Game Changes in 2021

[Demonland 70,327]

Happy to see the 16 minute quarters gone. Not so sure about same day travel and the 4 day breaks. They were season killers for us. 

[FritschyBusiness 1,463]

I'd be happy with 16 minute quarters if they called time off when you mark the ball.
Then forwards could take a bit more time aiming for set shots (might increase scoring) and teams couldn't wind down the clock with boring backwards kicks.

[deanox 9,698]

1 minute ago, FritschyBusiness said:

I'd be happy with 16 minute quarters if they called time off when you mark the ball.
Then forwards could take a bit more time aiming for set shots (might increase scoring) and teams couldn't wind down the clock with boring backwards kicks.

Super interesting idea. That probably covers 4 minutes each quarter at least. 

Time goes back on when you kick. You toy can't do the 55m out "in having a shot" then short pass, and the umpires can't call someone on who is legitimately having a shot.

[deanox 9,698]

Same day travel is horrible, unless both teams do it.

I bet only Vic teams will cop it too, not NSW or SA.

Edited September 23, 2020 by deanox

[Diamond_Jim 12,368]

Same day travel is ok for night games and the plane trip is 2 hours or less.

Travel the night before was an AFL requirement to make sure games weren't cancelled due to plane delays.

It should of course be at the discretion of the teams

Edited September 23, 2020 by Diamond_Jim

[deanox 9,698]

2 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Same day travel is ok for night games and the plane trip is 2 hours or less.

Travel the night before was an AFL requirement to make sure games weren't cancelled due to plane delays.

It should of course be at the discretion of the teams

If you live in the SE it's an hour to the airport.

Need to be there an hour early in case traffic, car breakdown, etc

From boarding to disembarking Melb to Syd is 2 hours. Board, wait, taxi, take off, an hour 10 flying, land, taxi, disembark.

Collect bags for 25 players, plus any club gear and load onto a bus, 30 minutes. 

Drive to ground.  30 minutes. 

 

This is a 4-5 hour process. Getting tp the ground 2 hours early for strapping, warm up etc. Makes it 6-7 hours before the match.

For a day game not feasible. For a night game, maybe but it's a killer on that team vs the local team. 

[The heart beats true 17,825]

What does that even mean? ‘Support for same day travel and 4 day breaks’?

Does it mean there will be better support around those concepts for the teams involved, so as not to have garbage/unequal games like we saw this year? I surely hope so. 

[Pates 9,625]

22 minutes ago, FritschyBusiness said:

I'd be happy with 16 minute quarters if they called time off when you mark the ball.
Then forwards could take a bit more time aiming for set shots (might increase scoring) and teams couldn't wind down the clock with boring backwards kicks.

Also time called on when the ball touches the ruckmen’s hands, would prevent two seconds being wasted by bad bounces being redone and actually give players a chance to do something if there’s 5sec left in a quarter. 

I think time off for field marking is too difficult. 

[Pates 9,625]

10 minutes ago, deanox said:

If you live in the SE it's an hour to the airport.

Need to be there an hour early in case traffic, car breakdown, etc

From boarding to disembarking Melb to Syd is 2 hours. Board, wait, taxi, take off, an hour 10 flying, land, taxi, disembark.

Collect bags for 25 players, plus any club gear and load onto a bus, 30 minutes. 

Drive to ground.  30 minutes. 

 

This is a 4-5 hour process. Getting tp the ground 2 hours early for strapping, warm up etc. Makes it 6-7 hours before the match.

For a day game not feasible. For a night game, maybe but it's a killer on that team vs the local team. 

I’m not using it as an excuse but same day travel for that Cairns game was so clearly a disadvantage to us, while also an advantage to both the Swans and Freo (who got the chance to acclimate before their game). I’m also not a fan of the 4 day breaks, particularly if one team has had say 6+ days rest. 

Seems like it’ll be another chance for the AFL to create unfair advantages to some. 

[FritschyBusiness 1,463]

33 minutes ago, Pates said:

Also time called on when the ball touches the ruckmen’s hands, would prevent two seconds being wasted by bad bounces being redone and actually give players a chance to do something if there’s 5sec left in a quarter. 

I think time off for field marking is too difficult. 

There would be some sort of custom device that someone could tap to start and stop time (I'm sure there is something the NBA or NFL use)

I like your ruckmen idea too

[FritschyBusiness 1,463]

56 minutes ago, deanox said:

Super interesting idea. That probably covers 4 minutes each quarter at least. 

