Gary Buckenara reveals why recruiters and list managers must know rule changes for 2019 now

RECRUITING guru Gary Buckenara fears for the future of traditional key forwards unless major changes are made to the game while looking at the impact on list management and recruiting.

THE potential introduction of rule changes will impact two of the most important areas of a club — recruiting and list management.

The build of a list is the key to achieving success. So recruiters and list managers must know any changes before the trade and free agency period as it will affect which players clubs target or are willing to trade out and at what price.

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They need certainty around how the game will be played, so it’s time for the AFL to make a decision (I’d set a very early September deadline).

While we’ve just had a brilliant round of footy that featured five close games, this won’t always be the case and the AFL appears certain to proceed with rule changes.

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The first half of this season, for me, was extremely hard to watch and for the first time in my life I turned off the footy to instead watch Gardening Australia on the ABC. Watching the game I love become a pseudo game similar to rugby union was hard to stomach.

I do believe if rules around structures aren’t introduced we will continue to see the congested, rolling maul we saw in most games earlier in the season.

My biggest concern about congestion in today’s footy is we’re at risk of losing the true key-position marking forward.

Already, we have seen the likes of Travis Cloke, one of the best contested marking players of the last 15-20 years, watch the game go past him and end his career prematurely.

I believe it has also had an impact on Jarryd Roughead’s form. He’s not super quick, Roughy, he’s got a reasonable engine but he’s not going to beat a smaller or mid-sized defender in a sprint.

We’re also seeing the likes of Paddy McCartin, Tom Boyd, Jon Patton and Josh Schache struggling to step up from TAC Cup level, where they dominated because they had the benefit of starting positions and the opportunity to use their size in one-on-one contests.

Travis Cloke constantly had to compete against two, three and even four defenders. Picture: Michael Klein

At AFL level they’re being asked to be contested beasts competing against two and three defenders, play up the field and then sprint back. It’s affecting their development.

These players don’t lose their talent overnight. They have great ability and have what it takes to play AFL football for many years but the way they game is going now, I’m concerned for their footy future.

If the game continues on its current path, these big-bodied marking forwards will be replaced by mid-sized forwards around 191-193cm who are athletic beasts with big engines that can run up and down the field. But that’s not to say there is no place for this type of player (like a Jack Gunston type), with the introduction of starting points, there absolutely is. Traditionally, these types play as a second or third tall inside 50m alongside a big key forward.

Has congestion contributed to Jarryd Roughead’s drop in form this year? Picture: Michael Klein

If there are no changes implemented, list managers and recruiters would need to adjust and basically only recruit the following types of players:

BIG-bodied midfielders who can win contests and have good speed

SMALLER hybrid forwards with speed, endurance and football smarts who can get up the field and outrun players once the ball is kicked forward to space

REBOUND defenders with speed, endurance and skill

A COUPLE of athletic and agile tall and mid-sized defenders

What we are forgetting is Australian rules football has always catered to all shapes and sizes and getting that balance right is what list management and recruiting is all about. We don’t want to lose any types of players, including key forwards and ruckmen, because of the congested nature of the current game.

If changes are made, I believe we’ll see a return to the traditional structure of two talls with a mid-sized forward or two and then crumbers. Players like Josh Kennedy, Jack Darling, Josh Jenkins, Tom Hawkins, Ben Brown, Mason Cox, Charlie Dixon, Tom Boyd and Josh Schache would be the major beneficiaries.

Mason Cox is hard to stop when he gets a run and jump at the footy.

These guys will be able to find more one-on-one contests and have the opportunity to use their size and strength to outmuscle their opponent and take a mark or bring it to ground for the crumbers like Eddie Betts without an extra defender or two coming in over the top and killing the contest for a boundary throw-in or ball up.

We have a wonderful game but if current trends continue we’ll continue to see a product that I, and many others, will switch off because it simply isn’t the game we grew up with and loved.

Let’s see the return of exciting high marking and electrifying highlights that have thrilled footy fans for decades and ensure Australian rules is still a game open to all, no matter their size or shape.

CLUBS THAT WOULD BENEFIT MOST FROM STARTING POSITIONS

*Teams listed in no particular order

ESSENDON

The Bombers have an elite forward set up with Joe Daniher and Jake Stringer alongside either Shaun McKernan, Mitch Brown and James Stewart, whichever of those has shown the best form. John Worsfold’s team would be really dangerous if Daniher in particular gets more one-on-one contests close to goal with Orazio Fantasia and Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti at his feet. They are also well off down back with Michael Hurley and Cale Hooker playing key defender roles and Matt Dea, Patrick Ambrose and Michael Hartley as experienced third tall options.

