Rule changes 2019: someone say 'attacking football'?

PowerForGood

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Remember all that time ago (like a week) when every AFL outlet and every AFL-media mouthpiece were screaming plaudits about the wonderful impact of the rule changes on attacking football?

Using JLT scores as an example?

And yet early signs in the season proper are that this is not the case and that players are playing more defensive individual 1 on 1 football.

Not to say that isn't more attractive than the rolling mauls we saw on occasion last year, but scoring is looking like it will suffer. The first 3/4 games Rd 1 the scores are well down (4 goals per team) on past years. What I'm seeing is players are worried about being caught on the wrong side of their opponent that there is less risk taking. Defenders now have the additional advantage of the changes to hands in the back.

Hope that changes as players and coaches settle in.

Once we get a few rounds in it will be interesting to see how the scoring plays out.
 
May 20, 2011
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The only way to really stop the tactical and strategic defensive structures that coaches play a large part in implementing is to introduce zones and no one wants that.

The 6-6-6 formation at center bounces only has a limited window of opportunity as far as expanding the field goes for open, aggressive play making. The runners rule does take a little away from the coaches flexibility, but players are so well drilled nowadays that they will automatically know when and where to block space when in a defensive mindset.
 

PowerForGood

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Nowhere near enough data points to make any conclusion. We are 3.5 games into the season
But the JLT was apparently enough to proclaim success. Which was always a long bow to draw. Seriously, preseason?

I see more attractive football but not more attacking football. Not just scoring, just in general play.
 

mxett

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But the JLT was apparently enough to proclaim success. Which was always a long bow to draw. Seriously, preseason?

I see more attractive football but not more attacking football. Not just scoring, just in general play.
as others have said, it's way too early to conclude games will be less or more attacking. However, I think we can conclude the impact of 6 6 6 will be negligible if neither side scores within the first 30 seconds after a centre bounce
 

blitzer

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The worst rule at the moment is the below the knee rule, totally unnecessary and is now being paid in ridiculous situations, made some sense when sliding in but that no longer seems to be a prerequisite.

Agreed, its just gross seeing a player get down low, win the ball then another player comes careening in hitting them in the head with their body and then getting awarded a free for contact below the knees. A complete distortion of the original intent of the rule.

As long as there's no slide-in then should just be paying high contact like normal.
 

Topkent

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Remember all that time ago (like a week) when every AFL outlet and every AFL-media mouthpiece were screaming plaudits about the wonderful impact of the rule changes on attacking football?

Using JLT scores as an example?

And yet early signs in the season proper are that this is not the case and that players are playing more defensive individual 1 on 1 football.

Not to say that isn't more attractive than the rolling mauls we saw on occasion last year, but scoring is looking like it will suffer. The first 3/4 games Rd 1 the scores are well down (4 goals per team) on past years. What I'm seeing is players are worried about being caught on the wrong side of their opponent that there is less risk taking. Defenders now have the additional advantage of the changes to hands in the back.

Hope that changes as players and coaches settle in.

Once we get a few rounds in it will be interesting to see how the scoring plays out.

Good. Teams have been training to zone an guard space. Maybe they'll practice winning 1 on 1 contests an kicking to leads rather than bombing long get stoppage.

s**t maybe some blokes who are good one on one rather than just tackling might get drafted again
 

Topkent

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The worst rule at the moment is the below the knee rule, totally unnecessary and is now being paid in ridiculous situations, made some sense when sliding in but that no longer seems to be a prerequisite.

Robbie Grey went down low for a ball that he was first too an Brayshaw just threw himself across him deliberately an won a free. It's a s**t rule
 
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The worst rule at the moment is the below the knee rule, totally unnecessary and is now being paid in ridiculous situations, made some sense when sliding in but that no longer seems to be a prerequisite.
Agree. They've been paying it for stationary players going low when picking up the ball.

It's seriously ridiculous that the guy who is late to the contest and runs knee first into the player picking up the ball with no attempt at the footy gets a free.
 
The other impact of these rule changes is that we are seeing the decline of the highly skilled footballer and a whole bunch of running athletes that can kick a ball in a general direction. If you can run and have a big engine, the likelihood of you getting a game has increased no matter what your level of footballing skill.
 

shaqsuns

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Jun 13, 2011
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The other impact of these rule changes is that we are seeing the decline of the highly skilled footballer and a whole bunch of running athletes that can kick a ball in a general direction. If you can run and have a big engine, the likelihood of you getting a game has increased no matter what your level of footballing skill.

No that happened years ago, when the interchange exploded and became a rotation


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tombomb

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The humidity in Melbourne and (i think) the rest of Australia at the moment is insane. It is having a significant impact on the skills.
 
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