AFLX: Cornesy, Bone and Rucci’s verdict after the Adelaide Crows win the first tournament at Hindmarsh Stadium
THE AFL entered a brave new world in Adelaide on Thursday when it unleashed its new AFLX concept on the sporting world. The shortened take of the traditional game has polarised fans. But what did The Advertiser’s footy experts think?
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THE AFL entered a brave new world in Adelaide on Thursday when it unleashed its new AFLX concept on the sporting world. The shortened take of the traditional game has polarised fans. But what did The Advertiser’s footy experts think?
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Cornesy’s view: Nearly, but not quite
Graham Cornes
NEARLY — but not quite. The AFL’s experiment with a short form of the game just failed to live up to the hype.
Explosives and flashing lights might work at the T20 Big Bash cricket on Adelaide Oval but they were wasted on the crowd at Hindmarsh Stadium. Even the old favourites like Kiss Cam and Dance Cam failed to arouse more than a moderate response.
In the end, by the time the Crows were playing Geelong in the “Grand Final” of the fledgling event, the crowd had started to drift home. They had seen enough, and what they had seen had failed to captivate them.
That’s not to say the concept of AFLX doesn’t have potential — it’s just that it shouldn’t be played by elite AFL players. The ground is simply too small. It is an ideal concept for kids and it would be perfect for the women’s competition who struggle to score goals on full-size ovals.
The major interest was in watching some of the new players the Crows and Power put on display to their fans. The Crows youngsters made the most of their opportunity and when the scoreboard pressure was on they had a will to win that was palpable.
Most impressive of the Crows, however, was a player returning from long-term injury. Cam Ellis-Yolmen, has fought for every opportunity at the Crows. Back on the rookie list he is the classic example of a player who has been exploited by the system. Nevertheless in his first competitive hitout after last year’s season-ending knee injury, he dominated with a classy performance which was underpinned by a strong physical approach.
Grand final players from last year, Andy Otten and Jake Kelly also played, although one questions why when the concept seems more suitable for emerging players and rookies. However, both had their moments. Kelly, looking bigger, stronger, and indeed quicker this season appears ready to assume a more prominent, leadership role in defence. Jake Lever might have left, but Kelly is now more than capable of assuming his role.
Of the rookies, Jordan Gallucci is the one truly exciting prospect. Bigger and stronger this year, he covers the ground athletically and with an explosive leap he seems destined to fill the role vacated by Charlie Cameron who has defected to Brisbane.
The Crows players all had their moments and despite the ridiculously inadequate trophy which was presented at the end of the night, coach Don Pyke would have gone home satisfied with the hitout.
Port Adelaide on the other hand seemed more than happy to treat the night as a high-intensity training session. The team was unrecognisable from a regular Power line-up. Sam Gray, after his breakout season last year, played and high-profile recruit Jack Watts led the team, but it was a night for the Port Adelaide youngsters.
And indeed, two of those youngsters stood out. Kane Farrell, the kid from Castlemaine, moves smoothly and powerfully as a medium sized defender or midfielder. He will get an opportunity to play if injury or form restricts any of the Port regulars.
Dom Barry will be 24 next month and returns to the AFL with a more mature body and determination. He moves smoothly with a rare combination of pace and endurance. He surely will get another opportunity at the highest level. Riley Bonner, another who has yet to consolidate at the AFL level, again displayed that raking left-foot kick. It is too potent a weapon not to be used more often.
The first night of AFLX has been met with only lukewarm response. The AFL failed to make it a memorable night at Hindmarsh.
There were none of the handouts for the kids — the wigs, the clappers, the signs and the entertainment in the stadium — that make the T20 cricket so much fun. And the game itself rarely excited the crowd — especially when some of the teams resorted to defensive tactics. The concept has potential but give it to the kids and the girls.
Bone’s view: Alienating AFLX misses mark — by some distance
Chris McDermott
IN the words of Agent 86, Maxwell Smart, AFLX “missed it by that much”.
Unfortunately, that much was far greater than ever before.
The AFL’s latest gimmick, to mimic cricket’s Big Bash phenomenon missed the mark by some distance and while it will continue to play out over the next two days, it is unlikely to be ever seen again in its current format.
I’ll admit again to being old school but AFLX was Australian rules football without the highlights, without the passion and without any genuine appeal.
Twenty20 cricket is a version of the game with the dull parts removed. It’s like watching a highlight reel, the best of the best.
AFLX was like watching the reject reel. The best of the best was removed and we watched what was left. Nothing.
I understand why the AFL tried but it must be honest enough to admit AFLX failed.
Firstly, the ground was too small given the ball was almost identical to those used on regular ovals.
One kick from defence and it was a shot on goal. There was nothing in between.
There were no handballs, no contested football, no spectacular marking and no tackling. They are all features of today’s game.
