The Demons coach says its become almost impossible to teach players how to interpret the sport’s rules.
Melbourne Demons coach Paul Roos says he no longer understands the rules of Australian Rules football and that it was near impossible to teach his players how to interpret them.
Roos was clearly frustrated after his team’s six-point loss to the Western Bulldogs on Sunday and wouldn’t comment on several contentious decisions that had a major effect on what was an exciting clash at Etihad Stadium.
“What can I say? What I’ll say is I don’t know the rules,” Roos said after the match.
“The Bulldogs deserved to win today – they played better – but in terms of the laws, I don’t really have a clue what they are any more.
“I can’t concern myself with that. What we’ve got to concern ourselves with as a footy club is what we can control.”
Roos said members of AFL’s laws of the game committee visited the club during the week in an attempt to address players’ confusion over rule interpretations.
He said it was becoming impossible to teach players how to interpret the rules.
“It’d be a bit like me working on a Lamborghini,” he said.
“If someone said, ‘Mate, can you fix my Lamborghini?’ I’d say, ‘Well, I’ll drive it for you but I’m not going to fix it for you because I’ve got no idea’.
“I feel for the umpires. There’s been that many rule changes and interpretations … it’s an enormously complicated game that they (the AFL) have purposely over-complicated.
“The AFL says there’s no rule changes, and then they get you on a technicality.”
Melbourne currently sit 15th on the AFL ladder, and face the in-form Fremantle on Saturday.
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