St Kilda coach Ross Lyon has been advised to “save your money” after raising concerns about the umpires’ decisions regarding free kicks awarded to Collingwood’s Nick Daicos. The issue of tagging in Australian football came under scrutiny following St Kilda’s 34-point defeat against Collingwood on Saturday, where Marcus Windhager was tasked with shutting down the highly touted Daicos.
Tagging involves a player focusing on closely defending a specific opponent to limit their ball possession, often at the expense of their own statistics. While many coaches have opted not to tag Daicos this season, Lyon employed Windhager for this role at Marvel Stadium. Despite this strategy, Daicos managed an impressive 30 disposals and a goal, with Lyon expressing frustration that Windhager was penalised with four free kicks during the match.
In his post-match comments, Lyon questioned the consistency of umpiring, suggesting there might be “two sets of rules” when it comes to Daicos, who some fans believe receives preferential treatment from umpires. Points of contention raised by Lyon might fall flat, as AFL great James Hird indicated that Lyon would likely find little support for his complaints. Hird suggested that while he understands taggers have a role in the game, the free kicks awarded for Windhager’s actions were justifiable.
Reflecting on the role of taggers, Hird noted that they are a legitimate part of the sport, even expecting that a tagger would concede a few free kicks. Meanwhile, Windhager’s behavior during the match drew a fine from the match review officer, which St Kilda intends to contest at the tribunal.
In recent years, the use of taggers has faced criticism, with some coaches moving away from this tactic. Critics argue it unfairly limits the influence of key players. However, Geelong legend Jimmy Bartel maintains that the practice of tagging is unlikely to disappear. He highlighted that players like Daicos will face similar challenges throughout their careers, as it is a tradition deeply entrenched in the game.
Bartel further stated that the absence of tagging in recent seasons has led to debates about how strictly it can be enforced. He reassured that umpires handled the situation appropriately, suggesting that the role of a tagger is here to stay regardless of ongoing discussions about its legitimacy in the sport.