AFLX to feature silver football and ‘Zooper goals’

THE AFL has not ruled out its new AFLX competition reshaping the face of pre-season, as the league’s answer to Big Bash cricket could have a more prominent role in coming years.

Shaun Atley, Gillon McLachlan and Jack Billings launch AFLX. Picture: AAP

THE AFL has not ruled out its new AFLX competition reshaping the face of pre-season as the league prepares to unveil its answer to Big Bash cricket next week.

With interest in the pre-season competition having wavered since the removal of the NAB Cup and the implementation of a challenge series in 2014, a more prominent role could be on the cards for AFLX in coming years should it prove a success.

The new concept has already seen one round of pre-season matches scrapped in favour of three days of AFLX round-robins and league boss Gillon McLachlan said there was potential to further expand the new game.

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“That’s part of it, to say, ‘What’s the right look for summer and pre-season’,” McLachlan said.

“The JLT series has been extremely important and will be but what does it look like going forward five years, how much AFLX is played then? We’ll have a good look at it next week … and we’ll be better informed about it but it’s certainly part of the thinking.”

A flashy AFLX launch at Etihad Stadium on Tuesday saw a silver game ball delivered by a skydiver and included dancers, acrobats and flamethrowers as the league attempted to paint the new competition in a fun light which would have a carnival atmosphere.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan, North Melbourne’s Shaun Atley, St Kilda's Jack Billings and friends launch AFLX at Etihad Stadium.

McLachlan would not be drawn on how ticket sales were tracking for the round-robins but said the league expected plenty of “walk ups” for the Etihad Stadium games and would judge success not only on crowd figures.

“There’s so much unknown but we’ve got to try stuff and there’s an opportunity here that means we can get onto different ovals in New South Wales and internationally in different spots and it’s just a different format for a different audience,” he said.

“Everything that’s new you have to be realistic about. I think we’ll look at general interest and that comes through in ratings, in crowds and quality of the player and just the general how it comes across. We won’t have hard and fast metrics.”

North Melbourne defender Shaun Atley said the speed of the game had been the biggest difference he had noticed while training for AFLX.

Welcome to #AFLX pic.twitter.com/g78EFCzuwh

— Neroli Meadows (@Neroli_M_FOX) February 5, 2018

“It is very up and back, there’s barely any stop-start,” he said.

“Usually if you kick a goal you’ll get a rest and then come back to the centre square but as soon as the goal’s kicked the other team’s bringing it back in so there’s definitely no rest so you need those interchanges.”

The first AFLX round-robin series will kick off between six clubs in Adelaide next Thursday before coming to Melbourne next Friday and Sydney next Saturday.

North Melbourne’s Shaun Atley and St Kilda’s Jack Billings at the launch of AFLX at Etihad Stadium. Picture: Getty Images

The league also announced goals which are kicked from outside 40m will be officially known as “Zooper’ Goals” and be worth 10 points after a sponsorship was struck with icypole maker Zooper Dooper.

AFLX NEED TO KNOW

FIELD

Played on a rectangular pitch measuring 100-120m long and 60-70m wide with 40m arcs at either end and goalposts.

TEAMS

Consist of 10 players per team, with seven on the field at any one time and three interchange. Unlimited rotations.

RULES

* 2 x 10 minute halves with no time on

* Last touch out of bounds free kick

* 25m penalties instead of 50m penalties

* Backwards kicks ruled as play on except for in forward 40m

* 10 points awarded for goals kicked from outside 40m

* Kick ins after every score

GAME NIGHT

* Six clubs at each round-robin “tournament” divided into two groups

* Teams play two games in group stage

* Winners of each group play off in grand final

* All games live on Fox Footy

Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide, February 15

A: Fremantle, Geelong, Port Adelaide

B: Adelaide, Collingwood, West Coast

Etihad Stadium, Melbourne, February 16

A: Carlton, Melbourne, North Melbourne

B: Essendon, Hawthorn, St Kilda

Allianz Stadium, Sydney, February 17

A: GWS, Richmond, Brisbane

B: Gold Coast, Sydney, Western Bulldogs