Quote from: David McKeown on February 20, 2025, 12:10:10 AMQuote from: weareros on February 19, 2025, 10:46:01 PMQuote from: David McKeown on February 19, 2025, 09:36:38 PMNot sure I follow David. A good corner back is more essential now because the skillful corner forward isn't bollocksed chasing up and down the field, and we are back to what forwards were once told by trainers: his job is to mark you, not you to mark him. It's much harder defend under new rules, and on top of that if the forward catches a mark close to goal, he can do for goal, knowing he's still getting the tap over mark. So back has still more defending to do. The system defending of everyone back is gone under new rules and good man markers can shine in one on one battles, and poor backs will get skinned by forwards with more space and fresher legs.Quote from: weareros on February 19, 2025, 12:32:51 PMI suspect with new rules, teams they don't have natural 2 point kickers won't like them, teams that don't have good fielders for contested kick outs won't like them, and teams that can't defend without pulling every player back won't like them. Those 3 rules encourage traditional skills of the game - footballers who can kick a point from distance, high fielders, one on one sticky backs. The short kickout with opposing team pulling every player back, an orgy of hand passes until a team found a low risk opportunity, like a punch over the bar, had become unwatchable. I'm good with the rules so far.
True but it's at the expense of other traditional skills. Like the 50 which must be from the ground, at an angle and only worth half of a kick from 20-25% closer. Or one on one defending from a corner back close to goal. For example.
I disagree the advantage rules denigrate the art of defending. No longer is there any utility to skilfully dispossessing an opponent or tactically allowing him a catch in order to ground defend him. Delaying and spoiling in a non card way is now the more effective way to defend if you can't prevent the mark which is the only real reward in mark situations.
In terms of high fielding the rules now encourage defending teams to flood a smaller area where they can have a numerical advantage and then break the ball to their spare man. The kicking team is having to tactically adjust to prevent that.
On your first point, it's not the new rules that have led to that situation, but the advanced mark (which I don't love). But I wish in my day, the corner back would have let me catch the ball first, instead of beating me to it to yelps and cheers. On the plus side, the advanced mark encourages longer kick pass into the forwards. The more teams get better at kicking, the better for the game. It's the same with the coaches complaining about tiring from running. Learn to be better kickers of the ball.
Regarding high fielding, teams can always flood an area - Tyrone were doing that effectively in league last year. But in games so far, I've seen some marvelous catches and even if the ball is broken, the scramble to get the breaking ball is a lot more interesting than the short kickout as a team then labours up the pitch passing it around waiting patiently for an opening. That was mind-numbingly boring to watch, and was killing the game as a spectacle. Teams can of course still hold onto the ball, but they've lost an outlet in passing it back to the goalie in their own half. That has introduced jeopardy into the possession game - a good thing, too. Have enjoyed seeing some desperate kick clearances.
