New AFL rules pass first test after St Kilda-Carlton pre-season goal fest

It’s just one pre-season game but the AFL’s new rules have seemingly had the desired effect as the return to 20-minute quarters proving fruitful on the scoreboard.

34 goals were kicked in the hit out in St Kilda’s 19.11 (125) to 15.9 (99) win over Carlton in the AFL Community Series.

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Three new rules were brought into the competition this season to increase the number of points scored per game including a max interchange cap of 75 players, down from 90 per match, players returning the ball from a behind will be given 15m instead of 10 and defensive players will be penalised for moving laterally on the mark, outside a 1m “level of tolerance”.

Last weekend, the stand in the mark rule was put to the test with plenty of criticism from fans after footage of the new rule in action went viral on Wednesday, and Saturday’s game at between West Coast and Fremantle saw the Dockers’ Brennan Cox giving away a 50m free when he barely seemed to move.

Reports on Tuesday morning claimed the AFL is still experimenting with the rule and won’t make a final decision until after this weekend’s sole round of official pre-season games.

But after seeing it in action at Marvel Stadium in the first game of the pre-season week, three-time premiership winner Jonathan Brown said he was optimistic about the new rule.

“After seeing it live, the man on the mark rule, which was the major contributor to the flowing nature of the game, I think it will have a positive impact,” he said.

Nick Riewoldt said it was a good advertisement with two attacking sides.

Garry Lyon said “I don’t even think we’ve seen the full force of the rules in action.”

“34 goals suggests it’s cracked the whole thing open. I think even when it slows things down more is when the advantage of the rule will be more pronounced.”

The new rule was in full force in the first quarter with 13 goals scored for the term.

13 goals in one quarter. I'm all about it. #AFLBluesSaints#AAMISeries

13-goal opening quarter ? @FOXFOOTYpic.twitter.com/LKTtb6jwH4

13 goals in a quarter of footy. Somewhere, an Uber driver is delivering a box of Cubans to the Hocking household. #AAMISeries

10 players had multiple goals with Jack Lonie kicking four for the Saints, while teammates Max King and Tim Membrey and the Blues’ Jack Silvagni had three a piece.

But Brown took special notice of King pointing out he took just 25 marks inside 50 but had about 100 attempts and the AFL great predicts a 50 goal year if he completes more marks.

“It’s no mean feat for a young key forward under the age of 21,” he said. “It’s never been harder in the history of the game to play as a key forward.”

But fellow commentator Anthony Hudson believes it might be a thing of the past with the new rules seemingly having an immediate effect.

“That could change, couldn’t it?” Hudson said. “We’re jumping to conclusions after one game but if scoring does open up a little bit, you could see key forwards kick more bags of goals which would be a great thing.”

At the end of the game, Hudson summed it up well.

Hudson said it was an exhausting night at the end of it but that there were “a lot of goals for the goals for the fans to enjoy”, and that the “AFL would be happy with how it’s opened the game up”.

It did make the game go for 130 minutes, which is a massive jump from the 16 minute quarters last season.

While it might be the first look at the new rule in action and will change as teams adapt to the new normal, it’s a positive first sign with goals flowing freely ahead of round one.

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