Future of AFL Competition 2021 and beyond

[Sanctorum]

Found the following article in today's Oz by Peter Lalor (a Saints fan!) really interesting and thought provoking!

"There is a growing call for the AFL to stick to shorter quarters after the 2020 season, with senior coaches arguing it’s better for the players and the game.

The league cut four minutes from each quarter, reducing games from 120 minutes’ playing time to 100, to ease pressure on lists in a season where clubs are being asked to play with shorter breaks between games in response to the pandemic.

The 18 teams are in the middle of a three-round fixture that sees 33 games played in 20 days between July 29 and August 17, with some clubs facing a four-day turnaround between matches. The Tigers, as an example, are in the middle of a period where they will play four games in 20 days.

Swans coach John Longmire and Cats coach Chris Scott both urged the league to consider sticking with reduced playing time after this season.

“Whether we can do that, I understand there’s a lot to that (including) TV rights, there’s a whole lot of things need to be taken into account there, but if you want your best players to be playing over a longer period during the season and also for (more) seasons I’d be supportive of at least looking at less time for games,” Longmire said Tuesday.

“It’s relevant from a player welfare perspective, but also from the fans’ (viewpoint) who I think would be keen for that too.”

The AFL has scheduled 18, instead of the traditional 22 homeand-away rounds, this season.

Reducing the length of games could even see the season expand to where every side plays each other twice.

Scott argues that sticking with reduced game time would allow the AFL to schedule more midweek games.

“I think in the fullness of time most people will advocate for the shorter games,” he said.

“I think that is the way world sport is going and if it means teams can back up and play more regularly, I think games will be a bit more closer because there is less time to blow teams out of the water. At the very least I think it is an idea worth pursuing (Wednesday night football).

“I’m an advocate for it, but I will put in the caveat that I haven’t put in a lot of thought and am not privy to the complexity around broadcast deals and what is best for the game in terms of commercial outcomes.

“But as a fan, and a participant at a club, I’m an advocate for more footy, more stand-alone games across the week. Certainly playing Thursday to Monday makes a lot of sense.

“Even if we had a situation where the players played a little bit more often in the season and trained a little bit less, I think it would be beneficial for everyone.”

The Cats play North Melbourne on Wednesday night at the Gabba off a four-day break and after a trip across the country, having played West Coast in Perth on Saturday.

AFL subjects its players to more game time than other football code. A traditional game of Australian rules lasts for 120 minutes, soccer (90 minutes), rugby league (80 minutes) and rugby union (80 minutes). A game of American football spans over 180 minutes but features on average 11 minutes’ playing time.

Crows midfield coach Mick Godden argued recently that the reduced game time creates a “sense of urgency,” with sides likely to take more risks and make more mistakes if they fall behind because there is less time to make up the score difference."

The prospect of playing each time twice would do much to improve the integrity of the competition, and having games on 5 days of the week, possibly more at certain times, is from a fan's perspective really tantalising, though if you live in Melbourne it might perhaps be hard to get to see every game, I don't know...

If every team plays each other twice that would presumably mean 34 rounds compared to the current 23 (including byes) but if game time is reduced to 100 minutes which would enable players to back up quicker, and have 4 or 5 day breaks the season could easily run for 27/30 weeks February to August, with finals in September as usual.

Sounds pretty good to me!

[The_Dud]

Permanently shortening the games would seem to go against everything the AFL has been trying to do recently, which is tire out players more (reduce rotations, less stoppages) so they can't cover/flood the ground as much which intern opens up the game for a 'more pleasing' spectacle.

It will be interesting, I've been getting used to the shorter games, 20 minute quarters would feel like an eternity atm!

[Secret Kiel]

That article doesn't discuss the sole focus of the AFL's, revenue and profit, the AFL would be happy to reduce game time provided it doesn't reduce revenue and profit. The US NFL template would be salivating to the AFL, 180 minutes of game time and 11 minutes of play to allow total domination of commercials and sponsor exposure.

AFL is unique in world sport becuase of it's long game time, it's what has made the game a grueling marathon.

[Secret Kiel]

Permanently shortening the games would seem to go against everything the AFL has been trying to do recently, which is tire out players more (reduce rotations, less stoppages) so they can't cover/flood the ground as much which intern opens up the game for a 'more pleasing' spectacle.

It will be interesting, I've been getting used to the shorter games, 20 minute quarters would feel like an eternity atm!

Shorter games would suit shorter attention spans.

