No congestion-buster as AFL stands pat on rules for 2018

THE AFL will make no changes to its rules for the upcoming season, adamant it does not need to introduce measures to ward off stifling congestion that has plagued the once free-flowing game.

The AFL won’t make any rule changes to tackle congestion in 2018. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

THE AFL will make no changes to its rules for the upcoming season, adamant it does not need to introduce congestion-busting measures.

The league says it has given no thought to reducing interchange numbers with a strict interpretation of the protected zone around the mark its only focus.

But runners will be on notice during the JLT Series, with new AFL football boss Steve Hocking likely to trial restrictions on their use.

Runners will not be banned from JLT matches but Hocking is considering limits on how often they can be involved as some coaches call for their scrapping.

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The AFL won’t make any rule changes to tackle congestion in 2018. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Hocking says he has strong views about game style and the “look of the game”.

But he will spend 2018 considering those views and says reduced interchange of the current 90 total “hasn’t been spoken about in (the AFL) at all”.

The game’s scoring remains at 50-year lows and many coaches believe rapid interchange and a focus on tackling means too much congestion in the game.

Last year the AFL banned third man up at the ruck, cracked down on deliberate rushed behinds and sought to reduce the incidence of players ducking into tackles.

It meant players and clubs confused in the early stages of the home-and-away season and even saw the league clarifying elements of the third-man up rule.

Hocking believes the game often sorts out its own issues without dramatic rule-making intervention.

“There will be (no new rules) for 2018, the thing we will tighten up is the protected area (around the mark),” he said.

“The umpiring group have been given a directive on that and it’s all about ball movement and congestion.”

Ex-Crows assistant James Podsiadly has joined the AFL to drive umpirtes’ performance. Picture: Mark Brake

As the league prepared for its AFLX and JLT series tournaments, Hocking yesterday revealed:

■ The AFL will appoint a new head of umpiring within three weeks and believes a high-performance attitude can see a significant spike in decisional accuracy.

He concedes not all umpires were happy the AFL retained the bounce but has hired ex-Cat James Podsiadly to help drive culture and performance in umpires.

■ The AFL has commissioned league official Josh Vanderloo to consider future methods for player movement, trades and free agency including a mid-season draft.

The league has ruled out a mid-season draft in 2018 and is still reluctant to allow clubs to trade players against their will.

■ Highly-rated Hawthorn biomechanist and assistant David Rath has been hired as the AFL’s new Head of Coaching as it modernises its coaching courses and pathways.

The league will work to make its Level 1-3 coaching courses cutting-edge and will make its finishing Level 4 course more specific to the weaknesses of its participants.

■ The league will revamp its highly successful Auskick program to include more short games and engagement for kids considering other entertainment offerings.

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clakson and other senior coaches have been included in that process to produce Auskick Version 2, headed up by AFL official Alistair Dobson.

■ He believes AFLX could become a massive part of the AFL landscape given its point of difference and popularity among players.

Hocking said if the league introduced a second bye or had a spare weekend AFLX could be played in that spare weekend, adamant it has extraordinary potential.

“I think (AFLX) has a huge upside and I am not just saying because I am at headquarters, I genuinely think it’s got serious legs.

“I have spoken to the players about it and they are seriously excited.

“AFLX will be such a different product to what we are currently used to.”