New Interchange rule too be trialed in the NAB Cup
The NAB Cup is the AFL’s experimental competition where it can trial, what they would like to say are improvements to the game of Australian Rules Football, mind you many would argue the complete opposite. The 2008 NAB Cup looks like it will follow similar lines as in previous years. It has been announced that during this years NAB Cup there will be a cap of 16 interchange rotations per quarter and 64 per match, and also the number of interchange players will go up from 6 to 8.
The AFL are hell bent on slowing the game down and it has been previously reported that they are undertaking a research project into whether there is a link between injury and the increased use of the interchange bench. Adrian Anderson has been quoted as saying:
“The suggestion is that because of the increased use of the interchange the players are hitting each other harder, are moving at top speeds for longer and more likely to suffer collision injuries but we really need to look at that in-depth to see if the theory holds true,”
From a spectators point of view I don’t think there is any need to change the speed of the game and I am sure if there was a survey conducted amongst the AFL players they would say a similar thing. But I guess the AFL have a duty of care to up hold and that looks like the direction they are heading.
It will be interested to watch how this effects teams like Collingwood and Sydney who in last years elimination final used the bench an extraordinary 174 times. There will need to be some new coaching strategies put in place and if the rule comes into the main competition it will be a race between the coaching staffs of the clubs to see who can come up with another work around.
Bring on the start of the season !!!
Can Brisbane make the Top 4 in 2008?
As I continue to make my way through the 16 AFL Clubs and rate their chances for the 2008 season, today I turn my attention to the first interstate team the Brisbane Lions. They were only 2 games shy of making the eight in 2007 and I expect them to feature in the Finals in 2008 and who knows maybe even battle it out for a top 4 position.
ADDITIONS:
Exchange period – received: Travis Johnstone (Melbourne)
Rookie elevation: Anthony Corrie
NAB AFL Draft: Matt Austin (North Ballarat Rebels), Tom Collier (Tassie Mariners), Brad Dalziell (East Fremantle), Lachlan Henderson (Geelong Falcons), James Polkinghorne (Calder Cannons)
NAB AFL Rookie Draft: Pearce Hanley (County Mayo, Ireland)
DELETIONS:
Retired: Chris L. Johnson, Chris Scott, Michael Voss (veteran – outside list)
Exchange period – traded: Richard Hadley (Carlton), Cameron Wood (Collingwood)
Delisted: Marcus Allan, Ben Fixter, Pat Garner, Will Hamill (rookie)
2008 Brownlow Medallist - Jonathon Brown?
If Jonathon Brown decides to get a kick prior to Round 8 then look out Brownlow Medal. With Daniel Bradshaw returning and gun youngster Mitch Clarke lining up down forward the Lions have the makings of a very potent forward line. The Lions forward line was only 12th on the rankings for points scored per game and is an area that needs improvement. But when Bradshaw comes back and with Jonathon Brown demanding 2-3 opponents every week then Bradshaw may be left with the 2nd 3rd or 4th best backman and Leigh Matthews will be rubbing his hands together. The inclusion of Bradshaw is very important to the make up of the Lions forward line as he adds X Factor down there because he can play both small and tall is a hard match up. It also means that the likes of McGrath and Patfull will get less attention than they did in 2007.
Travis Johnstone adds more class to the midfield
AFL Legend Kevin Sheedy still making headlines
Even though the great Kevin Sheedy is out of the AFL coaching spotlight, he is still a sought after person for media outlets to get a well informed opinion from. I love reading articles either written by him or articles that he has been quoted in. Take the latest off field drama involving Collingwood rookie Sharrod Wellingham which has cost the Collingwood Football Club a $500,000 a year TAC sponsorship deal. Sheedy commented on this in the Herald Sun yesterday “I’m not quite sure whether sponsorships like TAC are valuable for football and young people,” the former Essendon coach said. This comment / opinion is so true, for starters this kid has not even played a senior game for the club yet but from now on he will always be known for costing the Collingwood Football Club that sponsorship deal. He would want to be able to paly because it will take a lot of work from him to come out from behind the cloud on this one. Can you just image what would have been going through his head the next time he set foot into the club. I mean if he is not already overwhelmed by the people around him there, to be put under the spotlight like this would be no doubt quite embarrassing for the kid.
And although this is not on the subject of AFL Football, readers here will be able to relate to it. In his column in the Herald Sun, he talks about the racism issue in cricket at the moment and the heat that Ricky Ponting is under. He loves the old fashion contest does Sheedy “It’s competitive, but you very rarely see an athlete hit another. There are a lot of hungry cricketers and I don’t think they’re that bad. It is just competitiveness.” This was his response to the comments made by a couple of the Hall of Famers that were having a go at the Australian Cricket Team and their behaviour in the last Test match.
Let’s just hope there is none of this sort of stuff consuming the AFL this year and we can have a year that is focusing fully on the fantastic game we have.
Sheedy continues to be the master.
Gary Ablett Highlights Not to be Missed
Hurry up and bring on the 2008 AFL Football Season! I don’t know about everyone else out there but I am craving some football action. So I have been scouring the web and have come across these 2 fanstastic highlight reels on YouTube that I thought the readers here at AFL Football Blog would enjoy having a look at.
Here they are;
Carlton Star bashed on New Years Eve
It was bound to happen wasn’t it. Day 1 of the new year and yet another off field incident involving an AFL Footballer. Although I was expecting a Ben Cousins report on New Years Day after a reporter had tailed him on his partying adventures on the night and he had caught him doing something outrageous.
Not to be. This time it was Carlton star Jarrad Waite who was king hit with bottles at Lorne on New Years Eve by 4 men which police have since arrested. Cartlon Football Club have quickly come out and released a press statement saying the Waite was an innocent bystander. It was reported that Waite and his girlfriend were attacked by 4 youths and Waite was hit over the head with bottles suffering facial injuries. Although Carlton cheif Greg Swan has said that his injuries will not affect his pre season training there are rumours on a few AFL Forums that suggest his injuries are more serious than that, a fractured eye socket has been floated around.
I think Swan was being politically correct when he said “The fact Jarrad is an AFL player had no bearing on the incident.” I just don’t buy that at all! There is no way this is what he really believes. These people would have been well aware who he was and they would have had the 10% tougher theory flowing through their minds after quite a few “frothies” I would imagine. I have been around and talked to a lot of AFL players and they all say that people come up to them in pubs and clubs and intend to “have a go”, just because they are AFL players and they can then boast about the incident to their mates.
It is another example of a cowardly act on an AFL Footballer. Let’s hope Waite is OK and there are no serious facial injuries that will affect his pre season program. Waite is an important part of the Carlton Football Clubs plans to make their climb up the AFL Ladder starting in 2008.
