Mega Thread General MFC Discussion Part III

[Devastating Boris]

I can imagine an AFL where a Gus Brayshaw walks away after the second knock because risking your future isn't worth it.

It’s an interesting one. One of the guys I play cricket with is mates with Will Pucovski and apparently a lot of people were telling him to give it away before his first test. He basically told them to go jump.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

It’s an interesting one. One of the guys I play cricket with is mates with Will Pucovski and apparently a lot of people were telling him to give it away before his first test. He basically told them to go jump.

Things aren’t going to work out well for Pucovski though, unless he turns into an infallible hooker of the ball. Even then I’m pretty sure he’s knocked himself out while fielding once or twice.

 

[CTHORANGE]

It makes no sense that if you land on the ground and break both your legs you can't be replaced, but a bloke who gets a slight elbow that feels groggy is automatically replaced.

The only fair way is if one team uses a concussion sub the other team gets a free sub to use for any purpose, but then you'd need an extra 4 subs just in case. So why not just get rid of the bench.

Thinking along these lines as well, if a team uses the concussion sub, then the other team should be given the option to sub out a player as well, and then their subbed out player becomes their concussion sub if needed later on.

Feels like a better balance, the team who suffers a concussion injury shouldn't potentially get an advantage from it. Sure the opposition team would obviously sub out their worst performer on the day, or better yet an injured player, but feels a fairer balance than having just one team gain a fresh set of midfielder legs with 15 minutes to go in a close game for example.

 

[Johnny Karate]

I agree with multiple subs and **** off the interchange.

 

[Topkent]

Its not fair at all, but you need to look at it through the lens that a storm is coming. It'll happen in America first, and will naturally move here. We are still in the infancy stage of understanding CTE, but what they do know is very scary. I don't think it'll end contact sport or anything, but it'll probably see a reduction, at least a short-term one, of kids playing footy with contact rules. The AFL won't be able to afford the lawsuit if it comes, and they're getting in ahead of the curve in whatever way they can to mitigate the risk now that the seriousness is known.

Another way to look at it, along the lines of your example, is that CTE is a bit bigger than footy. You can heal a broken collarbone, you can heal a broken leg. All you can't really heal is a broken spine, which we knew already hence the entrenched laws about high contact and push in the back etc., and CTE.

Thank god a single concussion substitute completely removed concussion from the game and people's future.

 

[mrmonkey]

Thank god a single concussion substitute completely removed concussion from the game and people's future.

Tulip never said this would 'completely remove concussions from the game' they said mitigate.

 

[Topkent]

Tulip never said this would 'completely remove concussions from the game' they said mitigate.

It still doesn't make a **** of a difference. If you get concussed it won't retroactively go away with a concussion sub.

 

[Tulip]

Thank god a single concussion substitute completely removed concussion from the game and people's future.

Mate, I think you know what I'm getting at.

 

[Proper Gander]

Season starts tomorrow and already I feel slightly sick

 

[Jamurp]

Season starts tomorrow and already I feel slightly sick

I’ll be so nervous come Saturday, that familiar feeling on Melbourne gameday, hello my old friend.

 

[Headless]

Season starts tomorrow and already I feel slightly sick

What could possibly go wrong?

 

[Topkent]

What could possibly go wrong?

Knowing us Trac gets a sex change and gets cleared to play for the Richmond W side.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

If Brayshaw doesn’t play majority game time on ball this year I hope he’s traded, have a feeling he’ll leave as a free agent next year otherwise and don’t think we’d get much in compo for him.

 

[Meds]

Burgo was on the Gus & Gawny podcast this week. He's a fan of the sub but would want it extended to cover all injuries.

I can completely understand the logic of the rule as a risk mitigation tactic and as a way to elevate the players' long term welfare. Everyone who plays the game understands the risks involved so it won't eliminate concussion but what it will do is show that clubs and the AFL are not putting long term welfare second behind winning (which would largely be happening already, but the rule makes it much more watertight and defensible down the track).

Is it fair for one team to get a sub, but their opposition doesn't even if they have an injury? Probably not. But the game is already unfair in situations like that so it's naive to suggest it's just this rule that creates unfairness. For example, the bloke that causes a concussion via a sling tackle or high hit gets to play on while the concussed individual misses the rest of the game and the following game. In that scenario, I think it would be fair for the opposition to get a replacement.

 

[Proper Gander]

Burgo was on the Gus & Gawny podcast this week. He's a fan of the sub but would want it extended to cover all injuries.

I can completely understand the logic of the rule as a risk mitigation tactic and as a way to elevate the players' long term welfare. Everyone who plays the game understands the risks involved so it won't eliminate concussion but what it will do is show that clubs and the AFL are not putting long term welfare second behind winning (which would largely be happening already, but the rule makes it much more watertight and defensible down the track).

Is it fair for one team to get a sub, but their opposition doesn't even if they have an injury? Probably not. But the game is already unfair in situations like that so it's naive to suggest it's just this rule that creates unfairness. For example, the bloke that causes a concussion via a sling tackle or high hit gets to play on while the concussed individual misses the rest of the game and the following game. In that scenario, I think it would be fair for the opposition to get a replacement.

