Top coaches call to keep AFL short ‘n’ sweet

There is a growing call for the AFL to stick to shorter quarters after the 2020 season.

Swans coach John Longmire wants a permanent shift to shorter games Picture: Getty Images

There is a growing call for the AFL to stick to shorter quarters after the 2020 season, with senior coaches arguing it’s better for the players and the game.

The league cut four minutes from each quarter, reducing games from 120 minutes’ playing time to 100, to ease pressure on lists in a season where clubs are being asked to play with shorter breaks between games in response to the pandemic.

The 18 teams are in the middle of a three-round fixture that sees 33 games played in 20 days between July 29 and August 17, with some clubs facing a four-day turnaround between matches.

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The Tigers, as an example, are in the middle of a period where they will play four games in 20 days.

Swans coach John Longmire and Cats coach Chris Scott both urged the league to consider sticking with reduced playing time after this season.

“Whether we can do that, I understand there’s a lot to that (including) TV rights, there’s a whole lot of things need to be taken into account there, but if you want your best players to be playing over a longer period during the season and also for (more) seasons I’d be supportive of at least looking at less time for games,” Longmire said Tuesday.

“It’s relevant from a player welfare perspective, but also from the fans’ (viewpoint) who I think would be keen for that too.”

The AFL has scheduled 18, instead of the traditional 22 home-and-away rounds, this season.

Reducing the length of games could even see the season expand to where every side plays each other twice.

Scott argues that sticking with reduced game time would allow the AFL to schedule more midweek games.

“I think in the fullness of time most people will advocate for the shorter games,” he said.

“I think that is the way world sport is going and if it means teams can back up and play more regularly, I think games will be a bit more closer because there is less time to blow teams out of the water. At the very least I think it is an idea worth pursuing (Wednesday night football).

“I’m an advocate for it, but I will put in the caveat that I haven’t put in a lot of thought and am not privy to the complexity around broadcast deals and what is best for the game in terms of commercial outcomes.

“But as a fan, and a participant at a club, I’m an advocate for more footy, more stand-alone games across the week. Certainly playing Thursday to Monday makes a lot of sense.

“Even if we had a situation where the players played a little bit more often in the season and trained a little bit less, I think it would be beneficial for everyone.”

The Cats play North Melbourne on Wednesday night at the Gabba off a four-day break and after a trip across the country, having played West Coast in Perth on Saturday.

AFL subjects its players to more game time than other football code. A traditional game of Australian rules lasts for 120 minutes, soccer (90 minutes), rugby league (80 minutes) and rugby union (80 minutes). A game of American football spans over 180 minutes but features on average 11 minutes’ playing time.

Crows midfield coach Mick Godden argued recently that the reduced game time creates a “sense of urgency,” with sides likely to take more risks and make more mistakes if they fall behind because there is less time to make up the score difference.

Collingwood midfielder Taylor Adams was of a different opinion after the Pies tied with Richmond in Round 2, saying “the game was too short … I just felt like it didn’t give a team an opportunity to really grind it out and create that edge where you’ve almost got a team on the ropes through fatigue.”