AFLX was a short-lived experiment by the AFL, allowing the game to be played under modified rules on rectangular fields.
The experiment proved very unpopular, especially after the second season saw numerous gimmicks – both aesthetically and in terms of the rules – added.
It was eventually scrapped in 2019. Here, you can refresh your memory with a list of which players played for which teams, as well what rules were employed for the experimental version of the game.
Deadly
Eddie Betts (c), Shaun Burgoyne (vc), Cam Ellis-Yolmen, Joel Hamling, Jarrod Harbrow, Brad Hill, Lewis Jetta, Tim Kelly, Steven May, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Sam Powell-Pepper, Willie Rioli, Travis Varcoe, Chad Wingard.
Bolts
Patrick Dangerfield (c), Luke Hodge (vc), Jack Billings, Mark Blicavs, Andrew Gaff, Robbie Gray, Tom Hawkins, Andrew McGrath, Luke Parker, Daniel Rich, Steele Sidebottom, Jack Steele, Jaidyn Stephenson, Robbie Tarrant.
Flyers
Nat Fyfe (c), Marcus Bontempelli (vc), Aliir Aliir, Travis Boak, Jeremy Cameron, Stephen Coniglio, Isaac Heeney, Jack Higgins, Lachie Hunter, Michael Hurley, Josh P Kennedy, Rory Laird, Scott Pendlebury, Alex Rance.
Rampage
Jack Riewoldt (c), Patrick Cripps (vc), Luke Breust, Phil Davis, Zac Fisher, Shaun Higgins, Tom McDonald, Tim Membrey, Rory Sloane, Dylan Shiel, Isaac Smith, Lachie Whitfield, Easton Wood, Dayne Zorko.
Adelaide Crows – Eddie Betts, Cam Ellis-Yolmen, Rory Laird, Rory Sloane (4).
Brisbane Lions – Luke Hodge, Daniel Rich, Dayne Zorko (3).
Carlton Blues – Patrick Cripps, Zac Fisher (2).
Collingwood Magpies – Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom, Jaidyn Stephenson, Travis Varcoe (4).
Essendon Bombers – Michael Hurley, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Andrew McGrath, Dylan Shiel (4).
Fremantle Dockers – Nat Fyfe, Joel Hamling, Brad Hill (3).
Geelong Cats – Mark Blicavs, Patrick Dangerfield, Tom Hawkins, Tim Kelly (4).
Gold Coast Suns – Jarrod Harbrow (1).
GWS Giants – Jeremy Cameron, Stephen Coniglio, Phil Davis, Lachie Whitfield (4).
Hawthorn Hawks – Luke Breust, Shaun Burgoyne, Isaac Smith, Chad Wingard (4).
Melbourne Demons – Steven May, Tom McDonald (2).
North Melbourne Kangaroos – Shaun Higgins, Robbie Tarrant (2).
Port Adelaide Power – Travis Boak, Robbie Gray, Sam Powell-Pepper (3).
Richmond Tigers – Jack Higgins, Alex Rance, Jack Riewoldt (3).
St Kilda Saints – Jack Billings, Tim Membrey, Jack Steele (3).
Sydney Swans – Aliir Aliir, Isaac Heeney, Luke Parker, Josh P Kennedy (4).
West Coast Eagles – Andrew Gaff, Lewis Jetta, Willie Rioli (3).
Western Bulldogs – Marcus Bontempelli, Lachie Hunter, Easton Wood (3).
Pick | AFLX team | Player | AFL club |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Deadly | Brad Hill | Fremantle Dockers |
2 | Bolts | Tom Hawkins | Geelong Cats |
3 | Flyers | Scott Pendlebury | Collingwood Magpies |
4 | Rampage | Lachie Whitfield | GWS Giants |
5 | Rampage | Rory Sloane | Adelaide Crows |
6 | Flyers | Alex Rance | Richmond Tigers |
7 | Bolts | Steele Sidebottom | Collingwood Magpies |
8 | Deadly | Jarrod Harbrow | Gold Coast Suns |
9 | Deadly | Tim Kelly | Geelong Cats |
10 | Bolts | Mark Blicavs | Geelong Cats |
11 | Flyers | Jeremy Cameron | GWS Giants |
12 | Rampage | Phil Davis | GWS Giants |
13 | Rampage | Dayne Zorko | Brisbane Lions |
14 | Flyers | Isaac Heeney | Sydney Swans |
15 | Bolts | Robbie Gray | Port Adelaide Power |
16 | Deadly | Chad Wingard | Hawthorn Hawks |
17 | Deadly | Travis Varcoe | Collingwood Magpies |
18 | Bolts | Andrew Gaff | West Coast Eagles |
19 | Flyers | Stephen Coniglio | GWS Giants |
20 | Rampage | Isaac Smith | Hawthorn Hawks |
21 | Rampage | Luke Breust | Hawthorn Hawks |
22 | Flyers | Rory Laird | Adelaide Crows |
23 | Bolts | Luke Parker | Sydney Swans |
24 | Deadly | Steven May | Melbourne Demons |
25 | Deadly | Lewis Jetta | West Coast Eagles |
26 | Bolts | Jaidyn Stephenson | Collingwood Magpies |
27 | Flyers | Travis Boak | Port Adelaide Power |
28 | Rampage | Easton Wood | Western Bulldogs |
29 | Rampage | Tom McDonald | Melbourne Demons |
30 | Flyers | Lachie Hunter* | Western Bulldogs |
31 | Bolts | Andrew McGrath | Essendon Bombers |
32 | Deadly | Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti | Essendon Bombers |
