AFLX is the new and exciting concept created by the AFL that showcases some of the most thrilling parts of the game.
With many familiar aspects still in play there have also been many changes. For example AFLX is played on a rectangular field, has a last touch out of bounds rule and ten point super goals.
It’s designed to be a quicker more explosive game which is non-stop for 2×10 minute halves.
Each team has ten players, seven on the field and three on the bench with unlimited rotations.
The inaugural 2018 AFLX tournament will see games played across three days in three different states. The first games will be at Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide on February 15.
The next games will be on February 16 at Eithad Stadium in Melbourne, before finishing at Allianz Stadium in Sydney on February 17.
Over three parts I will go through each club and name what I believe is their best AFLX line-up. It is a very fast paced game so speed and skill is a major aspect for me. Some clubs I’ve gone without a recognised ruckman due to clubs maybe having more agile players who could fill the role and push forward.
Another important factor is that players can play more than one role for example midfielders who can push forward and kick goals, or maybe small defenders that can push up onto the wing.
In this first part I will be going through the AFLX line-ups from the clubs playing on the first night of games at Hindmarsh Stadium on February 15. These clubs are Port Adelaide, Adelaide, West Coast, Fremantle, Collingwood and Geelong.
Port Adelaide
Paddy Ryder Justin Westoff
Travis Boak Robbie Gray
Chad Wingard Ollie Wines
Tom Rockliff Jared Polec
Steven Motlop Jasper Pittard
Emergencies: Brett Ebert and Sam Powell-Pepper.
A very strong midfield based line-up from Port, with the likes of Gray, Boak, Motlop, Rockliff and Wingard also able to go forward and hit the scoreboard. Ryder about to play in the ruck and as a tall forward wherever needed and Justin Westoff a floating tall that can go forward, back and run through the middle.
(Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)
Pittard and Polec both fast with great skills will run from the backline pushing the ball up the ground. A very strong and well-rounded squad from Port Adelaide.
Adelaide
Bryce Gibbs Rory Sloane
Matt Crouch Taylor Walker
Eddie Betts Mitch McGovern
Hugh Greenwood Rory Laird
Rory Atkins Paul Seedsman
Emergencies: Brad Crouch and Richard Douglas.
Adelaide also with a very strong midfield with some of the best in the game with Gibbs, Sloane and Matt Crouch.
Walker will play as the only tall in the ruck and will go forward. Exciting small forward Betts and high flying McGovern will be great forward targets.
Speed and skill will come from defence from the likes of Atkins, Laird and Seedsman who can all also push into the midfield if needed.
Greenwood will be a utility can go wherever needed and will compete fiercely for the ball. The Crows have covered all bases and will be difficult opponents.
(Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
West Coast
Nic Naitanui Andrew Gaff
Elliot Yeo Jeremy McGovern
Mark LeCras Luke Shuey
Brad Sheppard Dom Sheed
Josh Kennedy Lewis Jetta
Emergencies: Shannon Hurn and Jack Redden.
The Eagles probably have the tallest AFLX line-up with three legitimate talls starting with Naitanui in the ruck, Kennedy as a tall forward and McGovern as an intercepting defender. The Eagles have Sheppard and Yeo who play mostly in defence but can push into the midfield.
The rest of the line-up are strong and skilled midfielders who are all capable of going forward and kicking goals if needed. Will be interesting how the Eagles go with such a tall line-up.
Fremantle
Nat Fyfe Stephen Hill
Brad Hill Michael Walters
Cam McCarthy Luke Ryan
Nathan Wilson Lachie Neale
Harley Bennell Tommy Sheridan
Emergencies: Michael Johnson and Connor Blakely.
Another strong line-up superstar Nat Fyfe playing in the midfield and will ruck for the Dockers. The Hill brothers, Walters, Neale all playing through the middle of the ground with maybe even Walters sneaking up forward as well.
Cam McCarthy playing as a key tall in the forward line. The backline of Ryan playing as the intercepting defender, with Wilson and Sheridan using their speed and skill running off the half back creating attacking opportunities.
