Grand Final replay scrapped after AFL Commission meeting

GOLDEN point will be used to decide a premiership if extra time can’t split teams under a radical overhaul of the AFL’s Grand Final rules. HAVE YOUR SAY

25/09/2010 SPORT: AFL Grand Final. Collingwood v St.Kilda. An empty Lenny Hayes at the final siren.

GOLDEN point will be used to decide a premiership if extra time can’t split teams under a radical overhaul of the AFL’s Grand Final rules.

The AFL Commission on Tuesday made the historic decision to scrap the traditional — but rarely occurring — practice of replaying drawn Grand Finals.

Just three season since the first VFL decider in 1898 have produced Grand Final replays — 2010 (Collingwood def St Kilda), 1977 (North Melbourne def Collingwood) and 1948 (Melbourne def Essendon).

AFL Commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick said the decision was primarily based on fairness to interstate clubs and demands:

- Teams locked on the same score at the end of regulation time play two five-minute halves of extra time, changing ends after the first five minutes.

- If scores remain level at the end of the second period of extra time, the siren will not sound and play will continue until the next score, when the match will finish and a premier crowned.

Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury, who played in the 2010 deciders, questioned whether a point should be enough to win a premiership.

“Surely next goal wins the Grand Final not next score if we are getting rid of replays. Next score I don’t like it,” Pendlebury tweeted.

The system will be in place for all finals but won’t be adopted for the home-and-away season, where the premiership points from drawn matches will continue to be split.

“We don’t make change lightly in our game — we respect its uniqueness and traditions,” Fitzpatrick said.

Surely next goal wins the grand final not next score if we are getting rid of replays. Next score I don't like it

— Scott Pendlebury (@SP_10) April 19, 2016

Can understand the logic, but sad to see the Grand Final replay go. Imagine if a 'golden goal' or worse a 'point' one day decides a flag

— Glenn McFarlane (@MaccaHeraldSun) April 19, 2016

I know 'nit picking'... But what if Grand Final decided by a handball for a point??? Golden Point or Golden Goal better??? 🤔 @AFL

— Marty Pask (@mpask) April 19, 2016

Golden point to decide a premiership? @JacksonMacrae has form. His last ever junior disposal broke the deadlock in the 2012 @TACCup.

— Sam Landsberger (@SamLandsberger) April 19, 2016

“This decision also reflects the majority view of AFL clubs and fans who support playing extra time to determine the Grand Final instead of a replay the following week.

“The AFL is a truly national competition and this change eliminates the possibility of non-Victorian teams being disadvantaged by a significant travel burden if they had been required to return to the MCG for a Grand Final replay.”

The 2010 Grand Final replay reaped an estimated $15 million for the AFL and Fitzpatrick agreed that game had been “lucrative”.

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire said he would prefer to keep the replay, but if change had to occur the AFL should “go the whole hog” and scrap draws in the home and away season as well.

Of Channel Seven’s view of the change, Fitzpatrick said: “I think they’re comfortable.”

AFL football operations manager Mark Evans said the further periods of extra time had been scrapped because of the possibility of hampering recovery in earlier finals series matches.

A desire for uniformity meant the same rules would apply in the Grand Final.

Lenny Hayes after the siren of the drawn 2010 Grand Final between St Kilda and Collingwood.

Clubs will be allowed a further 10 interchange rotations in the extra time period.

There will be a quarter time-length break before the extra time starts but just a simple change of ends after the first five minutes of extra time.

There will be five minutes of extra time each way, plus time on, in the event of a drawn Grand Final.

Should scores still be level at the end of the second period, a “golden point” will decide the match with the siren to sound immediately after the next score.

“We don’t change lightly,” Fitzpatrick said.

“We are confident this decision reflects the views of majority of clubs, the majority of players and the majority of fans.”

AFL players backed a push to scrap the Grand Final replay earlier this month.