Geelong superstar and AFLPA president Patrick Dangerfield isn’t convinced that 16-minute quarters will be here to stay when the AFL competition finally resumes.
The league adopted abbreviated quarters – down from regulation 20 minutes – from Round 1 in the face of the looming coronavirus pandemic.
A number of AFL greats and experts believe the AFL should stick with shorter quarters after a successful audition.
The move was made to theoretically squeeze more matches in a shorter period later in the year but Dangerfield says players are yet to commit to it under the current collective bargaining agreement.
“Clearly we’re still in the middle of a current CBA so the way I see it is that 20 minutes plus time on, 22 games throughout the season – so the CBA will have to be revisited,” Dangerfield told Channel 7 on Sunday.
“It’s not just as clear cut as saying, ‘Oh it worked really well in Round 1, let’s continue it.”
The Brownlow Medallist also has reservations about proposed playing list cuts down from 38-40 to 35 as part of a leaner AFL club model for 2021. He feels players will be under pressure coming off a massively interrupted year.
“The expectation on players is huge in terms of the physical component of the game,” he said.
“Reducing lists a significant amount would clearly have an impact on that.”
Dangerfield led the players’ union’s discussion with the AFL, which resolved a minimum 50 per cent pay cut for the season and was proud of their quick resolution.
But he came under fire from some parties, including AFL legend Leigh Matthews, which he said had been hard to swallow.
“It takes years to organise and orchestrate a CBA and we changed one in just a few days,” said Dangerfield.
“It was tough that week – any time that players or the Players Association are slandered throughout the industry, it gets to you.
“I haven’t spoken to Leigh yet but I’m sure I will get the chance.”
WCE
Roar Rookie
our great game will be unrecognizable if things go ahead with what is being considered
Cat
Roar Guru
It will change - if it needs to - after consultation and deliberation. Players fought hard to get where they are, they aren't just going to roll over and let the AFL make changes without compromises. Nor should they.
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
Ahhh no
Naughty's Headband
Roar Rookie
All they have to do is only stop the clock when the ball goes out of bounds. Time on is now a third of the quarter, it's ridiculous. Every time someone stops to do up his bootlace or the umpires want to bring a player around half a step on the mark they stop the clock. The way the game is umpired is causing all sorts of problems.
Naughty's Headband
Roar Rookie
They don't need to adjust the rules to get the desired outcome - just umpire the game correctly and stop manipulating it through "interpretations".
Lukey Miller
Guest
It would be nice to leave the game alone and not make these occasional adjustments, but the coaches will ensure that can never happen. Coaches will always be trying to get advantage with tactics that change how the game is played - they are paid to win games and not be worried about how attractive the football is. The AFL need to lift their game and watch early trends in tactic and the way the game is played. They were completely asleep at the wheel when interchange rotations increased significantly and crowding behind the ball dramatically changed our game. Now any mention of decreasing interchanges is considered unnecessary tampering with the game. AFL is a unique 360 game with no off-side rule and the game can be significantly affected by tactics and game plans. We will need to get used to rule adjustments.
Lukey Miller
Guest
30 minute quarters are much too long - quality over quantity any day. An average of around 25 minute quarters would be reasonable in my opinion.
Larrikin
Roar Rookie
axemaster why don't you request the inept comical AFLX make a comback then?
Nick
Roar Guru
We dare to dream. The game is rid of Paul Roos, Ross Lyon and Brad Scott now. All that's left is to get rid of John Longmire and Chris Scott and we might see a return to high scoring football. Longmire is on his last legs and Geelong will want a coach that will do better than 4th every year soon.
Nick
Roar Guru
I think you need to switch sports, and probably just stick to rugby. It seems to meet your requirements a bit better than AFL. Halves? Tick. 15 per side? Tick.
Nick
Roar Guru
Yeah, that was an extraordinarily tone deaf comment by him. The level of denialism by football players is extraordinary. It's somewhat understandable, but they need to snap out of it. Nothing will be the same anymore. Militantly sticking to this "we have a contract" line is just dumb.
Nick
Roar Guru
I think a reduction in time for quarters is a good idea. 20 minutes quarters often expand to about 35 minutes with time-on That's wrong. The longest quarter not affected by having to move someone off with an injury last year was 33 minutes. Quarters hover between 28.5-32 minutes. There's approx 120 minutes of actual game time. That compares with an average of 95 minutes for football, 90 for NRL and about 100 for rugby union. Endurance is a key asset of the game. AFL is not an American sport. The key with AFL is that you will get 20 minutes of actual playing time per quarter. Only football beats it. In Rugby union, the actual playing time of the ball in play during the 80 minutes is less than 40 minutes.
6x6 perkele
Roar Rookie
No one coached by Chris Scott will make it happen pope
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Whatever is likely to give me the increasingly rare 20 goal plus score I want.
AxeMaster
Roar Rookie
10 minute quarters plus time on is more than enough. Sometimes you're watching a game and it's like not even half time and you feel the things been going forever. 2 halves would be even better. 14-15 players max per side would also be ideal.
Matty
Roar Rookie
Leave the game alone. Current time for quarters is fine. Keep screwing with the rules and other bits and it lessens the appeal our great game has. The players should have 100% of the say on this as it is them who actually play the game for us to watch. Yes they are paid well, some very well but this has no bearing on the game. Personally I would leave it as is (pre COVID19).
Gyfox
Roar Rookie
"Clearly we are still in the middle of a current CBA". Oh, Paddy, times have dramatically changed - & so will the CBA.
Lukey Miller
Guest
I think a reduction in time for quarters is a good idea. 20 minutes quarters often expand to about 35 minutes with time-on - that is clearly far too long for a full contact, running game like ours. Rugby and soccer have 40-45 minute halves, while the GAA has 35 minute halves. This season has allowed us to see what it would actually look like to have shorter quarters and it seemed OK for mine. 17 minute quarters with some reduction in interchanges might be a good balance. The AFL will want the game to return as an attractive spectacle for fans and not so much of an endurance event as it has been in recent years. Ridding the game of overcrowding (all 44 players crammed within a 50 metre area) could help, but only the coaches can fix that - good luck with that.