Can someone please enlighten me...

Almost every time Yarran tackles, the ball spills free due to the ferocity of the tackle. I was under the impression dropping the ball resulted in a free kick? Why the !@#$%& do they never call this? He would have had 3-4 frees for if it was called correctly.

Can someone please enlighten me...

Almost every time Yarran tackles, the ball spills free due to the ferocity of the tackle. I was under the impression dropping the ball resulted in a free kick? Why the !@#$%& do they never call this? He would have had 3-4 frees for if it was called correctly.

I was under the impression that there’s no such rule as ‘dropping the ball’, despite what many in the crowd say and Eddie Maguire used to say when commentating. When the ball spills free from a tackle there should be no free kick paid unless the player had prior opportunity.

So if that’s true, and I think it is true, then for the example Jez1966 gives the umpire was correct not to give JR the free kick (so long as Hislop had no prior opportunity).

I would say the term is "incorrect disposal"

I would say the term is "incorrect disposal"

Correct I think.

If the player "drops the ball" while tackled he can be penalised for incorrect disposal, but if the umpire deems the ball to have been knocked free due to the tackle, then this is not incorrect disposal.

It comes back to whether the tackled player has had prior opportunity or not.

If the player does have a prior opportunity, say he's run 5m with the ball, and he's tackled, then he has to get rid of it legally. Even if he's tackled in such a way that he can't get his arms free to handball or kick, or if he's tackled so fiercely that the ball spills clear, that's bad luck. Free kick.

On the other hand, if the player has just picked up the ball or accepted a handball, and is then immediately tackled in a way that prevents disposal, then it's a ball-up if it's held in. If he's tackled during an attempt to handball or kick the ball and the foot or fist misses as the ball drops to the ground, then play on. If he's tackled in such a way that the ball spills free, it's play on.

The grey area is whether the umpires should ping a player who hasn't had a prior opportunity but who releases the ball so that a nearby team mate can pick it up. That's a question of intent - was it deliberate or a product of the force of the tackle? Certainly any throwing motion should incur a penalty. But I don't have a problem if the umpires give the benefit of the doubt when the ball comes out of the player's hand during a tackle. That gives the advantage to the player making the play, and it also gives the advantage to the team with most numbers around the ball, and as this is a team game that's not a bad thing.

I don't have too much of a problem with the Morton goal. They managed to get a 2 on 1 inside 50, and that's our fault.

As for the argument that the tackle went unrewarded, I disagree. The tackle is a defensive art and isn't what we go to see. Marks rightly are rewarded with a stop play. But tackles are rewarded by forcing the opponent to get rid of the ball quickly, or forcing a spillage. Only in limited cases should it be rewarded with a free. American Football and Rugby are the games to see if you think tackling should be rewarded more than that.

And by definition, JR's tackle wasn't perfect. When the opposition has the numbers around the ball, you have to tackle to pin the ball to your opponent. When your own team has the numbers, then you tackle to strip the ball clear. JR did extremely well, but he didn't manage to do what he needed to do. Like someone who kicks well from 55 and the ball hits the woodwork, nice effort but no cigar.

It comes back to whether the tackled player has had prior opportunity or not.

If the player does have a prior opportunity, say he's run 5m with the ball, and he's tackled, then he has to get rid of it legally. Even if he's tackled in such a way that he can't get his arms free to handball or kick, or if he's tackled so fiercely that the ball spills clear, that's bad luck. Free kick.

On the other hand, if the player has just picked up the ball or accepted a handball, and is then immediately tackled in a way that prevents disposal, then it's a ball-up if it's held in. If he's tackled during an attempt to handball or kick the ball and the foot or fist misses as the ball drops to the ground, then play on. If he's tackled in such a way that the ball spills free, it's play on.

The grey area is whether the umpires should ping a player who hasn't had a prior opportunity but who releases the ball so that a nearby team mate can pick it up. That's a question of intent - was it deliberate or a product of the force of the tackle? Certainly any throwing motion should incur a penalty. But I don't have a problem if the umpires give the benefit of the doubt when the ball comes out of the player's hand during a tackle. That gives the advantage to the player making the play, and it also gives the advantage to the team with most numbers around the ball, and as this is a team game that's not a bad thing.

I don't have too much of a problem with the Morton goal. They managed to get a 2 on 1 inside 50, and that's our fault.

As for the argument that the tackle went unrewarded, I disagree. The tackle is a defensive art and isn't what we go to see. Marks rightly are rewarded with a stop play. But tackles are rewarded by forcing the opponent to get rid of the ball quickly, or forcing a spillage. Only in limited cases should it be rewarded with a free. American Football and Rugby are the games to see if you think tackling should be rewarded more than that.

And by definition, JR's tackle wasn't perfect. When the opposition has the numbers around the ball, you have to tackle to pin the ball to your opponent. When your own team has the numbers, then you tackle to strip the ball clear. JR did extremely well, but he didn't manage to do what he needed to do. Like someone who kicks well from 55 and the ball hits the woodwork, nice effort but no cigar.

I was under the impression that there’s no such rule as ‘dropping the ball’, despite what many in the crowd say and Eddie Maguire used to say when commentating. When the ball spills free from a tackle there should be no free kick paid unless the player had prior opportunity.

So if that’s true, and I think it is true, then for the example Jez1966 gives the umpire was correct not to give JR the free kick (so long as Hislop had no prior opportunity).