WITHOUT exception, AFL coaches are keen observers of other sports, so they jumped at the opportunity as part of the 2013 coaches survey, to suggest one innovation from another sport they would like to see introduced to the AFL.
Some appear sensible, others a bit far-fetched. But they're all thought provoking.
1. Two 45-minute halves
Analysis: Borrowed straight out of soccer, it might actually lead to more playing time because the game is now played over four 20 minutes quarters. But it would require a major cultural shift to move from quarters to halves.
2. A week off for competing teams before the Grand Final
Analysis: The NFL Super Bowl model. Both teams would be close to their best before the flag decider and would be over niggling injuries. It would also mean it wouldn’t matter when the preliminary finals are played, which became a major issue last season when Hawthorn had 24 hours less to prepare for the Grand Final than the Swans despite finishing on top of the ladder. The weekend before the Grand Final could be then used for the Brownlow Medal (players from both Grand Final sides would always be there) and perhaps an all-star or representative game, from which Grand Final participants would be excused. It should be noted that this idea has been floated in the past by Collingwood president Eddie McGuire.
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3. Unlimited rotations
Analysis: This is borrowed from ice hockey, where teams have twice as many players on the bench as they do on the ice at any one time. That allows them to make as many rotations as they like.
4. Mid Season Draft
Analysis: There were several calls for this with one coach suggesting a proviso that only clubs with a player on the long-term injury list can make a selection and that the draftees must come from outside the AFL system.
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5. Field umpire be able to broadcast to the entire ground
Analysis: Again borrowed from the NFL (and college football) where the game takes a brief, dramatic pause and all eyes turn to the referee as he explains the ruling on the field. This wouldn’t work for every free kick, of course, but could be used with great effect for score reviews.
6. No hit the post
Analysis: AFL Legend (and laws of the game committee member) Leigh Matthews has been advocating this one for a while. Basically, the post becomes irrelevant if hit by the ball. A goal or a behind would stand depending on where the ball ends up after hitting the post while if the ball was to, say, hit the post then rebound back into play, the call would be to play on.
7. Split the ground in half to stop flooding
Analysis: This innovation would be borrowed from netball. The playing field would be marked in zones and players could not leave their zone while the game is in play. Play would be opened up lots more and there would be fewer players around the ball. If you play as a forward, you can't leave the forward 50.
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8. NBA-style draft lottery
Analysis: To avoid any suggestion of tanking, the draft order for the clubs that don’t make the finals would be drawn out of hat, or determined by some sort of computer-generated ballot, rather than simply have the team that finishes on the bottom of the ladder automatically receive the first selection.
