AFL Gone Crazy with talk of Zones - Paul Roos lashes out

[bornadog]

MELBOURNE coach Paul Roos has launched a stinging satirical attack on the prospect of the AFL introducing on-field zones.Laws of the Game committee member John Worsfold floated the idea on Monday night as one way of combating congestion on the field.
Worsfold told the Seven Network the league could look at trialling a rule in pre-season that keeps two or three players from both sides in each half of the ground.
“If you want to play a different game, call it something else and we’ll play a different game,” Roos said.
“Or we can have two games — we can have Australian Rules footy and another game called zoneball.

Roos, who matched wits with Worsfold in classic 2005 and 2006 grand finals between Sydney and West Coast, opined the game had never been in better health and that coaches had a knack of fixing whatever ailed it.
“We were talking about the flood years ago, then that went away,” he said.
“We worried about the zones, then they went away.
“The game at the moment is as close to 18 one-on-one contests as you can possibly have and we’ve still got people complaining.”
Roos suggested the introduction of two new clubs, and the glut of expansion picks heading to GWS and Gold Coast, meant “the talent level is different” now.
“But the game itself has never been better,” he added.

Roos accused the league of being far too reactive in the way they picked at the game’s fabric.
“The problem is we put rules in. Now we say the rules we put in haven’t worked, so we’ll put some new rules in,” he said.

“We’ll do that and put some rules in to fix the rules that were supposed to fix the rules.
“Then we’ll put some rules in to fix the rules that were going to fix the rules that were going to fix the rules.

“We’ll keep doing that, that sounds like a great idea.”
Roos’ freewheeling series of sarcastic zingers came to an end when asked at Tuesday’s press conference what he would do if in control of the game.

“I wouldn’t have changed them (rules),” he said.
“I’m just a coach. We’re seen as ruining the game so we’ve got to keep our mouths shut.”

This is the crazies thing the AFL has thought of.

[bulldogtragic]

So what sport to follow next?

Seriously, if the state leagues adopted the game as it was a decade or more ago, just good footy without the fuss and over complication - They would grow massively, and I would only see Footscray play.

It's hard enough keeping the love for the dogs, let alone the code...

[Mantis]

In fairness the AFL have to do something... Having both teams in one half of the ground makes for a shocking spectacle.

And the game never better? (as per Roos's comments) - All the money he is getting paid must have rotted his brain.

[Ghost Dog]

I agree Mantis. Several times I've taken people new to AFL to the footy and been embarrassed. At one match, my guests wanted to leave before the first quarter, excused themselves and left, despite the fact the tickets were worth $50 each.

[chef]

I agree the AFL needs to do something, the game resembles under 12's footy at the moment with everyone just chasing the ball.

[LostDoggy]

I hate the way football is being played at the moment, but I'm also totally against the interference.

And no. The AFL do NOT have to do something. They CAN, however, stop running around like headless chickens throwing in knee-jerk rule change after knee-jerk rule change.

Perhaps if the draft wasn't compromised, the fixture was a draw, equalisation was more than lip-service, and the playing field was level coaches wouldn't be faced with opposition so outlandishly better that they have to develop said strategies to stop them in the first place.

Do this, sit back and allow every club to thrive on talent and merit and you'll see a game that thrives on talent and merit. Rocket science.

Just about every problem in the game always comes back to that — the 18 teams are not given an equally fair go — yet oxygen thieves like McGuire are dead against changing it. Might make less money, after all.

[Remi Moses]

There's poor games of footy, and there's good games of footy.
Been that way for an eyernity

[bornadog]

And no. The AFL do NOT have to do something. They CAN, however, stop running around like headless chickens throwing in knee-jerk rule change after knee-jerk rule change.

Exactly - have a look at the sliding rule for instance

In fairness the AFL have to do something... Having both teams in one half of the ground makes for a shocking spectacle.

And the game never better? (as per Roos's comments) - All the money he is getting paid must have rotted his brain.

I agree Mantis. Several times I've taken people new to AFL to the footy and been embarrassed. At one match, my guests wanted to leave before the first quarter, excused themselves and left, despite the fact the tickets were worth $50 each.

I agree the AFL needs to do something, the game resembles under 12's footy at the moment with everyone just chasing the ball.

You cannot change a game to make it look like what you want it to look like. No rules will ever do that.

Zones will come in and then coaches will figure something else out and then what do you do.

How about the zone comes in and one coach keeps 15 players in the back half and the rest of the ground with the other 3 in the forward line the whole match. What will happen then?

This is the biggest fundamental change in the history of the game. I have no respect for anyone sitting on the rules committee if this is what they are advocating.

You three don't like current games because we are losing more than winning, no other reason.

[chef]

You three don't like current games because we are losing more than winning, no other reason.

Not true at all, I don't enjoy it as much(neutral games that is, the Dogs games are still as exciting and intense as ever) as it's not the same game anymore.

Maybe it will evolve into something better, maybe it won't.

[bornadog]

Not true at all, I don't enjoy it as much(neutral games that is, the Dogs games are still as exciting and intense as ever) as it's not the same game anymore.

Maybe it will evolve into something better, maybe it won't.

Rule changes won't make the game look like the 80's.

[Maddog37]

What about a third man in type rule?

[Ghost Dog]

I didn't say I wanted the rules changed. But I can see where the concern is coming from and empathize with the AFL.
No BAD. I've been to games that we won, where I thought it was a horrible display of skills.
It doesn't bother me as much when I watch on the TV but when I pay to go or take friends, it leaves you flat.

[bornadog]

I didn't say I wanted the rules changed. But I can see where the concern is coming from and empathize with the AFL.
No BAD. I've been to games that we won, where I thought it was a horrible display of skills.
It doesn't bother me as much when I watch on the TV but when I pay to go or take friends, it leaves you flat.

Big difference between watching us and a quality side like a Port for example.

[jeemak]

I'd love to be a Hawks supporter watching team's superior skill level dismantling the negative tactics of the Fremantle's of this competition.

I'm concerned about the agendas at play here. Worsefold was cooked because he was an outdated coach, and has poo in his pants over this because couldn't evolve. Roos has poo in his pants because any such change is going to negatively affect his coaching outcome.

[Hotdog60]

The AFL are the makers of their own demise, all they need to do to get the game flowing and to open it up more is to pay a free kick for incorrect disposal.

If they are worried about slowing the game down with too many free kicks they can just reduce the time the player has to get rid of the ball once the player is back on his mark.

Players get rewarded for the effort they put in for a good tackle and the fans are happy because when they yell ball they can also get reward.

One of the worst elements I saw in the game last week was a group of players standing waiting for someone to get the ball and then dive on him. The one making the play was then penalised for holding the ball. Keep this up and we will have a stop in play with players standing in a circle watching the ball on the ground wait to pounce on who ever is stupid enough to go and get it.