AFL 2024: Young Melbourne player Kynan Brown in the middle of push to remove the sub

After what happened – again – on Friday night, young Demon Kynan Brown has become the poster boy behind a growing push to change AFL rules.

Two-game Demon Kynan Brown has become the poster boy for the push to remove the substitute after being left to sit on the bench for much of a second-straight game.

The father-son Melbourne player made his debut last weekend against North Melbourne but started as the sub and didn’t come on to the field until well into the final term, playing just 13 per cent game time.

He was initially dropped by the Demons this week – despite winning praise for a late-game tackle on Roo Nick Larkey – before being brought back into the 23 late on Friday night after Jack Bowey was ruled out with a back complaint.

Kynan Brown has been stuck wearing the sub vest. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Brown was again named the sub for the clash with Brisbane and didn’t come onto the field until the final few minutes and registered just seven per cent game time as his club was run over late.

The youngster’s treatment was enough for Essendon great Matthew Lloyd to declare the sub rule needs to go, declaring it a rule that “nobody likes”.

“I just think we don’t need it, the coaches don’t want it,” he told 3AW.

“I just think it must go. If the AFL makes one change over the off-season, get rid of the sub.”

Coaches have largely pushed for the removal of the sub and for the 23rd player to just be a fifth player available on the bench for the entire match.

Clubs will likely again raise the idea of lengthening the bench to five fully-available players for 2025.

Brown brought Nick Larkey down in a key moment. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

The AFL brought in a medical substitute for the 2021 season, but that was quickly rorted as clubs began to sub players out with dubious injuries.

It was changed to a tactical sub that could be used at any time for any reason in 2023.

A sub was used from 2011-15, when the bench was reduced from four player to three plus a sub, which could be used at any time.

Fans and footy greats such as Jimmy Bartel and Matthew Richardson have slammed players being named the sub in their first game, a common occurrence in recent years.

Geelong coach Chris Scott made clear on Friday that first-gamer Lawson Humphries would not be the starting sub for Saturday night’s game against Essendon.

But the coach said that was a tactical move and the Cats have used debutants as the sub before.

Originally published as AFL 2024: Young Melbourne player Kynan Brown in the middle of push to remove the sub