Brad Scott rates the AFL’s new 6-6-6 rule a North Melbourne killer that’s also putting fresh life into the game.
The Kangaroos coach sits on the league’s competition committee and he has conflicting views about how their raft of changes is impacting play after nine rounds.
Scott and AFL football operations boss Steve Hocking said on Wednesday that overall, the nine rule changes are having the desired effect of making the game more open and less predictable.
They added that while scoring has declined this season, they felt it was a function of coach tactics, not the new rules.
The 6-6-6 player positioning at centre bounces is one of the key changes.
“Certainly in hindsight if I could go back I’d change the 6-6-6 (rule), because it’s killed North Melbourne, but it’s been good for the game – the game looks better,” Scott said.
“While scoring is as low as it’s been since 1968, the reasons in my view are nothing to do with rule changes.
“It’s all to do with coaching tactics.”
Scott said he had video footage from last season of 19 players being in the frame within two seconds of a centre bounce.
This year, there are only the four midfielders and two wingmen from either side.
“That in and of itself, has been a good change,” Scott said.
“But post-that, 60 to 90 seconds after the centre bounce, the game is going back to a really defensive game.
“In my view, that’s a short-term thing based on the current coaching tactics.”
But Scott and the other coaches continue to lobby for a relaxing of the new restrictions on team runners and this was brought up again at Wednesday’s competition committee meeting.
While there has been considerable debate about the effect of the rule changes, Hocking is pleased.
“The feedback I’m getting from a whole host of stakeholders is they are engrossed in the game and they’re not turning off at half time,” he said.
“They’re watching right through to the end.
“They know teams can be run down … there’s real upside around that.”
Hocking said the AFL is also about to interview applicants for its new role of mental health manager.
The league is also looking at ways to streamline the pre-season, so clubs have more continuous access to players for training over an eight- to 10-week period.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Yes, I've seen a few good spoils ruined by being called a chop. ---- The AFL seems clueless to namby rule interpretations. They are in a battle for crowd and tv / media. By clearing up the rules, make it more black n white, we win the hearts n mind battle with Rugby League, esp in the northern two states.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
A Carlton mate suggested it's either Brad Scott or Michael Voss to coach them in 2020.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Ah Rowdy the game is not the same and it makes me sad. The old wrestling opponents will sneak it's way back to. Certainly they should call play on when kicking backwards when a player is not under pressure. My other pet hate rule, as an old defender, is the "chopping arms" rule. Virtually anyone who spoils a bloke in a one on one is in danger of giving away a free for this one. Dragging the arm down or chopping/hacking from a lower position is fair enough but too often they pay it for an old fashioned spoil. It's also incongruous in that a player can bump someone in the side (or push in the back again) before a ball arrives to get into position for a mark while another player can't punch a ball away via the arms? On the weekend two players leapt for the ball and a free was paid to the guy going for the mark despite the spoiler executing a perfect spoil, presumably because the bloke had to whack it from the side. No grabbing, no chop, no hack.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
My fave meme is the two brothers coming together with the BUPA slogan underneath. ---- "What would you (Brad) say to a healthier (Chris) version of yourself" ---- I esp hate that hands-in'the'back interpretation. We say we protect the man-in-front. Whats happening now is that many players, who work themselves into a good position, are being pushed off the ball. ---- And why is kicking or handballing back into the defensive 50 still allowed?
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
I think that his brothers team have done the best out of the 6/6/6 rule. It is half the reason they are sitting on top.
anon
Roar Pro
What was the excuse in the second half of last season when North Melbourne went 4-5 after starting 8-5? Loss of Waite and Daw has sped up the decline.