The AFL will be trialling a couple more rule changes in the NAB cup this season.

For the full story follow the link below.

http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&...rticleid=311935

For the exec. summary

min. 20m kick for a mark (previously 15m)

no kicking backward in the defensive half only (previously in all areas of the ground except for the attacking 50m arc)

Greater protection for the player with their head over the ball.

Sounds like the AFL want to try and create more contested situations in a game but limit defensive tactics.

I feel more comfortable that we have a midfield full of 'bulldozer' types rather than the 'whippet's' some other clubs have recruited over the past couple of years.

Your thoughtssssss......?

Go Dees

No kicking backwards at ALL in the defensive 50? That sounds slightly harsh...

The 20 metre kick rule and the backwards kicking rule are both good ideas IMO.

The reason I think they are good ideas is because they will help Melbourne play better football.

The 20 metre kick rule and the backwards kicking rule are both good ideas IMO.

The reason I think they are good ideas is because they will help Melbourne play better football.

I laughed when I read this because it's so true

I heard Cameron Bruce interviewed on SEN this morning and he was talking about how the recent rule changes had necessitated changes in training routines aimed at making players fitter, faster and even more skillful and now the new changes might require even more fitness and speed.

He also said the club's expecting the younger players who are all extremely fit and skillful (their names are well documented by now) to step up and take the MFC to a higher level in 2007.

Jeez, I love this time of the year with all of its fluff.

Shouldn't all training, regardless of any rule changes, be aimed at making players fitter, faster and more skillful?

On the rule changes - They wouldn't have to extend it to 20 metres if the maggots knew how far 15 metres was. Leave it at 15 and tell them that they have to be 100% positive that the ball travelled 15 metres; Any doubt at all should be play on.

I just wish that Adrian "It's not broken! Let's fix it" Anderson would crawl down a hole and stay there.

define backwards kicking? does that mean a kick that goes closer to the opponents goal or a kick that goes further away from our goal? if you are on the 50 meter line on the boundary and kick it straght up it technically isnt any closer to our goal (maybe a meter using pythagorous but by and large its the same) but you could be 15 meters closer to the opponents goal. like wise if you are on the 50 at CHB and kick along the 50 line towards the boundary it isnt closer to the opponents goal, but you are going backwards in terms of distance to your goal.

or is this just another rule that the umpires will call sometimes and ignore sometimes?

or is this just another rule that the umpires will call sometimes and ignore sometimes?

probably .... it happens most times...