SANFL not compelled to follow AFL on rule changes, so Crows and Power reserves might need to look elsewhere
AFL rules changes cannot be forced upon the SANFL, bringing into question the merit of keeping the Crows and Port Adelaide reserves in the State league
PORT Adelaide and the Crows want Australian football played to uniform rules across all leagues to ensure the SA-based AFL clubs are not forced to abandon the SANFL.
As the AFL executive on Monday prepares to advance rule changes for next season, the SA-based AFL clubs are concerned in having their players working to two rules books.
Port Adelaide football chief Chris Davies told Advertiser.com.au on Friday night: “It wouldn’t make sense for our national game to be played significantly differently across the country.
“We would hope that common sense prevailed at state league level, if the AFL decided to change its rules.”
But there is no guarantee the SANFL - unlike other state leagues - will follow the AFL Commission on a radical rewrite of the game’s rules, such as the much-touted starting positions.
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This could force the Crows and Port Adelaide to reconsider the value of keeping their reserves in the SANFL - and become the trigger for a national reserves competition as one of the unexpected fall-out of the rules debate.
Both clubs would prefer their players to work to one game style - and one rule book - regardless of selection in the AFL and SANFL.
The Crows on Friday night declared they wanted to be “highly engaged and active” in the rules debate.
“At both AFL and SANFL level - (it) is an important (debate) for our players, the fans and the game,” the club said.
SANFL football boss Adam Kelly told Advertiser.com.au on Friday that the state league is not compelled to adopt all or any of the rule changes AFL football chief Steven Hocking is considering to change “the look of the game” at the elite national level.
“We will do what is in the best interests of the SANFL,” said Kelly, who already has worked a rule book with slight modifications to the AFL with free kicks for “last possession” at the boundary lines.
“We will certainly consider what the AFL does – especially given that the AFL has a lot of insight from the in depth analysis and research they are undertaking in the interest of making a decision on what is best for Australian football.
“But we are not compelled to introduce any of the changes adopted by the AFL Commission.”
This paradox would then force the Crows and Power to reconsider the value of working their reserves in the 10-team SANFL.
The SA-based AFL clubs argued for their own reserves teams in the SANFL in 2014 so that their AFL-listed players could be coached and developed to AFL needs. If there are significantly different rules in the two leagues - and a need for tactics and team structures that are appropriate in the AFL but irrelevant in the SANFL - the value of keeping Crows and Power players in the State league would quickly diminish.
This certainly would be the case with the AFL proposal with starting positions that would have six players inside the forward-50 arc, six in the midfield zone and six in the defensive-50 arc at the start of each quarter and with every centre bounce after a goal.
Kelly acknowledges the needs at the Crows and Power could significantly influence the SANFL Laws of the Game committee when it next meets late next month or in September.
“We would need to consider the AFL reserves teams,” Kelly said. “We understand the complications of AFL players moving in and out of the SANFL playing to differing rules in the two leagues.
“But our No. 1 concern is, ‘What is in the best interests of the SANFL?’
“We need to wait on the AFL’s decision to value the merit of rule changes in the SANFL.”
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan is to meet with Hocking on Monday to discuss the key points from his review of rule changes that are primarily designed to counter congestion that has marred the look of Australian football in the AFL.
McLachlan expects “some changes” to the rules next season.