Time goes back on when you kick. You toy can't do the 55m out "in having a shot" then short pass, and the umpires can't call someone on who is legitimately having a shot.

You could have the same umpire hurrying the player up that we currently have at 55M+ out. 

The more time the defence have to set up the harder it is to find a short pass

[Wrecker45 3,378]

We can't even win at the G.

[dl4e 5,851]

Back to normal quarters thankyou.

[titan_uranus 24,674]

Tom Browne's a terrible journalist so take anything he says with a grain of salt.

Like, what does "support for four day breaks" mean? No one in the league would ask for a four day break unless there was context to it (in "normal" years clubs complain about five day breaks). So what's the context? In the event we have to hub again in 2021? To allow a condensed fixture if that's required in 2021?

If there is no need to hub in 2021, I don't understand the need for four day breaks or same day travel. Those should revert back to what we had prior to 2020. Minimum five day breaks (which should be rarely if ever used at all) and why would a club be required to travel on the same day as the game unless it was their decision?

Quarters should return to 20 minutes as well. Again, unless we're affected by condensed fixtures, there's no need to shorten quarters again. It robs the game of time for goals/advertising anyway.

[Dr. Gonzo 23,745]

8 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

Tom Browne's a terrible journalist so take anything he says with a grain of salt.

Like, what does "support for four day breaks" mean? No one in the league would ask for a four day break unless there was context to it (in "normal" years clubs complain about five day breaks). So what's the context? In the event we have to hub again in 2021? To allow a condensed fixture if that's required in 2021?

If there is no need to hub in 2021, I don't understand the need for four day breaks or same day travel. Those should revert back to what we had prior to 2020. Minimum five day breaks (which should be rarely if ever used at all) and why would a club be required to travel on the same day as the game unless it was their decision?

Quarters should return to 20 minutes as well. Again, unless we're affected by condensed fixtures, there's no need to shorten quarters again. It robs the game of time for goals/advertising anyway.

There's been talk of a midseason "festival of footy" again to have games on every night for 3 or 4 weeks incorporating each team's byes instead of the 3 weeks X 6 games we see now. This would allow them to try and get some extra games into the season to beef up the broadcast deals due to lost revenue.

[deanox 9,698]

I'd love them to push it to 24-26 games by playing mid week games and having 5-6 days breaks the norm, and an occassional 10 day "bye".

At 26 you play 9 teams twice, much better than 5 and more likely to even the field rather than have a couple of teams get lucky with fixtures.  

At 26 there is more requirement for all Vic teams to do a share of interstate travel.

More games with a functioning reserves comp should result in a bit more squad rotation to manage fatigue, which forces clubs to try and hold on better players who aren't in their best 22, instead of cutting for kids repeatedly. We'd also see more fringe players and kids get a few games.

I like mid week footy when it's consistently on.

[PaulRB 6,297]

I'd settle for 22 Std 20min (plus time on) per quarter games made up of

• 12 x 2:10 pm Saturday afternoons games at the G
• 1 x 2:10 pm Monday Queens Birthday at the G
• 1 x 7:10 pm Thursday ANZAC Eve Game at the G
• 2 x Friday night games 
• 2 x Sat night games
• 4 x whatever whenever

Like in the good Old Days...

[Gunna’s 2,102]

On 9/24/2020 at 12:06 PM, deanox said:

I'd love them to push it to 24-26 games by playing mid week games and having 5-6 days breaks the norm, and an occassional 10 day "bye".

At 26 you play 9 teams twice, much better than 5 and more likely to even the field rather than have a couple of teams get lucky with fixtures.  

At 26 there is more requirement for all Vic teams to do a share of interstate travel.

More games with a functioning reserves comp should result in a bit more squad rotation to manage fatigue, which forces clubs to try and hold on better players who aren't in their best 22, instead of cutting for kids repeatedly. We'd also see more fringe players and kids get a few games.

I like mid week footy when it's consistently on.

Too much common sense. 
I like the ideas though, plus I think list sizes should actually be bigger so you can have reserves instead of prospect players. Currently too many list spots are for potential players instead of quality 2nd best players.  Get rid of the mid season draft and have an extended squad. Would also involve a revamped second tier to support the wages of the players

[Pates 9,625]

On 9/24/2020 at 3:06 AM, deanox said:

I'd love them to push it to 24-26 games by playing mid week games and having 5-6 days breaks the norm, and an occassional 10 day "bye".

