Bringing the science back to football
Mick Cronin is a former East Perth and State centreman and WA umpire at 1947 Hobart carnival.
Bringing back the science
Is football today as good as it was 20 years ago? As a spectacle, I claim that it isn't—but don't think I'm one of those who haven't a good word to say for present-day footballers.
Any man who plays the Australian code today must have tons of courage and stamina to stand up to the severe buffeting he will receive in the 100 minute hurly-burly of a League match.
But, at the same time, I can't help noticing that there is something missing from post-war football. Gone are the Ted Flemings, who electrified the crowds with amazing, pack-topping marks; the Lou Daileys, whose streaming rushes from the goal line often brought a crowd to its feet; the finesse of Jack Guhl and Johnny Bowe.
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Where are the goalsneaks who can equal George Doig, that crafty player who was always more dangerous whenever a full-back thought he had him under his thumb, or Ted Tyson, possibly the most deadly-accurate goal kicker the game has known. They and many others of past 20 years lifted the game and the crowd with their sparkling individual efforts. Where are such players today?
Players of today display a more negative approach. Instead of relying on individual brilliance to outplay their immediate opponent, they adopt smothering tactics, hunt in packs, clutter up the forward lines, congest play. Ball more often than not is rushed toward the goal-mouth by sheer weight of numbers, movements are marred by indiscriminate kicking and faulty hand passing.
Now what can be done about bringing back into the game the science that characterised it in pre-war days, while still retaining the speed, fire and robustness demanded of it by the post-war football fan? These objectives, I think, can be achieved only by a long-range plan, which will have as its objective the coaching of tomorrow's League footballers—the schoolboys of today.
The art of kicking
Greatest art or our game to my mind is its kicking. Upon players' ability to kick the ball correctly hinges the result of perfect team play. And don't forget, perfect kicking can make for perfect marking. It may surprise many in this State to learn that Essendon's sensational young John Coleman, aged 20, who in his first year in the big time booted 100 goals, has not the faintest idea of how he kicked his 100 goals for the season!
Every schoolboy who has mastered kicking a ball will find his progress made much easier as he makes his way toward League ranks. If he reaches a League side, a coach is not forced to commence at an elementary stage of football coaching—teaching kicking.
A coach fortunate enough to have a new player who knows how to kick a ball, can concentrate on fitting him into a side, knowing that the newcomer will fill his position without unbalancing the team. He will also gather confidence quickly as he plays in his first few games because he can deliver the ball.
In theory, football is based on possession of the ball. Once a team commands the ball and the ball is delivered correctly to a team mate (in theory) a score should be registered without the opposition having touched the ball. This can be made possible only when the man who secures possession of the ball is able to kick it correctly to a team mate who leads correctly.
On the other hand, good leading is wasted by faulty delivery of the man in possession. Good kicking leads to good teamwork, which is the aim of every team.
Coaching method
Importance of fostering the national game not only in metropolitan but also in country schools must be fully appreciated. I am firmly convinced, however, that coaching schemes embracing metropolitan and country schools, will not be a success unless based upon sound coaching methods brought to fruition by men with a thorough knowledge of the game.
It seems strange and not a little fantastic, that considering the Australian Rules game first saw the light of day at Melbourne in the year 1858, there is still not available one authoritative standard text book, giving a comprehensive coverage on the art of playing League football. Such a text book is long overdue, and it is time the Australian National Football Council did something about it.
There is a definite lack of opportunity for boys leaving school to go straight ahead with their football, and consequently many schoolboy footballers drift away from active participation in the game.
Poor facilities
Many grounds defy the playing of a reasonable standard of football. Dressing rooms in many instances leave much to be desired, and organisation as it relates to age groups is far too lax. Under such conditions is it any wonder why boys, unless they have a great love for football, are ready at any tick of the clock to give it away thus drifting to some other sport.
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Training umpires
Having had a great deal of experience with junior umpiring, I am firmly convinced of the vital necessity for coaching junior umpires, which is as important as the coaching junior footballers.
It is utterly useless for a coach to teach boys along the right lines if week after week the umpires under whom they play do not know the game. In Victoria, junior umpires are coached with the leading umpires of the State. These junior Victorian umpires are the future league umpires. They are in exactly the same position as players.
All Victorian league umpires (junior and senior) have a training schedule set for them which they must carry out. They are required to be as fit as any player. If they are not, their services are soon dispensed with.
It is most noticeable in this State that many junior umpires are not in good physical condition. Uncontrolled by not having to stick to any set training schedule as in Victoria they naturally have not the same incentive to get fit and keep fit. A practical scheme should be put into operation as follows:
Firstly, train junior and senior umpires together. Secondly, a correct and uniform interpretation of the rules should always be adhered to. Thirdly, ensure that each umpire is at least as fit as the players he controls.
Another suggestion concerning umpiring worthy of consideration, is for the Australian National Football Council to endeavour to make the interpretation of the rules uniform in all States. This can be achieved in no small measure by the banning of local interpretations of the rules. Unless such a course is adopted, there must always be a difference in the interpretation of the rules in interstate matches, which the ANFC fosters between the States.
Increasing demands on players
Manner in which the game is played today demands much more from the individual player and also the umpire than in the pre-war era. Even in this State, the game is becoming more and more professional in tone, and no doubt as the population of this State grows, the game will follow a pattern similar to that set by Victoria.
Naturally, professionalism gives individual players a different psychological outlook on the game, which of a necessity (as in all profession al sport) is played faster and harder than in amateur sports.
A disturbing feature of League football throughout Australia is the increasing number of injuries to players. Some injuries have proved serious. To my way of thinking this is brought about by the increased pace at which the game is played.
Adoption of the hand pass in the back-passing movement (as in rugby) has brought into play closer and far more frequent physical clashes. As long as the rules allow players to clash with the hip and the shoulder at full speed it only stands to reason that some physical injury must result.
As the game is now being played with physical clashes within the rules occurring frequently, it is not to be wondered at that tempers fray and players can tend to become spiteful. Such spite, the result of what a player may consider (sometimes rightly and sometimes wrongly) a deliberate attack to eliminate him from the game, is making it harder for umpires to retain full control.
The need for more umpires
Stage seems to have been reached when an umpire needs the jurisdiction that the man with the whistle has in other games—the power to order off an offending player.
Either bring into force the order-off rule, or as I have argued many times, use two umpires. I am not alone in my belief that the game is reaching a stage when it will be humanly impossible for one umpire to control it.
Essendon's captain, Dick Reynolds, stated only last week that:
“it's becoming so fast that I see the need for two umpires. I'm not sure just how one would have to work it out. But two umpires are necessary. It's not human to expect one man to do the job.”
Reynolds also points out the need for four instead of two boundary umpires.
Failing the use of two umpires or the order-off rule, I feel that the only way injuries can be eliminated from the game as it is now played, is for 16 players to a side.
I saw such a match played at Perth Oval by East Perth, and also by Collingwood at Collingwood. Both games were full of science and lacked nothing in the way of the speed and fire that now characterise the game as it is played with 18 players. In fact, 16 players to a side would make for far more scientific football.
To my mind, it's now or never for the controllers of the Aussie code to get down to business, and decide whether the game is to be a combination of science interwoven with speed, fire and robustness based on fair play, or let it degenerate into a smash bash and grab affair.
Footnotes
Title: What's happened to football in the recent era?
Author: Mick Cronin
Publisher: Sunday Times (Perth, WA: 1902-1954)
Date: Sunday, 16 October 1949: Sporting Section, p.24 (Article Illustrated)
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