Sport
There’s an art to the AFL stoppage and it’s shaping the Magpies’ results – ABC News
It may look like disorganised chaos, but there’s a certain art to the AFL stoppage. Collingwood sat first for stoppage clearance differential when they made the grand final, now they’re last. We analyse how what happens in the contest, can affect the game.
It’s as close to a 50-50 situation as there is in Australian football.
The umpire holds the ball and the players jostle for position. There’s a bump here, a subtle grab of the jumper there. Everyone is angling to get into the right place.
It can look chaotic, but there’s precisely practised movement and positioning at play. A hold or push that may appear defensive at first glance might actually be an attacking action to create space.
Stoppages can involve as few as eight participants or many …