At 26 you play 9 teams twice, much better than 5 and more likely to even the field rather than have a couple of teams get lucky with fixtures.  

At 26 there is more requirement for all Vic teams to do a share of interstate travel.

More games with a functioning reserves comp should result in a bit more squad rotation to manage fatigue, which forces clubs to try and hold on better players who aren't in their best 22, instead of cutting for kids repeatedly. We'd also see more fringe players and kids get a few games.

I like mid week footy when it's consistently on.

I agree with this, rather than a festival of footy which squeezes the life out of the players crest a consistent time of stretch that has footy regularly being played. Hate to say it but the world has changed and TV rights have become the more important factor (as much as COVID has also shown crowds are important to the atmosphere and spectacle). 

Better TV rights will give more certainty to clubs. 

[deanox 9,698]

1 hour ago, Gunna’s said:

Too much common sense. 
I like the ideas though, plus I think list sizes should actually be bigger so you can have reserves instead of prospect players. Currently too many list spots are for potential players instead of quality 2nd best players.  Get rid of the mid season draft and have an extended squad. Would also involve a revamped second tier to support the wages of the players

I think smaller or larger list sizes would work, but right now we are in an awkward spot.

Make it a senior squad of 32, and a development squad that fills the reserve league: allow interchanges between the 2 squads on long term injuries or at set windows (e.g. 3 times during the year).

Alternatively make the lists 55 and field a senior and reserves team from the list. 

The current list size means you have a "best 26" and then a developing squad of kids not really ready and a handful of journey plugs to fill gaps where needed. This means that our main product (the AFL) is not always the best players possible. It also means that the reserves comps aren't as strong as they could be: many players who would genuinely be in the next best players in the country aren't on AFL lists (they aren't developing) and they don't play for the reserves comp. I think bringing them back in the fold would actual speed up development of juniors at reserves level, and also ensure that all players in the 22 have earnt their spot. If you aren't drafted at 18, and haven't developed by 21, you are virtually lost to the system.

 

IMO the problem is the AFLPA. While they should be trying to get living wages for as many players as possible, they seem more focused on getting the most money for the elite players at the expense of the rest. 

Edited September 25, 2020 by deanox

[old dee 23,505]

Unless we have to have hubs why can't we simply go back to the traditional game length. I did not notice the old system was broken why do we have to fix it. Can they just leave sometime about the game alone.

[old dee 23,505]

11 minutes ago, deanox said:

I think smaller or larger list sizes would work, but right now we are in an awkward spot.

Make it a senior squad of 32, and a development squad that fills the reserve league: allow interchanges between the 2 squads on long term injuries or at set windows (e.g. 3 times during the year).

Alternatively make the lists 55 and field a senior and reserves team from the list. 

The current list size means you have a "best 26" and then a developing squad of kids not really ready and a handful of journey plugs to fill gaps where needed. This means that our main product (the AFL) is not always the best players possible. It also means that the reserves comps aren't as strong as they could be: many players who would genuinely be in the next best players in the country aren't on AFL lists (they aren't developing) and they don't play for the reserves comp. I think bringing them back in the fold would actual speed up development of juniors at reserves level, and also ensure that all players in the 22 have earnt their spot. If you aren't drafted at 18, and haven't developed by 21, you are virtually lost to the system.

 

IMO the problem is the AFLPA. While they should be trying to get living wages for as many players as possible, they seem more focused on getting the most money for the elite players at the expense of the rest. 

Sounds like international tennis

[Demon Dynasty 17,098]

On 9/23/2020 at 5:14 PM, Demonland said:

Happy to see the 16 minute quarters gone. Not so sure about same day travel and the 4 day breaks. They were season killers for us. 

Probably why there's been no change Andy

[Demon Dynasty 17,098]

On 9/23/2020 at 5:51 PM, The heart beats true said:

What does that even mean? ‘Support for same day travel and 4 day breaks’?

Does it mean there will be better support around those concepts for the teams involved, so as not to have garbage/unequal games like we saw this year? I surely hope so. 

See response above HBT

[DubDee 24,471]

I’d like to return to footy in the 90’s. 
no more 135  min games. It’s too long. 
 

bring back 120 min games