Brisbane Lions trial new rules including starting positions, bigger goalsquare
ANCHORED full-back and full-forwards in giant goalsquares have been trialled by Brisbane Lions players with captain Dayne Zorko revealing he enjoyed the radical rule changes.
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THE AFL anchored a full-back and full-forward in giant goalsquares in radical rule changes trialled by Brisbane Lions players.
Lions football boss David Noble said the proposed rules allowed the game to flow freely and delivered the potential for greater skill execution.
But Noble wants the AFL to make up its mind on what the game will look like next season so the Lions can adjust their plans for the draft accordingly.
RADICAL: 30 RULE CHANGES THE AFL COULD ADOPT
AFL umpires adjudicated the session and league football boss Steve Hocking, umpires boss Grant Williams and offsider James Podsiadly observed the 20-minute Gabba hitout.
The league filmed the session, as it did for Hawthorn’s secret trial at Etihad Stadium last week.
“I’ve had that discussion with Steve Hocking about being advanced in information to let us know what is likely to come ahead of the draft so we can adjust accordingly,’’ he said.
“Because it might have an impact on how you use certain picks, if there are changes that have a significant impact on how the game is played and coached, it would absolutely have consequences on how you draft.’’
Noble said Lions players played two 10-minute halves under modified rules. Different scenarios were trialled where four and then five forwards had to be inside the attacking 50 at stoppages. One forward had to start from the goal square.
At centre bounces, each side was required to have six players in the three zones of the ground.
“We tried a couple of scenarios, it was about creating distribution of numbers to allow more scoring, creating a bit more space and less density,’’ Noble said.
“It was interesting,” Lions captain Dayne Zorko told Fox Footy.
“Personally I thought the rules were very good. I enjoyed playing that style of game, it was a lot more open around stoppages.
“We also trialled everyone starts in their own quadrants type of thing.
“We trialled key forwards and backs in the (goal) square, and it just opened the game up a lot more.”
Hawthorn recently undertook a secret session at Etihad Stadium where another version of zones were tested.
Lions coach Chris Fagan is on the league’s competition committee, a select group of presidents, CEO’s, coaches, football managers and players who are discussing potential rule changes. They meet next on July 26.
Noble revealed the club was asked to provide feedback on how the Lions would coach under such rules so the committee could determine if any changes would succeed in their objectives for reducing congestion.
Fagan was walking around without crutches yesterday and reported he had recovered better than expected from hamstring surgery last week and now believes he will be able to coach from the box against GWS at the Gabba on Saturday
Fagan ripped the hamstring tendon off the bone after slipping on ice at the Big Freeze at the MCG charity event before the Queen’s Birthday clash last Monday.
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Originally published as Brisbane Lions trial new rules including starting positions, bigger goalsquare
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