The AFL this week announced changes to the interpretation surrounding head-high tackles that are a result of the actions of the ball carrier.
The tactic of the ball carrier raising their arm and lowering at the knees when being tackled has been in the spotlight nearly all season, with Collingwood forward Jack Ginnivan mastering the ploy and winning free kicks.
It's also similar to the evading strategy of Geelong skipper Joel Selwood, who has acrued a considerable amount of head-high free kicks over his career.
After much outcry from fans and media over the controversial tactic, the AFL decided to clarify their stance mid-season.
"Where the tackle is reasonably applied, there is no prior opportunity and the ball carrier is responsible for the high contact via a shrug, drop or arm lift โ play on should be called," the AFL said in a statement released earlier in the week.
"Where the tackle is reasonably applied, and there is prior opportunity, and the ball carrier is responsibleย for the high contact via a shrug, drop or arm lift โย holding the ballย should be called.
Coaches have spent all week discussing what this rule change means for them and their players, with some satisfied with the interpretation and others less than impressed.
However, the fans perspective is one that is arguably just as important given the fan power and influence in the altering of the rules and interpretations.
Speaking on theย 2 Guys One Cupย podcast, comedian Wil Anderson and actor Charlie Clausen voiced their view as fans on the changes.
"The umpires are going to umpire (different players) differently. Like they've done forever," Clausen said.
Anderson supported the notion by saying that rules can't always be uniform for everyone in the league and that umpires being harsher on Ginnivan and his dropping of the knees was fair because of the way he plays the game.
"Not everybody plays in the same way or manner so it would be ridiculous to umpire people in that same manner," said Anderson.
"People are always calling for these things to be so uniform and for what purpose? Do you really want to drain all the emotion, all the beautiful things that this oval ball that bounces in different directions, that is the beauty of the game.
Anderson, who is a self-confessed fan of the Collingwood youngster, said while he believes Ginnivan is playing too much for free kicks, he needs to be looked after when he is legitimately taken high as well.
"I think he's ducking too much and I think it's fair that he's not being paid the free kicks, because the rule is if you duck you shouldn't get the free kick," Anderson said.
"But he should get them when he doesn't duck. It shouldn't be about his personality, it should be about whether he ducked or not.
