Richmond coach Damien Hardwick has lamented the pair of studs-up free kicks against Jack Riewoldt as being against the spirit of the game.
Star Richmond forward Riewoldt was penalised twice for studs up free kicks against Tom Barass in his side's one-goal win over West Coast which was eerily similar to Jeremy Howe's early-season study-up challenge on Melbourne's Tom McDonald.
Surely common sense prevails in the studs up rule. 🤦🏼♂️
You’re allowed to protect space, understandably if it’s malicious & deliberately aimed at an opponent then blow the whistle...
— Mitch Robinson (@MitchRobinson05) August 18, 2019
Originally brought in as a response to Toby Greene's unique marking action which would see him raise his studs into the body of his opponents coming front-on, many AFL legends believe that the interpretation of the new rule is ridiculous.
Speaking after his side's win, Damien Hardwick declared that the ruling on Riewoldt's free kicks went against the spirit of the new rule which was brought for front-on incidents, not marking contests from behind.
"I don't think that's what the rule was brought in for," Hardwick spoke post-game.
"You want high marks in the game. At the end of the day the rule was brought in for when a guy kicks the other guy in the head.
For people saying these studs up decisions in marking contests like @JackRiewoldt08 ones today are correct.....you have absolutely no understanding of our game. Ridiculous interpretation. Ruining the game.
— Matthew Richardson (@mattricho0) August 18, 2019
"Last time I looked the the player’s head wasn’t on his hamstring. Have some common sense.
"We seem to have got very reactive at stages. The game is so tough, don’t give them so many rules.”
