![\"\"](\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/06\/20240607135519732329_73390.jpg\")
“We need to make sure we get back to making sure we’re in in sync with the spirit of the game.<\/p>\n
“What’s happened is now that the game has evolved and changed within the space of two weeks.<\/p>\n
“It’s risky now and a concern if we’re not looking after the ball-winner.<\/p>\n
“I’m not confused because I know what should happen.<\/p>\n
“There’s people who have said,get rid of the prior opportunity, but if you do, it’s a very different game.”<\/p>\n
Beveridge’s passionate plea came a day after rival coaches Michael Voss (Carlton), Brad Scott (Essendon) and Alastair Clarkson (North Melbourne) declared they were satisfied with the AFL’s clarification following round 11.<\/p>\n
The tightening resulted in a spike in holding-the-ball free kicks paid – up 41 per cent to an average of 11.6 across the seven matches in round 12.<\/p>\n
It was a significant rise on the average of 8.2 holding-the-ball free kicks paid across all games played earlier in the season.<\/p>\n
In the Bulldogs’ game on Friday night, the Lions were awarded seven holding-the-ball free kicks in the first-half.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WESTERN Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has urged the AFL to protect prior opportunity, saying the holding-the-ball rule tweak has become “risky” to players hunting the ball. Describing it as a “challenge” for the AFL, Beveridge believes the mid-season adjustment could have gone too far. “In the AFL’s charter, it talks about our game being a […]<\/p>\n