Joe Daniher has had his season ruined by injury. Picture: Getty

ST KILDA

The Saints would definitely get a benefit out of McCartin, hopefully, if he can continue to develop and get a clear run at it with injury. The club drafted him with No.1 and took Hugh Goddard in the same draft back in 2014 with a view to playing with a traditional structure and style of game that was being played then. They weren’t to know these other tactics were going to be employed by other coaches and that would see the game played differently and result in these guys failing to either be picked or have an impact.

WESTERN BULLDOGS

The Dogs have the types of players on their list suited to playing a traditional structure. They’ve got a number of key position players with Boyd, Schache and Jack Redpath up forward and Jackson Trengove, Marcus Adams, Aaron Naughton, Zaine Cordy, Jordan Roughead, Kieran Collins and even Dale Morris, Lewis Young and Fletcher Roberts are tall but need to add more bulk to their frame. And they’ve also got a good mix of mid-sized players like Tory Dickson, Bailey Dale, Josh Dunkley, Easton Wood and Billy Gowers.

Tom Boyd wasn’t a No.1 draft pick for nothing. Picture: Michael Klein

ADELAIDE

The Crows already have a really potent forward line but how much more damaging would Taylor Walker, Josh Jenkins and Mitch McGovern be one-on-one close to goal? Eddie Betts would also find a lot more space to work his magic and rove off the pack when his teammates bring it to ground. Daniel Talia and Kyle Hartigan are quality key defender, while Tom Doedee has emerged with Jake Kelly, and Kyle Cheney and Alex Keath are other options. Darcy Fogarty is also an emerging star I rate really highly.

CARLTON

The Blues are obviously a developing side but Stephen Silvagni has drafted a plethora of key position players for the future with high draft picks. Already we’ve seen Charlie Curnow burst onto the scene, but he could be even more damaging given his elite leap, Harry McKay has a good mixture of size and athleticism and Levi Casboult’s biggest strength as a player is his contested marking. That has largely been rendered ineffective with the way the game is being played at the moment but I believe he’d be a handy weapon if he could get access to more one-on-one opportunities. Down back, Liam Jones, Jacob Weitering, Caleb Marchbank and Sam Rowe are good options to play on taller forwards, while Lachie Plowman is a really handy mid-size type. Harrison Macreadie, Patrick Kerr, Tom De Koning and Alex Silvagni are among the other key talls on the list.

Charlie Curnow is a young star of the competition. Picture: Getty

WEST COAST

Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling have been outstanding this season but imagine how much better they’d be with more space to work in? Throw in Mark LeCras as a medium forward and Liam Ryan and Willie Rioli as the crumbers and that is a seriously dangerous group when given more space. The Eagles have a lot of size on the list, with Jeremy McGovern, Tom Barrass, Will Schofield and Eric Mackenzie down back. Jake Waterman, Jarrod Brander and Josh Rotham are among those developing.

COLLINGWOOD

How hard would 211cm giant Mason Cox be to stop with a clear run at the footy? The big American is doing pretty well now but he’d be even more damaging if a 6-6-6 model was introduced. The Magpies do need another tall forward option, however, as Ben Reid is injury prone and Brody Mihocek is more a third forward. But the likes of Jordan De Goey, Jamie Elliott, Jaidyn Stephenson, Will Hoskin-Elliott and Josh Thomas will only get better and better with more space to use their speed and goal sense. I’d be a little concerned about the defence given the season-ending injury to Lynden Dunn and hamstring issues for Darcy Moore. When fit, however, those two are two great options with Jeremy Howe, Matt Scharenberg, Tom Langdon and Tyson Goldsack helping out.

BRISBANE LIONS

They’re still building and developing but the Lions have a lot of size on their list back and forward. Eric Hipwood would find a lot more space to use his athleticism and size on the lead, Oscar McInerney has down some traits, Daniel McStay and Connor Ballanden is a highly-rated young player, while Harris Andrews is an elite defender and Darcy Gardiner has held down a key position. Jacob Allison, Toby Wooller, Jack Payne, Sam Skinner and Josh Walker are among the other talls on the list. Obviously I’m thinking a few more years down the track with more development into the younger players for the Lions.

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