[desertsaint]

cant see how we'll ever get 34 rounds in a season. shortened games or not, it's basically asking for an extra game every second week, if we start the season earlier.
i prefer the shorter quarter - footy games are too long. 100 minutes of game time is still well ahead of any other football code. should reduce the interchange bench to two, if so.

[SaintPav]

Permanently shortening the games would seem to go against everything the AFL has been trying to do recently, which is tire out players more (reduce rotations, less stoppages) so they can't cover/flood the ground as much which intern opens up the game for a 'more pleasing' spectacle.

It will be interesting, I've been getting used to the shorter games, 20 minute quarters would feel like an eternity atm!

Shorter games would suit shorter attention spans.

Ha ha...

[The_Dud]

Permanently shortening the games would seem to go against everything the AFL has been trying to do recently, which is tire out players more (reduce rotations, less stoppages) so they can't cover/flood the ground as much which intern opens up the game for a 'more pleasing' spectacle.

It will be interesting, I've been getting used to the shorter games, 20 minute quarters would feel like an eternity atm!

Shorter games would suit shorter attention spans.

How many games have you managed to watch this year?

[Secret Kiel]

Permanently shortening the games would seem to go against everything the AFL has been trying to do recently, which is tire out players more (reduce rotations, less stoppages) so they can't cover/flood the ground as much which intern opens up the game for a 'more pleasing' spectacle.

It will be interesting, I've been getting used to the shorter games, 20 minute quarters would feel like an eternity atm!

Shorter games would suit shorter attention spans.

How many games have you managed to watch this year?

Give the thingamebob a good thump on the side...it's stuck in a loop.

[Saintmatt]

Permanently shortening the games would seem to go against everything the AFL has been trying to do recently, which is tire out players more (reduce rotations, less stoppages) so they can't cover/flood the ground as much which intern opens up the game for a 'more pleasing' spectacle.

It will be interesting, I've been getting used to the shorter games, 20 minute quarters would feel like an eternity atm!

I think tiring-out the players may be their stated 'aim' however, the AFL's actual behavior suggests otherwise. If they really wanted to do that - they'd just drop the interchange rotations to 10 per quarter instantly. The AFL is too busy serving a million masters - their Players' Association; the broadcasters, the governments, the Doctors. Sadly, the actual fans come a distant last in that conga line.

The AFL's real aim at present is to keep the game open and free flowing by reducing congestion around stoppages (i.e. 6/6/6, holding the ball interpretation change etc). The only problem is that really, all they've managed to achieve is confuse the players and p!ss off the fans by implementing ClarkoGnome's holding the ball interpretation mid season.

[Joffa Burns]

Permanently shortening the games would seem to go against everything the AFL has been trying to do recently, which is tire out players more (reduce rotations, less stoppages) so they can't cover/flood the ground as much which intern opens up the game for a 'more pleasing' spectacle.

It will be interesting, I've been getting used to the shorter games, 20 minute quarters would feel like an eternity atm!

I think the 20 minutes came in in the early 90's with reduction from 25.
I recall as a kid looking at the clock in a close games and seeing 33/34 minutes and wondering when the siren would ring.

I remember commentators saying that full forwards like Lockett and Dunstall will not have the chance to break the Pratt/ Hudson records through reduced playing time.

No idea what it was historically, but I like the current shorter quarters.

[The_Dud]

Permanently shortening the games would seem to go against everything the AFL has been trying to do recently, which is tire out players more (reduce rotations, less stoppages) so they can't cover/flood the ground as much which intern opens up the game for a 'more pleasing' spectacle.

It will be interesting, I've been getting used to the shorter games, 20 minute quarters would feel like an eternity atm!

I think tiring-out the players may be their stated 'aim' however, the AFL's actual behavior suggests otherwise. If they really wanted to do that - they'd just drop the interchange rotations to 10 per quarter instantly. The AFL is too busy serving a million masters - their Players' Association; the broadcasters, the governments, the Doctors. Sadly, the actual fans come a distant last in that conga line.

The AFL's real aim at present is to keep the game open and free flowing by reducing congestion around stoppages (i.e. 6/6/6, holding the ball interpretation change etc). The only problem is that really, all they've managed to achieve is confuse the players and p!ss off the fans by implementing ClarkoGnome's holding the ball interpretation mid season.

All true.

I think the only reason interchanges aren't down to 10-20 a quarter is because the Players' Association and coaches wouldn't have it, so the AFL are playing the long game and will gradually get it down over time.

[asiu]

i’m not a fan of the extra advertising time
between bounces

wrong
sad
lets get on with it

[St Chris]

No way the AFLPA agrees to 34 games a year - short quarters or not.

