A Clever Tactic Backfires: The AFL's New Rule on 'Stooging' is Officially Shut Down!
Did you catch that moment in the recent AFL Community Series match where Sydney's ruckman, Brodie Grundy, seemed to pull off a brilliant, albeit unusual, maneuver? He managed to draw a free kick against GWS ruckman Nick Madden by coaxing him into an 'illegal' crossing of the centre-circle line. This tactic, often referred to as 'stooging,' was a clever exploitation of the newly introduced ruck rules. But here's where it gets controversial...
Last week, AFL football boss Greg Swann admitted the league hadn't foreseen players using the rules in such a creative way. He stated, "It's probably one we didn't contemplate, but anyway, we'll have a look at it and see where we go." Many wondered if this was a new loophole that would stick.
And this is the part most people miss: That brief window of opportunity has now been officially slammed shut! On Monday night, Swann confirmed that the AFL's decision-makers have reviewed the situation, and any attempts at 'stooging' like Grundy's will no longer result in a free kick. "If you don't jump, and you want to … (do) the stooging, you can stooge, but it'll be play on," Swann clarified. This means that if a ruckman tries to bait an opponent across the centre line without jumping, the umpire will simply call 'play on.' As co-host Garry Lyon aptly put it, it's akin to a 'false inducement,' much like a fake handball in other situations.
Beyond this specific 'stooging' rule, the AFL is also reinforcing that ruckmen cannot engage with opposition rucks, and play will restart without a designated ruckman around the ground. These changes aim to streamline the game and, hopefully, reduce certain types of injuries.
Speaking of injuries, Swann acknowledged that knee-on-knee collisions, like the one involving Geelong's Shannon Neale and Carlton's Marc Pittonet, are an unfortunate, albeit unintended, consequence of the new ruck rules. "I think you'd be naive to say it's not going to happen — it'll happen," he admitted. However, he remains hopeful that the overall benefits of the rule changes, such as increased scoring and shorter game times, will outweigh these risks. "The unintended consequences from a good perspective is scores out of the centre bounces have gone up... the things that we wanted — the game length has gone back, the scoring has gone up, scoring from centre bounces has gone up, so we're hopeful that goes into the season proper as well."
But here's where it gets even more interesting: Swann also touched on the West Coast Eagles' struggles in their recent Community Series loss, attributing it partly to a very sharp Port Adelaide side and the usual unpredictability of pre-season training. He also addressed the NRL's season opener in Las Vegas, playfully pushing back against claims that the NRL is the number one sport in Australia. "It's not right (V'landys claiming that NRL is number one in Australia), so that's the thing that probably peeves you a little bit," Swann commented, highlighting the AFL's larger participation and viewership figures.
What are your thoughts on this 'stooging' loophole being closed? Do you think the new ruck rules will ultimately benefit the game, despite the risk of injuries? Let us know in the comments below – we'd love to hear your take!
