Combative AFL chief forecasts changes to rules
AFL supremo Gillon McLachlan expects some rule tweaks to come into force next season and has taken a veiled swipe at critics “positioning” themselves against change.
The AFL’s competition committee is considering sweeping rule changes aimed at reducing congestion around the ball and producing a more attractive style of play.
AFL football boss Steve Hocking on Thursday declined to put a time frame on the expects changes next season with potential tweaks to be discussed at an AFL Commission meeting next month.
“There’s a board meeting early August and I’ve got a meeting on Monday afternoon where (Hocking) is going to brief me about where he’s at,” he told 3AW yesterday.
“I think there’ll be some changes.
“The extent of them, I’m not sure.”
Momentum appears to be building for the introduction of starting positions at centre bounces and stoppages but several AFL coaches have expressed alarm at the idea.
Richmond premiership coach Damien Hardwick feared the change would lead to an increase in blowouts while Collingwood counterpart Nathan Buckley went a step further, saying starting positions would be a “blight” on the game.
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley said rule-makers should be wary.
“Unless you’re really sure what you’re going to get, just be a bit careful, a bit cautious, because you might get some- thing you don’t want,” Hinkley said yesterday.
McLachlan also indicated a twilight grand final remained a possibility in 2019 but any decision was unlikely until early next year.
He also weighed in on the future of runners, saying he could see the argument for having them abolished from the game.
Sydney were handed a first and final warning on Thursday after runner Jeremy Laidler stayed out on the field and appeared to be trying to block space during the final minutes of the Swans’ win over North Melbourne on Sunday.
“A lot of people are making that point. I’ll take the advice of my head of football,” McLachlan said.
“If you take an international visitor to the game, they say, ‘what are those guys running around in pink?’ ... they’re almost like streakers.
“People quite rightly say we need to get messages out and inform the players . . . then there’s what some runners do, which is filling holes and getting in the way, and that’s not appropriate.”