AFL General Manager of Clubs and Broadcasting Travis Auld says that while the League are exploring the introduction of AFLX for the near future, there is no guarantee this will take place next year.
The fast-paced, high-scoring shortened version of the game, which has seen a number of secret local trials held, had been rumoured to be unveiled on the grand stage this summer in the empty week vacated by the shortened JLT Community Series, which now sees each side play twice instead of three times.
Auld says that despite the AFL having looked at this product “for some time”, they are yet to lock in a set date for an introduction of the game that has been dubbed as the AFL’s answer to Twenty20 cricket.
“When we develop new products, we move pretty slowly and make sure each foot is pretty firm in the progress we are making,” he told SEN’s The Run Home.
“We’ve spoken to the clubs and we are thinking about the format and thinking when and where we might introduce it, but at this stage there are no firm decisions made.
“We’ve got the AFLW season and the pre-season crossing in through that. There is a space to run a pre-season theory if you like, a competition or a carnival of some sort, but at this stage nothing has been locked in.”
AFLX takes place on a much smaller playing field with 10 man teams, seven of those being allowed on the field at any one time.
This is designed to allow games to be played on smaller ovals and in rectangular stadiums where traditional AFL matches cannot be played, with the belief that this could allow for easier access to the game in rugby league’s heartland states and even internationally.
The game is overseen by one field umpire, with kick-ins replacing centre bounces after every goal. Quarters are also shortened to 10 minutes each.
Auld also touched on any potential rule changes that could be trialled in the JLT Community Series, stopping short of confirming any would take place next year despite the introduction of the zone system used in the TAC Cup “being talked about a lot.”
“Not at this point, but Steve Hocking is just starting to warm the chair and he has a lot of ideas,” he said.
“We will just have to see. Nothing is flagged at the moment.
“It would be pretty dramatic (to trial zones) but certainly all those sorts of things are going to get thrown around and histrionically we have tried rules like that through the pre-season.”
The under-18 competition requires a minimum of two players inside forward 50 and another two forward of centre in any stoppage situation, creating a less congested, freer-flowing game of football.