Harley Bennell the skilful X factor could add so much to the team no matter what position he plays. I very skilful and quick line-up on the counter-attack the Dockers could be damaging.
Collingwood
Scott Pendlebury Adam Treloar
Jamie Elliot Taylor Adams
Jeremy Howe Steele Sidebottom
Brayden Maynard Will Hoskin-Elliot
Mason Cox Jordan De Goey
Emergencies: Daniel Wells and Brodie Grundy.
Strong midfielders in Pendlebury, Treloar, Sidebottom and Adams headline the Collingwood line-up. Hoskin-Elliot, De Goey and Elliot both highflying forwards can also push into the middle to using their speed.
(AAP Image/Tracey Nearmy)
Highflying running defenders Howe and Maynard will keep oppositions at bay and push the ball up the ground. The major point of this line-up which might create a few discussions is Mason Cox over Grundy being included.
The reason for this is to use him only in the forward line, with most of the clubs playing very small in defence and going with little to no talls, a 211cm forward is a prospect most clubs will struggle to cover. I believe Collingwood can be dangerous with this line-up.
Geelong
Patrick Dangerfield Joel Selwood
Mitch Duncan Zach Tuohy
Mark Blicavs Cameron Guthrie
Gary Ablett Daniel Menzel
Sam Menegola Jordan Murdoch
Emergencies: James Parsons and Brendan Parfitt.
The Cats have a team where everyone has the ability to run through the midfield at some point if needed. The line-up has a great mix of speed and skill and most of the players can play multiple roles.
(AAP Image/Julian Smith)
Blicavs to play as a midfielding ruckman then Menzel, Murdoch, Menegola, Ablett and Dangerfiled are all capable of going forward and kicking goals. Tuohy and Guthrie will mostly play in defence running off the halfback line. Geelong should be a force to be reckoned with any line-up with two Brownlow medalists will be dangerous.
Cat
Roar Guru
Chris
Guest
I suggest you find something else to do with you spare time other than waste a further two unnecessary months of the year on AFL. Seven is more than enough, don't you think? How about reading a book or two? Besides feeling irate is a generates Capital Letters!
Cat
Roar Guru
What did you say? I can't hear you. Speak louder please.
Chris
Guest
YOUR COMMENTS ARE TOTALLY IRRELEVANT! THE MONEY-HUNGRY AFL IS NOT CONSIDERATE OF THE PLAYERS NEEDS...TOO MUCH FOOTBALL AND NOT ENOUGH QUALITY....
Cat
Roar Guru
By your logic all training should be cancelled – players may get hurt. All match simulation should be cancelled – players may get hurt. All preseason games should be cancelled – players may get hurt. Maybe we should even cancel the H&A season – players may get hurt and miss finals.
Chris
Guest
This money making poker machine called the AFLX is just another excuse to get your players injured and miss out on finals. I can't stomach the avarice of the AFL and the short-sightetdness of those who would want to take part in this circus. It's like an EFL team risking all for the old Worthington or Worthless Cup.....They've given it some stupid name now...Carabao Cup indicative of its meaningless nature and standing in world football This AFLX is going to be a hack's game. All the no-hopers will be thrust into this nonsense...A load of malarkey...
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Dangerfield has been used in a lot of AFLX build-up and promotional efforts if I recall correctly. I’d guess he’s quite likely to play.
