The Super Sub

27/3/11

One of the main talking points of the 2011 AFL season will be the contentious substitute rule. While it is still too early to make a fair assessment on the effectiveness of the rule and the impact it will have on the game, each club has used it differently across the first round. Adelaide, Brisbane, Carlton, Port Adelaide and Richmond were all forced to use their sub earlier than planned due to injury. The rule benefitted all teams bar Brisbane, who unfortunately lost a further two players after substituting Claye Beams.

The substitute rule allowed Carlton to bring Kane Lucas on for the injured Jarrad Waite early in the second quarter. But Waite going down didn’t leave Carlton disadvantaged because they still had three active players on the bench, equal to Richmond. If the interchange rules were still under 2010 interpretation Richmond would have had an extra player on the bench and therefore been able to rotate heavily and use their fresher legs to out run Carlton. Fortunately for Carlton the rules have changed and they weren’t left disadvantaged, eventually running over Richmond.

Collingwood begrudgingly used their sub to introduce Brent Macaffer for the tiring Andrew Krakouer. After the game coach Michael Malthouse admitted he planned on not using Macaffer at all. But decided it was in Krakouer’s best interests after looking visibly fatigued, playing his first game of AFL in over four years.

The Swans used ruckman Mark Seaby as their sub to little effect. It meant that Shane Mumford had to ruck solo for the best part of three and-a-half quarters. When Seaby eventually did come on the Swans got little impact. It’s fair to say first game coach John Longmire made a hash of the substitute rule and will reconsider how he implements it.

Melbourne was somewhat of a rarity in terms of successful substitutes. They managed to introduce Ricky Pettard as their sub with great impact. Pettard came on at the start of the fourth quarter and immediately provided a much needed spark up forward and helped the Demons grab the ascendancy. Pettard helped the demons outscore the Swans in the last quarter three goals to one. But eventually the two teams shared the points.

The most effective use of the substitute over the weekend was by mastermind St. Kilda coach, Ross Lyon. The Saints activated speedy linkman Brett Peake just before three quarter time for Andrew McQualter. Peake, admittedly not the best player going around has pace to burn. His energy and fresh legs were noticeable amongst the tiring Cats and Saints. Peake managed 11 touches in just over a quarter of football, a very good impact from a player of Peake’s ability. This role could be something coach Lyon implements permanently. Who would have thought? A professional substitute.