Opinion Bring back the goal square kick ins

Should the old kick in rule from within the square come back?

  • Yes, may as well

    Votes: 28 63.6%
  • No, Steven Hocking is a stable genius

    Votes: 16 36.4%

  • Total voters
    44

BlueandGoldforever

Cancelled
Apr 10, 2008
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So after a season and a bit with effectively no goalsquare, I can't see that it's done much to improve the 'state of the game'. Time to bring it back?

If not, then why even have the square (rectangle) painted on? Just put a dot where the kicker starts from.
I agree. It is another stupid new rule.
 
Apr 30, 2015
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So after a season and a bit with effectively no goalsquare, I can't see that it's done much to improve the 'state of the game'. Time to bring it back?

If not, then why even have the square (rectangle) painted on? Just put a dot where the kicker starts from.
Probably for when a forward marks anywhere within the goalsquare and is allowed to line up directly infront, come to think of it.
 
So after a season and a bit with effectively no goalsquare, I can't see that it's done much to improve the 'state of the game'. Time to bring it back?

If not, then why even have the square (rectangle) painted on? Just put a dot where the kicker starts from.


100% common sense

So probably won’t happen
 

wing it

Club Legend
Jun 6, 2013
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Nah, one of the few things the AFL has actually got right in recent times. It was pointless and anachronistic. The centre square bounce should be next to go.
Kicking out from the goalsquare is pointless and anachronistic? I wouldn't have thought so.
 

D-N-R

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Apr 4, 2005
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Probably for when a forward marks anywhere within the goalsquare and is allowed to line up directly infront, come to think of it.
That's a rule that need to be dumped. Players' skill in this area has improved remarkably.
 

D-N-R

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Apr 4, 2005
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They won't remove the goalsquare, even though it doesn't really serve the purpose it once did. It's only real purpose is to provide a small zone which the player can wander around just before they play on and run out of it. And the marking thing.

They introduced a new rule where the mark is when the ball goes out of bounds near the point post - the defender has to be level with the top of the goalsquare.

But rather than continuing the line from the top of the goalsquare to the boundary, thus making it clear where the defender must stand, they insist on the umpire having to tell defenders to come back on the mark. (And the defenders all pretend they can't hear or don't know where the mark is).

They'd be better off replacing it with a larger zone - perhaps a 'D' - which serves the purpose of being the area where kick ins are taken from and also dilineates where the attackers can and can't be.

The AFL love the aesthetic of the square as an iconic part of the game, but have made it almost redundant with regards to the current rules.
 

Furn2

Norm Smith Medallist
Sep 27, 2012
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I think its actually reduced goals.

The number of extra end to end goals seems to be less than the goals from turnovers lost.

Its not being used aggressively but rather just use it to clear it to safety at 70m out on the boundary or go short.
 
Mar 15, 2012
8,184
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Melbourne
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Western Bulldogs
So after a season and a bit with effectively no goalsquare, I can't see that it's done much to improve the 'state of the game'. Time to bring it back?

If not, then why even have the square (rectangle) painted on? Just put a dot where the kicker starts from.
It's also used for the 6-6-6 rule.

I think the new kick out rule results in more congestion towards the centre of the ground rather than being closer to one end. Which then impacts scoring.
 
Apr 30, 2015
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I think its actually reduced goals.

The number of extra end to end goals seems to be less than the goals from turnovers lost.

Its not being used aggressively but rather just use it to clear it to safety at 70m out on the boundary or go short.
Exactly. The kicker is discouraged from running straight down the guts too, since that is where the full forward stands. And so the kicker just runs at a 45* angle and hoofs it towards the boundary.
 

Greenac

All Australian
Apr 12, 2020
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It serves other purposes and rather than just frame the question as to whether it improved the game, it should instead be asked whether it has hurt the game. It hasn't so why whinge?
 

D-N-R

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Apr 4, 2005
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It serves other purposes and rather than just frame the question as to whether it improved the game, it should instead be asked whether it has hurt the game. It hasn't so why whinge?
If it hasn't improved the game, then why make the change in the first place?

It's a valid question.

Any rule change should be accompanied by a reason for making the change, and it should be reviewed at a later date to see if there was any improvement.

Otherwise we're tinkering with game for no reason.
 
Aug 13, 2006
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Put the man on the mark back on the 50, that would open games up and keep them interesting. Kick a point, the other team can have the guy doing the kick ins hoof it 70m to their forward line.

The thing is everyone is so risk adverse you wouldn't take shots on goal from anywhere that a point is more likely than a goal. Unintended consequences and so forth...

I think the change has been good and eventually a team will have enough good kicks to work the angles and go 30-40m pass X 2 and end up in the corridor with great scoring chances. It only takes one perfectly timed lead and a nicely weighted kick, to get 40m out from goal and then repeat the process. It can't be far away.
 
Aug 24, 2008
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Modern coaches are basically brilliant and thinking all the time. The idea when bringing the rule in that enabled you to run straight out from the square was seemingly to quicken the game and reduce the amount of players in the 50 as you would need a defensive line in case a quick point happened. Coaches figured that out and created a plan, as they do and will for all rules people invent to 'quicken' the game or 'reduce congestion'. Coaches are smarter than the rules committee.
 
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