Carlton great Mark Maclure defends the AFL for stopping negative tactics with new rules

Leading commentator and Carlton great Mark Maclure has backed the AFL amid angst from the coaching fraternity over rule changes that are meant to open the game up.

AFL commentators Dennis Cometti and Mark Maclure

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Leading commentator and Carlton great Mark Maclure has applauded the AFL’s rule changes and predicted it will finally curb coaches’ desire to make the game more defensive.

The triple premiership player, who was a guest speaker at the Advertiser Foundation 2019 AFL season launch at Adelaide Oval on Wednesday, tipped it would not only make the game more attacking but also stop coaches from turning a losing situation into a gridlock to buy time.

The new rules mean players will this year have to start in set positions — six in defence, six in the midfield and six in attack — after a goal is scored and not be allowed to stack numbers behind the ball.

Other rule changes mean runners will only be allowed after a goal is scored and firmer rules surrounding the player standing the mark after a 50m penalty — which has led to a rash of 100m penalties.

Carlton legend Mark Maclure.

But Maclure, who commentates on ABC radio and is a regular on Fox Footy, said the coaches had brought it upon themselves.

“For mine it looks like a direct attack on the coaches in this business,” Maclure said. “The coaches today — they have seven coaches in each team — their main aim is to work on the next team and how they can beat them.

“And most of it is all about being defensive.

“They’ve got to block this off or block that off instead of working on how we’re going to score.

“So the AFL has made it easy for them here, where they don’t have to think about how they are going to defend.

“They have to think of how they are going to score because it’s going to open up the game.

“The 50m penalty, where they argue that somebody ran beside them.

“Well that’s blocking — you can’t do that.

“It’s a very simple rule.

“Once you give a 50m penalty away you can’t run next to a guy — you’ve got to move out of the way.

The Advertiser Sunday Mail Foundation AFL season launch at Adelaide Oval: Gavin Wanganeen, Angela Condous, Mark Maclure and Mark Soderstrom. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

“That is as simple as the nose on your face. I like that rule; I think it’s fantastic.

“Runners, we don’t need runners. They work with them seven days a week, the coaches.

“They’re there before the game, they’re there at quarter time, they’re there at half time and at three-quarter time.

“Can they (the players) not understand and listen to them and what they say?

“And they get 90 interchanges as well. So they come off the ground and talk to them as well.

“They runners are obsolete for mine. They should be gone.”|

Maclure also backed the AFL in looking at a change to a twilight grand final.

It has been an emotional issue among fans, who like the traditional afternoon time slot, but a switch has worked for rugby league and could work for Australian football.

“It doesn’t matter to me,” Maclure said. “It doesn’t make a difference what we do.

“If the AFL wants to make more money out of it and they think they can by a twilight game — they watch the NRL and the NRL has a spectacular evening with fireworks and all that sort of stuff.

“But they also have a massive viewing public who watch it all around Australia and I think they (the AFL) are afraid of missing out on that.

“But if they want to do it, does it actually matter? To me it doesn’t really matter.”

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