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Man killed in
trailer collision
A 45-year-old Mount Gambier man was
killed when the vehicle he was driving
collided with a semi trailer on the Princes
Highway just before 6.30am yesterday.
The accident occurred 5km east of Mount
Gambier when the truck’s trailer became
detached as it pulled onto the highway.
A Ford sedan travelling east was clipped
by the edge of the trailer and a green
Subaru station wagon collided with it from
behind.
The single occupant of the Subaru died
on impact from the collision and the vehicle
was lodged beneath the trailer.
His death brought the state’s road toll to
26, compared with 20 this time last year.
The driver of the Ford sustained minor
injuries while the truck driver was
unharmed.
Both men, also from Mount Gambier,
were taken to hospital for routine checks.
Highway patrol officer Mark Patton said
the cause of the trailer-truck separation
was unknown.
An Adelaide-based major crash team was pA Mount Gambier man was killed on the Princes Highway yesterday morning, after colliding with a semi trailer. Mount Gambier State
investigating.

New rules rushed in

Emergency Service volunteers (pictured) helped clear the scene. Picture: ELLIE TURNER.

BY ELLIE TURNER
Email: ellie@tbw.com.au
SOUTH East footballers are likely
to play under new rules this year
after the AFL Commission last
week resolved to ban players from
deliberately rushing behinds.
AFL football operations manager
Adrian Anderson told Melbourne
journalists the move was in response
to a general increase in deliberate
rushed behinds over the past few
years.
“This is a long-term trend,” Mr
Anderson said.
“There were double the number
of rushed behinds last year than
there were in 2006.”
Mid South East Football League
umpire director Ben Young said the
new rule would be implemented for
the coming season, which opens on
April 4.
Mr Young predicted it would make
for a better game.
He said the league received a
memorandum from the SANFL
stating the rule was subject to the
umpire’s call, but a player would
receive the benefit of the doubt.
“If a player is under pressure
and randomly disposes of the ball
or the ball is accidentally knocked
through in a tussle there will be no
free kick awarded to the opposition,”
Mr Young said.
However, the rules state if the
player simply rushes the ball
through the opposition goals to gain
possession by way of a kick from the
boundary he will be penalised.
Mr Young said the onus was now
on the player to keep the ball - and
the game - moving.
“That is what I think spectators
want to see,” he said.
“For the benefit of all players and
especially the development of junior
players it is important we stay in
line with the national standards
that apply to our game.”
The MSEFL will also adopt a new
AFL rule regarding a player being
tackled after disposing of the ball.
A free kick and 50 metre penalty
will be awarded against a player
who tackles or holds an opponent
after the ball has been passed to
prevent him from participating in
the next play.
The free kick will be taken from
the point the ball has reached when
the player is tackled.
Mr Young said he hoped this
would deter late tackles.
SANFL regional umpire man-
ager and Western Border Football
League umpire director Terry
Willoughby said in previous years
the Victorian Country Football
League had always adopted AFL
rule changes.
But he claimed rushed behinds
were not an issue in Western Border
football.
“Maybe in the long term banning
rushed behinds would be effective
to the league, but they are so rare
that it’s not likely to be a big deal,”
he said.
“Like anything, once you draw
attention to it someone will be silly
enough to try it, but I don’t think
having a separate rule to the AFL
will cause confusion.
“However, whether or not the new
rules will be adopted by the league
is still open to speculation.”
Mr Willoughby said WBFL
coaches, administrators and
umpires would discuss the issue
at a meeting tomorrow night.

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