33 | Deadly | Joel Hamling | Fremantle Dockers |
34 | Bolts | Jack Billings | St Kilda Saints |
35 | Flyers | Aliir Aliir | Sydney Swans |
36 | Rampage | Dylan Shiel* | Essendon Bombers |
37 | Rampage | Shaun Higgins | North Melbourne Kangaroos |
38 | Flyers | Michael Hurley | Essendon Bombers |
39 | Bolts | Daniel Rich* | Brisbane Lions |
40 | Deadly | Willie Rioli | West Coast Eagles |
41 | Deadly | Sam Powell-Pepper | Port Adelaide Power |
42 | Bolts | Robbie Tarrant | North Melbourne Kangaroos |
43 | Flyers | Josh P Kennedy | Sydney Swans |
44 | Rampage | Tim Membrey | St Kilda Saints |
45 | Rampage | Zac Fisher | Carlton Blues |
46 | Flyers | Jack Higgins | Richmond Tigers |
47 | Bolts | Jack Steele | St Kilda Saints |
48 | Deadly | Cam Ellis-Yolmen | Adelaide Crows |
*player acquired via steal card.
What was AFLX?
Think of what T20 is to cricket, what sevens is to rugby, what fast four is to tennis – that’s what AFLX is to AFL. In the AFL’s own words, AFLX is “an express form of the game”.
Essentially it was shorter, smaller version of Australian rules football, one that might be easier to scrounge together a few mates for, or not as much of a time commitment to sit down and watch.
What are the rules?
The big change is that AFLX is played on a 110-metre rectangular field, rather than the traditional oval.
Gone are the traditional centre square and forward 50 arcs, instead replaced by two rectangular 15-metre ‘forward zones’ at each end of the ground, and a ten-metre ‘launch zone’ in the middle of the field. As such, what would be a 50-metre penalty was only be a 25-metre penalty in AFLX.
Despite the ‘X’ in AFLX supposedly representing the fact there are ten players on the field per side, each team was allowed just eight players on the field in 2019. They also had six on the bench – with no interchange limit. Matches were also divided into a pair of ten-minute halves with no time on.
In terms of how the game is played, the rules were designed to speed up and streamline movement of the ball in any way possible.
This included a last touch out of bounds free kick, no marks for backwards kicks (except in the 15-metre forward zone), a ten-second shot clock for set shots, and kick-ins from behind the goal line after any score – except a super goal.
In terms of scoring, a goal kick from inside the launch zone (or behind it) was counted as a ‘super goal’ worth ten points. Super goals were also awarded if a player marked a kick from the launch zone (or behind it) inside the forward zone and converted it, or if a player awarded a mark or free kick in the launch zone was awarded a 25-metre penalty and converted the set shot.
A rushed behind awarded a team one point – however, the opposing team also got a free set shot on goal from 15 metres out that was also worth ten points if converted.
The biggest change for 2019’s AFLX tournament was the introduction of the now infamous ‘Gatorade game-changer’. Each team nominated a game-changer for the last five minutes of a match, with every point scored by that player during the five-minute period worth double.
Why on earth did it exist?
Good question. The simplest answer is that AFLX was seen by the AFL as a way to take the game international, as the rectangular ground and reduced numbers would make it easy to play in nations that don’t commonly have sporting ovals.
“AFLX has been created to provide us with the options to play a form of the game in places where oval grounds are limited and to showcase our game internationally at a point in the future,” said Andrew Dillon of the AFL.
When was it?
The 2019 edition of the AFLX eschewed traditional teams entirely, instead opting for a one-night round-robin tournament between four superhero-themed teams.
The Bolts, Rampage, Flyers and Deadly played shorter games of ten minutes per half all on Friday, February 22 at 6:30pm (AEDT).
Despite AFLX being designed for rectangular fields, 2019’s tournament will be played at Marvel Stadium.
Friday 22 February – Marvel Stadium | |
---|---|
Match | Time (AEDT) |
Bolts vs Rampage | 7:10 PM |
Bolts vs Deadly | 7:37 PM |
Deadly vs Flyers | 8:04 PM |
Rampage vs Flyers | 8:31 PM |
Rampage vs Deadly | 8:58 PM |
Bolts vs Flyers | 9:25 PM |
First-ranked team vs Second-ranked team | 9:57 PM |