CadenBob
Guest
I feel like ruckmen won't be majorly selected, as there isn't any ruck contests, which might make them too top heavy
Concerned Supporter
Guest
Aligee, You are a Daydream Believer
republican
Guest
.........but aflsx isn't 'our game' no more that the AFL is Australian Rules Footy. This is an AFL television inspired brand to expand their commercial footprint. There is nothing virtuous about the AFL's intent in the context of 'growing' the game. This nes 'product' for the prosaic tele consumer, has absolutely zero credibility in terms of historic DNA. It is a concoction and whether it is commercially embraced or not, here or otherwise, it will devolve separately, potentially polarising the domestic fibre that has long been the defining trait that has seen our code endure up until now. The AFL are negligent and megalomanic and in that respect, a poor fit to be considered custodians of our great game............
republican
Guest
This is a polarising concept. As with other truncated versions of codes/games aflx will attract an entirely new audience and athlete beyond early exposure, while it has little to do with the heritage of our great game or the AFL's custodianship or lack thereof and all to do with the commodifying of the code and the AFl's dependency on tele $'s. If aflx does gain traction amongst the prosaic masses both here and off shore, it may well have a similar effect as T20 has had on Cricket, rendering the real game acutely vulnerable. Personally I know which footy I prefer but then I have always seen our code more a cultural institution than a dumbed down hypertainment show for stay at home arm chair consumers..........
mattyb
Guest
I didn't know Kelly had twins,I have twins so it's a tough gig. Danger sounds like Fyfe then he if wants to get out there. Would love to see the best playing at this level. AFLX is very exciting,would love to see Cockatoo as I think the game would suit him but I hear what your saying.
Cat
Roar Guru
Aligee
Guest
The only failure the AFL have is not trying earlier. I have never claimed to be a Rhodes scholar, but i know ignorance when i see it , although in your case i put it down to wilful ignorance. Had Australia been England/UK and exported millions of emigrants around the globe i have no doubt Australian Football would be as big as Rugby, even the First Italian soccer team was a joint soccer and cricket club run by UK emigras, same as South America, witness baseball from US servicemen in Japan after WW2 and even earlier. Witness the game of Australian football in Nauru due to the trade in phosphate to Geelong, Australia has had very limited emigration and its colonialism has not stretched beyond small parts of the South Pacific. Your narrow view is just that - narrow and ignorant.
concerned supporter
Guest
I am ignorant, are you a Rhodes Scholar? Or a purveyor of deceptive statements to cloud over the failure of AFL to be an international sport. They haven'tried, rubbish.
Aligee
Guest
You said they have been trying to expand O/S for 160 years, which is incorrect. The AFL and before them the VFL have played a couple of practice games here and there but have had no real O/S expansion plans - EVER. Australian football had some traction in NZ and an even smaller amount of traction in South Africa in the late 1800's because miners went searching for gold, miners from Australia who had plenty of experience on the goldfields of Vic and at that stage lead the world for modern gold extraction, that traction was all because of emigration of people who played the game and took it with them. You really have no idea how sport has or did move around the globe and the power of colonisation, you really don't. That is why you are ignorant.
concerned supporter
Guest
ignorance? What did I say that was incorrect, you brain washed dilettante What do you mean mean you say, "No it hasn't" What hasn't? .If AFL is a "great game"it should simply be able to spread around the globe. If. If. If,,,,,,,,,,,,. What the AFL has done exceptionally well, is to make a club game so powerful financially,no doubt. $21 Million grant to GWS, breathtaking.
Aligee
Guest
No it hasnt, the only expansion O/S has been from expats keen to have a kick, the AFL has been interested in spreading the game North of the Murrumbidgee and even that has been a stop start affair over the years. Australian football unlike the rugby codes or soccer, tennis,hockey etc etc has not had the luxury of millions of immigrants taking their preferred sport all over the world generation after generation to countries who have never had a football or preferred sport. Its not the first time you have shown your ignorance and i'm guessing wont be the last..
Penster
Roar Guru
Looking forward to this, more so with the line up, but pretty obvious head office has issued orders to field the big names. Clubs wouldn't risk injury prone stars like Nic Nat & Fyffe on tiddlywinks otherwise.
concerned supporter
Guest
You say, Make no mistake part of the long term plan ATM is to take this game international."" hasn't. Aust. Rules being trying to expand overseas for about 160 years. AFLX does not sound too explicit. Does the XX stand for 10 minute halves? Best of luck for people overseas to"" embrace our great game.