AFL 2021: Alastair Clarkson defends controversial sub rule

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson has defended the new sub rule, as it was revealed only Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge was against the plan.

Gillon McLachlan is under fire of the last-minute rule change. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Alastair Clarkson has played down his influence in the introduction of the AFL’s medical substitute rule, saying the vast majority of coaches wanted more player protection.

Hawthorn’s four-time premiership coach was reportedly the most vocal advocate in a meeting last week with AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan and football department boss Steve Hocking.

The rule change followed dramatic off-season developments, with maximum rotations slashed from 90 to 75, on top of quarters returning to normal duration after shortened games in 2020.

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Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson has played down his role in the new sub rule. Picture: Getty Images

Clarkson was at the MCG on Thursday night to watch the season opener between Richmond and Carlton, which saw Jack Silvagni (shoulder) and Nick Vlastuin (corked knee) subbed out.

The Vlastuin substitution has caused the most consternation, because of the perceived lack of seriousness, but he is set to undergo follow-up scans.

What initially began as a coach-driven discussion around a concussion sub, as an extra or 23rd player, became a catch all for general injuries once it reached AFL headquarters.

However, Clarkson said Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge was his only peer not pushing for the new rule.

“I think the protection of the player is all the coaches were interested in,” Clarkson said.

“If in the process of the protection of the player, the league has considered injuries in addition to just concussions, then that still fits with the same philosophy the coaches had.

“The game is as demanding as it’s ever been on our players and we need to protect them as much as we can.”

Clarkson was mildly surprised the coaches’ sub call led to a rule change inside a week in time for Round 1, but said if it was for the players’ betterment then the timing didn’t matter.

“People say, ‘Why did it all happen so late?’,” he said.

“Well, I think, we didn’t go into the season expecting this was going to happen, but I think the round of the AAMI Series showed there was carnage in terms of injuries.

“The Western Bulldogs had three injuries, I think Carlton had three injuries, and it was just placing unbelievable demand (on the players).

“If we can just have a mechanism or a lever to pull that just allows a little bit of protection for the players, then I think it’s a good thing.”

Clarkson said the priority was on the wider playing group’s physical wellbeing rather than the substitute making an instant impact when they entered the match.

“We need to have a real mind for the protection of the player,” he said.

“The bottom line is to have the flexibility that not even more demands go onto players later in games, because you’ve got that many injured players that you’ve got to send players back on who are just unbelievably fatigued and at risk of injury.

“Or they’re already injured and have to return to the field when they’ve got an injury, which is not something we want.”

Dogs coach slams AFL over ‘rushed’ rule

Premiership-winning Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says the AFL’s new medical substitute rule was “hastily rushed through” and has slammed the league’s hierarchy over a lack of consultation with clubs.

Despite reports the coaches were unanimous in their support for the new rule, which was only confirmed on Wednesday, Beveridge said he “had nothing to do with it”.

Beveridge said his club’s medical staff were still “none the wiser” about the operational aspect of the rule and the Bulldogs would need an “11th hour” meeting to get on top of it.

For those reasons, and the “extra layers” of decision-making it will add to football departments already stripped by cuts to the soft cap, Beveridge said he didn’t support the new rule.

“It’s been rushed through. Even yesterday, our medical staff hadn’t been briefed and are none the wiser on the operation aspect of it,” Beveridge said on Thursday.

“When you have the whole medical establishment not being briefed and going into the competition, it’s just been rushed.

Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says he does not support the AFL’s new injury sub rule. Picture: Matt Roberts/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

“What this sub now creates is a whole series of headaches.

“Not only do decisions need to be made on the day, but then the doctors will have to substantiate whether or not a player can play next week.

“And with the soft cap cuts and everyone doing more than they ever have before, and the meetings with consideration of who it might be, imagine the turmoil within the playing ranks.

“Does he (the player) miss out now on two or three opportunities to be in the team because he hasn’t played ?

