Jump to content

Why do we still have the blood rule?

daisycutter
daisycutter
in Melbourne Demons

Featured Replies

Posted

Are we the only sport in oz that (still) has a blood rule?

The NRL and ARU has far more claret than us but no blood rule

Why does someone have to go off the ground for just a minor trickle of blood that could be rubbed off with a towel on the ground 

  • Quote
    • Love 1
     

    Good question!  It's a time-wasting nonsense!  Without it, we probably woulda had big Max standing in our backline to stop Tuoy from marking on the siren in the Geelong game a few weeks back!!  Cost us the game!

  • Quote
    • Love 1
    • Sad 1
    • Angry 1

    With so many of us bleeding red and blue, I agree it should be scrapped

  • Quote
    • Haha 1
     

    There would be some health related reasons, but above that, in the AFLs point of view, would be the look of the game.

    They're not wanting parents to see players covered in blood running around after other players covered in blood.

  • Quote

    Can understand the rule, don’t understand why we have to wait for the player to get off the ground before the new player comes on. If they simultaneously had the player going off and new player coming on it would save 50% of the current time.

  • Quote

    Rabies.

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    1 minute ago, Biffen said:

    Rabies.

    Only if one contacts blood from a WCE or Collingwood fan. 

    But on a serious note, I did hear recently some infectious diseases specialist saying something along the lines of the risk of catching a BBD in this context being infinitesimal.  

    Maybe Gill could ask Waleed Aly his expert opinion?

  • Quote
    • Like 2
    • Love 1

    Wasn't the Blood Rule brought in during that Grin Reaper era ? 

    We can probably move on now.

    Good question DC 

  • Quote
    • Like 4
    • Thanks 1
     
    1 hour ago, Vagg said:

    Good question!  It's a time-wasting nonsense!  Without it, we probably woulda had big Max standing in our backline to stop Tuoy from marking on the siren in the Geelong game a few weeks back!!  Cost us the game!

    Waste of F time and money (WOFTAM). 

  • Quote

    13 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

    Wasn't the Blood Rule brought in during that Grin Reaper era ? 

    We can probably move on now.

    Good question DC 

    Would you let your son out on the AFL footy field with a Carlton or Collingwood bloodied nose? Still risky!

  • Quote

    Call me weird but I wouldn’t be happy with having someone else’s blood on me while I’m in the workplace, or any other place for that matter. 

    Edited by Ethan Tremblay

  • Quote
    • Like 3

    It's far more look of the game than functional these days, but I don't really hate it. We have an interchange, players should go get cleaned up. That said, let them wipe with a towel first, if it clears then start the game, they'll go off eventually.

    The question should be why don't we have a concussion rule? It's silly seeing players clearly groggy take kicks for goal then jogging off or getting up, pushing off trainers and contesting for the ball. Just stop play and get them off the ground.

  • Quote
    21 minutes ago, monoccular said:

    Only if one contacts blood from a WCE or Collingwood fan. 

    But on a serious note, I did hear recently some infectious diseases specialist saying something along the lines of the risk of catching a BBD in this context being infinitesimal.  

    Maybe Gill could ask Waleed Aly his expert opinion?

    You forgot Methodon

  • Quote

    People find weird things to get upset about. I suppose we can add to the list ‘Players getting medically treated because they are openly bleeding on the field.’

  • Quote

    The blood rule should only be enforced for free flowing and obvious bleeding. Not grazes or nicks. 

  • Quote
    • Like 2
    • Love 1
    1 hour ago, DubDee said:

    With so many of us bleeding red and blue, I agree it should be scrapped

    Thats why we're outside the fence line, DD.

  • Quote
    40 minutes ago, layzie said:

    The blood rule should only be enforced for free flowing and obvious bleeding. Not grazes or nicks. 

    Absolutely!  Couldn't agree more!  Very sensible comment, Layzie!  Just use a little common sense!  (Oops!  It's the AFL!  Scrap that!  LOL)

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    1 hour ago, layzie said:

    The blood rule should only be enforced for free flowing and obvious bleeding. Not grazes or nicks. 

    You don't know the rule then.

    This IS the rule!!

    Play is only stopped for a player when there is "Active Bleeding". If you look it up it's Rule 22.

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    9 minutes ago, Axis of Bob said:

    You don't know the rule then.

    This IS the rule!!

    Play is only stopped for a player when there is "Active Bleeding". If you look it up it's Rule 22.

    Was actually about to say that and paste it here but thanks for doing my job for me! Good work!

    Edited by layzie

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    • Haha 1

    3 hours ago, daisycutter said:

    Are we the only sport in oz that (still) has a blood rule?

    The NRL and ARU has far more claret than us but no blood rule

    Why does someone have to go off the ground for just a minor trickle of blood that could be rubbed off with a towel on the ground 

    As has been said the rule is only for free flowing blood.

    In the NRL they have caped interchanges much more limited to AFL and in the Union once you're off you can't come back on. I know in lower grades they have a blood rule that allows someone to come back on with 10 mins if they are bleeding, haven't paid as much attention higher up to see if that's also the case. So it's there for all, just handled differently

  • Quote
    22 minutes ago, Axis of Bob said:

    You don't know the rule then.

    This IS the rule!!

    Play is only stopped for a player when there is "Active Bleeding". If you look it up it's Rule 22.

    Nice work. Reckon you can explain why there's been so many unnecessary blood rules this year though? Because that rule is clearly not being followed properly.

     

  • Quote
    1 minute ago, Sadler said:

    Nice work. Reckon you can explain why there's been so many unnecessary blood rules this year though? Because that rule is clearly not being followed properly.

