Twas the night before footy . . .

… and all through the house, nothing was stirring, not even a . . .

 

OK, hang on! There’s a fair bit stirring ‘round AussieRulesBlog’s abode. Less than twenty-four hours until the first bounce of the pre-season.

 

F O O T Y  I S   B A C K !

 

We’re pleased that the AFL will be explaining the new rules to fans via the scoreboard. It seems like it’ll only be before the pre-season games, which means many will miss it. But it’s a step in the right direction. Hopefully the broadcaster(s?) will pick up the ball and show the explanations to their viewers.

 

If we could send a message to Wayne Campbell, the AFL’s new umpiring department boss, it would be to be proactive in getting information out to the football public. Most fans won’t order a DVD, or search out the labyrinthine explanations of interpretations favoured by The (unlamented)Giesch.

 

The message needs to be simple and unequivocal. Most importantly, it needs to be reinforced out on the field by the way the umpires officiate the game — every game, every month, from the first bounce tomorrow night to the last bounce on Grand Final day.

 

We don’t care how wrong the decisions are. Just give us that consistency. No doubt the players will be crossing their fingers for that too.