Hi All

With the new sub rule commencing this weekend, just wanted to see who everyone thinks will be our sub for the game?

I was asked this by a colleague today and it got me thinking.

Its looks as though its going to be a hard thing for the footy department to pick week in week out without a crystal ball that sees how the game is going to play out.

Interested to hear who other supporters think it will be.

Hi All

With the new sub rule commencing this weekend, just wanted to see who everyone thinks will be our sub for the game?

I was asked this by a colleague today and it got me thinking.

Its looks as though its going to be a hard thing for the footy department to pick week in week out without a crystal ball that sees how the game is going to play out.

Interested to hear who other supporters think it will be.

Cloudy & 17 degrees is the long forecast. The Sub is going to be a crucial piece of Amoury. When to use it?? Before Half Time will signal trouble.

Will have to be a mobile Utility player. How else can you predict who will go off.

Surprised there hasn't already been multiple threads on this topic...

Surprised there hasn't already been multiple threads on this topic...

I know...it is like a hugely valuable chess piece. I don't think people quite realize the ramifications of it yet.

But it will certainly win & Lose games, i have no doubt

I know...it is like a hugely valuable chess piece. I don't think people quite realize the ramifications of it yet.

But it will certainly win & Lose games, i have no doubt

Sarcasm not your strong point?

It has been discussed ad nauseum...

If Frawley is ready to play (as in not at any increase risk of reinjury) but hasn't had the match fitness then I nominate him. Start the match just with Rivers, Garland and Joel Mac and have Frawley ready to go after half time. He would be a once off propositioned though.

Otherwise I'd look at Jamie Bennell. He's the perfect type to bring up either forward, back or through the middle if we get an injury or if someone is a bit off their game.

I'd be bringing the sub on about half way through the 3rd quarter. That's probably the stage when players start to tire after half time. Any earlier is risking an injury that would reduce you to 2 on the bench. Much later than that and you don't get the benefit of using the fresh legs.

Besides Bennell I'd look at using midfielders like Jones, Gysberts and Blease or players who can play multiple positions like Morton and Tapscott.

Assuming no injuries the 15 min mark of the third quarter slide them into the flow before the other side realises it.

I think there will be a definite first mover advantage here.

If its left too late that will not maximise the opportunity to spread the workload.

It also gives a fresh player time to warm up and have an impact before the final last quarter drive.

Still its going to be a bit like chess.

Will Tapscott be our first sub?

There is no "ideal sub", merely players that are ideal to include in the side so that positions can swapped to cover no matter who is subbed out.

Sarcasm not your strong point?

It has been discussed ad nauseum...

Really?? Hadn't noticed....Fevola was the all consuming topic i did notice.

The Sub rule will become the first "proper" thread of 2011.

Assuming no injuries the 15 min mark of the third quarter slide them into the flow before the other side realises it.

I think there will be a definite first mover advantage here.

If its left too late that will not maximise the opportunity to spread the workload.

It also gives a fresh player time to warm up and have an impact before the final last quarter drive.

Still its going to be a bit like chess.

Will Tapscott be our first sub?

Shall also depend on who and when our opposition brings their sub onto the ground.

A first Q injury also completely changes the dice roll.

Looking at the end of the Queen's Birthday game last year, Jones had the biggest impact in the last quarter. He kept running full-bore and winning hard balls, second, third efforts and almost completely negated Swan and nearly won us the game. For this reason I'd say Jones would be a likely candidate along with Jamie Bennell who could impact the game in a different way; with line-breaking speed and as a mobile, goal kicking, marking outside player. I'd say it's out of these two.

Looking at the end of the Queen's Birthday game last year, Jones had the biggest impact in the last quarter. He kept running full-bore and winning hard balls, second, third efforts and almost completely negated Swan and nearly won us the game. For this reason I'd say Jones would be a likely candidate along with Jamie Bennell who could impact the game in a different way; with line-breaking speed and as a mobile, goal kicking, marking outside player. I'd say it's out of these two.

It will rotate every single week, so which Round are you talking about..?

It will rotate every single week, so which Round are you talking about..?

Your input in this thead has been awesome. I'm glad that you are here.

I hope this ridiculous rule goes, it's already proving to be a Supercoach killer!

If Frawley is ready to play (as in not at any increase risk of reinjury) but hasn't had the match fitness then I nominate him. Start the match just with Rivers, Garland and Joel Mac and have Frawley ready to go after half time. He would be a once off propositioned though.

If James Frawley - the James Frawley, one time AA - is right to go for Round 1 (100% right) there would be no way in the world I would have him as the "sub". You play your best players for the whole game.

If he isn't fit (or hasn't had the match fitness) - don't play him.

I think it will change things in lots of ways. Midfielders might rotate through the middle, FP and the bench. Talls might rotate middle, FF or FP and the bench (more so than previous years, where players didnt rotate into the forward line like in the 'olden days').

I would assume that, as stated elsewhere, it depends on how the teams we are playing are expected to play. Do we need more legs later on to compete? Will they nurse back a 'star' from injury with some limited game time? Will they look to bring on a tall late in the game? It sure is a chess piece. Do you sub out someone who is having a bad day and risk injury reducing the bench? Do you save it only for injury, up to Q3, when you bring it into play? Do you sub to maximise the matchups?

Personally, I think its stoopid. But since it is here, how do we make the best of it? Lets wait until about week 6, and see what we have learned then....

It will primarily be made up of players that have good running ability but are flexible.

That way if a team sustains an early injury to a midfielder then it can be covered and likewise to a tall player.

Then if there are no injuries they can be subbed on late to provide that explosive option (or to fill a position whilst another explosive player who has perhaps been given a bit more rest on the bench can come on to do some damage).

I don't like it. But them's the rules and that is the best way i see it unfolding.

I think the media have this topic wrong - I think I heard Clarkson discuss it recently and he got it right imo. The cub is not there as a secret weapon to bring in fresh legs, the sub is there to replace an injured player so that all sides still have 3 interchange players. If clubs bring the subs on early (i.e. half time or just after) they are running the risk of playing out the game with 2 players on the bench. I think you want to leave the sub as late as possible - last quarter, unless you have an injury.

Stats that will become interesting to coaches will include:

-how often a team finishes with a reduced number fit interchange players

-if there is any time dependency on injuries (i.e. do injuries occur more often in the last quarter when players are tired, or evenly spread?)

This will be used to optimise the time that is statistically the least risk to bring the sub on.

I once read that there was more benefit to committ a foul in soccer that would earn a certain red card if it saved a certain goal, provided this was done after the 16 minute mark of the game. There will be a similar stat in footy i.e. using the sub for a fit player is acceptable provided it is 5 minutes left in the 3rd quarter. If you play the sub earlier, chances are you will lose a player and it will stuff your rotations.

The only coaches whinging about it will be the ones who sub a non-injured player and then lose one.

nice post deanox

Time will tell how clubs use the sub, but for me its a really strage rule. IMO you either have an interchange or you have a substitues bench - why have a bit from column A and some from column B too? The answer is that the AFL enjoy tinkering with Rules too much.

why not just continue with the rules the way they were? So what if occasionally a team has less fresh legs on the pine when a player goes down injured?

Whats next? Yellow & Red Cards?

do yo have to nominate the sub before the game or can you draw the sub from the emergency players? the later seems more practical as you can never tell who will get injured.