SANFL Bench

[CUTTERMAN]

Is it time that the SANFL look at teams running a 4 man bench. 2 injuries in a game and a team is down to 1 player for rotations, even our game seems to be getting faster. What would be the expected pros and cons.

[Spiritof64]

Maybe, but limit the number of interchanges.

[MightyEagles]

Maybe, but limit the number of interchanges.

Not in favour of limited interchanges, to much like Rugby League.

[Dog_ger]

How about getting rid of the interchange...?

[CUTTERMAN]

What changes would that make to the style of play and wear and tear on players. I think the game is too fast Dogger, how many games would be played out without full teams.

[Ian]

That's why they changed the bench from "reserves" to "interchange", since then the game has got faster and more demanding, it's time we went to 4 on the bench.

[heater31]

some country leagues still have two players on the bench although they can have three if the 3rd is a junior player. can we extend the bench to four with the provision of the 4th being under a certain age?

[Ian]

some country leagues still have two players on the bench although they can have three if the 3rd is a junior player. can we extend the bench to four with the provision of the 4th being under a certain age?

Wouldn't that take away from being the best stae league in the country? If it was the case, who could you interchange them with, another young player? That would defeat the purpose of having interchange players.

[smac]

4 man interchange is a great idea. No need to change any rules to compensate, it will add to the contest, not take from it.

[Mic]

4 on the interchange is a change long overdue.

[CENTURION]

get rid of the bench altogether & replace it with a nice Microsuede couch accompanied by 2 matching tubs-MUCH more comfortable!

[G]

Well I think at least make it 4 on the bench for finals so as to help not having your season going down the tube because of injuries.
And yes I understand its the same for everyone.

[CENTURION]

how about (to make it fair) 3 (or 4) permanently on the bench but if someone is injured & can't play for the rest of the game, he gets replaced by an emergency. Wouldn't that be fair to all?

[locky801]

Have seen a number of games this year when by half time interchange bench was just about empty, couple of games I saw thought that the interchange steward was about to strip down and come onto the field, yes it is time for 4 on the bench, But where do we draw the line, does it just apply to the league side or do we go through all grades, more interchange players means possibly more players on your list which equates to more money. I am surprised that it hasn't been bought up as an occ health issue in the workplace All in favour of extending the bench

[therisingblues]

How about we have a four man bench but one of them has to be injured before the game starts? That way we could develop these masochistic type of players that specialize in being the "injured player" off the bench, and just get used in the desperate situations that arise during matches as cannon fodder to bust up packs, and fearlessly throw their already broken bodies into physically threatening scenarios all in the name of inhumanity.

[Blue Boy]

Its a must !!!

[Wedgie]

Im in two minds, I think the pace of the game and the way its played does require an extra player on the bench BUT I miss the days of 2 on the bench when a player would only come off when he's injured or dragged and the crowd would give him heaps, I also miss the days of when you had 3 or more injuries and you'd have to put a guy in the forward pocket who could hardly jog but still managed to lift his side by taking an unlikely mark. I'm a bit of a dinosaur though.

[therisingblues]

My earlier post was tongue in cheek, but Wedgie has captured the essence of what inspired it in his last comment. Something about Aussie Rules and watching players giving their all for the club.

[smac]

But days of taking such risks are (and should be) behind us. 18 fit players on the park at once is better than watching a bloke with a broken leg trying to run around the forward pocket just to fill a space.

[therisingblues]

But days of taking such risks are (and should be) behind us. 18 fit players on the park at once is better than watching a bloke with a broken leg trying to run around the forward pocket just to fill a space.

Strewth, I've never seen that! That would be the stuff of legends if the guy somehow took a mark in the dying seconds of the match, then had his team mates hold him up while he swung his one good leg at the pill to win the game by one point after the siren!
But you are right though, insurance laws, lawyers, do-gooders and the like have taken the prospect of such fun and mercilessly flung it out the window. Good thought though!