- AFL captains reveal what they would do if they ran the AFL
- Zach Merrett says he would make footy like it was in the 90s
- Patrick Cripps would have the AFL decider at twilight
AFL skippers have spoken out about what they would change if they were in charge of the competition for a day – and some of their answers are sure to leave football fans delighted or outraged.
With football season just over a week away, SEN asked several league captains what they would do if they replaced CEO Andrew Dillon.
Essendon’s Zach Merrett spoke for many older fans when he said he wanted to get back to the football of the 1990s.
“My way of doing that is to play 16-on-16, eliminate rotations, take some players off the field and make it one-on-one,” he said.
‘Less coaching, less preparation and more competitions. Give the fans more of what they want.”
Bombers skipper Zach Merrett says he would have less coaching, less preparation and more games to make football more like 1990s levels
Magpies star Darcy Moore would be the first to tackle player fashion if he were to be AFL CEO for a day
Collingwood’s Darcy Moore raised a sore point that many players have spoken about in recent years.
“I would get rid of media polos so you don’t have to wear ugly polo shirts with stickers on them so players can wear casual clothes to and from games,” Moore said.
Footy stars were given the chance to showcase their sartorial taste in 2019 when the ill-fated nine-a-side AFLX preseason matches were held – and players like Patrick Dangerfield are pushing for the right to do so more often doing.
Melbourne’s Max Gawn said he would like to make the ruck a ‘free for all’, with no free kicks for rough play – before joking that he is not the best person to ask.
‘Actually, I wouldn’t do much. “I am not the right man for the CEO of AFL,” he said.
Carlton’s Patrick Cripps weighed in on the ongoing debate over whether the premiership decider should remain in the traditional 2.30pm AEST timeslot or have a later kick-off as urged by Eddie McGuire.
“I don’t mind the grand final being a twilight game,” he said.
Melbourne skipper Max Gawn said he would make the ruck a ‘free for all’ with no free kicks awarded for foul play
Patrick Cripps says he would make the AFL decider a twilight game if he was in charge, which would put him squarely in the same camp as Eddie McGuire, who is a big fan of the concept
“It may be a little controversial, but I think this is the best time for it.”
Both Port Adelaide’s Connor Rozee and Fremantle’s Alex Pearce agreed that paying the players more would be a good move.
Brisbane’s Harris Andrew and West Coast’s Oscar Allen said play should continue when the ball rebounds off the post.