There was no defence. No room for ruckmen and no need for forwards and it was played at a slow pace. Almost half pace.
The smaller ground made scoring higher but the game was slow.
To be honest there was no need for umpires either. I’m not sure they completely understood the rules of the new game but the players certainly did not.
The acceptable crowd of just over 10,000 fans at Hindmarsh Stadium didn’t seem to care, though I am not sure they could have been watching!
And where was the colour, the theatre, the razzamatazz? It was non-existent.
The AFL promised colour. They promised music, fireworks, entertainment.
There was nothing. Zilch. Zero.
Certainly nothing was obvious on TV and there was no break in the game to allow it anyway.
The Big Bash has deliberate pauses in the game to allow for the colour, the music, the crowd interaction but AFLX was so constant it didn’t allow for any crowd involvement.
It was arguably their biggest mistake.
AFLX alienated the crowd, it did not include them.
The golden rule is never over promise and under deliver. The AFL did.
Full credit for trying but if they want the credit, they must accept the criticism, and this was a flop. A dud.
If it is to see another season it must find its niche. Its point of difference.
The SANFL to its credit did exactly that last week and despite smaller numbers the SANFL’S “ Fast Footy” experiment got the thumbs up.
AFLX got a near unanimous thumbs down.
And we haven’t even spoken about Hindmarsh Stadium.
The last time I looked, Adelaide United was fourth on the ladder with a finals campaign a near certainty and a must-win game at home in less than 48 hours.
I bet the deck is in good shape today. Not!
How could this be allowed to happen? How can Adelaide United’s premiership quest be jeopardised?
If Reds chairman Greg Griffin has not been on the phone to SA Sports Minister Leon Bignell already, be afraid Leon, that call is coming.
If there are so many soccer pitches in the world, why destroy this one?
10/10 for trying AFL, 0/10 for delivering.
Back to the drawing board, Gil!
Rucci’s view: Some ticks and some crosses for AFLX
Michelangelo Rucci, Chief Football Writer
AFL boss Gillon McLachlan wants feedback on his league’s new toy, AFLX — the short-form, seven-a-side game on rectangular fields.
He will not be short of advice.
Stakeholder-by-stakeholder — from the coaches to the fans — there will be some feedback that will comfort McLachlan’s aspirations to use AFLX as a calling card to the world (and international television rights) and some reactions that will challenge his staff to adapt.
COACHES: West Coast coach Adam Simpson suggests AFLX be an under-23 competition. If the series best fits in February, Simpson’s call is spot on. It allows the AFL clubs to put their recent draftees on display to the fans who are curious to their talents.
Many AFL coaches will argue there is more meaningful gains with internal training than from AFLX, so McLachlan should not expect AFLX to be favoured as a replacement for JLT pre-season practice games.
PLAYERS: Those who experienced the fast-track AFLX — that is not faster than genuine AFL games but less stop-start — repeatedly referred to the concept as “fun”. This will please McLachlan.
Critically, the notion AFLX is enjoyable of the participants gives the AFL hope its Australian game can be taken overseas and win favour in schools, as Port Adelaide is proving in 100 schools in Shanghai.
FANS: Here there is not the resounding endorsement that cricket found with its short-form T20 game. The common line is that training sessions — now a lock-out for AFL fans — would be more entertaining.
Too much of the traditional game — in particular high marking and tackling (with the chance to goad umpires into holding-the-ball calls — is not happening in AFL.
This is not encouraging for the AFL and its wish to have an AFLX tournament to match rugby sevens in Hong Kong. AFLX must have spectator appeal to work offshore — and at home.
BROADCASTERS: AFLW has taught Channel 7 and Foxtel to be careful with “novelty” ratings. They should wait until the end of the third series in Sydney on Saturday to fully assess AFLX appeal to the lounge-room fan.
EARLY LESSONS: As much as the AFL wants to give AFLX a standout feature with 10-point “Zooper goals”, the cut-off point for such goals — a 40-metre arc — is too short. Draw a line across the centre of the 110-metre pitch and reward a goal (even on the bounce) from the defensive half.
This adjustment might also answer McLachlan’s wish for teams to keep players at the goalfront — a theme that made the AFL boss argue at Hindmarsh Stadium on Thursday night for a rule demanding each team have one player in a 25-metre arc in front of goal.
McLachlan’s suggestion came from his disappointment in not seeing long field kicks at Hindmarsh — a failure of AFLX that minimises the opportunities for high marks, a critical wish of the traditional Australian football fan.
There is a bit of work to do with AFLX. But the most encouraging note for the AFL is the players’ verdict that it is a fun game to play.
This helps the AFL with its development programs in the non-traditional states of NSW and Queensland where Australian football can win over new participants while adopting rectangular soccer and rugby fields.
And it opens the door to the world ... and those much-wanted international television rights.
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