Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell has identified one rule he would like to see reverted back to its original adjudication.
There are a number of rules that are frustrating players, coaches and the general public alike in season 2022, with the stand, protected zone, dissent and dangerous tackle rules all points of contention.
But it is the ruck nomination rule that Mitchell wants reinstated in its simplest form.
“There is one, for two reasons,” he said on Sportsday when asked of which rule he would like to change.
“That’s the third man up or the nominate in the ruck (rule).
“Back when I was playing, any time that we needed to get a score we were very quick to jump up and hit it out of the area.
“You can’t do that anymore, so I think if they got rid of the ruck nominations and you’re allowed to knock it out of the area, that might help with game congestion.”
That rule aside, Mitchell is happy with the direction the game is headed.
He is a fan of the high scoring, made possible by the 6-6-6 rule, even if it did almost cost his Hawks a win over Brisbane in Launceston last weekend.
“Other than that, I think the game (is fine),” he added.
“I’m actually really enjoying watching the game at the moment. There’s a bit more scoring, there’s a bit more end-to-end play.
“6-6-6 has really led to (scoring). We were 18 points up with three minutes to go and we were five seconds away from potentially losing the game. That wouldn’t have happened five years ago without the 6-6-6 rule.”
Mitchell joked: “So I didn’t like it this week, but that’s been a really good introduction of a rule.”
Mitchell and his 13th-placed Hawks (4-6) head to Darwin to take on the 12th-placed Gold Coast Suns (also 4-6) at TIO Stadium on Saturday night.