Prior Opportunity

[Forest Demon 4,681]

This is in no way suggesting we got a bad go from the umps today, actually quite the opposite. I think we were on the right end of some dubious decisions, and those we gave away were silly and ill disciplined acts.

I am starting to really worry about the way this rule is going this season. The umps are giving players less and less time to dispose of it and punishing players who are first to the ball more than ever. Also they are paying holding the ball if a team strings a couple of rushed handballs together before a player gets tackled even if that player has been tackled simultaneously as they receive the ball, I think I heard a commentator call it 'team prior opportunity'.

I think they are ruining the nature of the game by not rewarding blokes willing to put their body on the line and get to ball first.

Anyone else feel the same or are these beers blurring my thoughts.

[titan_uranus 25,212]

The umpires just got way too involved in the game. I'm sick of umpires paying marginal free kicks, whether they help us or hinder us. Like the holding the man on Thornton in the second quarter. He had a fistful of Rivers' jumper as well.

And yes, there are problems with holding the ball the way it is being implemented.

[1858 285]

I agree. It is one of those rules which was conceived in an era when the game was drastically slower and different for that matter. It has also evolved in a way (I am guessing was never originally intended) as a means of rewarding tacklers rather than merely penalising (when applicable) a player who had a sporting chance of playing constructive football.

[deanox 10,058]

i think that you'll find the prior opportunity rule is commonly misunderstood by fans and commentators.

In fact, if a player is in possession of the football and is tackled and retarded it is holding the ball instantaneously. The exception to this rule is if a player has not had prior opportunity to dispose of the ball before the tackle. In this case, when the player with the ball (and no prior opportunity) is tackled, he is allowed to dispose of the ball legally. If he is not able to dispose of the ball legally, he has been caught holding the ball.

The exceptions are:

If the ball is pinned to the player in the tackle (i.e. player is trying to handball the ball but it is being held to him)

If the ball is dislodged in the tackle (i.e. the initial jolt of the tackle results in the ball spilling free)

NOT an exception:

If the players arm is pinned and he is unable to correctly dispose.

If the player throws the ball out or drops the ball while attempting to dispose of the ball.

IMO the umpires do not follow this rule correctly, it is not good enough to throw your arms out and drop the footy when you are tackled, that should be a free kick against. And holding onto the footy to avoid giving it up to an opposition player is not a legal tactic either and should also be penalised, you must dispose of it immediately.

[Eth 4]

i think that you'll find the prior opportunity rule is commonly misunderstood by fans and commentators.

In fact, if a player is in possession of the football and is tackled and retarded it is holding the ball instantaneously. The exception to this rule is if a player has not had prior opportunity to dispose of the ball before the tackle. In this case, when the player with the ball (and no prior opportunity) is tackled, he is allowed to dispose of the ball legally. If he is not able to dispose of the ball legally, he has been caught holding the ball.

The exceptions are:

If the ball is pinned to the player in the tackle (i.e. player is trying to handball the ball but it is being held to him)

If the ball is dislodged in the tackle (i.e. the initial jolt of the tackle results in the ball spilling free)

NOT an exception:

If the players arm is pinned and he is unable to correctly dispose.

If the player throws the ball out or drops the ball while attempting to dispose of the ball.

IMO the umpires do not follow this rule correctly, it is not good enough to throw your arms out and drop the footy when you are tackled, that should be a free kick against. And holding onto the footy to avoid giving it up to an opposition player is not a legal tactic either and should also be penalised, you must dispose of it immediately.

That's exactly my view on it - prior opportunity = holding the ball. I've said this and two other things, dropping and diving on it, cause a free for holding the ball, in an earlier post somewhere. But the umpires are so inconsistent that there's now so many more views on what is and what isn't a free kick.

I was listening to North Melbourne vs Brisbane last night and a North player gave away a 50 metre penalty for asking the umpire to show some consistency. No anger, no threatening, just a simple question that gave away a 50 metre penalty.

I think Brad Green's tackle on Heath Shaw in the last quarter in Round 2's a great example of how bad the umpires are at being consistent.