After four rounds and 36 games of 2019 AFL season, we are finally getting a feel for the impact of the competition’s raft of new rules and interpretations.
The question is, has there been any impact at all?
Roar AFL Expert Marnie Cohen joined Editor Daniel Jeffrey and host Matt Petherick on the Game of Codes podcast to reflect on the best, the worst and the most inconsequential rules to be introduced to the competition this year, and it wasn’t long before the discussion turned to what has been one of the most controversial changes of 2019.
Listen to the debate
The AFL introduced a total of nine new rules and interpretation changes for the 2019 season:
Traditional Playing Positions at Centre Bounce:
Implementation of a traditional set up at centre bounces – Clubs must have six Players inside both 50-Metre arcs, with one Player required to be inside the Goal Square. Four Midfield Players are positioned inside the Centre Square with the Wingmen required to be placed somewhere along the Wing. Kick-Ins:
For Kick-Ins from a Behind, a Player will no longer need to kick to himself to Play On out of the Goal Square. Following a Behind, the man on The Mark will be positioned 10 metres from the top of the Goal Square (currently 5 metres). Marks / Free Kicks:
For all Defenders who take a Mark or gain a Free Kick within 9 metres of their own Goal, the man on The Mark for the attacking team will be brought in line with the top of the Goal Square. Runners and Water Carriers:
Team Runners may only enter the Playing Surface once a goal has been kicked and must exit the Playing Surface before play Recommences. Water Carriers are not permitted to enter the Playing Surface during live play. Umpire Contact:
Players will be prohibited from setting up behind the Umpire at each Centre Bounce. 50-Metre Penalty:
Stricter on the infringing player, allowing the Player with the ball to advance The Mark by 50 metres without the infringing player delaying the game. In addition, the Player with the Football will be able to play on during the advancement of the 50-Metre Penalty. Kicking for Goal post-siren – Centre of Goal Line:
A Player who has been awarded a Mark or Free Kick once play has ended will now be able to Kick across their body using a Snap or Check-side Kick. The Player shall dispose of the Football directly in line with the man on The Mark and the Goal. Marking Contest
‘Hands in the Back’ rule interpretation to be repealed, allowing a Player to place his hands on the back of his opponent to protect his position in a Marking contest but not to push the Player in the back. Ruck Contests – Prior Opportunity:
A Ruck Player who takes possession of the Football while contesting a bounce or throw up by a field Umpire or a boundary throw in by a boundary Umpire, will not be regarded as having had Prior Opportunity. Where there is uncertainty over who is the designated Ruck, the Ruck for each Team will continue to nominate to the field Umpire.
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hawker
Guest
I'm not sure what these rules were supposed to achieve but they weren't needed and have achieved nothing. The sooner those making these decisions are held accountable - ie sacked , the better off the game will be.
Andrew Miller
Editor
That's a scenario we'd certainly never want to see again, although that's probably more of an umpiring error than anything else. It's just frustrating to see players with the ball running into the defender as the ball is advanced to milk a free kick, or defenders being penalised for rushing back to get on the mark 50m away only to be called for encroaching, resulting in a 100m penalty. It's arguable players will adjust and learn to avoid infringing but a 50m penalty is already such an advantage, the player with the ball's right to play on in this particular circumstance doesn't justify such a messy rule in my eyes.
Lawrence
Roar Rookie
Like the new rules but won't affect scoring. I enjoy a good close tactical defensive game more than a 20 goal score fest. Get rid of warnings for breaching the 6-6-6, looks like amateur hour. Umpires chuck it up in the centre square. Why the crap bounce first and then the throw up, looks really ordinary and is slowing the game down. Boundary umpires can't throw it in anymore. Most are very shallow, needs improvement. Nominating who is the ruckman, an absolute joke, it's not under 10s. As long as no one goes 3 up, shouldnt need to nominate.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Re the old 15m penalty, back in the day, we had reached a stage where teams didn't care about giving away the 15m penalty to slow down the play. If we went back to that 15m penalty, one would be given away every time, to give every side a few extra seconds to stack the backline with players. If there is one thing we should not do, it is to revert to the old 15m penalty.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
For decades now, we have been punishing anyone trying to stop another player from playing on, or trying to slow down the play too much, so personally, I feel the new rule falls into that category and I'm fine with it. I remember an incident at WO some 35 years ago, a Footscray player had received a 15m penalty, and the player was stopping him from running forward, the Footscray player pushed the opposition player out of the way, and the ump gave a free kick against him! (can't remember his name, he moved from Fitzroy, Hansen?) Anyway, I'd rather this new ruling than what happened to that Footscray player long ago. Get out of the way, don't stop the player from going forward, don't try and slow down the play, if that allows the player with the ball to run on into space, tough.
