Let’s Get It On: Coaches v The AFL

AFL Coaches think they ignored and the AFL say that they are not. It is real He Said She Said stuff.
We have in the Red Corner the AFL who “Don’t trust coaches in their views on the game because they think they’re only interest is their own team’s performance and can’t be trusted.” and then we have the AFL Coaches in the Black Corner, some of whom think they own the game and should be consulted on every decision that is made regarding the game of Australian Rules Football. All this childish behaviour over a rule that is being trialled, let me say that again in case you didn’t hear it, or should I say read it, TRIALLED. I have not heard the AFL ever say that the rule will be definately in in 2009 have you?.

As much as I don’t really agree with the rule at least we have the opportunity to test it as see how it goes and then get feedback which the AFL will hopefully consider. I guess that is where the coaches are getting their back up. What will the AFL do if the majority of coaches give negative feedback about the rule?

Will the AFL bring it in anyway? Part of me thinks that they will and that is the reason coaches like Mick Malthouse have been extremely outspoken on the issue. Malthouse says that the coaches were not consulted with bringing the rule in for the NAB Cup, but then you have Adrian Anderson saying that there was a memo sent to ALL Clubs and

“About seven or eight of the clubs responded, so every club had the opportunity to respond to that, and every coach had the opportunity,”

Why then did all the other 10-12 coaches not respond? My guess is that they think along the same lines as Malthouse. Regardless of how they responded the AFL would make their own decision anyway. Read more