Only way to play each team twice is to reduce the amount of teams - 14 or 15 teams into 26 or 28 games with short quarters is the only hope.

It wont happen anyway - the main argument for playing each time twice is "fairness", a concept the AFL neither wants, nor needs.

[The_Dud]

The AFL could always do what the NFL does and distribute the games over multiple years, so every 3 years each team plays each other 4 times (or whatever it works out to be), 2 home and 2 away. But that won't fit in with blockbusters and derbies, so I can't see it happening (compromised much!)

[Secret Kiel]

No way the AFLPA agrees to 34 games a year - short quarters or not.

Only way to play each team twice is to reduce the amount of teams - 14 or 15 teams into 26 or 28 games with short quarters is the only hope.

It wont happen anyway - the main argument for playing each time twice is "fairness", a concept the AFL neither wants, nor needs.

This is the preferred option by the AFL, all that is needed is to chop a few teams from existence and there has never been a better opportunity for that to be done. The next few years while this recession is worsening will be the ideal time to do it and the AFL now have the ultimate with the administration managment they forced clubs into a few months back.

[bigcarl]

I think it’s time the AFL stopped pandering to the coaches and players and started listening to the fans.

[bigcarl]

AFL is unique in world sport becuase of it's long game time, it's what has made the game a grueling marathon.

I hope that never changes. It’s one of the things that makes the game great.

No doubt the AFL will have a keen eye on revenue, but, in a normal year (with no pandemic), It is plenty lucrative enough.

They shouldn’t risk changing the character of the game to the extent that it is nothing resembling what we grew up with.

[ace]

cant see how we'll ever get 34 rounds in a season. shortened games or not, it's basically asking for an extra game every second week, if we start the season earlier.
i prefer the shorter quarter - footy games are too long. 100 minutes of game time is still well ahead of any other football code. should reduce the interchange bench to two, if so.

The time clock has 4 quarters of 20 minutes in 22 games = 1760 minutes home & away
If you played 4 quarters of only 12 minutes in 34 games = 1768 minutes.
Shorter than covid-19.
But even that assumes players run at the same average speed as they do in normal game.
Not going to happen, players will go harder and faster early in the season and be dead by season end.

If they are looking for a fairer draw you would remove two Victorian clubs.
Say the 2 you hate the most.
For me Collingwood and either Essendon or Carlton.
You would have a Victoria conference and a National conference each with 8 teams.
Each conference team would play its own conference teams twice = 14 games and the other conference only once - 8 games.
Instead of 9 games per week there would be 8 games but more two team state derbys.

The AFL has seen this suggestion but the TV station likes more games.

[Secret Kiel]

AFL is unique in world sport becuase of it's long game time, it's what has made the game a grueling marathon.

I hope that never changes. It’s one of the things that makes the game great.

No doubt the AFL will have a keen eye on revenue, but, in a normal year (with no pandemic), It is plenty lucrative enough.

They shouldn’t risk changing the character of the game to the extent that it is nothing resembling what we grew up with.

!+
Yep I couldn't agree more about leaving the game length the same, it's why I found Clarko's attempt at deflection laughable when he commented on the ugliness of the game, he of all people knows the crap, defensive spectacle this year is due to the shorter games, well let's just say its been much worse this year and that alone is the reason the game lenght has to go back to normal.

[Munga]

What a friggen whinge! Of course it came from Scott!

"There is a growing call for the AFL to stick to shorter quarters after the 2020 season, with senior coaches arguing it’s better for the players and the game"

What, two of them, Scott and Longmire? Wow. Change the foundations of the sport to appease two people.

There's already too long of a ad gap between goal and centre bounce, I can literally make a cup of tea during an ad break! It was already crap when they went from 20 to 30 seconds, what is it now, a minute?!

It's a war of attrition, every club in Australia is in the same position. Manage your lists and stop whinging!!! You only have to field 22 players ffs, how big are lists these days, 45? Cry me a river. Even with games every five days, they have lists of 45!!!

[YoungGeorge]

Actually when Chris Scott opens his mouth i my 'smarm-meter' goes off the scale. He is not the custodian of the game that he seems to think he is. The coaches have shown themselves to be very poor judges when it comes to assessing whats good for the future of the game. Meddle with it at your own peril AFL, we have the best game in the world because its remarkably unique. The argument that calls for it to be brought into line with other world sport is a dangerous one and should be called out. We've built something brilliantly Australian (Victorian), - dont f##k with it.