Here 'tis

I just think it's a really good article on why the AFL needs to pull back and think a little harder before making so many stupid and pointless changes to the rules. Connolly could easily have gone further back to look at the multiple changes to the rucking rules and how they impacted in so many unfortunate ways.

I'm a massive fan of this article. Agree with his general view that generally the AFL underestimates the impact rule changes will have, and then in a few years attempts to fix the situation by going back the other way.

Seems like the substitute rule wasn't entirely agreed upon by the clubs, as most, if not all of them, have voiced some sort of displeasure or concern with it. And for Anderson to say that a trial of 4 + 2 would be a proxy for 3 + 1 in the season is, as Jobe Watson said, bulls--t. There has been no practice of this rule, the effects of it are unknown, and the possibility of negative side-effects to me is too great.

Generally football fixes itself. The game was slow and congested in the Sydney era of 2005-06, but then along came Geelong of 2007-09 with their fast movement, attacking game. Then Collingwood came along and re-defined the game with the fanatic pressure, somewhat slowing things down from the Geelong peak. Who knows where the game will go next? But let it do it itself.

Seriously good article there from Conolly, someone i rarely praise-But he deserves this one.

This new interchange rule is going to cause a lot of heartache, you can see it a mile away.

Science tests new theories over and over before allowing them in the real world, the league should follow the same rules.

This new bench is still in confusion, and in 5 days the game is back on for points.

A game(s) will be lost because of this new rule and it won't be through injury.

Adrian Anderson must go soon.

Here 'tis

I just think it's a really good article on why the AFL needs to pull back and think a little harder before making so many stupid and pointless changes to the rules. Connolly could easily have gone further back to look at the multiple changes to the rucking rules and how they impacted in so many unfortunate ways.

thanks for link

yes a good article (a change from current journalist standards) backed up by some interesting figures. i understand what the afl have been trying to do, to slow dpwn the game and minimise stress injuries etc but they don't seem to achieve their goals or go about it in the best way. They need to have a good look at how they introduce change in the future,

Seriously good article there from Conolly, someone i rarely praise-But he deserves this one.

This new interchange rule is going to cause a lot of heartache, you can see it a mile away.

Science tests new theories over and over before allowing them in the real world, the league should follow the same rules.

This new bench is still in confusion, and in 5 days the game is back on for points.

A game(s) will be lost because of this new rule and it won't be through injury.

Adrian Anderson must go soon.

Com'on WYL, you've been watching footy from the sixties. Games have ALWAYS been won & lost, not only from players & skills, but by the lack of same, plus the lack of fitness &/or players. Thats the way the game has always been. In fact, only recently the coaches (Malthouse) wanted 6 interchange players, because his players were fatiguing & getting hurt.

In all this the supporters, especially the older traditional ones, were being estranged form these new rules of increased bench players, and the enormous amount of rotations that were occuring. People couldn't see or tell where the players were anymore. The supporters were losing contact with the things they relied upon, to keep up with the game, and started to get disenfranchised.

Even I couldn't tell from behind the goals who out of the 4 simulataneous rotations, who went on, & who went off. Very frustrationg.

The game needs to pull back a bit, with real endurance bought back in, without the 'Binge' nature, of 5 Mins' on, and back to the bench, 'rotations'. 'Burst players'... Next step, Grid Iron.

Edited March 20, 201114 yr by dee-luded

Com'on WYL, you've been watching footy from the sixties. Games have ALWAYS been won & lost, not only from players & skills, but by the lack of same, plus the lack of fitness &/or players. Thatsd the way the game has always been. In fact, only recently the coaches (Malthouse) wanted 6 interchange players, because his players were fatiguing & getting hurt.

In all this the supporters, especially the older traditional ones were being estranged form these new rules of increased bench players and the enormous amount of rotations that were occuring. People couldn't see or tell where the players were anymore. The supporters were losing contact with the things they relied upon, to keep up with the game, and started to get disenfranchised.

Even I couldn't tell from behinfd the goals who out of the 4 simulataneous rotations, who went on, & who went off. Very frustrationg.

The game needs to pull back a bit, with real endurance bought back in, without the 'Binge' nature, of 5 Mins' on, and back to the bench, 'rotations'. 'Burst players'... Next step, Grid Iron.

You try telling the coaches that. The game will not slow down except for when an interchange infringement happens.

They haven't tested it out, and i can see trouble.

You try telling the coaches that. The game will not slow down except for when an interchange infringement happens.

They haven't tested it out, and i can see trouble.

Agree. We'll see more midfielder/forward pocket roles being played. Run in the midfield for 5 minutes, then five minutes either on the bench or in the pocket. You keep the defensive pressure in your forward line at a peak by having spare mids in the mix and you can keep the rotations high. Sadly, the AFL will twist this into a success because with players being "interchanged" to the pocket rather than the bench, the number of interchanges to the bench will decrease.

Agree. We'll see more midfielder/forward pocket roles being played. Run in the midfield for 5 minutes, then five minutes either on the bench or in the pocket. You keep the defensive pressure in your forward line at a peak by having spare mids in the mix and you can keep the rotations high. Sadly, the AFL will twist this into a success because with players being "interchanged" to the pocket rather than the bench, the number of interchanges to the bench will decrease.

The biggest problem i see with this interchange bench is that the career of certain players will be shortened.

The game will not return to the 60's-70's style. That style of play occured because players trained 2-3 nights a week after work.

Coaches are employed to win flags. Players will fatigue but still be pushed.

I hope i am wrong for the sake of the players but i don't think so.

It's like the F1's each year rules are bought in to slow down the cars, but lap records are still being set. Teams find a way to keep getting quicker.

Anderson has a lot to answer for if this becomes a major problem this year.