Are we thinking Paris 2024 or LA 2028? Our single-digit gold medal hauls are getting a bit old!
Having a 10-point 40-metre line should pose an interesting tactical dilemma in both how teams attack and defend. With only seven-a-side and essentially an all-corridor field, I'd expect it to affect outcomes much greater than the 9-point 50-metre super goal (admittedly, a low bar). Perhaps there'd be value in taking it a step further with an NBA-style tramline on the boundary:
You're gonna encourage more "gnarly" trick shots for goal this way, which would fit in fairly seamlessly with the AFLX moniker.
Interesting idea. Perhaps you'd need to make it that it can't be from set shots...I'm a bit concerned that the 40M is a bit simples but I guess we'll see in practice. Maybe it is designed to reduce "flooding"?
I think, rather than olympics, the "international expansion" aspect would be to allow for an elite and amateur version of the game that is more accessible (in terms of its simplicity, infrastructure and player number requirements) that could attract new spectators and players (longer term).
Suspect the possibility of gold medals, if that's ya thing, is many many decades away. Only much bigger nations get to arrogate sports onto the IOC resulting in assured gold medals. But if we ever are to have players in the AFL that are not either siphoned from the GAA or from the odd post US college freak, it would be something like this taking off and getting some kids interested at an early enough age