Revolution set to kick in
THE AFL says kick-in strategies will be “revolutionised” with a new more flexible goal square as part of changes that also bring power forwards and ruckmen back into the game.
The league yesterday brought in nine new rules and interpretations to help lift scoring, pulling back on dramatic interventionist policies it looked likely to introduce mid-year.
The most contentious change is allowing full backs to run straight out of the goal square without kicking the ball to themselves, freeing them up to take on the man on the mark or boot the ball long.
As revealed by the Herald Sun yesterday, the AFL decided against an 18m goal square but instead put in place rules which encouraged longer kick-ins.
As the AFL’s tactical guru David Rath said yesterday: “This could revolutionise kickin strategy.”
But wingmen such as Andrew Gaff and Jared Polec, ruckmen such as Max Gawn and Brodie Grundy, and key forwards such as Tom Hawkins should also capitalise on the new rules.
A 6-6-6 set-up at centre bounces means only wingmen can patrol the edge of the centre square at bounces as six players per team are forced to start inside 50, one of them in the goal square. Teams can only drop players back after the bounce, which could lead to more blowouts.
But AFL football operations boss Steve Hocking said it provided a better balance of defence and offence, with the league this year having recorded the lowest scores since 1968.
Teams will also no longer be able to drop multiple players back to defend a lead in the final frantic minutes.
“This can be more exciting, too. If your team is down they can take the game on,” Hocking said. “As clubs do, they will innovate. It changes the landscape and it’s pretty exciting to see how it unfolds.”
He denied there would be a backlash, as players, including Cam Rayner, tweeted their opposition to any changes after this year’s brilliant grand final.
Hocking said coaches were thrilled with a rule that abolished the 2006 hands-in-theback penalty, allowing players to guard space with their hands as long as they didn’t shove opponents out of the action.
“The coaches are pretty excited about this one. Push in the back is still a rule but we want to see players playing on instinct. We believe this improves the game,” Hocking said.
The death of the second ruckman in football might also be reversed by a new rule which allows the big men to take the ball out of the ruck without losing prior opportunities.