“There are so many considerations and I could keep going.

“From my point of view, it’s disappointing the decision has been hasty and this is the course they went when there were so many other options that wouldn’t have created the layers and headaches that this is going to create.”

Beveridge said he wasn’t party to the decision-making process and the rule was introduced “out of the blue”.

“I had nothing to do with it. I don’t support it,” he said.

He said if the AFL was concerned about concussion and injuries it could have pulled “other levers”.

Beveridge even threw up the idea of a fifth player on the interchange because he felt the sub rule create an “inequity”.

“If you lose a player at the start of the game, you are probably worse off because the sub wasn’t in your best 22,” he said.

“If we get to three-quarter time and you have an injury or concussion and can introduce a new player, you have an advantage, you get a fresh player.

“If we are really, really concerned with the risk about concussion and the impact on the body … I think we could have pulled other levers.

“It’s all very rushed.”

Massive penalties await teams that rort rule

Clubs could lose premiership points and draft picks if found guilty of rorting the AFL’s new medical substitute rule.

The league has vowed to take a tough stance on any club trying to exploit the rule or overstate the seriousness of any injury in a bid to inject some fresh legs late in the game.

In 2021, all teams will have a 23rd player which can be activated to replace someone who goes down with a concussion or any other game-ending injury.

Club doctors will be in charge of making the call and can substitute a player off in the belief they will need at least 12 days to recover.

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But subbed-off players, who have not been concussed, can still play the next week if the AFL’s chief medical officer Dr Peter Harcourt deems they have made a quicker-than-expected recovery from a genuine problem.

Harcourt can request scans and other medical evidence if there are are any red flags over a player’s miraculous recovery.

Concussed players must miss at least 12 days.

AFL Players’ Association chief executive Paul Marsh was certain clubs would try and exploit the loophole, saying on Tuesday it was “impossible to see” how it wouldn’t be “gamed”.

But the league remains confident in the integrity of the club’s medical departments and confirmed on Wednesday clubs found guilty of trying to rort the new system could be stripped of draft picks and premiership points under the league’s conduct unbecoming rules.

AFL Players' Association boss Paul Marsh says clubs will try and exploit the new injury sub rule. Picture: AAP Image/James Ross

While some commentators remain convinced there is a worrying grey area, especially in relation to soft tissue injuries and tightness late in games, league bosses believe the penalties are a significant deterrent to any potential misuse.

“There’s a safeguard in place within the AFL rules,” AFL football operations boss Steve Hocking said.

“The club doctors are empowered through this. They need to make that decision. We’ve also got our chief medical officer at the AFL. In the case of a player potentially recovering sooner than expected during the week, then the club doctor can provide a medical certificate and further proof, if required by the chief medical officer of the AFL.”

Hocking said the league would “back our doctors in”, but said clubs could be slapped with sanctions under existing ‘conduct unbecoming’ rules which can be enacted for bringing the game into disrepute.

“It’s really about health and safety,” Hocking said.

“If you look back at the MRO Guidelines, we made changes early in the season last year. Wherever we can through a season, it’s incumbent on us to make the changes where required.”

The substitute player will have to be selected from each club’s list of emergencies and will receive match payments outside of the salary cap regardless of whether they are “activated” to play or not.

Substitute players – who will not be forced to wear a green vest as they did under the league’s previous substitute system – will also be counted as having played a match regardless of whether they step foot on the field.

That means a substitute player will receive a premiership medal whether they play a role in a Grand Final win or not.

Hocking denied the coaches were running the AFL and defended the move to add a 23rd player at a time when the league had just reduced the interchange cap from 90 to 75 to help bring fatigue back into the game.

“Certainly the coaches were strong on this after being involved in the practice matches and particularly the AAMI Community Series,” Hocking said.

“As we do, we need to listen to our stakeholders. We’ve done that in this case and we’ve worked through it as fast-paced as we possibly can.”