If the AFL really want to improve the game here's how.

[collie dog]

[E]

i know you will be dissappointed to hear this Collie dog, but your armband theory is garbage.

the good news is that your 30 metre and/or backwards kick is all you need to do to solve your problem.

you see, even though you dont recognize it, the high handball game is actually a very attractive brand of footy (see Geelong in full flight for an example).

the "ugly" brand of footy is caused by the ability of teams to build slowly through high possession kicking game. teams flood back, and then kick it around safely while they reset their forward structure.

The reason this is so effective is because when you mark the ball you get 10 seconds to make your next decision (either another dink, or if there is no option a long kick). If a backwards kick or a short kick was a play on situation, this style would become very risky indeed to use as a primary weapon.

In such circumstances, the "high percentage" play would again become one of two options. either (i) booting it long to a contest (the game you long to see) or (ii) handballing or said better running straight up the guts with a series of handballs (the Geelong brand of footy).

so even though you had a dumb idea, your steak knives idea is one with a lot of merit.

[collie dog]

Well it's good to see the AFL is listening.

[yin-YANG]

So you are happy Collie Dog that you are on the same side as Bartlett and the martian!

Strangely you want more contests but don't like the heavy congestion... which is full of highly contested ball!

Why don't these oldies get it... the old days of bombing the ball and watching aerial ping pong is gone - teams will move the ball quickly now and then if it suits their match-ups otherwise they will pass the ball about and wait for the players to get to the positions they want before going forward.

There was plenty of congestion and then plenty of one on one contests on the ground and air on the weekend...

Zones etc are a disaster waiting to happen... Keep it simple, don't overcomplicate the rules and if you don't like it go watch netball...

[John Wren]

nothing needs to change. the good teams move the ball quickly and create space. i like the contested footy we see.

yet again, there is a lot of wailing. remember back in the mid 2000s when all and sundry were calling for a moratorium or royal commission on the plight of victorian football not to mention the swans of the day?

[Neil Appleby]

The game evolves and every few years we see people unhappy with the evolution until a smart coach invents a new game plan. We've seen it time and time again. If we need a new rule to fix it, how about player restrictions at clearances much the same as we already have at centre bounces? This would stop the congestion in one easy step.

The armband idea Collie, would be way too difficult to adjudicate, but confining players at clearances would be easy to police with the field umpires standing on the 50 metre arcs.

[Damien]

Respect your right to an opinion Collie but if they ever brought in some sort of restriction in areas ala netball then we've lost the plot.

The interchange would probably solve some of the issues but I reckon just leave it as is and the evolutionary wheel will eventually turn.

Here's a novel idea: recruit a guy who is your traditional stay at home full forward like a Tony Lockett. Let the full back run upfield and be part of the press and get the ball back in quick to him on the rebound. Once he starts kicking a few it'll force a rethink.

It'll only take one coach with some balls to try it and everyone else will jump on if it works.

It's the coaches that are wrecking the game but we all acknowledge that if it wins you games then so be it. it will turn eventually. Where we are now really started with Barassi in the 1970 GF. It's taken 40 years to evolve to this so it's not an overnight thing.

[Damien]

And another thing...

I buy my membership every year without fail but the price of going to the footy with three kids and all the other crap that is involved in simply going to watch your team has resulted in me attending less and less as the years roll on.

I'm actually finding myself more inclined to go and watch my local team South Croydon in 1st division of the Eastern footy league. I can have a few cans, the kids have a kick on the ground and the footy is of a surprisingly great standard to watch. Oh for the simple things in life. Sounding old now but that's the way it is.

[David]

I'm with WoY. The football itself is great at the moment—indeed, it's one of the few AFL-related things I'm enjoying (everything else is just crass marketing and trying to appeal to some hypothetical supporter with an attention span of a goldfish).

Please, please don't encourage the "committee for making doubleplus good changes" to come up with any more dumb ideas. I mean, zones? No. How's this for a radical idea: stop radically changing the game every 12 months! It can evolve on its own.

[John Wren]

[sixpoints]

I found this the other day. These are the "Laws Of The Australasian Game Of Football" as published in the Australasian newspaper 1886. I know it's a bit long, but I found it interesting seeing it was over 120 years old.

1. The distance between the goals shall not be more than 200 yards, and the width of the playing space not more than 150 yards, to be measured equally on each side of a line drawn between the centre of the goals.
The goal posts shall be 7 yards apart, of not less than 20ft in height.
The ball to used shall be the No.2 size Rugby ball (26in. in circumference)

2. Two posts, to be called "the kick-off posts" shall be erected at a distance of 20 yards on each side of the goal posts, in a straight line with them; the intervening line between such "kick-off posts" shall constitute the "goal line."

3. Matches shall be played with not more than 20 a side, unless where handicaps are conceded.
Any club found playing more than the number arranged for shall have all goals kicked prior to the detection of the same anulled.

4. The captains of each side shall toss for the choice of goal. The side losing the toss or goal has the kick off from the centre point between the goals. When half the time arranged for play has expired, the players shall change ends, and the ball being thrown in the air by the field umpire in the centre of the ground.

5. The game shall be won by the side kicking the greatest number of goals.

6. That all matches shall be commenced and played out to the time arranged, and shall not be stopped except by the consent of both captains, but in the event of the captains disagreeing, the field umpire shall be constituted sole referee, and the side disputing his decision shall lose the match.

