The AFL will not stage the oft-maligned AFLX pre-season exhibition in 2020, football operations manager Steve Hocking has confirmed.
After just two instalments and no shortage of scepticism from AFL clubs and fans, AFLX is no more.
AFL football operations manager Steve Hocking has confirmed the pre-season exhibition will not be staged in 2020.
Hocking told a meeting of club chief executives on Tuesday the league wanted to provide clear air for next season’s expanded AFLW competition, while also ensuring the men’s pre-season was structured to minimise demands on players.
“There are four new clubs entering the AFLW competition for 2020, and the AFL’s on-field priority next year is to ensure the right emphasis and resources are in place to ensure the women’s competition continues to build on the success of the first three seasons,” he said.
“In addition, the AFL is assessing the full pre-season program for clubs and ways we can ensure the players and clubs are in the best condition in the lead-up to the premiership season.
“This was a constant message in our recent mid-season reviews with the clubs.”
Last year’s AFLX debut was played across three nights in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide with every AFL club required to field a team.
The hit-and-giggle tournament was revamped this year to feature four all-star teams playing at the same venue on one day and a designated “game-changer” with the power to earn double points for the final five minutes of each game.
AFL clubs remained wary of the exhibition and a number of players were pulled out in the days leading up to the tournament.
The AFL’s competition committee has debated shortening the pre-season in a bid to reduce the number of players getting injured before the season proper.
Hocking has previously said the committee will consider a range of options, including giving players a longer off-season break.
Teams that did not play finals are able to bring first to fourth-year players back at the start of November, with senior players joining them a fortnight later.
The AFL also last year enforced a three-week shutdown period at clubs over Christmas, up from two weeks previously.
AFL boss Gillon McLachlan also addressed the club chiefs, saying he hoped overall crowd numbers for the 2019 season would closely match last year’s record figures.
Brian
Guest
The problem is 9/10 things this Commission tries fail. AFLX was always going to fail.
Craigo
Guest
Clipper - they were on par with GWS & Suns crowds as well.
WCE
Roar Rookie
Smartest thing hockings ever done. I thought basketball's clowns, trumpetiers and carnival show for a game was dumb enough but to implement similar idiocy for the AFL was a pure brain fade.
clipper
Roar Rookie
Nick - they were on par with Sydney NRL crowds as well
Craig
Guest
Being On par with Super Rugby and the A-League is not something to aspire to.
Nick Symonds
Guest
"Well, at least we still have the AFL taking over China with one game a year in front of 5,000." - AFLX crowds in Australia were twice the size, they weren't that bad. They were on par with the A-League and Super Rugby.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Thank God for that
Boo
Guest
Why do so many people criticise the Afl for trying something different.OK it didn't work but I don't see how it really affected any existing Afl supporters.When the then VFL expanded into Sydney many thought it was doomed and now the Swans have a great following.I hope some format out of Aflx develops that can be played on a rectangular pitch .
Craigo
Guest
But, but, AFLX was going to be used to take over all the rectangle sporting codes around the world! Well, at least we still have the AFL taking over China with one game a year in front of 5,000.
Gee
Roar Rookie
Dangerfield is devastated, about the only person who cared about this rubbish.
Jack A
Guest
Agree. Possibly play 15 minute quarters which is 20 minutes or 1 quarter less per game.
Kurt
Guest
Good decision to focus on the AFLW.
PeteB
Roar Rookie
Good
Zlatan
Roar Rookie
They should scrap the pre-season & have every team play each other twice.
Birdman
Roar Rookie
Glad to see AFLX's demise at an 'elite' level but I can still see it being useful as a junior development format.
Birdman
Roar Rookie
Hoo bloody ray
Kane
Roar Rookie
It surprised me that they scrapped it because it was Gill's baby
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
To the surprise of absolutely no one.