The Score: Manufacturer Sherrin has approached the AFL about kicking in footys before games

Eddie McGuire believes Sherrin footballs have become too slippery and hard for players to handle and says the manufacturer has approached the league about the issue. Brendon Goddard has also weighed in.

Brendon Goddard has been keeping an eye on the talk about footballs needing to be kicked in before games. Picture: Michael Klein

Brendon Goddard famously sent pretzels flying during a frustrating halftime break but it seems the former St Kilda and Essendon champion would have preferred to send the bag of Sherrins behind the goals flying.

Goddard has been following closely the controversy surrounding the state of the Sherrins this year with Footy Classified host Eddie McGuire revealing the manufacturer had actually asked the AFL to change its policy.

“Sherrin have come to the AFL and said they want their balls kicked in for at least 20 minutes,” he said. “They are not designed now to be able to just go out and bounce the ball.

“In the NBA in America, the ball gets bounced for half an hour before the match, that is a standard procedure.”

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Brendon Goddard has been keeping an eye on the talk about footballs needing to be kicked in before games. Picture: Michael Klein

Goddard expressed his delight on social media that the worrying state of the balls was now being discussed.

He tweeted: “FINALLY! I’ve only been saying this since the begginging (sic) of time! Became worse when the extra footballs got put behind goal line. Walk up to the bag behind goals only to pull out brand new footy.....and most looked like sloths head from the goonies.”

It was also suggested the umpires were over-inflating the balls to assist them with the centre bounce.

THE WHISPER

Eddie McGuire’s fake walk-off on Footy Classified wasn’t the highlight of an emotional Wednesday for the Pies pres. We hear he delivered a paint-stripping spray before the show which had the producers ears ringing and people ducking for cover at Nine’s Docklands studio.

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