Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick has put forward a bold AFL ‘double-up’ fixture fix, leaving two Fox Footy commentators completely floored.
One of the more contentious features of the AFL fixtures is how all 18 clubs play six opponents twice in a season, with the other 11 being one-off matches for the year. The ‘double-up’ opponents are determined by each team’s finishing ladder position from the previous season.
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As part of AFL 360’s weekly ‘Coaches’ Night’, senior coaches can propose suggestions to the AFL – cheekily via Gerard Whateley – to help iron out some issues in the game.
And Hardwick on Monday night immediately turned his attention to the fixture.
“The first one: Double-up games are only worth two points,” Hardwick told Fox Footy’s AFL 360.
“So your first double-up game, you win it and get two (points) and if you lose the second one, zero points – or you’ve got to win the double to get your four.”
AFL 360 co-hosts Gerard Whateley and Garry Lyon were taken aback by Hardwick’s idea.
“Bold! Wow, that’s revolutionary,” Whateley said.
Lyon added: “Gee you’ve taken that somewhere we didn’t expect.”
Hardwick also called for players to stop showing “incorrect technique” and “leading with their head” when being tackled.
“Especially with that’s happening with CTE and concussion protocols, we’ve got to stop players leading with their head,” Hardwick said.
“The one thing we have to discourage is that form of motion. Players have got to be encouraged to have the right technique. We’ve got to stop rewarding players and clubs leaning on the fact that they do lead with their heads.
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“Players will always try and attract a free kick – we had a couple in our game (against the Bulldogs) our players got that we spoke about. We’re trying to set the example for the younger generation or players at lower leagues, we’ve got to set a better example in regard to that. Make the umpires’ job easier.
“We have to protect the ball-carrier, but the ball-carrier also has a duty of care to himself and also everyone else on the ground.”
Sydney coach Dean Cox called for the tactical sub to be scrapped.
“We’ve got a fit player who’s sitting on the bench, can’t come on and certainly impact when you need them to,” Cox told AFL 360. “You’ve got to try and spend time throughout a game strategically (on) when are you going to pull it (the sub).
“So my thing is if you have five there (on the bench), just play five. I’ve been really strong on that, even as an assistant coach.”
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Cox also said the AFL should shift the pre-finals bye to before the Grand Final.
“It’s just going to take one key player to get a concussion leading into that in a prelim final,” Cox said.
“One thing you need … is the top-four teams that have spent the duration of the season being the best teams should get the best chance to proceed through to the finals as they go. I think since the pre-finals bye has come in, the differential has been so great.
“If we want the best two teams playing for the duration of the year on the last day, we want them, as fresh as possible to put on the best spectacle.”
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