AFL edict to AFLW coaches on how to set up their teams and playbooks sets a concerning precedent

AFLW coaches have been told how to set up their forwards, midfielders and defenders from centre bounces — leaving the impression of the new women’s league becoming contrived.

AFLW coaches, such as premiership winner Bec Goddard at Adelaide, are now under AFL directives on how they are to set up their teams and their tactics after an extraordinary email from AFL football chief Steve Hocking. Picture: Sarah Reed

WHAT next for the AFLW? Bibs, in a direct copy of netball, to assign positions to the players in the now increasingly contrived national women’s football league.

“PF” for permanent forward. “M” for midfielders. “DD” for designated defender?

New AFL football boss Steve Hocking’s email to the eight AFLW coaches dictating how they are to set up their teams and to work their tactics is one of the most ridiculous edicts ever to emerge from AFL House.

Eloise Jones of the Crows, left, fights off Brisbane opponents during the Round 1 AFLW match at Norwood Oval. Picture: AAP Image/Roy Vandervegt

To quote Port Adelaide premiership captain Warren Tredrea: “The AFL should not be dictating how clubs should play. It questions the integrity of the competition.”

Reflecting his (and the AFL’s) concern for how the AFLW has quickly inherited the zone and congestion tactics from the men’s game, Hocking has told each coach how they are to set up their teams for all centre bounces.

Commander Hocking says in his email to the coaches: “Teams (will start) all centre bounces with a 5-6-5 (five forwards, six midfielders and five defenders) formation; the umpires won’t commence play until the formation is in place.”

Extraordinary.

Here are some what ifs:

Fremantle takes a one-point lead with 30 seconds to play in a match the Dockers must win to keep their AFLW grand final hopes alive. Traditionally, the playbook suggests extra numbers in defence to protect the lead. Such a defensive strategy is gone now in the AFLW.

Carlton wants to create run from the back of the centre square at a restart. The Blues place an extra midfielder from halfback — in an attacking-minded ploy — but the game cannot restart because Carlton has six rather than five players in the defensive part of the field.

Gabby O'Sullivan of the Dockers during the AFLW Round 1 match against the Western Bulldogs at Victoria University Whitten Oval. Picture: AAP Image/David Crosling

How would Crows AFL coach Don Pyke respond if he was told by Hocking that he could no longer work goalkicking specialist Eddie Betts from the back of the centre square, running towards goal without a marker?

Collingwood plans to play an extra between halfback and full back, working — can we say “loose woman” — in the space in front of Crows giant forward Sarah “Tex” Perkins. It is the same way AFL coaches would put a block in front of Tony Lockett more than a decade ago. So the blocking defender now starts on the wing and drifts back ... and the congestion Hocking wants to avoid in the AFLW still unfolds.

Hocking, in his email, explains the AFL’s “initiatives” for the AFLW coaches as living to a philosophy that protects and enhances the “spirit of the game”. Hocking may have good intentions to protect the AFLW’s look, but his edict does not help the spirit of a genuine sporting competition.

If it is such a wonderful theme, Hocking should try enforcing the same concepts with the 18 AFL coaches. Now that would be interesting ...

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