AFLX could launch in February next year but AFL giving little away

AFLX is just months away from being unveiled and while the AFL was giving little away about the radical concept, the short game is short odds to explode across the country this pre-season.

Port Melbourne and Coburg trial AFLX in March. Picture: Supplied

MARK an X in your diaries — Seven-a-side AFLX could be just months

away and the weekend of February 16-18 is the time to launch.

AFL clubs and broadcasting chief Travis Auld on Thursday said “Watch this space” when grilled on the plans to unveil arguably the game’s biggest ever revolution.

We’ve done better — we’ve found the weekend that could work and the short game is short odds to explode across the country on those three days.

It’s a concept that will divide fans but attract an audience outside of Victoria — outside Australia. All-Australian? Try Olympian.

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Suddenly the AFL is auctioning two broadcast agreements. Potentially clubs could even develop two lists, one for the short form game and one for the “old game” born in Yarra Park 159 years ago.

Anything’s possible — that’s the thinking at AFL HQ.

The biggest stumbling block to the concept is taking the first leap, which should come a week before the JLT Series pre-season competition. It presents a perfect window.

Basic field set up for AFLX.

There could be three pools of six teams playing in Victoria — let’s bring the seats in at Etihad — and other states including New South Wales.

Auld was beyond coy about the freshest form of the game at yesterday’s unveiling of the JLT Series pre-season competition.

The pre-season comp will start on Saturday, February 24. Clubs will play two matches, down on the three they played last year, across 16 days until Sunday, March 11.

Clubs — many who have pushed back on AFLX — remain in the dark on most of the details. They’re not sure how it will work, who will be playing or where. But they know one thing — this drive to open new markets and take the game global is happening.

The AFL enlisted North Melbourne to trial AFLX during the last pre-season, the Kangaroos simply making it part of their training, and tinkering has continued at Docklands through the year.

The first question to Auld on Thursday was about AFLX. The one-time Suns boss had no interest in the topic.

It’s a softly, softly approach — publicly at least.

Port Melbourne and Coburg trial AFLX in March. Picture: Supplied

The league has to convince — coerce? — its players and coaches, make sure “our clubs have bought into the product and the journey and what we’re trying to do with it”.

“AFLX is something we’ve been talking about for some time and we’re still in the process of developing,” Auld said.

“We’re not really in a position to finalise both the format and when we might program AFLX games and a carnival.

“There’s no sticking points, it’s just a new product. New products take time to develop. We’d like to hasten pretty slowly.

“You may see it (this pre-season), we’re just not sure yet. Watch this space.”

The pre-season matches are going to places like Colac, Moe and Wangaratta — the plan is to take AFLX to the world.

Some clubs think it’s a joke and the focus should be on two competitions: AFL and AFLW, with the women’s game to stay a summer competition and the men’s the winter offering.

The AFL had wanted to launch AFLX on the weekend of the pre-finals bye — eight weeks ago.

The 10 clubs not playing finals were invited to play in a Sunday afternoon round-robin.

Clubs raised obstacles and objections.

Travis Auld gave away little details about AFLX on Thursday. Picture: AAP

Players would be on leave — how would that work? What would actually be the positive for the club? Prizemoney? That was mentioned as a carrot. The players would get paid and the club could also land a (modest) cash prize.

But the opposition won out. Post-season was shelved and the push switched to pre-season.

While there’s the view this new game would not benefit clubs, they can see, or they’re being strong encouraged to see, the bigger picture.

It’s highly unlikely we’ll see all of the stars in the first tournament.

But back it in, there will be plenty of future opportunities for the likes of Dustin Martin to play our new game.

AFLX EXPLAINED

- Soccer-size rectangular pitch

- Trial games have been played between teams of seven (plus three on the bench)

- Fast, free-flowing footy

- One umpire, no centre bounces, kick-ins from full-back after goals

- Quarters of 10 minutes

- 10 points for goals outside 40m

- Ex-stars could bolster AFL teams in pre-season carnival

FAST FOOTY

A possible Richmond AFLX 10

Dustin Martin

Trent Cotchin

Jack Riewodlt

Alex Rance

Daniel Rioli

Jason Castagna

Shai Bolton

Bench

Dan Butler

Connor Menadue

Corey Ellis