VFL to test 6-6-6 set starting positions

UMPIRES will award free kicks against players who don’t stick to their designated starting positions at centre bounces during Saturday’s first official trial of the AFL’s experimental rules in Coburg and Werribee VFL match at Piranha Park, Coburg.

The AFL will use this week’s VFL match between two of the non-finalists to trial some of the experimental rules adopted as part of the research work of the league’s Competition Committee.

Two of those include a larger goal square for kick-outs for the entire game, extending it from 9 metres long to 18 metres, along with setups of six midfielders, six forwards and six defenders for each centresquare bounce throughout the match.

Coburg coach Leigh Adams ran his team through the new rules at the club’s main training session last night, with the bottom-placed Tigers eager to put their hands up for the trial.

“We trialled AFLX for the AFL a couple of years ago,” Coburg general manager Sebastian Spagnuolo said yesterday.

“The negative (people) out there would say we are just being guinea pigs, but at the same time the exposure for our club is great.”

He confirmed a free kick would be paid against any player who did not stick to the 6-6-6 set-up for each centre bounce.

There will need to be six forwards in the forward 50m, including one player in the goalsquare; six defenders in their defensive 50m, including one in the goalsquare; and six midfielders, four of whom are in the centre square, and two wingmen lined up on the side of the square.

“The goal umpires will be looking at the goal square and the field umpires will be looking at the two 50m lines, plus the centre square,” Spagnuolo said.