Comments on: Should AFL sides rotate players to keep them fit?

By: Pippinu

Pippinu — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 14:32:24 +0000

Good article Ben, and good question. This notion of resting players doesn’t really exist in aussie rules to the extent that it exists in World football, but:
1. in some overseas comps, schedules can get unbelievably hectic, where it’s possible to play 4 games in the space of 14 days;
2. a long time ago, the AFL enforced the rule of a minimum of a 5 day break for players – most teams actually get at least a 6 day break most of the time; and
3. for the most part, the AFL clubs are pretty good at making sure players are fully recovered from injuries before risking them.

The unusual aspect about the Geelong case was that a few players were rested to get over the sort of niggling minor injury pretty much 80% of all players take into games with them all year round.

I’m sort of agreeing that it can only do them good in a long, tough season, but there are a few good counter points made in your article:

1. form can vanish as quickly as it came – we see that year on year; and
2. a three to five percent difference in performance levels and/or quality of match day personnel is more than enough to lose a game of footy against pretty much any opposition.

By: Ben Somerford

Ben Somerford — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 13:10:23 +0000

Yeah it’s a good question onside.

I suppose as I said in the article, it remains to be seen. But I’ll always remember the example of the WCE a few years back when they were a top4 side who got bundled out of the finals in straight sets. It was in Judd’s last year when they limped into the finals with him at 50%. And you had Cousins come into the finals and do his hammy agst PA. Makes you wonder if a rest during the regular season might’ve benefited them come finals time.

And as someone who follows a range of sports, I find it unusual that this concept isn’t really accepted in the AFL. But I can understand the argument. Confidence, momentum and form and these psychological factors are so important in modern AFL footy. But then you’ve got to weigh that up against physical factors.

I guess in some ways I support Geelong’s decision to rest (rotate or whatever you want to call it) players and I also applaud St Kilda’s determination to keep going with what’s working. But something tells me the Cats have been there before and experienced it all and therefore are making a wiser decision. But as I said, time will tell.

By: Michael C

Michael C — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 10:21:30 +0000

I’m still not so sure that Geelong was just ‘rotating’ players – - although, granted, if the GF were played the next day, then, probably half of the guys who missed last week probably would’ve played.

it was interesting though to see Geelong go in this week with 2 losses on the trot vs Melbourne with 2 wins on the trot – - and yet Geelong were still almost unbackable favourites.

By: onside

onside — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 10:46:42 +0000

Ben
Good question.\\hat do you think?

By: Michael DiFabrizio

Michael DiFabrizio — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 03:52:11 +0000

Nice article, Ben. I agree that Geelong’s experience of last year is influencing their decision-making now. Going into the GF with a couple of guys underdone and just limping in to the 22 hurt them.

As for St Kilda, they have some pretty impressive form, and you wouldn’t want that to be messed with if you could help it. Both teams are responding to their own circumstances, but as you say, we’ll find out in September who really got it right.