AFL's version of T20 cricket in the works

I suspect this AFLX concept is driven by local governments who would like land developers to maximise the residental component of their subdivisions so that they can receive more revenue from more rate notices. But on the upside, perhaps any AFLX competition could be sponsored by some prominent land developer.

How's the above shut down debate? You're bringing out the martyr card pretty early IHP. Particularly as the above comment was more about your and anon's repeated and continued negative stance against anything stepping outside your apparent narrow (and narrowing) view of the way the world "should be". I'd say your raison d'etre in that mode is all about shutting things down (ironic much?). Still waiting on the clarification about your use of the "social engineering" conceptualisation too.

Good idea... id watch it... The AFL needs another trophy moment. 18 teams - 1 trophy all year... and most supporters usually know they aint getting it pretty early on. At least the NAB cup gave us something else! NRL have the state of origin, Premier League has the FA cup, A League has what ever their version of the FA cup is, AFL has nothing. My only concern is by end of the season will there be enough intrest from the bottom 4 clubs? The last thing i wanted in 2012 was Melbournes season to go another week!

As we always say to you pies, free speech means you get to say your piece, it doesn’t mean it has to be agreed with Anon is just sitting up on hindsight hill as he always does and is saying it was a terrible idea to expand into NSW. The same person would be sitting there saying the AFL is small minded and insular if they had kept to the heartland. Still far too early to say if the expansion was a bust, particularly when both QLD teams have been absolutely awful for the last seven years and haven’t been close to making finals.

Yeah well I'm sick and tired of the behaviour set that shuts down debate through insults because it's either afraid of it or incapable of it.

What/who do those formats really benefit tho? Is there any worth other than giving also-ran players a chance to compete (growing the game marginally via participation I guess)- but in terms of crowd and TV numbers I would hardly feel such bastardisation is worth it.

If I recall correctly, in Gill's words he was keen to see a return of SOO. Perfect platform! As long as the clubs and players are compensated then why not the best of the rest SOO Ah no, they're going with a mutated form of the game that has not even been tried in a public setting!? What the?! Me gets the feeling that it's gonna bite em in the a**

Just having a laugh at a behaviour set IHP. You guys seem to spend so much time looking for, focussed on and struggling with things you don't like. I did like the Abbotism "social engineering" you just threw in there, quite amusing, What does it mean? I mean what qualifies as this "social engineering" you speak of? Are schools "social engineering", is giving women the right to vote "social engineering", what about labour laws? What about World Series Cricket is that "social engineering" too? I'm confused what is "social engineering" in society and, I suppose by extension, what came "naturally" exactly?

We used to play a game called speedball during PE at school except using a soccer ball. Heaps of fun but not sure how it looked for spectators

Ticket prices have come down? Not sure about that. Hands up if your membership was cheaper this year? Anyone?

With 4 x 10 minute quarters I am pretty sure this will fit into a 1 hour time slot complete with ads

No we have to wait for a replay as well as an ad before they'll get on with the game.

Yes its funny how the AFL sells itslef as innovative as if Rugby 7s or Futsal don't exist

Maybe we could have social engineers league, where prizes go to those who throw insults at anyone who dares to suggest that not all change is good.

Without the bounce after goals when is the advertisement aired. I am pretty sure that's the main reason they don't use kick ins for regular games

So he should, he's done an outstanding job so far. Brought in AFLW. Negotiated a huge new broadcast deal. Knocked off the player contract saga with minimal grandstanding (see league/cricket for example of what not to do). Brought down ticket prices. Targeted intervention in struggling interstate clubs. Has not folded on academies. Now he's trying new initiatives aimed at further growing the game. Your issue is more to do with your own personal prejudice rather than a dispassionate, balanced view of proceedings. But that's all your posts are, really.

I would actually like to see a game before dismissing it out of hand. I am guessing it will be very open. I look forward to taking a look, it certainly is something different, but FWIU similar type games have been played O/S for quite a number of years in countries where space is at more of a premium.

I don't mind the concept of multiple versions of the game. it works pretty well in cricket and allows you to tailor different aspects to suit the conditions of time and place. Hopefully they can learn things from the truncated version that help improve the main game, certainly one thing it could be is heavily geared to a highly attacking style and seeing it in practice could allow both coaches and administrators transfer elements to the main game. I'd also like to see the teams that do participate be allowed to draft in players from local leagues and see how they go, especially those that might be overlooked in the draft due to not fitting the mould as it were. It'd be great to see blokes like Waylon Manson, Liam Ryan, Adam Sambono introduced via a system allows them to unleash their freakish talents across a short burst of time and still get exposure to and a taste of elite systems.

I still think a lot of people are missing the mark here. I think the AFL is planning that like T20 there is enormous interest in AFLX in the same manner, in what started out initially as being labelled hit and giggle. Ultimately if it proves to be a success locally, being able to take this format possibly immediately post season for some of the bottom 10 teams to showcase to other audiences could prove priceless. Being able to access stadiums and infrastructure that already in place makes perfect sense. I do not believe that the immediate short term goal is to set up leagues in other countries. I think the immediate goal would be to start generating interest in other markets. And with growing interest access to local TV media. I am sure that there are plenty of people on this site who love AFL also love to watch sports being played in other countries. NBL, NFL, EPL to name a few. I enjoy watching NFL. I have no intension of joining a small local league or travelling to the US to attend games or even the Super Bowl. Income generated from offshore media deals would ultimately be used to strengthen the game in Australia. At some level this is about the long term survival of the game. And like T20, maybe there'll be the discovery of innovations that will transfer and enrich the traditional format. And from a personal perspective, I no longer have the slightest interest in State of Origin.

What about a curmudgeon's league, where you see who can be most relentlessly and biliously negative to anything and everything new or different within a set amount of time? The prize on offer could be a VR trip to a distant past era of your choice.