Jimmy Bartel. Photo: Marcelo Silva (Creative Commons, Flickr)
It’s no secret players in the AFL take dramatic dives to gain free kicks. It’s a technique adopted in most sports – we’re looking at you, soccer – and is one punishable by the match review panel. But is it something players should be ridiculed for or is it just part of the game? And what does the way the club handle the issue say about a team?
Making headlines last week was the theatrical throw Jimmy Bartel performed on Saturday night during the second term of the Hawthorn v Geelong clash at the MCG.
The Geelong star was awarded a free kick after throwing himself to the ground, ensuring the umpire didn’t miss contact from Hawthorn defender Matthew Suckling.
Claiming he was pushed, Bartel was booed by Hawthorn fans for following through with a goal from 40 metres out, giving Geelong a 12-point lead.
Bartel’s former Geelong teammate Cameron Ling said the star utility player was “well and truly acting”.
Commentating for Channel Seven the former captain said, “He put a lot on that, absolutely. Over-acting there, Jimmy taking a dive.”
Source: Creative Commons, JamesDPhotography, Flickr
Several commentators criticised Bartel after the incident, with Magpies premiership captain Tony Shaw saying he should be given a reprimand for staging.
The three-time premiership player was not cited by the match review panel because the it only charges players with staging if they fall without contact being made.
Source: Twitter
This didn’t stop the twittersphere from going into overdrive with many labelling him a “cheater” and an “actor” and photos edited to match.
Bartel defended his actions and said the media has turned it into a “witch hunt”.
“I think it’s a load of rubbish really, to be honest,” he told SEN Radio.
“If you’re running flat out for the ball and as you’re jumping you’ve got someone who puts any sort of contact behind you you’re going to go forward.
“I’m not sure what people wanted me to do, maybe flip my legs out and land on my back.
“I just put my hands down actually to brace myself for a fall, probably in hindsight I shouldn’t do that, I should just fall on my back or something like that,” Bartel said.
The 2007 Brownlow medallist said the reaction from the media was “a bit disappointing”.
“Probably the fact I kicked a goal out of it made everyone more upset, I can understand that,” Bartel said.
“The thing that bothered me was sort of the witch hunt for the next four to five days with people saying I should be suspended and reprimanded.
“It sort of questions a bit of your integrity, the way you play the game, and I feel over my career I’ve played the game hard and fair and within the rules.
“At no stage was I thinking ‘free kick’, it just so happened I got one.
“I don’t pay the free kicks, I just play the game.”
Deliberate or not, Bartel clearly wasn’t paying attention when North Melbourne player Lindsay Thomas copped flack for his blatant dive in the round 19 game against the Cats.
Thomas was upbraided by his coach, Brad Scott, after diving to win a free kick in the third term of what ended as a 32-point loss to Geelong.
Unlike Bartel, Thomas admitted his error and noted he used to be a repeat offender.
“I’ve improved from two or three years ago,” Thomas said.
“I think I’ve cut it out of my game, but not completely, and I want to cut it out of my game completely.
“But in saying that, I’m not the only player in the AFL that does it. Everyone does it … I’m not the greatest actor … but I suppose I crossed the line a little bit and Brad didn’t like it.”
Scott has worked hard with Thomas to break the habit.
“I wasn’t happy with that,” Scott said after the match.
“We don’t condone it, and he has got to stop doing it,
“Whether it is a free kick or not … just play the ball, mark the ball. If you get infringed, the umpire will pay it.”
Scott said it should not detract from Thomas’ significant output in recent years and that he didn’t want the dives to stop him from getting legitimate free kicks in the future.
“More important than that is that I would hate to see Lindsay not getting free kicks when he is genuinely infringed, because there is a perception he is playing for it.”
Unlike his brother Brad, Geelong coach Chris Scott has chosen to stay silent on the dive issue.
But in choosing not to vocalise his stance, some could assume Bartel’s action is accepted, if not encouraged, by the Chris Scott.
Keeping quiet won’t work when so many have already condemned him.
