A SURVEY of all AFL clubs has revealed that while clubs are supportive of using the NAB Cup to trial rule changes, there is little support for introducing rules trialed so far into the Toyota AFL Premiership Season.
AFL Football Operations Manager Adrian Anderson has revealed that only one trial rule was endorsed by a majority of clubs.
"The only NAB Cup trial rule that drew support for introduction into the Toyota AFL Premiership Season was the move for umpires to throw the ball up around the ground, which was supported by 12 of the 16 clubs," Anderson said.
All 16 clubs were surveyed on the trial rules that were in place for the 2008 NAB Cup pre-season competition, and the results show that the increase in the legal kicking distance to 20 metres; the use of a three-point rushed behind; a nine point super goal; play on when a ball hits a goal or behind post; the ball thrown in from 10 metres inside the boundary; greater numbers on the interchange bench and the umpiring no-go zone were all supported by a clear majority of clubs for use in the NAB Cup, but also opposed to by a clear majority of clubs for introduction into the Toyota AFL Premiership Season.
Clubs were equally divided in their views on marks not being paid for kicks backwards in the defensive half, but unanimously opposed to that rule being considered for a Toyota AFL Premiership match. The restriction on the number of interchanges allowed per quarter was also unanimously opposed to for the regular season, and had little support as a NAB Cup trial.
In 2007, the AFL Commission accepted a Laws Committee recommendation that no rule changes occur for the 2008 Toyota AFL Premiership season, and Anderson said the latest round of feedback reinforced the view taken by the Laws Committee.
"We saw an outstanding season in 2007, with some tremendous attacking football, and it was decided that no changes would be made for the 2008 Toyota AFL Premiership Season, to allow the game to consolidate following recent changes that have had an overall positive impact on the game as a spectacle," Anderson said.
"The 2008 Toyota AFL Premiership Season has already seen an outstanding standard on the field that is supported by record attendances to this point of the season. Our clubs have endorsed the view that the NAB Cup be used to experiment with trial rules, and that little change be made to the Premiership Season to allow for a period of consolidation," he said.
AFL Football Operations Manager Adrian Anderson has revealed that only one trial rule was endorsed by a majority of clubs.
"The only NAB Cup trial rule that drew support for introduction into the Toyota AFL Premiership Season was the move for umpires to throw the ball up around the ground, which was supported by 12 of the 16 clubs," Anderson said.
All 16 clubs were surveyed on the trial rules that were in place for the 2008 NAB Cup pre-season competition, and the results show that the increase in the legal kicking distance to 20 metres; the use of a three-point rushed behind; a nine point super goal; play on when a ball hits a goal or behind post; the ball thrown in from 10 metres inside the boundary; greater numbers on the interchange bench and the umpiring no-go zone were all supported by a clear majority of clubs for use in the NAB Cup, but also opposed to by a clear majority of clubs for introduction into the Toyota AFL Premiership Season.
Clubs were equally divided in their views on marks not being paid for kicks backwards in the defensive half, but unanimously opposed to that rule being considered for a Toyota AFL Premiership match. The restriction on the number of interchanges allowed per quarter was also unanimously opposed to for the regular season, and had little support as a NAB Cup trial.
In 2007, the AFL Commission accepted a Laws Committee recommendation that no rule changes occur for the 2008 Toyota AFL Premiership season, and Anderson said the latest round of feedback reinforced the view taken by the Laws Committee.
"We saw an outstanding season in 2007, with some tremendous attacking football, and it was decided that no changes would be made for the 2008 Toyota AFL Premiership Season, to allow the game to consolidate following recent changes that have had an overall positive impact on the game as a spectacle," Anderson said.
"The 2008 Toyota AFL Premiership Season has already seen an outstanding standard on the field that is supported by record attendances to this point of the season. Our clubs have endorsed the view that the NAB Cup be used to experiment with trial rules, and that little change be made to the Premiership Season to allow for a period of consolidation," he said.
The detailed results were as follows:
| SUMMARY OF RESPONSES (16 Club responses) | ||||||
| Which of the following best describes your opinion of this rule for use in the NAB Cup? | Which of the following best describes your opinion of this rule for use in the Toyota AFL Premiership season? | |||||
| Rule / Concept | Support | No Support | Other | Support | No Support | Other |
| Legal kicking distance increased to 20m | 56% | 44% | 0% | 25% | 75% | 0% |
| Mark not awarded for backward kicks in defensive half of ground | 50% | 50% | 0% | 0% | 100% | 0% |
| 3 points for deliberately rushed behinds | 69% | 31% | 0% | 13% | 88% | 0% |
| 9 points for goals kicked from outside 50m | 88% | 13% | 0% | 6% | 94% | 0% |
| Ball thrown up around ground | 94% | 6% | 0% | 75% | 19% | 6% |
| Play on when ball hits goal or behind post | 75% | 25% | 0% | 13% | 88% | 0% |
| Ball thrown back into play 10m in from boundary line | 75% | 25% | 0% | 38% | 56% | 6% |
| Interchange restricted to 16 per team per quarter | 6% | 88% | 6% | 0% | 100% | 0% |
| Number of interchange players increased to 8 for all matches | 69% | 31% | 0% | 6% | 75% | 19% |
| Centre Bounce "No Go" Zone | 69% | 25% | 6% | 44% | 56% | 0% |
