AFL football operations boss Steve Hocking is confident umpires and players will soon get into the rhythm of the new holding-the-ball interpretation.
The AFL’s mid-season tightening of the rule raised eyebrows and the issue came to a head during St Kilda’s 23-point win over Adelaide on Monday night.
Hocking was forced to apologise on behalf of the AFL after a series of contentious holding-the-ball decisions – and non-decisions – were made during that game.
The rule tweak states that the umpire can pay a free kick if a tackled player doesn’t make an attempt to correctly dispose of the ball where possible.
Hocking said aside from Monday’s howlers, the rule tweak had been umpired fairly well.
“We’ve apologised to the two clubs involved (Adelaide and St Kilda) and to our football supporters. There was a lack of consistency around decision making on Monday night,” Hocking said.
“Over the weekend … by and large the consistency around that has been very good.
“(The players) watch so much football. The amount of training they do – the game finds its rhythm.
“I’m very confident we’ll get this to where it needs to be and I’m very comfortable with how the umpires are working through it.”
Hocking wanted to emphasise the fact there hadn’t been a rule change but rather a tweak.
“There’s been people driving the fact that it’s a rule change – it’s not,” Hocking said.
“Genuine attempt is part of holding the ball. What we’re aiming to do with it is make sure that players that look to protect ball security, if you’re not making a genuine attempt, it’s holding the ball.”
Hocking also denied the change in interpretation had been enacted because of Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson’s recent criticism of the rule.
“What Alastair was talking about was something different to what we did. Alastair was talking about prior opportunity. What we’ve addressed was genuine attempt,” Hocking said.
“The truth around all of that is that players were trying to create a 50-50 situation rather than turning the ball over.
“So in that instance if you’re trying to protect ball security and you make no genuine attempt, it’s a free kick.”