AFL chief Gillon McLachlan has ‘begged’ coaches to open up the game

Feedback from broadcasters and fans led to Gillon McLachlan “begging” AFL coaches to play attacking football although they won’t be issued with an official directive to do so. Will they heed his plea?

The AFL has stopped short of issuing coaches with a directive to play more attractive football despite league boss Gillon McLachlan “begging” with them to open up the game.

Footy’s restart comes with the game stuck in its lowest-scoring period since the late 1960s and with the AFL and its broadcasters adamant it needs to be a more open, high-scoring contest.

The Herald Sun can reveal that the six senior coaches McLachlan consulted in an hour-long zoom meeting each Thursday during the shutdown were Alastair Clarkson, Chris Fagan, John Longmire, Luke Beveridge, Adam Simpson and Nathan Buckley.

They have discussed a return to play, footy department soft caps and the talent pathway system, allowing McLachlan and football boss Steve Hocking to draw key insights from footy’s smartest minds.

Simpson and Longmire made a presentation on the soft cap, Buckley and Fagan made their focus return to play and Clarkson and Beveridge are on a talent pathway working group.

McLachlan said this week he had “begged the coaches” for more expansive football during meetings over recent years although he was aware of their imperative to win games of footy.

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The AFL wants to see a more open game. Picture: Michael Klein

AFL Coaches Association chief executive Mark Brayshaw said the coaches were aware of his views but there was no directive to play more attacking footy.

“Over the past few years he has highlighted the importance of expansive, attacking footy based on fan-based research and feedback from broadcasters,” Brayshaw said.

“It’s been a consistent theme and something typically front and square at the yearly dinners at his house and in the off-season when they review the year.

“But it’s not a directive and during their discussions during the lockdown it’s been more helping with a return to play, the talent pathway and state leagues and helping with the soft cap.”

“He has met with half a dozen coaches during lockdown and there is no question it has enhanced their relationship with AFL House and both parties have a deeper understanding of the other party’s role in football.”

With shorter quarters and 100-minute games scoring will be lower than at any time in past decades so broadcasters will need goals to get advertising away during games.

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McLachlan told SEN this week he hoped footy would be more “expansive”.

“I have begged the coaches for it. I do (think it will be better), I think that even if it’s the fact there is no way the conditioning of the players can be where it was.

“Hopefully we see a more expansive game but the footy will be good whatever it is and I will wait and see like everyone else.”

Originally published as AFL chief Gillon McLachlan has ‘begged’ coaches to open up the game