Demetriou: Hands-in-the-back - has there been some confusion?

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou today feigned surprise when asked why the league’s millions of supporters, millions of media commentators and 16 coaches were bemused or down-right angry about the new interpretation of the hands-in-the-back rule.

Speaking from the safety of a barricaded bunker deep in the bowels of AFL House in Melbourne, Demetriou denied that AFL football was becoming a pale imitation of its former hard-hitting self.

“Sure the odd point guard is going to be annoyed when they tap someone on the wrist and their opponent gets two free throws”, he said. “But I think a few people, like that up-tight chap Paul Roos, need to understand that mean power-forwards like Barry Hall are not being deliberately targeted for being strong and hard-at-the ball when they’re going for rebounds.”

Roos performed one of the most brilliant balancing acts seen in a post-match media conference on the weekend, managing to shred the AFL’s credibility on the controversial rule without ever saying anything that could be deemed worthy of a fine by the commission.

Today the Sydney coach lamented his inability to explain the rule to his young son. “Paul jnr has been receiving free kicks for the slightest nudge during his local Auskick games,” Roos said. “But I’ve told him in support of his father he should refuse the frees and just play on. I’m sure his team-mates will appreciate the solidarity with his dad.”

Meanwhile, Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy today commended the feral Sydney crowd for booing his skipper Matthew Lloyd at the end of the game on Saturday night. “I think it’s great that a pack of football ignorant Sydneysiders could finally get on board with one of the common activities of all footy supporters – booing Lloydy. Shows real progress up there”.