Rules The Sub Rule - Time to make it Black and White

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Feb 23, 2009
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It was my understanding it's an injury sub, not just concussion sub. Anyhow agree simplest solution is forcing subbed player to miss the following week, including finals/grand final
Issue with that is the player recovers and then what? You have a fit player not playing.

Some injuries can be misdiagnosed, others can be recovered. E.g. they might sub you out with a rolled ankle where you can't run on it, but a week of RICE and a jab before the next game and you can play.

I think the easiest solution is to just call it a sub, and you can do with it what you will.
 

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tombomb

Norm Smith Medallist
Sep 8, 2007
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That's why the bench went to 4.

Extend it and then the clubs will complain that a player is injured and they only have 4 on the bench while the other team has 5.
If you kept rotations the same, you could get to a number on the bench where losing a player wouldn't be a significant disadvantage.
 
Jul 12, 2011
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Issue with that is the player recovers and then what? You have a fit player not playing.

Some injuries can be misdiagnosed, others can be recovered. E.g. they might sub you out with a rolled ankle where you can't run on it, but a week of RICE and a jab before the next game and you can play.

I think the easiest solution is to just call it a sub, and you can do with it what you will.
Bad luck don't sub them on a small injury then
 
Sep 30, 2011
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Get rid of the sub. Extend the bench to 5 or 6. Leave the rotations the same.
Eventually you open pandoras box though on strategic choices for coaches and the fwd/ruck position disappears from the game as teams would just have 1 spot for the resting ruck. 6 interchange then become the norm, if there is a concussion, one coach will still whinge that he had an unfair disadvantage so they bring in a sub on top of the 6 and we're back to square 1.
 
Sep 30, 2011
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The last time ya'll pissed and moaned about Richmond cheating the sub rule Vlaustin missed 6 weeks with the injury that was apparently cheating.

So how about you calm down a touch.
What about this time though? He's not even listed on your injury list as a test.

Sounds like cheating to me.
 

Pessimistic

Cancelled
30k Posts 10k Posts HBF's Milk Crate - 70k Posts TheBrownDog
Sep 13, 2000
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5 on the bench. Teams put 2 of them in ice for the last quarter. So only 3 remain. Players get a run to keep fit. Teams with even two injuries aren’t disadvantaged.

Not sure interchange limits do anything. People look back at 2010 era fondly. There were unlimited interchanges which hit an all time high
 

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May 30, 2006
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Good points raised.

Option 1 - no sub (my preference)
Option 2 - Concussion sub only
Option 3 - Mandatory week off, it's then up to clubs to decide how much value they put on the in-the-moment prognosis. You don't have to sub them off if you think it's only cramp.

No interchange is my preference.
If the bench stays as 4, two subs per quarter. Those subbed off can't come back on that quarter. Only using two means a side doesn't go down a "rotation" due to anything under three injuries.

But - and a huge but - not next year like the AFL like to do with these things (when they don't decide to change the rules next week). It would need a couple of pre-seasons (if there were genuine reserves and not wrecking other leagues it could be tried there too) first to see if it works, if it needs tweaks, ends up being a bad idea, etc, and for teams to adjust their lists.
 

maskmcgee

Norm Smith Medallist
Feb 25, 2017
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The make it an anytime sub, not an injury sub.

The only reason the AFL brought in the sub was to cover their ass. By allowing anytime sub, you open the door to this situation:

10 min mark Q3 - Side makes tactical substitution of uninjured player.
11 min mark Q3 - Same side's player receives an minor injury. Player is treated then sent back out on the ground.
15 min mark Q4 - That same player makes their injury worse

Injury is so bad it forces the player to retire. Or maybe player is just s**t and gets delisted, then realises they can get big $$$ for faking injuries. They sue the AFL, saying if there wasn't a tactical substitution allowed, they would of been subbed off instead and never been forced out of the game.

Doesn't matter what criteria you make it, half time, 3qt, as soon as the other side uses their sub, this situation will happen eventually and the AFL will look at fault. The AFL will never change it to anything other than injury sub. At least if the club is claiming the earlier sub they made was due to injury, it washes the AFL's hands.

Obviously the proper thing to do would be to change the law to declare Professional sport is not a workplace and ban all compensation and just use the existing law of 'you know the risk, you accept the consequences' which exists for everything except workplaces.
 

1989

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Luke Jackson subbed out.

Gary Pert - "We've come out of the game without any injuries".

AFL need to sort this out.
 

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