Scrap interchange: Lethal

[Chow-Chicker]

This is a nonsense argument. Back in those days you had playing lists of 60. The competition was ruled by affluent clubs who attracted the star players and the poorer clubs wallowed at the bottom of the ladder. How was the quality of their football? Melbourne being beaten by 190 points, St.Kilda copping a walloping every second week, where teams would predictably say "here comes a percentage boost". Now most teams are equally distributed with quality skilled players through the Draft system and salary cap.

The way I remember it no-one kicked across goal, rarely handpassed in the back line, the footy was a bit more stagnant. Grounds were quagmires. Just about every match was on the Saturday - now it's spread over 3 - 4 days and less recovery time for some teams. Players played in position.

While the quality of the best players in the 70's and 80's may equal the best of today, I reckon the worst of the 70's & 80's is a far wider gap than those of today.

[NMWBloods]

Having 4 interchange players doesn't correct those problems.

[Chow-Chicker]

Having NO interchange would make it worse.

[NMWBloods]

Having NO interchange would make it worse.

Which bits will it make worse?

[Chow-Chicker]

Which bits will it make worse?

The general quality of football due to fatigue.

[NMWBloods]

As I said, quality of football in the 1970s and 1980s was good. Running around a lot doesn't necessarily make for better quality football.

[Chow-Chicker]

As I said, quality of football in the 1970s and 1980s was good. Running around a lot doesn't necessarily make for better quality football.

There was an interchange bench in the 70's and 80's. There is an interchange bench now. Now remove the ability to replace injured players, tired players, out of form players - how will the quality look?

[NMWBloods]

There was an interchange bench in the 70's and 80's. There is an interchange bench now. Now remove the ability to replace injured players, tired players, out of form players - how will the quality look?

No one said that there would be no bench - just no interchange bench. In the 1970s there was a bench that could allow substitutions. In the 1980s there were just two on the interchange bench.

Matthews has suggested two ideas - more interchange (6) and a substitution bench.

[Bloody Hell]

The general quality of football due to fatigue.

Opening the game up more in the final quarter -

[NMWBloods]

Less interchange may stop the rolling scrum of 30 players chasing the ball around the park.

[Chow-Chicker]

I doubt it. It would encourage more of a scrap. The more tired players get, the more stoppages they want. The game is far better today because of the current system in place.

[NMWBloods]

If players are tired, then they can't chase the ball to all parts of the ground, hence instead of 30 players chasing the ball you may get half that number and more players remaining in position. The game never used to be riddled with stoppages.

[hammo]

If players are tired, then they can't chase the ball to all parts of the ground, hence instead of 30 players chasing the ball you may get half that number and more players remaining in position. The game never used to be riddled with stoppages.

Scores in the 1980s used to regularly top 150. SCG games averaged 130 points per side (I have no stat to back that up but Sydney did kick 200 3 weeks in a row once as I recall).

Lethal's suggestion would model the interchange system for soccer and rugby union.

It would result in the game's elite midfielders resting in the forward line rather than on the bench. I doubt there would be much of an impact on overall game quality to be honest.

[NMWBloods]

David Parkin said on the weekend that the AFL nearly introduced a limit on the number of interchanges allowed this year and probably would do so next year (suggesting a max of 30 per game).

[Chow-Chicker]

If players are tired, then they can't chase the ball to all parts of the ground, hence instead of 30 players chasing the ball you may get half that number and more players remaining in position. The game never used to be riddled with stoppages.

That has more to do with the tactics employed on the field rather than the use of the interchange. Notorious flooding, boring defensive tactics usually attributed to Terry Wallace would be applied regardless of the interchange status. That's the way he coaches. Watching the Freo v essendon game was a delight. Free flowing, entertaining football. Stuff all stoppages there.