Proposed Rule Changes

[Gilly]

What do people think about the suggestions for rule changes currently being considered? The ones I've heard about are:

1) Increasing the legal kick distance from 15 to 25 metres.
2) A free kick will be paid against the team who last touches the ball before it goes out of bounds.
3) Amending the holding the ball rule so that when a player is tackled and "spills" the ball, it will be considered an illegal disposal.

[Punk Rooster]

Maybe the AFL should wait until the Umpires interpret the existing rules correctly, before re-arranging the chairs on the deck of the Titanic....

[Jimmy]

the afl is a sinking ship...you just dont change it up every year, esp if it will confuse everyone, which these no doubt will as hte umps have NFI how to interpret them

[TigerBoss]

Stuff the rule changes...I'm sick of these hacks wanting to continue to change a game that isn't broken.

[JK]

Agreed TB, although I think the 3rd of those options should be in place, that said, I would have thought it was already in place but the interpretation factor leads to many instances going unpenalised!

BTW, I think the minimum kick distance should go back to 10 metres, wtf does the additional 5 do to better promote the game??

[Dog_ger]

Bring it on at this level. A backwards kick should only be a mark if it travels 40 metres..?

[spell_check]

I reakon they should bring in the one hand one bounce rule. Yep, that'll make it interesting.

[gg]

Unfortunately, I think the AFL is slowly but surely attempting to hybrid our game with Gaelic football rules all for the sake of cementing an international flavor and maintaining a relationship with the GAA.
In saying that, there are some excellent rules in Gaelic football or the IR, which wouldnt be too bad to see in our game. I like how they only have the ruck and rover of each team at the center bounce. Maybe just make it that at the center bounce no player can enter the square until AFTER the ruckman has touched the ball, not AT the bounce itself. This would free up the center congestion and actually make ruckmen stand out more.
I think the idea to make all balls out of bounds a free kick against the other team is purely to imitate the Gaelic rules as well an attempt to thwart flooding. However, the implications of this are bad. A tight game, ruckman leaps and punches the ball out the sideline close to goal, would now mean a free kick.
One rule which is perhaps ok, is the policing of the incorrect disposal. The game has degenerated now where this rule has disappeared and players can get away with losing the ball all the time.
I also would like to see something done about the holding the ball rule. The umpires whistle the play dead too quickly. They should just make it that it's play on at all times, the ball has to come out, and make it illegal for players to pile in. This would free up congestion and flooding as well.
As for marks....increasing the distance is still a band-aid and an attempt to stop the possessional game. I would rather allow the genius of coaches to come up with new tactics themselves to stop the flood, etc, rather than the AFL trying to police everything and outlaw things. However, a general rule which could be good is that no kicks backwards are called marks, play on at all times. This could be good in the forward 50, when a defense manages to force a leading forward to mark the ball out wide. Should be a reward to the defense where the player either kicks for goal or passes backward but it would be play on.
Actually, maybe a suggestion to kill two birds with one stone....remove the center square, divide the field into three sections, a forward 70, say, a back 70 and whatever in the middle, with just a circle for the bounce...and make it that only ruck/rover contest the center bounce, as well as making it that marks can only be taken in the forward or backward 70. this way, there can be no possessional overkill and brings back the direct game, long kicking, and contested marking.

[spell_check]

I've said this before.

This would work at SANFL level and not AFL level because of the Docklands roof, but there should be a bonus point if you score more than 100 or 120 points, win or lose.

Also, limiting the changes on the interchange bench to stop players being rotated on and off the bench so it is easier to flood. The thread I started on FootySA explained it well, and Oldfellas' posts on that thread were good.

[Rik E Boy]

Proposed Rule Changes as suggested by the Clubs. Submitted by Adrian Anderson (Australia's highest paid work experience kid)

ADELAIDE COWS: Home games every week for the Cows. A decade long media gag for John Reid.
BRISVEGAS GORILLAS: Re-instatement of the additional salary cap and the introduction of an AFL time machine that can only go as far back as 2001
BLUESAGGERS: Retrospective drafts and the removal of penalties, allowing Goddard and Wells to suit up for the Blues
WOBBLES: Eddie Amin to take over from Dimwitfreo and Nick Stevens forced to play for the Pies. The abolition of the father-son rule in case the Clokes and Shaws have kids who can't play in the future.
ESSENGORN: Kevin Sheedy to recieve free mental health care from the AFL.
F*CKEDMANTLE: Style points awarded on the premiership table for having THE ugliest jumpers in professional sport
CATTERS: A penalty goal awarded to Geelong everytime an opposition supporter says the word 'handbaggers'. The immediate deregistration of that bastard Nick Davis.
HORRIBLETHORN: A goal head start for every player in the Hawk lineup that we've never heard of.
KANGAPOOS: Additional premiership points every time a player's wife grabs the wrong snag at a club BBQ.
VOLVOBOURNE: The Dees want the introduction of a 12 week mid-season break so the fans can go skiing. Also, they want the OX to shut the fugg up.
PORT POOWER: Immediate recognition of Port's 700 SNAFL flags and the right to wear Black and White. The AFL responds by allowing one black eye and one white eye instead...thousands of volunteers report to Alberton.
BITCHMOND: The removal of the every season from AFL/VFL history since 1982, (except for 1995 and 2001) so they can continue to call themselves one of the 'big four'
AINTS: Immediate reports for any player who touches any of their fragile crocks with double penalties for any player who makes Nick Riesulk cry. A new award that recognises, 'captain of the week'.
SYDNEY SWINES: Why would they want any changes? The system worked beautifully for them last year.
WET TOAST EGIRLS: Free sunscreen and hair products for every Egirls player. Extra room in the salary cap for everytime Woosha says bugger all at a press conference.
WESTERN BULLFROGS: The introduction of a top nine and a AFL draft for supporters so somebody will actually come out and watch this emerging side.

So boys, do I get the gig??

regards,

REB