AFL rejects push for an expanded six-man interchange bench in 2020
The AFL has rejected a push from coaches for an expanded six-man interchange bench when the season restarts next month, saying the change is not needed because of shorter quarters.
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The AFL has rejected a push from coaches for an expanded six-man interchange bench when the season restarts next month.
“At the moment, with the reduced quarters, we don’t need them (bigger benches),” league chief executive Gillon McLachlan declared.
The AFL boss also confirmed reduced 16-minute quarters will be scrapped when normal transmission resumes next season.
Friday’s Herald Sun revealed broadcasters are opposed to shortened matches and want 20-minute quarters plus time-on enshrined in new TV rights deals.
“You don’t want to buy AFL games and then find out it’s AFLX,” one insider said.
Quarters have been trimmed this year to allow a shorter turnaround between matches in the event more weeks are lost because of the spread of the coronavirus.
“It’s not something that we’re contemplating for next year,” McLachlan told 3AW.
But the decision to maintain 20-minute quarters plus time-on will complicate the AFL’s bid to slash club list sizes next year.
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AFL Players’ Association president Patrick Dangerfield has warned a regular 22-game home-and-away season, plus finals “requires a significant list size”.
Dangerfield’s Geelong used 39 players last season with clubs fearing lists will be cut back to 35 next year.
The league has also given ground on limits to football department staff able to return to work.
Currently only 25 staff are permitted to interact with players, which will rise to 27 on Monday and to 30, plus three media officials, on match days.
Some clubs have opted to bring back IT specialists instead of coaches in a bid to gain a match-day advantage.
Eight club staff members will be granted access to the coaches box and 11 on the interchange bench, while the roof at Marvel Stadium will remain closed for the duration of the 2020 season.
Carlton coach David Teague and Western Bulldogs counterpart Luke Beveridge said they did not want extra numbers on the bench.
“It would help two players get a little extra time but hopefully we can get games going for those guys against the oppositions so you’ll have two less (players) for that,” Teague said.
“We want the best players out there and it’s already short quarters. “If we add two more on the bench you might end up with the best players sitting on it for a bit longer.”
“I’m okay with staying at four,” Beveridge said.
“We’ve got a tight turnaround early in the recommencement where we go from a Sunday to a Friday and you’ve just got to deal with that. But even in that, with the shorter quarters, the longer breaks, it should be okay and I don’t think we need six. If you condense it further and we’re playing five-day breaks on five-day breaks because we need to and the season changes, then I think we need to look at it.”
BEVERIDGE WANTS DOGS TO RISE LIKE BULLS
Beveridge said he would not use the popular Netflix documentary on basketball great Michael Jordan as a means of inspiration for his players.
However, Beveridge said he hoped the Bulldogs could rise like Jordan’s Chicago Bulls in 1991 when they were finally able to overcome the Detroit Pistons.
“There’s probably three or four teams in our competition who are the strongest and most powerful teams at the moment,” Beveridge said.
“You want to get to that point quickly where you’re beating the better teams. We hope to do it this year. We plan to do it this year. But obviously we’ve got to be a hell of a lot better than we were in Round 1.”
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The Bulldogs suffered a 52-point loss to Collingwood in Round 1, but Beveridge backed his side to be tougher and more unsociable upon football’s return.
“We can have a desire and an objective to play a certain way, but it’s just talk until you actually see it,” Beveridge said.
“That will be our challenge, to put into action and to change perception and to develop and gain a reputation that we’re proud of.”