Either get rid of them or give the opposition a free kick a 50 metre penalty if they are on the ground for more than 45 seconds at a time.

6 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

Either get rid of them or give the opposition a free kick a 50 metre penalty if they are on the ground for more than 45 seconds at a time.

Trying to enforce a 45 second 'policy' just means someone having to police something more than is necessary, getting rid of them from the field clears up space on the ground, gets support staff off the ground that really in this day and age have no real purpose. 
Runners and trainers are not essential to our game, and detract from the spectacle. Take them away and limit any communication to the interchange. Makes club leaders and those in a leadership group more accountable for the onfield part of their role too!

Get rid of runners or only allow them on the ground after a goal is scored until the bounce. Penalty, free kick from the goal square. As for drinks runners get them off the field, they can roam the boundary like cricket.  

1 hour ago, hardtack said:

I would prefer to see some sort of a sin bin option... if the runner stays on too long at any point in the game, then the team is no longer allowed a runner for the next 15 minutes of the game (excluding breaks between quarters).  If it happens a second time in the same game, then no runner for the remainder of the game and fined.

Nah. Hit them in the back pocket straight away

Problem solved. 

Nick Maxwell was a disgrace last year

1 hour ago, biggestred said:

Compare afl to say rugby or soccer.

There is literally no one else allowed on unless theres an injury. If they want a drink they have to wait. 

Hell they go 40/45 mins before a talk/drink 

Rugby has mid-quarter breaks when teans change between attack and defense.

Soccer players play for 45 minutes and then have a break, and can also sneak a drink from a bottle behind the goals.

Completely different. 

3 minutes ago, praha said:

Rugby has mid-quarter breaks when teans change between attack and defense.

Soccer players play for 45 minutes and then have a break, and can also sneak a drink from a bottle behind the goals.

Completely different. 

.... and AFL clubs has 90 interchanges a game in which players have time to receive instruction and grab a drink as well as quarter time and half time breaks. Plus as suggested there is no reason as to why a player couldn't get a drink from a trainer on the boundary line outside the field of play. I have no idea why we have to have these guys on the field.

7 hours ago, praha said:

Rugby has mid-quarter breaks when teans change between attack and defense.

Soccer players play for 45 minutes and then have a break, and can also sneak a drink from a bottle behind the goals.

Completely different. 

What??

Change between attack and defence? Thats called a turnover. 

Traditionally, the role of the runners has been to pass instructions from the coach to the players, typically on position changes, match ups and not much more. With the number of interchanges, inspirational (or critical) messages to players,  position changes and changes to match ups can be implemented when swapping players. On field leadership group should be encouraged and authorised to make minor changes eg. stacking the defence in close matches, setting up zones.

Allow runners but only to signal to players to interchange and give the umpires the power to remove runners who remain stationary for longer than it takes to deliver a message.

On 02/02/2018 at 8:23 PM, Earl Hood said:

If runners are about communications why can’t we deploy modern technology, wire up comms between the coaches and their leaders in the middle, forward and back? 

My preference is no communication on the ground and only at each break

.... or maybe a coach, like TGNWS, yelling orders from the boundary line. 

The problem is the runners that get involved too much and stay on for longer than necessary. Not quite at the ditch them level yet but getting there.

Get rid of the runners. Should have gone the way of paper confetti behind the goals once the interchange came in. I don't mind the water people, but the runners seem to be only an excuse for the cameras to show the Scott brothers or Clarko having a meltdown in the box and abusing the furniture. Imagine how much more entertaining that would be if there was no one to speak to at the other end of the phone ...

Dump the runners. A hangover from the days of no interchange.

Teams abuse the time on ground rule so it should go.

For that matter get rid of the water carriers as well. Players can go off to get a drink. Every foreign vistor I take to a game can't believe the number of people on the field "Who are all of those people?" It's a good question.

Edited February 12, 20187 yr by jnrmac

45 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

Dump the runners. A hangover from the days of no interchange.

Teams abuse the time on ground rule so it should go.

For that matter get rid of the water carriers as well. Players can go off to get a drink. Every foreign vistor I take to a game can't believe the number of people on the field "Who are all of those people?" It's a good question.

Totally agree, half the time there seem more runners, trainers, and water carriers than players. Running hither and thither. Takes away from the spectacle.

Also before the game, during breaks and at game end, there are more hangers on than participants. Of course, the Finals and the Granny are the worst. Take the number of Richmond people on the ground after the Granny. It's a bit like, "can anyone see a player out there ? "

Rule changes relating to runners will be trialled during the upcoming JLT.

”The AFL has told clubs runners may only permitted to enter the playing arena after goals and at quarter breaks during the home and away season, with the league set to implement a rule trial during the upcoming pre-season series.”

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/run-out-afl-to-trial-new-runner-rules-this-year-20180211-p4yzyf.html

Edited February 12, 20187 yr by Ethan Tremblay

1 hour ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

Rule changes relating to runners will be trialled during the upcoming JLT.

”The AFL has told clubs runners may only permitted to enter the playing arena after goals and at quarter breaks during the home and away season, with the league set to implement a rule trial during the upcoming pre-season series.”

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/run-out-afl-to-trial-new-runner-rules-this-year-20180211-p4yzyf.html

Ethan, now we will see water carriers acting as messengers, the clubs will work around the rule - GET THEM ALL OFF! If you need a drink go to the boundary or wait.

2 hours ago, ManDee said:

Ethan, now we will see water carriers acting as messengers, the clubs will work around the rule - GET THEM ALL OFF! If you need a drink go to the boundary or wait.

I don't see why players can't go to the boundary.  Perhaps that may be hard on those lining up for a centre bounce, so perhaps a single run through of water carriers from wing to wing could be allowed when goals are scored.

 

3 hours ago, ManDee said:

Ethan, now we will see water carriers acting as messengers, the clubs will work around the rule - GET THEM ALL OFF! If you need a drink go to the boundary or wait.

Nick Maxwell the Waterboy. 

The coaches have won. The runners are staying. 

 

On 02/02/2018 at 3:45 PM, Diamond_Jim said:

This article in today's Age made me think that it's time to ditch the runner.

Interested in the thoughts of others:

"Runners and their roles on gameday are under scrutiny from the AFL, with the league asking clubs to explain their purpose.

Football operations boss Steve Hocking has put them under the spotlight to determine whether they remain relevant in the modern game, although he is yet to put a line through them."

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/afl-puts-runners-gameday-roles-under-scrutiny-20180201-p4yz72.html

Article is simple, straightforward and interesting. Runners should be eliminated, in my opinion. Too many times they change the flow of a game and appear to work to someone's disadvantage. The drink bottle routine is rubbish; so are coach's instructions onfield. Clean and untether the game.