IS IT just me, or has anyone else noticed that the game's lawmakers are increasingly making the defender superfluous? Over the last few seasons, some of his more potent weapons have been stripped away.

1. Tackling a player after a mark has been awarded - 50 metres
The effect of this rule is that the defending player is caught between a rock and a hard place. If he touches his opponent, he concedes 50 metres and a probable goal. If not, the result is usually a quick continuance of play, metres gained and again, a probable goal.

2. Paying advantage after a free has been awarded
The whistle blows and everyone stops to see who gets what … except the player who has picked up the loose ball and streaks into goal. Any action by an opposition player to stop him before the umpire has declared an advantage situation again results in 50 metres conceded. So what does a defender do? He's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.

3. Deliberate out of bounds - free kick
For more than a century the boundary line has been the defender's friend. Now it has been turned against him.

4. Hands in the back - free kick
Even against a player who is only holding his ground, without the action having any effect on the outcome of the contest. Why is this any different to keeping the opponent at bay by use of body or even forearms? A blatant push should result in a free, certainly, but not every tiggy-touchwood contact.

5. Deliberate rushed behind - goal conceded
This has to be the most bizarre of all the new rules. I don't think too much explanation is needed here.

The obvious intent of these rules is to produce a higher-scoring game. In other words, to increase the advantage of the forward over the backman. But is this really helping the game?

Over the years there have been some enthralling contests which have not resulted in cricket-like scores and that was, in my opinion, the spirit of the game - the contest. Deplete the defender's arsenal, and where is the incentive for the young footballer to become another Matthew Scarlett or Dustin Fletcher? All the advantages and glamour are with the forwards, so where should they aspire? And what will the next rule eliminate? The spoil without a genuine attempt to mark?

It is true that most of these rules affect players all over the field, but it is their application in the forward half that is magnified to game-turning effect.

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily of the AFL or its clubs.

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