7. A goal must be kicked by one of the side playing for goal kicking the ball between the posts without touching either of them (flags excepted), or any player, after being kicked.
Should any of the spectators, standing between or immediately in front of the goal posts, interfere with or stop the progress of the ball going through, a goal shall be scored, unless the goal umpire is of the opinion one of the players whose goal is attacked would have touched it, or that it would not have gone between the goal posts if not interfered with or stopped.

8. The goal umpires shall be the sole judges of goals, and of cases of the ball going behind goals; and in cases of doubt may apeal to the field umpire.
The field umpire shall decide in all other matters during the progress of the game and may appeal to a goal umpire.

9. In case the ball is kicked behind the goal line by one of the opposite side (except when a goal is kicked, in which case the ball is kicked off from the centre of the ground), anyone of the side behind whose goal it is kicked may bring it 10 yards in front of any portion of the space within the goal line, and shall kick it towards the opposite goal.

10. That if the ball stikes any of the goal or kick off posts it shall be counted as a behind goal.

11. In the event of a player kicking or forcing the ball wilfully behind his own goal line, it shall be thrown in by the field umpire at right angles from the point where it crossed the said goal line.

12. Any player catching the ball directly from the foot of another player may call "mark". He then has "free kick" from any spot behind, and in a line with his mark and the centre of his opponents' goal posts, even if he have to go out of bounds or behind his goal, no player being allowed to come inside the spot marked, or within five yards in any other direction.

13. The ball may be taken in hand at any time, but not carried as further as is necessary for a kick, unless the player strikes it against the ground at least once in every seven yards.
In the event of a player, with the ball in hand, trying to pass an adversary, and being held by him, he must at once drop the ball.

14. Tripping, hacking, rabbiting, slinging, or catching hold of a player below the knee, are prohibited; pushing with the hands or body is allowed only when the player is in rapid motion within five or six yards of the ball.
Holding a player is allowed only while such player has the ball in hand except in cases provided for in Rules 9, 12, and 13.

15. When the ball goes out of bounds, it shall be bought back to the spot where it crossed the boundary line, and thrown in by the umpire at right angles with that line, but shall not be playable until it touch the grounds within bounds.

16. If any player wilfully touch the ball before it before it reaches the ground when thrown in from out of bounds, the umpire may allow a free kick to the opposite side from the spot where the ball was so wilfully touched.

17. If any player wilfully kicks the ball out of bounds when kicking off after the ball has gone behind, the umpire may allow a free kick to the opposite side from the spot where the ball went out of bounds.

18. The ball while in play may under no circumstances be thrown or handed to a player.

19. The field umpire, on being appealed to, may either award a "free kick" call "play on" or stop the play and throw the ball into the air, and stop all attempts at scrimmages, enforce as strictly as possible, the running, pushing and holding clauses of Rules 13 and 14, and in every case his decision shall be final, and the club disputing same shall lose the match.
But in the event of an umpire refusing to to decide on any matter in dispute, clubs may appeal to the local association, whose decision shall be final.

20. No one wearing projecting nails or iron plates on any part of his boots or shoes will be allowed to play in a match.

21. In case of infringement of any of the above rules, any player of the opposite side may claim a "free kick" from the place where the breach of the rule was made, the player nearest the place of infringement being the only one entitled to the kick.

22. No member of an associated or junior club shall play with more than one club during one season except he permanently change his residence from town to country, or vice versa, and has first obtained the consent of the local association; but in the event of a member not having played with his club for three consecutive Saturdays immediately prior to his application for a permit he shall be allowed.
Should the committee of his club withold it's consent the association shall have the power to grant a permit without such consent.
No permits will be granted after the 15th. day of July.
Schools and universities are not to be considered clubs within the meaning of this rule.

23. That any club playing a player of another club shall lose the match in which it plays such member, and shall, in addition, for the first offence, be fined £5, and for the second £10, and for the third shall be disqualified from playing any of the associated clubs during the remainder of the season.

24. In the event of a club disbanding, it's members may be at liberty to play with any other club, with the consent of the local association. But no club shall be considered to have disbanded after the 15th. day of July.

25. None of the above laws shall be altered or rescinded, nor any rule repealed, altered, amended, or adopted, without the concurrence of an absolute majority of intercolonial delegates, at a meeting specially called for that purpose.

NB - in Rule 14 - "rabbiting" means deliberately throwing yourself at an opponent below their knees in order to cause them to fall.

[piedys]

[SuperStar Beams]

Its not an easy fix and any change that will come will have complaints along with it like the OP.
I dont think its feasible to have it like a netball type set up because you will lack more run from the half backs.

Its also now at a day and age where each player on the field apart from the Spine players must some way or another play in 2 positions. It can be a half back or back pocket moving forward or going into the middle or wing, or a forward going back or in the midfield. There will be too much mucking around to change bands consistently with the bands.

I dont mind the rule in the Under 18s TAC Cup where i think there must be 2 forwards + 2 backs inside the 50 on both ends for a stoppage, maybe increase it to 3 in the AFL.

In regards to the kicking backwards teams do it to try and break down the zone/ defence. By switching the play going backwards can open up space to be able to attack or to find holes to go through due the defenders having to shift the zone and therefore creating space as you cant always defend or be on your player for every minute of the match, something will give sooner or later.

However maybe to speed it up give them 5 seconds after the mark instead of 10 seconds

[sixpoints]

[Big_Glenn_Sandford]