A new code war has just broken out within Aussie Rules, with the SANFL starting a new 12-a-side format called “Australian Unity Fast Footy” at Norwood Oval just a week before the AFL debut their own AFLX format at Hindmarsh.
Both new formats come as a response to short formats developed for other sports designed to satisfy millennials who have busy lives and short attention spans… this desk is getting a bit dusty, sorry I’m getting off track, what was I saying again..?
Oh yes. Other sports have been developing new formats that are shorter in length, faster in pace and have higher rates of scoring to appeal to young people who have busy lives and short attention spans. Rugby Union has 7s, Rugby League has 9s, Association Football has Soccer 7s, Tennis has Fast 4s, Golf has Golf Sixes, Netball has Fast5, Hockey has Hockey 5s and of course Cricket has T20.
Unfortunately the AFL’s new AFLX format played on rectangular pitches seems to have gone down like a ton of bricks with fans of the traditional oval version. Luckily however SANFL have come to the rescue with their own new format dubbed “Australian Unity Fast Footy”.
Apart from the name it seems to be a much better alternative than AFLX.
Being designed for ovals it can be played on existing grounds without any change which is a big plus. The number of just 12 players also has its own advantages and this number could one day be adopted in the AFL.
Reducing teams to 12 players would greatly reduce congestion and increase the speed of play which in turn will increase the rate of scoring. This would clearly increase its appeal to millennials (aka. youths). But the biggest advantage of reducing teams to 12 players is when it comes to player quality.
Some have said that the number of teams in the AFL has diluted the quality and that cutting the competition to as few as 12 teams would alleviate this. This might be unlikely however since 6 teams would have to be cut from the competition, which would alienate many fans. However…
While reducing the number of teams to 12 with 18 players in each might risk alienating fans if existing teams are cut, you could still have 18 teams with 12 players in each to achieve the same effect of concentrating the talent pool. It’s just common sense.
My prediction of what will happen next is that the AFL will come to their senses and see that 12-a-side is the future once they see it in action at Norwood Oval. Once they do they will once again change the rules in the AFL so that matches will be divided into 15 minute quarters as they have already done in the AFL Women’s and at the same time reduce the number of players on teams in both leagues to 12.
Once they make these changes it will take the AFL into a new golden age of popularity which will quickly race its way up the eastern seaboard sweeping all other codes before it and AFLX will simply become a distant memory thrown on the scrapheap of history.
Down with AFLX! Long live 12-a-side!
Viva SANFL!
Jarren
Guest
So, what was the purpose of the article again?
Jarren
Guest
Aren't we lucky your around to put me in my place.
Martin
Guest
I suspect that the real reason is because stingy local governments and land developers don't want to provide the extra land in their subdivisions for the larger oval grounds. You might find that AFLX competition may well be sponsored by a land development company.
Virgil Starkwell
Guest
You’re probably right. Still a pity though. The times they are a changing. Not always for the better.
Aligee
Guest
20/20 is a big fail - not! fast food sport seems to have a market, you gotta dig where the gold is
Aligee
Guest
Well that is sort of true, but how many games rooms can billiard tables fit into these days. Pool tables are made for the masses.
Cat
Roar Guru
Your fear is showing
fabian gulino
Roar Rookie
AFL X is going to fail,because it will be just another foxtel mickey mouse bulldust.
Virgil Starkwell
Guest
Just like when Billiiard/Snooker tables got dumbed down to pool table size to suit the bogans. Very sad.
RedV3x
Guest
18-a-side is fine. 18-a-side is fine everywhere except the AFL. 18-a-side is fine even in the AFL mostly. if you want to watch great football then think outside of the AFL.
RedV3x
Guest
There is a stripped down version of I.R. that is played with the red ball that is very popular in North America. In fact it is more like 9-a-side Aussie Rules on a pitch with a three second possession rule. The three second rule makes the rules so simple and also makes it play out like G.A.A. A player gets the ball and immediately has to get rid of it. It also makes tackling slightly irrelevant. I.R. simply has too much overhead for amateurs but a stripped down version has a lot more potential.
Cat
Roar Guru
Again the only reason these packs form is because of the idiotic interpretations the AFL has encumbered the umpires with. Answer me one question: According to the rule book what exactly constitutes 'prior opportunity'?
Pelican
Guest
Totally agree Damo. Cricket needs a short form. AFL does not. Also what is all this millenial crap got to do with anything. The young of today are no diffrent to the young of the past. The generation theory is crap. The only group that were any different were baby boomers and that was just a size thing. Boomers think they were special which explains why they love generation theory. To the rest of us its its just a way for boomers to blow off about how great they were. They picked on gen x calling them the slacker generation now they bag the millenials. Boomers love to label everyone. Sports dont need to target paticular generations simply because generation theory is rubbish. Young people have always had shorter attention spans and more energy, and then they grow up.
Aligee
Guest
I think it is a bit of both TBH. But if you look at even games from the 1990's tackling is pretty well non existent, it has been a huge change and for the sake of the game not good really. More packs = more scragging and more of getting away with it.
Penster
Roar Guru
18 is great on the MCG but too congested on the SCG, depending on the game plan. 16 a side on the MCG, the players would be buggered covering the space for 4 quarters of footy. Unless there was a higher interchange rotation and larger bench ...... Looking forward to AFLX starting, as well as the AFLW and local leagues. Too much footy is not enough for me, could watch Aussie Rules all day every day, year round.
Cat
Roar Guru
I'm with Rick. If the rules, as written, were enforced, a lot of the so called problems with the game would be fixed. Instead of letting players just drop the footy and 10 others pile on after, call incorrect disposal, and no rolling maul is ever formed.
Aligee
Guest
The congestion is because of game plans which involve huge numbers around the ball or while teams filling up defensive 50's. Game plans involve very little positional play like in previous eras, therefore to stop the game looking like a rolling rugby maul umpiring and the AFL has made concessions to get the ball moving. When the ball is moving backwards and forwards freely with good kicking and marking or roving of the packs it is a great game to watch
Aligee
Guest
Also what game is not a mutated version of something else ?
Cat
Roar Guru
The AFL has clearly articulated the purpose. It is quite clearly designed for areas without access to cricket ovals. Rectangular fields can be found virtually everywhere.
Martin Doyle
Guest
I don't think anyone let alone the AFL knows why they have decided to develop AFLX. You know that executives participate in these think tank sessions and they are under enormous pressure to come up with something that is "innovative". Some times it takes more courage to take a steady as she goes approach rather than going off course and hitting an iceberg.