My Two Cents: Time has come for the AFL to scrap the sub rule | Andrew Capel

If the AFL thinks it’s taking the pressure off coaches and team doctors, it needs to think again, writes Andrew Capel.

Sub it out.

The coaches are right. It’s time to abolish the ridiculous AFL substitute rule.

Take some pressure off coaches and club doctors and simply go with five interchange players who can be rotated at will.

Players hate having to nervously twiddle their thumbs on the pine for long periods and the game would be better off without it.

The evidence is compelling.

Coaches have had enough and are quite rightly making a stand.

“I don’t know why we have a sub, I’ve got absolutely no idea,’’ Essendon coach Brad Scott said, adding he tried to get rid of the rule when he was general manager of football at the AFL.

“I don’t think it adds anything to the game. There are people who think it adds intrigue, I’m not sure how it adds intrigue.

“We’ve got this system where there’s a player who’s been subbed, they then post-game have to go and top up their running on the ground, sometimes in the dark.

“We’ve got a VFL system where there’s multiple byes, it creates all these unnecessary issues for players.

“If there’s a really good reason we’ve got a sub, I’d just love to hear it.

“I would prefer five on the bench. I don’t think there’s a player in the competition that enjoys the sub rule – either being the sub or being subbed off.’’

TELL US WHY IN THE COMMENTS

Scott’s Hawthorn and Richmond counterparts, Sam Mitchell and Adem Yze, agreed.

They would prefer five fully rotational interchange players, adding that would create a greater tactical arm-wrestle between coaches.

“I’m 100 per cent to go to five straight on the bench,” Mitchell told Fox Footy.

“The tactical element of that, we might play two rucks whereas the other side might play an extra runner, so it could give you a tactical advantage.

“Some teams might keep the fifth one until halftime, especially if the (interchange) cap (of 75) stays the same, so how you use it becomes much more tactical and I think it could add an exciting element to the game.

“Telling someone they’re the sub every single week before the game is horrible and telling someone they’ve been subbed out of the game is horrible.”

Port Adelaide’s Jackson Mead (middle) sits at the back of the interchange bench after being the Power’s substitute in Showdown 55 at Adelaide Oval. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Yze said “five on the bench makes sense’’ for several reasons.

“We have a discussion every week around how tall or small we are going to play, do we need speed, what’s the stoppage structure look like,’’ he said.

“If you had the opportunity to have five on the bench you could play two rucks and not only that, realistically, our older players could last a lot longer.

“For Dusty (Martin) to be able to limit his game time, knowing that we have five on the bench, some of our superstars might be able to play a lot longer.

“We should be having those sorts of discussions rather than feeling like, no, they can’t handle the workload or game time.

“If you had five on the bench all of those sorts of things might be a positive.’’

The Western Bulldogs’ Tom Liberatore leaves the ground against Hawthorn on Sunday after copping a head knock. Picture: Michael Klein

Eagle Elliot Yeo dons the tracksuit top after being subbed out against Essendon because of injury. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

The ever-changing sub rule has been a bone of contention ever since being introduced in 2011.

From 2011-15, clubs were given three players on the interchange bench with a fourth wearing a green vest until activated into the game for injury or tactical reasons.

As interchange cap numbers were brought in and then dropped from 120 to 90 in 2016, the sub rule was banished and there was a return to four players on the bench.

However, a medical sub was introduced in 2021 (on top of the current quartet of bench players) to combat concussions and injuries and the interchange cap was slashed to 75.

But the medical sub was exploited by some clubs, prompting the AFL to return to a general or tactical sub for a 23rd player last year.

Subs no longer don a green vest and instead sit at the back of the interchange bench with their tracksuit top on.

While the AFL is hellbent on protecting the head and reducing concussions amid long-term player welfare and potential lawsuits, Scott noted the league had “brought back the rule everyone hated’’.

He said the Bombers were stuck between a rock and a hard place late in their Anzac Day draw with Collingwood when forward Harrison Jones copped a knock to the nose and needed to be assessed for concussion.

“We had 16 minutes to go in the last quarter, and they had to assess him, so we just made the call, take your time, we’ll sub him because we don’t have time to wait,” Scott said at his post-match press conference.

Crow Brodie Smith (left) tackles Port Adelaide’s Travis Boak after coming on as a sub in Showdown 55. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Fremantle star Nat Fyfe warms up before starting as the sub against Richmond at the MCG last Sunday. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“If we didn’t have a sub, we wouldn’t have to worry about rushing the doctors to get a concussion diagnosis or not, we’d just put the fresh player on who’s sitting there.

“But then we’re sitting there with the fresh player, while we’re assessing a key forward, while the game is on the line.

“The sub’s supposed to take the pressure off the doctor? I’d love someone to explain that to me, I’ve got no idea.’’

Port Adelaide general manager of football Chris Davies said his club would also prefer to scrap the sub and have five interchange players.

“There was talk in the off season of going to five interchange players and we were supportive of that,’’ he told ABC Grandstand.

“I’m not 100 per cent sure what the substitute (rule) actually brings to the game and I’m sure at the end of the year it will be another discussion that the AFL will have.’’

Enough is enough, it’s time to bin it.

NUMBERS GAME

28

Showdown wins by Adelaide, jumping ahead of Port Adelaide’s 27

55

Minutes that Port Adelaide went without a goal in Showdown 55

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

“I made a mistake playing Connor Rozee. That was clear, it was obvious. I can try and hide behind it but I’m not. I’m not a coward when it comes to owning a mistake and that was what it was. I set Connor up to fail as a player by the way he had to perform out there.”– Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley after Showdown 55

“I’m taking full ownership. They asked me if I wanted to play, I clearly did. I felt like my body was in a position to play. Clearly it hasn’t worked.’’– Port Adelaide captain Connor Rozee