NAB Cup rule changes 2011 edition.

[Glenn]

Let's go to the video - AFL.com.au

[agro]

Hmmmmm.....

Don't quite get the AFL masochistic fetish for sabotaging themselves with rule changes every year. Rules 1 and 2 are OK I spoze. The AFL want to speed the game up but rules 3 and 4 create even more stoppages (with rule 4 potentially generating more of rule 3 in a knock on effect). And 5 would be difficult to police.

2011 NAB Cup trial rules:
1. A player awarded a 50m penalty which takes them inside the 50m area can elect either to kick from outside 50 for nine points, or kick from inside 50 for six points
2. Official scorer can assist with scoring decisions by reference to technology
3. Boundary umpires pay free kicks for holding and high contact at stoppages
4. Free kick against player who drags or holds ball under opponent
5. Last touch out of bounds

[jono2707]

Good rule change to give the boundary umpires ability to pay free kicks in some circumstances - makes sense to me. At least they'll get to do more than prance around the boundary.....

[dimelb]

But why aren't they trialling the new interchange/substitute rule? Waste of a potentially useful opportunity.

Interchange test would help teams, says Scott

[Glenn]

Going to be interesting to see rule 5 policed, esp if it is a contested loose ball. Umps may think it came of player from Team A, but in fact it comes off player from Team B