Two plus two does not equal chumminess in the AFL at the moment. If you were waking from an eight-month coma, you’d think all hell had broken loose. But the battle is over the interchange bench.
Since the AFL announced the trial rule of two interchange players and two non-replaceable substitutes in the NAB Cup, there has been hell to pay from the players.
Madness, they’ve said. This will be the end of the game as we know it! They’re also sure that the second ruckman will go the way of the dodo.
The AFL’s Footy Manager Adrian Anderson responds that it’s all just hysteria.
The fight has an eerie sense of familiarity about it, don’t you think? Yes, it’s the same fight we had last year when the three plus one rule was introduced by the AFL to reduce injuries.
Remember the predictions of careers being cut short, more injuries, ruckmen becoming extinct and an extension of the GFC by 23 years, based on something that was never trialled?
How wrong were the doubters?
While the injury report did show an increase in LGI (Lost Games to Injury) there were some positives to the three plus one rule.
Not only was the game more attractive, the rate of hamstring and groin injuries – a major source of injuries in the AFL – fell to historical lows, according to the AFL injury report.
So much for disaster don’t you think?
Ruckmen flourished, the game had more intrigue, and the GFC stayed well off our shores.
Yet a rule being trialled in the NAB Cup (which is the purpose of the NAB Cup) has taken a lot of time and paper space away from the game.
While I am yet to be convinced about the two plus two rule, I am open to having it in the NAB Cup and assessing its worth afterwards.
I also like healthy debate coming from those in the game based upon fact and observations. I don’t like nasty predictions and snide comments based on beliefs as accurate as a seven-day weather forecast.
It’s demeaning to the game, which all parties are supposed to serve.
Let’s let the rule have a chance, evaluate it, and make a decision based on observations. Not too much to ask.
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