AFL toys with 16-a-side to get the game flowing * Mark Stevens
* From: Herald Sun
* March 02, 2011 THE AFL is so concerned about growing on-field congestion it floated the idea of trialling 16 players a team in this year's NAB Cup.
With the numbers around stoppages reaching alarming levels, the league considered dropping two wingmen from each team in a throwback to the old VFA.
"We spoke about that to the clubs last year, about trying it in the NAB Cup," AFL game analysis manager Andrew McKay confirmed yesterday.
McKay said the league instead opted to trial the contentious last-touch-out-of-bounds rule, which was also designed to tire players quicker and reduce congestion.
But McKay did not rule out the league revisiting the 16-a-side option.
"It's not out of the question - who knows?" McKay said.
Premier Collingwood and grand finalist St Kilda have mastered the art of filling space and pressuring opponents.
With every disposal so rushed amid the congestion, the AFL is concerned that the game's skills are being eroded.
Disposal efficiency has dropped from 81.2 per cent in 2000 to 73.1 per cent last year - proof that the game is more scrappy than when Essendon stormed to a premiership 11 years ago.
AFL umpires boss Jeff Gieschen said it was a shame players' artistry was not on show as often as it could be.
"I think we're deprived of some of the great skills of players," Gieschen said.
"You go to a training session and watch the guys and they can make the ball talk," Gieschen said.
"In games there's just no space and time to execute."
In a rules of the game briefing to the Herald Sun, McKay made it clear congestion was a blight on the game.
The league has already reduced the bench to three live players and one substitute this year, working on the theory fewer fresh players means less congestion.
McKay said the three plus one sub rule worked on a similar principle to 16 a side.
"It will fatigue them more, therefore they can't run as fast," McKay said.
"If these players can't have as much of a rest and are a little bit tired when they get back on the ground, they won't be able to get to as many contests."
McKay said the extra players on the bench in the NAB Cup underlined the need for the bench to be reduced to control rotations and decrease congestion.
"You've seen in the NAB Cup with 170 rotations (a team) that congestion is phenomenal," McKay said.
With six interchange players and two subs, St Kilda had a record 176 rotations in its win against Geelong on Saturday night.
McKay said he was concerned about the tone of a recent coaching conference he attended, where guest speakers from AFL level addressed officials in charge of clubs at community level.
"Even at that level, they're getting told to close up space, defensive tactics, congest it when they (the opposition) have got the ball," McKay said.
It is clear the AFL, with McKay at the helm studying trends, wants the opposite.
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