I think my thing with it is that I don't want to see the bench extended. The four-man interchange is already available for injury coverage - I do think the capacity of coaches to endlessly rotate fresh legs is a major cause of the congestion that nobody enjoys in the modern game. And where a team with several injuries gets their rotations reduced, so what? Luck has always played a part in AFL and determined wins on more than one occasion. Rotation is overused tactically and is messing up some of the enjoyable aspects of AFL. Reduce rotations, and force coaches to use their smarts to have players spend more time on the ground but rested forward etc.

I would like to think that in 2021 coaches have enough understanding of the devastating effects of CTE down the track that they are capable of putting their player welfare ahead of sending them back out where possible concussion is indicated. The demands to have a concussion sub are a bad look - we won't act in the players interest unless you can assure me of a replacement sort of thing

 

[mrmonkey]

What could possibly go wrong?

Nek minute

Gawn - disappears off the face of the earth.
Kozzie - has become sick
Trac - arrested for every unsolved murder in new York city.
Viney - knocked out in a bar fight
Lever - exhausted from a night of rescuing some lady and her possession from a burning house.
Oliver - been hypnotized thinks he's a chicken.
Harmes - has radiation poisoning from working at a nuclear power plant over summer.
Jackson - fired for having sideburns.

 

[Dory_77]

So apparently it's in for all injuries. Player has to be assessed as unfit to play in the next 12 days. Clubs that play silly buggers will be slapped with the brilliantly clear 'bringing the game into disrepute' charge.

 

[Charlie_s123]

Not sure if this has already been posted but saw this on OzBargain for anyone who's interested ...

[VIC] Free 3-Game Melbourne Demons Membership - Valid for 3x Home Games at The MCG @ Melbourne Football Club - OzBargain

 

[Meds]

I think my thing with it is that I don't want to see the bench extended. The four-man interchange is already available for injury coverage - I do think the capacity of coaches to endlessly rotate fresh legs is a major cause of the congestion that nobody enjoys in the modern game. And where a team with several injuries gets their rotations reduced, so what? Luck has always played a part in AFL and determined wins on more than one occasion. Rotation is overused tactically and is messing up some of the enjoyable aspects of AFL. Reduce rotations, and force coaches to use their smarts to have players spend more time on the ground but rested forward etc.

I would like to think that in 2021 coaches have enough understanding of the devastating effects of CTE down the track that they are capable of putting their player welfare ahead of sending them back out where possible concussion is indicated. The demands to have a concussion sub are a bad look - we won't act in the players interest unless you can assure me of a replacement sort of thing

I get that. I feel the same about rotations and wanting to see the best players stay out there and use their good skills instead of the athletes that run all day. But I think the AFL's view is that it's not defensible enough for them to say clubs are doing what they can. It feels like something they want to be able to point to down the track to say "we did this to limit the damage for players, we're not liable...".

Anyway, it has happened now - 23rd man for any injury and the player subbed out is unable to play for 12 days

New rule reveal: AFL brings in 'medical sub' ahead of R1

AFL gives green light to an expanded bench that will include a medical substitute

www.afl.com.au

 

[Bluelegs]

I agree totally with all of this.

I get the why - I’m just a bit confused about the how. The mandated rest from games for a player with concussion makes sense. The blowback from coaches or whoever demanding a sub replacement in the circumstances makes less sense. Replace the player from the existing interchange bench

It is so frustrating how we have to walk on egg shells whenever it comes to putting limitations on interchange. The AFL reduces the interchange cap by 15 and the coaches and players howl about fatigue in a game that has existed for a century without the number of interchange we see today with players half as fit.

The only reason players are getting fatigued is because they are being told to cover too much ground. If they can't cover that ground and they run out of gas then maybe they should think about playing in a way that doesn't fatigue them as much.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

The only solution is to reduce interchange to a very low number. Perhaps ten or even fewer. At least two need to be reserved for after 3QT. Can expand the bench to five players if necessary.

If you somehow have more than three injuries before 3QT or five in a game the match is immediately suspended and both clubs are required to undergo mandatory exorcisms. If that many players are getting concussed both clubs should just be made to fold because of bad juju.

Alternatively expand the bench to the entire list with unlimited interchange and just let clubs do whatever the **** they want. It’s attempts at middling half solutions which lead to either exploitation by coaches or fans who get upset because they think coaches are exploiting the rules, which is somehow even more annoying.

 

[Toump Ass]

This new rule doesn't go far enough IMO. We need a substitution for players having a mare.
Would have been amazing when we were recruiting absolute ****ing potato like Morton and my name sake.
How good would it be, great southern stand, beer and baggies, screaming as loud as you can to have some jobber thrown in to the bin, and the roar when it happens.
Carn Hocking. Give the people what they want!!!

 

[ImissFrosty]

For those who haven't seen it yet. Best speaker in the AFL, plays a straight bat, tells fans everything we want to hear. If only we could do it on field.

 

[Russian Demon]

"I just try to be the best coach I can be"

So is he still trying, or is the best coach he can be just not that good?

 

[Dark Avenger]

For those who haven't seen it yet. Best speaker in the AFL, plays a straight bat, tells fans everything we want to hear. If only we could do it on field.

Did he announce he's been sacked?