Steve Hocking insists he’s not overwhelmed by the pressure of ‘playing God’ with AFL

THE bickering between former and current champs and paranoid coaches about proposed rule changes has made headlines. For Steve Hocking that means people are talking about footy - that’s a win. He is driven by the essence of what AFL is — its impact on people.

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA - JULY 15: Nathan Buckley, Senior Coach of the Magpies speaks to his players during the round 17 AFL match between the Collingwood Magpies and the West Coast Eagles at Melbourne Cricket Ground on July 15, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/AFL Media/Getty Images)

STEVE Hocking came out of a 6pm meeting on Thursday — and presumably yet another meeting about rule changes — and was buoyant.

The bickering and back and forth between former champs, current champs and paranoid coaches who reckon they’ve been left out of the debate have made headlines.

“The thing I’m most pleased about is the fact football is being talked about and it’s not at the expense of the current season,” Hocking told the Herald Sun. “It’s about its future and it’s really healthy.”

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The debate rose to new heights this week — led by the coaches — but Hocking doesn’t get flustered by indirect criticism nor comfortable with private reassurance. He is driven by the essence of what Australian rules is — its impact on people.

He’s seen within the football industry as a smart, caring operator.

But to many others Hocking is viewed as a one-man wrecking ball on the verge of changing the fabric of 150 years of football.

Who is this man to do this? Why doesn’t he leave the game alone? Why does this man have this power?

Hocking likes to think he’s one cog in the machine, but he’s much more important than that.

Depending on your view, he’s either playing God or acting the devil. “That’s what I signed up for,” he said.

Appointed head of football operations last August, Hocking clearly has been the most proactive head of football in AFL history. He wouldn’t have taken the role if he couldn’t implement change and the AFL was not opposed.

Sydney's Lance Franklin kicks a goal during AFL match between the Sydney Swans and Adelaide Crows at the SCG. Picture. Phil Hillyard

First thing, he put together his working party team headed by David Rath, James Podsiadly and Brett Munro.

On his and their shoulders is a tremendous responsibility, although Hocking insists he’s not overwhelmed by the pressure of that responsibility.

“It depends how you frame it,’’ he said.

“From my end, it’s about stewardship. That’s how I look at it.

“I’m certainly aware of the level of responsibility, but there’s really good people through the business that’s both above me and around me.

“I’ve been fortunate to set up a team and we’re working together. We’ve all got different views on what the game should look like. Everyone’s been asked to park those views and work together to find the best outcomes for the game. That’s what excites me. Do I feel pressure with that? No, not when I’m part of a team.

Surely, as current governor, you have a greater say?

“Of course you do. You become the face of it, but my style is to steer that and steward the decision-making.

“Realising what’s been said and what’s been thrown at you is a further opportunity to realise the potential behind this. I don’t see those push-backs, like Bucks’ comments this week and others, I don’t see them as setbacks at all.’’

Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley led the debate this week. He called potential changes a blight on the game and Malcolm Blight effectively said Buckley’s thoughts were a blight on the game.

It was unbecoming from Blighty and probably over the top from Buckley, but it’s the kind of result you get when not everyone is equally informed and when everyone believes they are equally important.

The discussion is emotional because people care and people are anxious.

We’ve had Chris Scott and Luke Beveridge in a niggle. Leigh Matthews wants change. Dermott Brereton doesn’t want players ‘’wearing bibs’’. Jason Dunstall likes change but is cautious of major change.

Patrick Dangerfield welcomes starting positions but doesn’t want a drop in rotations

Patrick Dangerfield welcomes starting positions but doesn’t want a drop in rotations. Scott Pendlebury is on Buckley’s side. Isaac Smith and Dayne Zorko, who have been part of trials, love the space.

Nathan Jones and Joel Selwood don’t watch as much footy as they did. Alan Richardson and Chris Fagan are open-minded but want more trials and data.

Sydney and GWS met with Hocking this week and they are said to have joined Richardson and Fagan, while Bucks and Damien Hardwick probably feel left out to this point.

The 3AW boys, Cameron Ling, Matthew Richardson and Tony Shaw, are fiercely opposed to change.

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Ling tweeted: “Just so I understand correctly … major changes to the fabric of a great game, that is over 150 years old, are being made off the back of a few 20-minute trials during in-season training sessions where players go at 80% intensity? Hardly seems like a robust process.’’

Shaw: “Disagreeing with Mathews and Blight is like shooting Bambi! But! Look at last month of football? How good! Tell me why it’s been so good and if you can’t how can you make the most drastic changes in rules for over 150 years based on 60 minutes of trialling new rules?”

People in pubs, clubs, restaurants and in their living rooms are having the same conversations.

Hocking doesn’t believe the criticism is directed at him.

“I don’t personalise it, that’s their view and that’s fine,” he said.

“It’s really working through why they’re expressing that (opinion), why are they feeling that way about the game.

“It’s not about me, it’s about the future of football.

“Too many people want to pin it to something or someone and I’m very, very strong on that, it’s not about me, it’s about what’s right for the game.

“It’s an unbelievably good game that we’re all been involved in. It’s been great for me, it’s been great for Lingy and Matthew Richardson, so it’s just understanding why they are saying that. From their point of view they’re real traditionalists. I‘ve got plenty of that in me as well, but I’d also like to think we can progress.’’

Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley led the debate this week.

Decisions will be made on starting positions, rotations and extending the goalsquare, among others, but they will be made marrying heritage and progress.

Hocking loves the essence of the game - and it truly is a love - because, he says, football is about people.

“I come from a small community so I believe I understand what football means to people and the impact it can have in communities,’’ he told the Herald Sun.

“This game is so significant in so many peoples’ lives and so it’s recognising that.

“If you come to that point of view, it’s very easy to then stay quite connected to the game.’’

But fears abound because of the possibility of what Hocking sees as saving the game could in fact ruin it.

Do you ever think you might get this wrong? “Of course,” he said. “The more complex the system the more you have to probe. That’s exactly what we’re doing.”

Complex is 36 players in a quarter of the ground. Complex is rolling mauls on a huge expanse of turf. Complex is coaching to defend.

“The game has never been more complex than what it is now and that’s a credit to everybody involved. It’s a great game.

“So, how do you probe that and continue to probe it. That’s where we are. We’re probing it, we’re probing it hourly, and we’re burning a lot of time because that’s what you have to do.”

Essentially, Hocking has the future of football in the palm of his hands, the king cobbler among a group of cobblers and eventually he will decide the recommendations to deliver to the commission table.

For what it’s worth, I reckon he’s a godsend.

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