The deadly sins of Australian rules football

As with all sports, there are deadly sins committed by players who give their in-game opponents a chance to score. Australian rules football is no different. Today, in modern football, they are called “clangers” and appear in the statistics collected during the game. These often result in what is called a “fumble”, most often in senior football, it results in a goal. This happens because the attacking team rushes forward to give the player with the ball many options to continue the attack on the goals, leaving their opponents free and in space. When the clunk occurs, the opposing player receiving the ball has a lot of their team free between them and the goal, making scoring easier than normal.

Below is my take on the deadly sins of Australian rules football for a coach who works with school and youth club teams. I’m sure these could be the ones that apply to all footballers to some extent or in full. In some cases, I offer further explanation.

1. Kick the man on the mark.

This is perhaps the biggest danger of all for a junior player. Often the player is too close to the mark when he kicks, allowing the man in mark to soften the kick. He is embarrassed and loses concentration, allowing the opposition to pounce on the ball and take it away.

2. Without speaking.

Australian rules football is a 360 degree game. The player with the ball can be tackled from behind if his teammate does not warn him of the danger lurking behind him.

3. Not stepping back to protect your partner after a hand.

Particularly in youth soccer, the skills of the players are not always highly developed. Then skill mistakes are made. Therefore, it is important that the player who throws the ball follows it in order to help and protect his teammate while recovering the ball. Backing away provides the player with another attack option.

4. Not looking up before kicking the ball.

If the player doesn’t look up, they won’t see the best option, let alone any option. Not looking up often results in a rotation.

5. Be hungry for goal; Do not center the ball in the goal, but kick from the edge.

It is difficult to score goals from the touchline. The best option is to kick the ball towards the front of the goal, where a goal kick will almost always result in an important score. Players other than forwards or midfielders, wanting to kick a goal, simply obstruct the forward line and leave their opponent unmarked and therefore an attacking option for the opposition.

6. Going over the kickoff line at fullback when kicking after a butt is scored.

This creates a ball on the front edge of the goal square which gives the opponent a great chance to score. This “clash” often occurs because the team has not given the fullback leadership options and he is forced to kick under pressure.

7. Not marking your opponent when the opposition has the ball.

By not marking your opponent when they have the ball, you are creating a “man out” situation for the opposition. This is what every team wants. It’s the secret to success in Australian rules football.

8. Play from behind.

The man in front has the first chance to get hold of the ball. Therefore, he is in control of the situation. Most free kicks are taken against the man playing from behind.

9. Not failing a tagging contest when you’re behind.

The result of this is obvious. Your opponent marks the ball and continues his team’s attack.

10. Not following the team plan.

It’s a team-sport. If the players do not follow the team plan, confusion reigns, the players lose confidence and start playing by themselves.

11. Dispute the referee’s decisions.

This puts the referee out of play. Remember that he is also human and can make mistakes. It breaks the concentration of the players and makes the team think about the referee’s decisions instead of the game.

12. Give away a 50 meter penalty.

This is caused by going over the mark before the referee says “play on” or by violently contesting the referee’s decisions. This often results in an opposition score.

13. Being reported.

You are a loss to the team, particularly if you are an important and skilled member of the team.

Most, if not all, of these problems are caused by good players’ lack of self-discipline. It is important that the coach intervenes and punishes players who show a lack of self-discipline. Talent and ability are of no consequence if the player allows a lack of self-discipline to affect his ability to contribute to the team’s performance.