The AFL grand final at Perth’s Optus Stadium under lights saw the Melbourne Demons break a 57-year drought, defeating the Western Bulldogs by 74 points.
The game was a see-sawing affair for the best part of three quarters until a midfield masterclass broke the game, kicking 16 of the last 17 goals of the game. The Norm Smith curse of 1964 has finally been broken.
The game could have and should have looked very different. The game was broken loose and all hell broke loose by the Demons at the 15-minute mark of the third quarter.
The newest rule brought in by the AFL at the start of 2019 was the 6-6-6 rule, making it mandatory for teams to have six players in each third at a centre bounce.
The idea of the rule was to stop flooding and having all 22 players rushing to one half of the ground.
(Photo by Gary Day/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
The rule has copped its fair share of criticism with many believing the use of flooding is a very natural part of the game. The use of flooding first came into use by then-coach of the Western Bulldogs Terry Wallace in 2000.
Essendon was on an unbeaten run of 21 games straight and came up against Wallace and his Dogs in the final game of the round.
Wallace was determined to curtail the influence of players such as James Hird, Dustin Fletcher and Matthew Lloyd. The tactic of flooding was used to double-team players and changed the face of the game, making it almost impossible to find space or have a clean possession.
The grand final saw Melbourne take the ball out of the centre and get a run-on to eventually take the Bulldogs out of the equation.
The Western Bulldogs were certainly outplayed by the Demons on Saturday night. The centre clearance work by Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver and putting Luke Jackson in the ruck were the cornerstones to success.
This is certainly not to take anything away from Melbourne’s success, which has so richly brought the east coast of Australia so much joy through a difficult time.
But the constant changing and tweaking of rules by the AFL has really sacrificed the traditional values of the game at the risk of ruining the spectacle and making it harder for coaches and players to stop a run-on and change the momentum of the game.
Malley06
Guest
I thought you said bulldogs had a better Midfield hahahahah
Stan Rosenthal
Guest
They did not win many marking contests. They had periods where they could not, and then later could, take uncontested marks.
Demonjack
Guest
Do you really want a return to flooding and ugly boring football? Who can forget the Swans playing awful, stifling and choking football? Constant stoppages and 36 players inside the forward arc. Give me a break. Arghhh… Thank god for the rule change that allowed us to watch the purest form of our game on display at our greatest game of the season.
Scott Lieschke
Guest
The same could be said about the introduction of the square ( diamond ) back in the 70s and the line across the centre circle and the play from the full back kick out!
Gharner
Roar Rookie
6-6-6 is fine but largely redundant if the ball isn't immediately cleared. For whatever benefit the stand rule provides, I find it hard for umpires to adjudicate properly and it tips the scales too far towards the attacking team. A lot of congestion issues could be sorted by scaling back some or all of the ruck rules. With things like no centre circle, 3rd man up, no recalled bounces and field bounces, stoppages were less predictable (bounces were introduced specifically to clear congestion). Now, with the centre bounce being a small exception, each ball up resembles a basketball tip-off. The nomination process attracts more players to the area, and they all wait in a series of 1-on-1s while the ruckmen often nullify each other, which leads to the ball dropping to one of the many contests, where an immediate tackle ensues and the process is repeated.
Gharner
Roar Rookie
Never considered ground camber before. Certainly would play a part in covering the ground.
dab
Roar Rookie
I'm glad you appreciate the deep deep thought. The point being that sides that throw in the towel have a coaching problem. Fight to the last drop of whatever, I say.
Geoff Briggs
Guest
Get rid of the stupid "STAND" on the mark rule - it does absolutely nothing for the game and just makes players on the mark look stupid and at times irrelevant!!!!!
BigAl
Roar Rookie
Well thanks for that well thought out and intelligent response. Also many, many sides ‘…give up in the last quarter…’. You just can’t tell which side(s) will do this -and that’s the whole problem.
Reg Grundy
Guest
Why does the AFL always have to change rules for the sake of rules changes more than any other sporting code? I wish the AFL would change the following rules: 1. Nominate for the ruck rule, it slows down the game. Teams will at times not nominate anyone or purposely use a small, what does rule actually achieve, apart from making it look like Oz Kick under 10s. 2. stand on the mark rule is ridiculous, especially when lining up for goals in the way players can move off than back on their line to get more kicking distance. 3. Kick out from goal square, why even have the old goal square markings when its really much further out. It looks ridiculous on tv. I don't think that much extra free distance was needed to get the ball out of the defensive half. 4. Too many 50 metre penalties and get rid of team runners.
dab
Roar Rookie
Simple solution. Do not allow sides who give up in the last quarter to play in Grand Finals. Alternatively, do what they do in cricket and allow a side to concede. So at 3 qtr time, Max and Bonts shake hands and agree that it is Melbourne's game. Then they all head off to the post game celebrations.
dab
Roar Rookie
They were warned. Resistance is useless.
BigAl
Roar Rookie
Been saying it for years !! The biggest scourge facing the AFL, ESPECIALLY GRAND FINALS is BLOWOUTS !!! This GF deserved to be a better/closer game. So often (for whatever reason ???) a side will get a run on and the opposition’s will to compete just -drops… My suggestion would be to give the ball to the opposition after a goal is scored (like in basketball) – via a kick in from the 50m circle ???
Stirling Coates
Editor
Without a doubt. If the Demons only go into three-quarter time with a seven-point lead it's anyone's game. I think I said in my talking points article that the last minute was a hull breach for the Doggies.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
That’s the time Stirling for Treloar, Bont and Libber to go defensive. A few minutes left, two quick goals. You just want to scrap and reset at three qtr time. No on field leadership from Bont. I just saw heads drop. GF was lost so quickly. Forget the 70+ points. IMO the GF was lost in that last minute of the third.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Great comment Handles. Makes a lot of sense.
Prez
Roar Rookie
Your comment if Bevo can turn it around is going to define their next couple of years. Their list is in great shape, but ..... we have seen how devastating a GF lost can be for clubs and this was as bad as anything seen in the last 20 years.
Prez
Roar Rookie
can't trust or expect coaches to look after the health of the game. They will always seek to win which is what we expect of them. Scoring has been on the decline for years as coaches implement full oval defense structures.
Magpie Greg
Guest
Rodney Eade brought in the flood in 1996 at Sydney.
Kick to Kick
Roar Rookie
I was at that 2002 Docklands game. Visiting from Sydney I went along to support the Swans. It was the worst game I’ve ever seen live – in any code at any time, not even redeemed by the close ending ( it was a draw). Rodney Eade only lasted about 6 weeks more before he resigned.