Hungry for Change
Kevin Sheedy told me yesterday there is too much flooding and pressing in today’s game. He doesn’t like the direction it’s heading in. As coach of the Giants he wants change even suggesting the possibility of sixteen men a side, a throwback to the old VFA days. Sheedy is more than open to a set number of players inside fifty at stoppages. I have never supported any move that stops players from having full access to the field of play except at centre bounces. The game has though lost control due to interchange. Interchange has hijacked the game tactically. No longer is the bench about covering injured players, interchange is now running at an average of 129 per game. I’m confident the game would be better without interchange. Pick your best eighteen and have six to eight players on the bench to cover injury and flexibility for the coach. But once you come off you can’t come back on. I’m KB, that’s my Take
Eight on a subs bench?
Yikes!
In rugby they describe a maul occurs when a player carrying the ball is held by one or more opponents and one or more of the ball-carriers’ teammates bind on to the ball-carrier. And once the maul has formed the other players may join in. It’s a description that now fits Australian Rules football. Rolling mauls are a consistent part of our game and on many occasions just resembles a school yard game with thirty kids packing around the ball. My suggestion to dump interchange has drawn a response. In today’s Herald Sun, former North star, David King called for a freeze on the rule changes saying the game will correct itself. That is always a throw-away line which is rarely expanded on, and premiership coach, Paul Roos said wasn’t the three-plus-one substitute rule supposed to address the problem? It’s failed to do so. Last Saturday, Gold Coast had one hundred and seventy-six interchanges; Collingwood had one hundred and fifty-one interchanges. That’s three hundred and twenty-nine for the game. That’s three players being interchanged every minute. I rest my case.
I’m KB, that’s my Take
Three every minute?!
Yikes and gadzooks!
Quote of the Day:
The game has lost control. And I defy anyone to tell me that interchange has not got out of control when you’ve got three players being interchanged every minute of an AFL game.
- KB
Word of the Week:
Nincompoop (curtesy of “Lethal” Leigh Matthews)
Andrew from Preston: And Kevin, last thing, I think it’s time for you to collect your super, mate.
Blasphemy! To wit: outrageous, egregious, preposterous!
KB Tips: Geelong, Richmond, Essendon, Collingwood, St. Kilda, Hawthorn.
Surveying The Weekly Denhamography
a) Eugene Arocca was the fifth CEO in eight years; fears for North due to lack of stability.
b) Quite disappointed in James Brayshaw’s response and his “telling of porky pies.”
c) Carlton may well be nine, ten, or eleven on the ladder in the next month; may miss the eight.
d) Worried about the effect of so many interchanges on the game.
e) Two-and-two on the interchange is a monty next year.
f) Which ever way interchange goes, there will be a big overhaul. “Just take that to the bank.”
g) Doesn’t want his code (AFL) to look like rugby.
h) Never used the term midfielder when he began journalism career.
i) Carlton has “no hope in the world” [of winning]. … Surprised if Geelong didn’t win by five goals.
j) Rather chuffed with his exclusive story on Eugene Arocca.
Have you been able to get his interview on The Flame?
