Leading with the Head

[westdog54]

This should be, if it isn't already, the elephant in the room at every rules of the game committee meeting.

Its becoming more an more prevelant as players and clubs seek to find whatever advantage they can.

We saw it 3 weeks ago with Clay Smith. His return goal came about as a result of a free kick he received from leading with his head. There were several examples of it on the weekend.

It NEEDS to be dealt with. The players aren't likely to change their behaviour, but how do you legislate to prevent it? How do you enforce a rule that prevents the practice? What becomes unnacceptable?

I don't have the answers to these questions, but in my view something needs to be done to protect the players from themselves. The NFL have been very decisive on helmet to helmet contact. Its been clearly established as a foul and with good reason.

If the league waits, a player WILL end up in a wheelchair. And the player on the other end might have no culpability in it whatsoever.

[Twodogs]

Yep. What's our plan to deal with this. Sit back and wait until a player breaks his neck? That's not really a plan.

[bornadog]

I think there is a rule for this it's called ducking the head. However, if the player already has his head down and going for the ball, well that is different.

[Bulldog Joe]

I believe this is vitally important to address and it is not difficult.

Very simply the player who goes head first needs to be free kicked. It will stop the behaviour immediately.

There is no grey area. Simply player who comes in to a contest with his head down is penalised. If he is first to the ball with no other player in the vicinity, he is the protected player and he is afforded the opportunity to dispose BUT he cannot run with his head down towards his opponent.

[westdog54]

I think there is a rule for this it's called ducking the head. However, if the player already has his head down and going for the ball, well that is different.

But they're not "ducking the head" in the traditional sense. They're putting their head down and running toward an opponent.

[bulldogtragic]

But they're not "ducking the head" in the traditional sense. They're putting their head down and running toward an opponent.

I guess you can two or three strike them for one weeks suspension?

[Sedat]

This is a by-product of the ugly congestion around the stoppages, which is caused by super fit players being able to run from contest to contest because there are too many interchange rotations. I would reduce the allowable rotations to 10 per quarter and increase the bench to 6. That would reduce congestion, lead to more one-on-one contests and open the game up.

[jeemak]

Every rule the AFL introduces has a nasty consequence. The AFL was worried about head contact and concussions, so they made head contact sacrosanct irrespective of the cause. Voila! Instant player reaction of going at the legs head first to earn a free kick.

Now they've outlawed sliding (sometimes), and now you have players getting up from their kneeling positions and cannoning their heads into other players.

Stop awarding free kicks if players drive their heads into opponents, start paying holding the ball when they do and don't get rid of it, and educate players from the junior ranks onward about the dangers of leading with the head and not looking after themselves in what is essentially, a dangerous situation.

[Twodogs]

Every rule the AFL introduces has a nasty consequence. The AFL was worried about head contact and concussions, so they made head contact sacrosanct irrespective of the cause. Voila! Instant player reaction of going at the legs head first to earn a free kick.

Now they've outlawed sliding (sometimes), and now you have players getting up from their kneeling positions and cannoning their heads into other players.

Stop awarding free kicks if players drive their heads into opponents, start paying holding the ball when they do and don't get rid of it, and educate players from the junior ranks onward about the dangers of leading with the head and not looking after themselves in what is essentially, a dangerous situation.


Good solution. Sort it out at the top and bring a new culture in via the kids.

[Remi Moses]

My first memory of the footy was Neil Sachse's shocking incident in 1975 .
Let's not let it happen again, and let's not let players lead with their head