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AFL’s attitude concerning |
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by Thomas Grant | behindthegame.com.au
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THE recent interchange rule change administered for the first time this weekend, has been labeled a success from the AFL.
However, Sydney coach Paul Roos led a host of criticism directed towards the new interchange revolution, labeling the change “ridiculous”.
Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse publically expressed his frustration to the overhaul as well as Richmond’s Terry Wallace and Brisbane’s Leigh Matthews.
Yet, the AFL has turned a blind eye to the public disgust from both fans and senior coaches, saying the reaction has been “excellent” from the AFL clubs.
"The response from the clubs has been excellent," AFL Football operations manager Adrian Anderson said last night.
"The interchanges have been a lot cleaner and in a more controlled manner.
"The clubs on a whole have done an excellent job."
Either Anderson did not hear the backlash on the weekend or watch any games of Football, or the AFL has turned another blind eye to administration criticism.
Players from every side were left hovering on the sidelines waiting for insignificant paper work to be handed to an AFL official to approve the interchange.
The pace of the game has increased significantly and with that, the number of rotations, making the rule change near impossible.
Sydney copped a $50,000 fine recently after they were caught with 19 men on the field for a period of 40 seconds in a drawn game at the Telstra Dome.
The incident made it obvious that their needed to be radical changes to the 19th man headcount law, but not the actual interchange bench.
A simple restructure where two AFL officials watch a side respectively, making sure one comes on for one, would be a much simpler and logical solution.
If a side did make a mistake similar to the Swans, then it would be reasonable to administer the free kick and 50 metre penalty from the centre square suggested in the current system.
The AFL’s attitude towards their own administered rule change is absolutely pathetic.
It is clear that the system was not a success, the response from the clubs was not “excellent” and that once again the AFL have acted two quickly under pressure.
Even more worrying was their comments to Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse just a year ago where they said that there would be no rule changes midway through an AFL season.
However, round eight into an AFL season, radical changes have been made.
The fact that the AFL have tried to be pro-active in solving the interchange problems is not the issue.
The problem is that the AFL have acted deliberately ignorant to common criticism regarding the changes and look like persisting with the ridiculous terms of the new rule.
An attitude that is concerning.
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