Rule Changes for 2011

[laughingnome]

The AFL has authorised the following changes for the 2011 season:

1 - Interchange
There will now be 3 interchange players and one substiute player. Once a player is subbed off, they cannot return to the field. There will be no limit on the number of interchanges.

2 - Advantage
As trialled in the NAB Cup last year, advantage now lies at the player's discretion, not at the umpires. Effectively, if a free kick is given and the team or player decides to keep moving the ball advantage will be said to be given, regardless of the outcome of the next disposal. If the player props or similar the free kick will be taken.

3 - Head High Bumps
The rule has been ammended to now read
"A player who elects to apply a bump in any situation can now expect to be reported if he makes forceful contact with the head, unless:
- the player was contesting the ball and did not have a realistic alternative way to contest the ball
- the contact was caused by circumstances outside the control of the player which could not be reasonably foreseen."


I say good call on the Interchange and Head-High bumping rules, even if the bumping one is late and should have been in place when the reportable offence was first added. Not sure about the Advantage rule; I can see problems coming when a player thinks his team has the free kick when it was the others, for example.

[ugg]

Interchange rules will have an effect on the squad makeup. No longer will you be able to carry two specialist ruckmen with one less interchange spot, at least one of them will have to be able to play elsewhere. You'd be looking at guys like Leigh Brown, Kozi, ottens, Bradley, kreuzer. In this respect Seaby will have an edge over Pyke as he is a very capable and experienced tall forward

[laughingnome]

Interchange rules will have an effect on the squad makeup. No longer will you be able to carry two specialist ruckmen with one less interchange spot, at least one of them will have to be able to play elsewhere. You'd be looking at guys like Leigh Brown, Kozi, ottens, Bradley, kreuzer. In this respect Seaby will have an edge over Pyke as he is a very capable and experienced tall forward

This is true. TOG will need to be higher, and will suit those that can play forward or back as well. It will be interesting to see how clubs use their 22nd man (injuries permitting) in the 2nd half for those "fresh legs".

[SimonH]

Back to the future. Those who watched footy in the 1960s and before (not me) would recall the "19th and 20th man", who absent injury would spend all day warming the bench.

I don't have a huge problem with the '3 interchange, 1 sub' rule hastening the demise of the specialist 2nd ruckman, because that guy was on his way out anyway. Certainly it's a better option than the 'number of interchanges cap' alternative which would be liable to cause chaos.

What will be particularly interesting will be the identity of the 22nd man. Unless clubs are just reckless and says, 'ah well, whoever', then the 4th sub will not just be the last guy picked for the team. It'll be a highly tactical choice to allow the team to cover for its perceived point of greatest brittleness, e.g. if we really have no on-field cover if a big defender were to go down, then Sam Reid would be the sub. It will also even make it more defensible for clubs to 'roll the dice' on elite players under an injury cloud.

[ugg]

I'll put my neck on the line and say it will be a running player. They'll probably be brought on late in the 3rd quarter, assuming no injuries beforehand.

[Matty10]

It will be interesting to see what effect this actually has on rotations - it could mean that players rotate more often. The risk to carry and older / injured player might be seen as too great for many games next year.

[Industrial Fan]

I'll put my neck on the line and say it will be a running player. They'll probably be brought on late in the 3rd quarter, assuming no injuries beforehand.

I think it more likely to go the other way - that the bench will be stacked with runners with a Jason Blake / Ted Richards type as the interchange.

[Nico]

The 3x1 rule is a rule for the sake of it. All along they wanted to reduce the numbers of interchanges on the premise that there were more injuries . Collingwood had the most interchanges, they had few injuries and won the flag in a canter, so the AFL's theory was blown to the shizenhouzen. The clubs kicked up on this so they gave them a choice as a back down. Of course the clubs wanted to keep the interchange rule as it was. To me it just makes it harder on the clubs for no good reason.

I can see the bloke who has sat on the bench for 3 quarters running on the ground in the last quarter and pulling a hammie.

I still can't get over the stupid rule of not allowing a ruckman to grab the ball from the ruck. It has taken an age old skill out of the game.

[Nico]

I'll put my neck on the line and say it will be a running player. They'll probably be brought on late in the 3rd quarter, assuming no injuries beforehand.

How many times do you see a club with 3 fit men on the bench from early in the game. In these cases nothing will have changed. I can't see where they are coming from. Maybe they never wanted 4 on the bench but bent over for the likes of Sheedy. They advance the game then they regress. They bring in the quick kickout but clubs exploit it by rushing points, so they bring in a rule that effectively blunts the change.

As a supporter the 4 rotational bench players were hard to pick as to who was on and off the ground. So it was only an AFL V Club perception thing that was beaten up by the media, after the media had originally hankered for 4 on the bench. One day perhaps the AFL will think for itself.

[J_Moore]

I reckon you go with a tallish utility for the sub. Ideal role for Rohan in the first part of the season, for mine.

[dimelb]

... I still can't get over the stupid rule of not allowing a ruckman to grab the ball from the ruck. It has taken an age old skill out of the game.

I thought the rule means that the ruckman can grab the ball, but he has to clear it or there's a free against?

[laughingnome]

I thought the rule means that the ruckman can grab the ball, but he has to clear it or there's a free against?

As did I? I'm pretty sure the rule says grabbing the ball from the ruck forfiets the right to prior opportunity, meaning that if the player is tackled it is immediately holding the ball. Or something like that.

You still see it occassionally, especially in the F50. Hall does it sometimes when rucking the boundary throw-ins in the forward line.

[Lucky Knickers]

Rule changes for substitution discussion

What does everyone think about the new substitute rule where teams are allowed 3 interchange players and 1 substitute?
From the AFL website:

"The use of interchange has created more congestion, more stoppages, more defensive pressure and has contributed to a drop in disposal efficiency," Anderson said.

"The laws committee was also concerned about the increasing effect of the interchange on match fairness.

"The interchange was originally designed to help teams when they had an injury, but was increasingly a disadvantage to a team with an injury, because it was unable to rotate their players as much as the opposition.

"The medical advice was also telling us that a restriction should be applied to try to arrest the current injury trend."

I finally got around to watching OTC from Monday night and the general consensus between Hird and Healy was that the second ruckmans days are numbered. I thought this was interesting to consider given we seem quite healthy in that respect with Seaby, Mummy and Pyke.
I'm interested in thoughts on the make up of our bench? What type of player will take the substitute position?

[Damien]

I am not so sure about the 2nd ruckman being dead, it really depends on what your "2nd" ruckman can do when he is not rucking.

The substitute is going to be interesting to watch, it is quite possible that they will not get on the ground at all in some games (especially during close games without an injury, games where the result is clear, horse an take someone off and give them game time), so you could potentially rob a player of a game so I hope we have more reserves games the day after our senior games in 2011 for this reason.

I would think you would only see running types, but in saying that, you might go in with an injury cloud over Mumford or Seaby, so you go with Pyke as the substitue etc. Going to be an interesting birth of this new rule I'd say.