http://melbournefc.com.au/Season2007/News/...px?newsId=53698

THE hands in the back interpretation was designed to enhance the quality of marking contests by discouraging pushing, holding and blocking with the hands and encouraging players to take front position. Anderson said the committee's view is that this interpretation has resulted in a significant improvement to marking contests.

It was the committee’s view that this interpretation on hands in the back has resulted in a significant improvement to the marking contest in 2007. There are more contested marks and players are kicking more to contests," Anderson said.

What a load of BS how hasnt this rule affected marking contests in a negative way!!

A say we start a petition against this rule!! :angry:

i remember filling out a response to the rule changes a couple of months ago.

were the results ever released? because in my mind that was the petition against the rule

why does the AFL change things that dont need to be changed? now it is too scared to go back to the good rules because they are probably worried that more people will get upset because it is changing again....AFL-GO BACK to the old rule and i know that each umpire may interpret the old rule differently and there are more variables, but that is their fault and something for u to work in in ur own time...just dont ruin the game....please change it back, PLEASE!!!!!

2009-the year of the demons and the year of the PUSH in the back rule BAck in action!!!

I remember filling out the AFL survay that had 2 questions or so on the rule. I remember answering the question (multiple choice) and giving an explination in writing to assist. But i cant imagain anyone who did fill it out gave a posityive responce for it. I have no idea why they, the AFL, bother to get us to fill it out if they dont use supporters views. Its a shocking rule, one with too much controvicy. Most reporters, media personal and commintators hate it too. Its just too ndiffulcult for backman these days + it creates a delema when someone puts the hands in the back and does a specky and if said not to have pushed in the back...i think it was McVeigh who did this and was awarded the mark and mark of the round even tho breaching the rule. It is distroying the game and i myself hate it so much that i have even cut down on my attendance at games because of it.

when wil lthat rule about hands in the back go .... it wrecked the game last season and cost teams a win because it was full of shitt hat rule... someone has got to address this rule in the afl.... before you know it there will be some more new rules in the afl again nthis season.....

Don't care if the rule stays, just as long as they change the interpretation.

Really, in years gone by, an obvious push in the back resulted in a free which is a completely fair rule. It's the over umpiring this year and the complete inconsistencies that ruined the flow of games. I don't see an issue with having your hands on your opponents back, as long as you don't push them out of a contest, it should be left alone.

Don't care if the rule stays, just as long as they change the interpretation.

Really, in years gone by, an obvious push in the back resulted in a free which is a completely fair rule. It's the over umpiring this year and the complete inconsistencies that ruined the flow of games. I don't see an issue with having your hands on your opponents back, as long as you don't push them out of a contest, it should be left alone.

Have to agree with Jaded. The intention of the rule is good, however it was over-umpired this year. I think we'll see a vast improvement in how the rule is interpreted in 2008.

Have to agree with Jaded. The intention of the rule is good, however it was over-umpired this year. I think we'll see a vast improvement in how the rule is interpreted in 2008.

we can only pray

As expected the AFL lives in dream land

I read that and think it's more a case of the AFL not wanting to admit a problem than actually making a decision either way.

Since the 'hands in the back' issue is merely one of 'interpretation', as they said so many times, it would be quite easy to make it dead without actually having to kill it.

The hands in the back interpretation can be watered down without so much as a whisper - unless the AFL Admin actually sustain pressure to keep enforcing it, hands-in-the-vicinity-of-the-back will die of it's own accord, since not even umpires think it's a good 'interpretation'.

I still hold out hope for a quiet return to normality.