Evolution of the AFL player

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Jun 16, 2012
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AFL players have evolved at an incredible rate over the past decade or so. We have seen mids such as Cripps and bontempelli come into the league as mid 190’s cm players which would have them as key forwards in years gone by. Now we are seeing the rise of the 200cm key forward come into the league. Gone are the days where at 2m tall you would barley be expected to put one foot in front of the other , but in the modern game guys like the king brothers, McKay, 2m peter are genuine athletes. They’re agile, quick and have great leaps making it nearly impossible to defend.

This got me thinking about the the upcoming draft. With these kids coming through (given they are still growing even at AFL level) who are around 200cm+ tall, as juniors they will almost certainly be either rucks or key forwards and little to no chance of learning their craft as defenders as they come up. So is it fair to assume that most key defenders being drafted are not quite big enough to play on the modern day key forward that is creeping into the game now? If so where do clubs find these guys big enough to combat the king’s and McKay’s of the world? Or will there come a time when these guys will become the norm and are more likely to be played in defensive roles as juniors ?
 
Another thread on here is again discussing reduction from 18 to 16 or even 15 players on the park from each side.
Surprised approx a third of respondents to the pole have voted for some reduction.

If we ever go to this it will again change the profile of your average player - aerobic capacity and speed will become more critical...
 

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AFL players have evolved at an incredible rate over the past decade or so. We have seen mids such as Cripps and bontempelli come into the league as mid 190’s cm players which would have them as key forwards in years gone by. Now we are seeing the rise of the 200cm key forward come into the league. Gone are the days where at 2m tall you would barley be expected to put one foot in front of the other , but in the modern game guys like the king brothers, McKay, 2m peter are genuine athletes. They’re agile, quick and have great leaps making it nearly impossible to defend.

This got me thinking about the the upcoming draft. With these kids coming through (given they are still growing even at AFL level) who are around 200cm+ tall, as juniors they will almost certainly be either rucks or key forwards and little to no chance of learning their craft as defenders as they come up. So is it fair to assume that most key defenders being drafted are not quite big enough to play on the modern day key forward that is creeping into the game now? If so where do clubs find these guys big enough to combat the king’s and McKay’s of the world? Or will there come a time when these guys will become the norm and are more likely to be played in defensive roles as juniors ?

we've had glimpses into the future with Paul Salmon played as a full forward and guys like Judd and Goodes being bona fide mids with height, size and speed.

Choco Williams predicted AFL will trend towards basketball in the early 2000s with players getting taller and their body shapes change with different training techniques.

Defenders will have to be taller or find a co-operative way to combat the tall timber. In terms of the later, we are seeing defenders deny forwards space to get to the drop of the ball. Who wins this evolutionary war, will probably be decided by rule changes and changes of interpretation.
 
Apr 23, 2016
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AFL players have evolved at an incredible rate over the past decade or so. We have seen mids such as Cripps and bontempelli come into the league as mid 190’s cm players which would have them as key forwards in years gone by. Now we are seeing the rise of the 200cm key forward come into the league. Gone are the days where at 2m tall you would barley be expected to put one foot in front of the other , but in the modern game guys like the king brothers, McKay, 2m peter are genuine athletes. They’re agile, quick and have great leaps making it nearly impossible to defend.

This got me thinking about the the upcoming draft. With these kids coming through (given they are still growing even at AFL level) who are around 200cm+ tall, as juniors they will almost certainly be either rucks or key forwards and little to no chance of learning their craft as defenders as they come up. So is it fair to assume that most key defenders being drafted are not quite big enough to play on the modern day key forward that is creeping into the game now? If so where do clubs find these guys big enough to combat the king’s and McKay’s of the world? Or will there come a time when these guys will become the norm and are more likely to be played in defensive roles as juniors ?

Failed forwards often turn in to decent defenders. They have all the required physical attributes but the play comes to them, unlike playing forward where you have to be a bit more proactive.
 
Feb 28, 2007
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Failed forwards often turn in to decent defenders. They have all the required physical attributes but the play comes to them, unlike playing forward where you have to be a bit more proactive.

Had he been played in the midfield during his career instead of being a forward Buddy would have been more damaging than Judd, Ablett Jnr, Dangerfield, Martin and Fyfe.
 

JMarra

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May 21, 2017
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Players will evolve to have larger nostrils to improve their off-field performance.
 
Aug 9, 2016
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there is no valid scientific evidence that supports the argument the modern AFL player has evolved

everyone knows that AFL players were created by intelligent design

If 190cm KPFs evolved into 190cm mids and 200cm KPFs, then why are there still 190cm KPFs?? Evolution debunked.
 

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Had he been played in the midfield during his career instead of being a forward Buddy would have been more damaging than Judd, Ablett Jnr, Dangerfield, Martin and Fyfe.
Could have
 

Goomba1973

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Aug 13, 2018
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AFL players have evolved at an incredible rate over the past decade or so. We have seen mids such as Cripps and bontempelli come into the league as mid 190’s cm players which would have them as key forwards in years gone by. Now we are seeing the rise of the 200cm key forward come into the league. Gone are the days where at 2m tall you would barley be expected to put one foot in front of the other , but in the modern game guys like the king brothers, McKay, 2m peter are genuine athletes. They’re agile, quick and have great leaps making it nearly impossible to defend.

This got me thinking about the the upcoming draft. With these kids coming through (given they are still growing even at AFL level) who are around 200cm+ tall, as juniors they will almost certainly be either rucks or key forwards and little to no chance of learning their craft as defenders as they come up. So is it fair to assume that most key defenders being drafted are not quite big enough to play on the modern day key forward that is creeping into the game now? If so where do clubs find these guys big enough to combat the king’s and McKay’s of the world? Or will there come a time when these guys will become the norm and are more likely to be played in defensive roles as juniors ?

Stephen Michael at 188cm and one of the best ruckman the game has ever seen, would be an average sized midfielder by todays standards.
 
Stephen Michael at 188cm and one of the best ruckman the game has ever seen, would be an average sized midfielder by todays standards.
And one of the greatest rucks, John Nicholls, was the same height as Chris Judd
 
Feb 28, 2007
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Generally athletes get bigger, stronger, faster, more athletic over time.

It's not always directly linear but come back in 5, 10, 20, 40 years and we'll keep seeing that trend.

It wouldn't suprise me if to be an AFL ruck you need to be that 210cm type athlete rather than 200cm in 15-20 years.

I think it is already happening. There are a lot of taller ruckman coming through the system now, guys who are 204cm or more. Now days 200cm for a ruckman is verging on a little short.
 
Feb 23, 2009
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I think it is already happening. There are a lot of taller ruckman coming through the system now, guys who are 204cm or more. Now days 200cm for a ruckman is verging on a little short.
Agreed, and I think 210cm will be that next prototype benchmark as more of those guys get drafted over the next decade, and then build their careers and suddenly the ruck position has a new height standard.
 

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