Beni Iniesta
Guest
Restrict the interchange bench to 40 rotations. 4 in Quarter 1. 8 in Quarter 2. 12 in Quarter 3. 16 in Quarter 4. Total of 40. Increasing quarter by quarter as players fatigue. 16 in the final quarter is almost as many as now - 20. But less interchanges in earlier quarters will cause fatigue to set in earlier.
Damo
Guest
There's definitely been some interesting options being deployed from kick-ins after a behind. West Coast are an obvious example The trainers/ water runners seems much bigger than the general public have realised I think. We've seen more coaches on the bench as well as high profile players stuck on the sidelines longer than normal because they can't get a message to the substitute on the field. I expect this get bigger as the season rolls on. On field leadership will become a huge talking point as coaches can't call every play after every stoppage.
Section Five
Roar Rookie
Yes i think some new rules have changed the game. The ones in my opinion that have had little affect are -Ruck Contest and Marking Contest are just another rule adjustment which could change again in the future. - Kicking for goal after siren, i have not seen any player using this so far, but i don't get to see all games. Fifty meter penalty change. Well the players are starting to work out how to get a benefit from playing on, rather than trying to milk another 50. Maybe later in the year it will evolve. I personally hate the 50 meter penalty. Umpire Contact at Centre Bounce. - From the games i have watched this happens regularly but i have yet to see one free paid. The call can't come from the umpire bouncing so has to come from the other umpires. Has anyone seen this type of free paid this year???. Not much effect so far are - Marks/Free Kicks For Defenders, this rule at least give a bit of choice as to which side of the ground players can go to, so is a good change. The kick In After A Behind, i thought would be a big change but for some reason the games i have seen, the short kick is still being used way more than i imagined. So the two i believe have changed the game. Runners And Water Carriers - This one the fans won't even notice but the Coaches will have to make big adjustments to communicate to players. Some coaches already starting game on the interchange bench and staying there. They can make all the game plans during the week they want but came game time this can all go down the drain quickly. Also player rotations, player dehydration, big notice boards on boundary that players ignore if the can get away with it. That's assuming they see that far. Anyone out there in the know, could add a few other problems that coaches did not have to deal with last year. Coaches tactics can and do win games. The 6-6-6 rule is great. It opens up the game. In round 4 a total of 193 goals were scored so an average of say 22 goals per game. That's 22 times coaches cant put someone behind the ball. They can't double team a forward on a roll without leaving someone else free inside 50. No matter how quick players are inside that 50 meter arc they can't get to the contest unless the ruck punches it a long way which they rarely do. Should they try to get to the contest they run the risk of their opponent being free so they can roll that dice if they wish. Same applies to wings. In tight games last year coaches would not only put a +1 in defence they also had wingers dropping back late in quarters. So a bit harder to defend a 3 goal or less lead this year. Well that's my take on rule changes up to round 4. But we have 18 rounds plus finals to go so let's see how everything evolves from now on.
Confused
Guest
Many of the chances were common sense and minor so never going to have a major impact. I think they're improvements. I never could understand why the 15m penalty was increased to 50m. It's excessive. I'm glad the change which introduced "prior opportunity" when rucks took possession has been reversed. I love seeing the Rucks impose themselves on the game.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
Well, I'm not a fan of the AFL messing with the rules so my opinion is somewhat biased here. No, they have not had the desired effect the AFL was hoping for — that being: increased scoring. However, the 6-6-6 rule has been interesting and one I'll reserve full judgment until later in the year when teams have better mastered their tactics in this arena. The 50m penalty/play on is neither here nor there as are most of the other rules. A 6-6-6 rule permanently at all stoppages via a nucleus model would make for an interesting change, if indeed the AFL wanted to pull the trigger and detonate things completely.
Andrew Miller
Editor
It doesn’t help that the long kick-in almost always results in a heavy contest. Thoughts on playing on during a 50m penalty?
WCE
Roar Rookie
i like the 666 and the running out of the square as it opens space. 2 glaring "white elephants" to me are the 15 meter marks across the ground which at times seem like only 6-8 meters at most but are paid as 15m, and the idiotic 50 meter penalty for a minute infraction when a player encroaches within the space of a player who's marked the ball, its such a massive overkill for such a pathetic little error. wack a player in the head but don't step within the marking zone! Dumb
Mister Football
Roar Guru
They weren't major changes, it was never going to result in anything revolutionary. The 666 rule has panned out precisely as expected: a tiny window for some clean footy out of the middle and then it's back to business as usual. The most noticeable impact is when a team gains a slender lead lead late in the game, and they can't stack the backline, at least not immediately, and we've seen that play out a few times. I admit I had higher hopes for the new kick-in rule to quickly get the footy out into open space, but that hasn't panned out that way, in reality, a player is only gaining a few metres of space if he runs it out of the square, and as usual, the only free bloke is deep in the pocket, still in the narrow part of the field, and/or there's a great reluctance to try and get the footy 60+m down the field.