both helped and hurt teams since the midway point of the season.
The time umpires are taking to ball it up after blowing their whistle is noticeably quicker, according to former Hawthorn forward Ben Dixon and courtesy of the Fox Footy LAB.
The 203-gamer says the evident change isn’t leaving teams the same ample time they were afforded to set up behind the ball, resultantly leaving defences less prepared.
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On Fox Footy’s First Crack, Dixon delved into the idea that the league’s change to the holding-the-ball interpretation ‘sped up’ stoppages.
“I’m calling (it) a game-changer,” he told Fox Footy.
“The first half of the season we were very frustrated with the ruling around tackling and how long (players) were taking in the tackle … Then the game changed.
“The AFL brought in the (changed) interpretation; ‘it’s going to be quicker, (and) we’re going to pay holding the ball quicker’. Stoppages sped up.”
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Dixon showcased LAB vision from Hawthorn’s clash with Sydney in Round 7 that exhibited examples of long whistle-to-ball-up durations.
The first clip saw 10.8 seconds elapse in between the umpire calling for a regulation ball-up and the umpire actually tossing it up, while another measured 13.3 seconds in between.
“You’ve got time to build your framework (behind the ball),” he told First Crack.
Dixon believes the change in time in between whistles and ball-ups coincided with the league’s changed holding-the-ball interpretation.
“When the rule changed, this is how quick — on average — it is now. It’s almost six seconds,” he continued. “It’s half what it was, so there’s no time to set up. Bang, up it goes.
“Have a look at the density around the ball, there’s no density whatsoever. All the numbers now have got speed in play.
“This has welcomed the teams that play fast. Sydney like to structure up … they’ve got no time to do that now, you see the numbers around the ball there — there is plenty of time and space.”
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Then, Dixon provided examples from last Saturday’s Hawthorn-North Melbourne bout in Tasmania, which comprised far less time in between the umpire calling for the ball-up and the ball-up itself.
In comparison to Round 7, one example measured just 5.3, while another 6.2.
“I’m looking at the evolution of it,” reflected Dixon. “I don’t think we’ve ever seen the game change in a season like it has.
“It’s a rule that’s just put its stamp on (the game) … The first half of the season, we thought it was a one-horse (Sydney) race.”
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Dixon says the change in approach has thrown a significant spanner in the works, particularly for the sides who thrived with more time getting organised structurally.
“It blew teams apart,” Dixon continued. “No time to set up, no time to defend.
“Less structure, less coaching influence, less time. It welcomed the quick teams (and) the natural talent.”
Sydney and Essendon were among the teams to suffer from Round 12 onwards, while Brisbane and Hawthorn were the big bolters.
“The shift. We’ve never seen a rule change so dramatically in the middle of a year and throw a big curveball into the season. Now we’re looking at, instead of two contenders, we’re looking at eight contenders going into a finals series.”
Source Agencies
