SANFL boss lauds success of last-disposal rule ahead of AFL Commission meeting

The AFL Commission is set to consider the introduction of a last disposal rule between the 50m arcs next season at its meeting this week as well as changes to the ruck rules.

SANFL head of football Matt Duldig told the Herald Sun only 4.7 free kicks were paid per game for kicks or handballs out of bounds in South Australia’s state league competition.

The SANFL enforces the rule across the ground – even inside the 50m arcs – and Duldig said there were few downsides to a rule that had made the game easier to umpire and higher scoring.

He said the league should also consider bringing in the rule across the entire ground given the most contentious insufficient intent decisions were often within the 50m arcs.

But even if the AFL only brings in the last-disposal rule between the arcs it could have a range of positives across the board.

“From my point of view I played under it and then from an administration point of view we love it,” he said.

“It’s great for umpires, it’s black and white all over the ground. We only have about five per game that are paid. Our boundary throw-ins are down to 16 a game and so players have adjusted quickly. They come back inside the ground and use the corridor so our metrics are through the roof.

“After three years scoring plateaued as coaches adjusted but scoring is still four or five per cent up on 2014 when we brought it in.

“Five of them were paid in this year’s grand final and three were inside 50 and the player stands on the mark, the opposition grabs the footy and we are playing again straight away.

“There is no time for people to whinge and complain. We love it. We copped two weeks of abuse: ‘’What have you done to our game’, and then people moved on.”

Duldig has been in his current SANFL role for five years and is expected to be a strong contender for Port Adelaide’s vacant football boss role.

Chris Davies, who has moved from the Power to Carlton, and Adelaide football boss Adam Kelly were both in his SANFL role before moving to AFL clubland.

Duldig said there was still room in the role for players to be tackled over the line or spoil the footy over the line but any kick or handball was immediately penalised.

Players are not paid a free kick if they shepherd an opponent to prevent him getting to the ball as it trickles towards the line after being kicked by their own teammate.

Instead they must play the ball to keep it in bounds and keep the action flowing.

“There was a stat that there are about three a quarter in the AFL that would have been paid as last possessions. So talking about 10-12 a game made them nervous. But the fact we are down to 4.6 a game shows players adjust really quickly,” he said.

“And we don’t stop the clock in exactly the same way as the AFL but we average around 27 minutes for quarters and it plays a big role. The player picks it up, the umpire has the same signal as out on the full and the player plays on.”