http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-03-28/highscoring-shoot-outs-the-new-frontier-of-football-according-to-adam-simpson?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=RSS+feed%3A+AFL+Latest+News  Based on that article, I had a look at results so far and 13 of 16 teams kicked more than 12 goals.

Three rule changes have allowed this to happen:

- enforcement of a stricter 'deliberate' out of bounds rules means teams can't go defensive and hug the boundary.  This will really hurt those teams that still have this game style eg Freo.  Will also tire all players as there are fewer throw ins (which helps the ruckman).

- the 10 mt from the mark rule gives the player a lot more room to set up play and take it inboard and then play down the corridor. 

- the 90 i/c cap tires players and opens the game up - see Saints last qtr.  This rule may also catch out Port with their game plan of 1 extra behind the ball and then run like the clappers to defend. Saints got goal after goal out the back as Port couldn't get back fast enough. 

Going on round 1, teams that have not adapted their game style for all three changes will pay a price.  So far Richmond, Freo, Port, North and maybe Collingwood (they had no noticeable game plan) seem to not have adapted.  It will be interesting to see how Hawthorn and Geelong play today.  That is the touted top 8 (plus WB).  If rnd 1 is anything to go by there will be a few surprises in the finals!

It seemed to me we have really 'got' all 3 changes.  All bar 4 of our players had >75% game time (exceptions being players who had had long absences eg Frost or new eg Oliver).  And we restricted the sections of the oval certain players played in eg Viney and Tyson between the arcs, backmen stayed mainly in d50  which saved energy.  And it was fairly obvious we didn't play to the boundary and played some 'brave and bold' football in the corridor.  But we didn't have a 'goal fest'.  Playing for 4 not 2 quarters should fix that.

Seems that the new rule changes have had the desired effect on the game.

There were eight teams this weekend to score more than 100 points.

I believe the dees will benefit from this as we have a defensive minded game plan. 

I dont see us getting into shootouts and I think we will frustrate many teams that are used to free flowing football. 

This topic is in this thread so the two can be merged or perhaps transfer your comments to it

 

done

No doubt the footy has been good to watch. I am less interested in goal feats and shootouts, as I am in quick footy, where the ball just flows from one end to the other, but obviously the two go somewhat hand in hand.

I genuinely like KB (I know, I know), when he isn't trolling Carlton, he makes sense most of the time, and there is no doubting his genuine passion for the game. He has been the loudest voice against the unlimited interchange, and there is no doubting in my mind that he, and those who agreed with him, are correct.

I've noticed that Round 1 the past few seasons has always been higher scoring due to rustiness. I still believe there will be quite a few dour and very low scoring games this year, but those aforementioned rule changes might cause more shootouts. We'll know whether goal fests are really back by round 5 or 6.

The stricter interpretation of holding the ball and incorrect disposal has also helped with the flow of the game. It's been pleasurable to watch, but given time, coaches will come up with strategies to take the pleasure out of the game.

 

Favourite bit of new rules yesterday was when the ball was hacked out of the Melbourne backline and heading for the boundary line wing. GWS player half-heartedly chasing it, waving his arms around appealing for a deliberate out of bounds. More waving and appealing, Melbourne player sprints in, grabs ball just inside the boundary and accelerates away from the GWS player who is now dreading the mid week review. Classic

The Hawks vs Geel game was a bit of a goal fest for Geel with both teams kicking 12 or more goals.  That makes 15 of 18 teams to do so.

Aussie Rules of old is on its way back!

Amazing what happens when the AFL uses common sense in regards to the rules

The 'sub rule' era will go down in history as footys dark ages

Too early to tell. Takes  time for effective tactics to be developed and perfected to take advantage or negate the rule changes. If it does lead to higher scoring and more offensive play it may hurt sides like Freo bad going by their weak performance against the Bulldogs.

34 minutes ago, america de cali said:

Too early to tell. Takes  time for effective tactics to be developed and perfected to take advantage or negate the rule changes. If it does lead to higher scoring and more offensive play it may hurt sides like Freo bad going by their weak performance against the Bulldogs.

you're right, it is too early to say, but i prefer the game style i've seen so far and hope it continues

We may again see 100 goal seasons from some forwards.  The Coleman medal has become a bit of an anti-climax in recent years with 60 to 75 being enough. 

Kennedy is well on the way with 8.  Every chance the key forwards will get close to the ton!  Hope Hogan is one of them.

Absolutely love all the new rules ... especially the boundary line one.  Just don't kick it towards the boundary unless you've got a target - fairly simple really.  The new rule promotes corridor footy and continual play and that can't be a bad thing.

Same for an opposition player not being able to be within 10 metres of a player disposing of the ball after a free kick or mark ... another way of promoting "open football"

I also like that a ball needs to now travel at least 15 metres for a legal mark to be claimed - erring on the side of the greater distance also promotes continual play/motion.

The AFL have got this right but I'd still reduce the rotations in a gradual way ... the footy has been great (finally) and we're going to see more and more players starting to primarily play in their positions? (as the season progresses with the players needing more and more rest)

The days of constantly seeing the majority of players on the ball is going to become a thing of the past.  We saw Dangerfield "resting" forward today and wasn't that a highlight?  So Petracca, Brayshaw & Oliver may "rest" forward? (occasionally) Yes please.

Make no mistake, what we saw on the weekend is not an aberration - new/old footy is here to stay.  But the AFL needs to be diligent and continue to oversee the actual sport as true custodians.  As for the rest of it (fair competition, equalisation, fair fixturing etc etc) ...  I'm not holding my breath.