     

    Which have been the unnecessary blood rules this year?

  • Quote
    •  

    The risk is definitely small, probably not quantifiable, but also not zero.

    The risk of HIV transmission would also fall for players on treatment (extrapolating from other groups). Hepatitis B and C are actually more transmissible but the majority of afl players would be low risk for these two being generally born in Australia and not injecting drug users.

    I would say the risk of catching a BBV playing footy is almost certainly less than something worse happening to you like a severe spinal injury. But the difference is however small, this risk can be reduced by removing the player briefly, so even though the NNI (number needed to interchange) would be very very high, it’s probably worth doing.

  • Quote
    13 minutes ago, Axis of Bob said:

    Which have been the unnecessary blood rules this year?

    Gee sorry, I usually keep a pad near the TV to write down all the unnecessary blood rules in a season and other totally relevant info like what colour shoe laces players are wearing etc. Guess I forgot this time.

    I know you like looking things up though so this is an article from last month with Peter Larkins saying there are too many unnecessary blood rules.

    https://www.zerohanger.com/blood-rule-obsolete-believes-sheahan-22236/

  • Quote
    • Like 1

    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

    Guest
    Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
    Reply to this topic...
    Go to topic listing

    Featured Content

    • GAMEDAY: Fremantle

      It’s Game Day, and the Demons return to the MCG wounded, undermanned and desperate. Still searching for their first win of the season, Melbourne faces a daunting task against the Fremantle Dockers. With key pillars missing at both ends of the ground, the Dees must find a way to rise above the adversity and ignite their season before it slips way beyond reach. Will today be the spark that turns it all around, or are we staring down the barrel of a 0–6 start?

      • 2 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • PREVIEW: Fremantle

      A month is a long time in AFL football. The proof of this is in the current state of the two teams contesting against each other early this Saturday afternoon at the MCG. It’s hard to fathom that when Melbourne and Fremantle kicked off the 2025 season, the former looked like being a major player in this year’s competition after it came close to beating one of the favourites in the GWS Giants while the latter was smashed by Geelong to the tune of 78 points and looked like rubbish. Fast forward to today and the Demons are low on confidence and appear panic stricken as their winless streak heads towards an even half dozen and pressure mounts on the coach and team leadership.  Meanwhile, the Dockers have recovered their composure and now sit in the top eight. They are definitely on the up and up and look most likely winners this weekend against a team which they have recently dominated and which struggles to find enough passages to the goals to trouble the scorers. And with that, Fremantle will head to the MCG, feeling very good about itself after demolishing Richmond in the Barossa Valley with Josh Treacy coming off a six goal haul and facing up to a Melbourne defence already without Jake Lever and a shaky Steven May needing to pass a fitness test just to make it onto the field of play. 

        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 0 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • NON-MFC: Round 06

      The Easter Round kicks off in style with a Thursday night showdown between Brisbane and Collingwood, as both sides look to solidify their spots inside the Top 4 early in the season. Good Friday brings a double-header, with Carlton out to claim consecutive wins when they face the struggling Kangaroos, while later that night the Eagles host the Bombers in Perth, still chasing their first victory of the year. Saturday features another marquee clash as the resurgent Crows look to rebound from back-to-back losses against a formidable GWS outfit. That evening, all eyes will be on Marvel Stadium where Damien Hardwick returns to face his old side—the Tigers—coaching the Suns at a ground he's never hidden his disdain for. Sunday offers two crucial contests where the prize is keeping touch with the Top 8. First, Sydney and Port Adelaide go head-to-head, followed by a fierce battle between the Bulldogs and the Saints. Then, Easter Monday delivers the traditional clash between two bitter rivals, both desperate for a win to stay in touch with the top end of the ladder. Who are you tipping this week and what are the best results for the Demons?

        • Thanks
      • 199 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • REPORT: Essendon

      What were they thinking? I mean by “they” the coaching panel and team selectors who chose the team to play against an opponent who, like Melbourne, had made a poor start to the season and who they appeared perfectly capable of beating in what was possibly the last chance to turn the season around.It’s no secret that the Demons’ forward line is totally dysfunctional, having opened the season barely able to average sixty points per game which means there has been no semblance of any system from the team going forward into attack. Nevertheless, on Saturday night at the Adelaide Oval in one of the Gather Round showcase games, Melbourne, with Max Gawn dominating the hit outs against a depleted Essendon ruck resulting from Nick Bryan’s early exit, finished just ahead in clearances won and found itself inside the 50 metre arc 51 times to 43. The end result was a final score that had the Bombers winning 15.6 (96) to 8.9 (57). On balance, one could expect this to result in a two or three goal win, but in this case, it translated into a six and a half goal defeat because they only managed to convert eight times or 11.68% of their entries. The Bombers more than doubled that. On Thursday night at the same ground, the losing team Adelaide managed to score 100 points from almost the same number of times inside 50.

        • Sad
        • Clap
        • Like
      • 0 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • PODCAST: Essendon

      The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 14th April @ the all new time of 8:00pm. Join Binman, George & I as we dissect another Demons loss at Kardinia Park to the Cats in the Round 04. Your questions and comments are a huge part of our podcast so please post anything you want to ask or say below and we'll give you a shout out on the show. If you would like to leave us a voicemail please call 03 9016 3666 and don't worry no body answers so you don't have to talk to a human.

        • Thanks
      • 63 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • PREGAME: Fremantle

      The Demons return home to the MCG in search of their first win for the 2025 Premiership season when they take on the Fremantle Dockers on Saturday afternoon. Who comes in and who goes out?

        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 477 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland
    View All