The much-maligned AFLX competition, which takes place on Friday in Melbourne, will employ a game of rock, paper, scissors instead of the more traditional coin toss to determine the direction teams kick at Marvel Stadium.
The latest innovation is an attempt at maintaining the focus on entertainment at the pre-season event by creating “banter” on the pitch, with teammates of the four captains encouraged to hang around the staging of the game and engage in ribbing the opposition.
The schoolyard staple is one of a number of new initiatives brought in for this year’s tournament, now in its second incarnation after being introduced in 2o18.
Another sees the captains of the four teams – Bolts, Rampage, Deadly and Flyers – select their own theme songs to be played when they run out onto the pitch.
An open dress code has been allowed for players arriving at the stadium, allowing them to express themselves sartorially outside the confines of usual club attire, and when they take to the field, they will sport jumpers with either their own names or a chosen nickname on their backs. Numbers are also of the players’ choosing.
The leading scorer on the night will be presented with the “Superboot” trophy as the AFL seeks to combat opposition to the competition and raise fun levels to new heights.
In keeping with the aim of making the spectacle appeal to children, kids zones will be dotted along the boundary line and there will be other assorted children-friendly activities including ball pits, jumping mats and face painters. There will also be a rock-climbing wall inside the stadium.
AFLX is a watered down version of AFL, played on a rectangular pitch over shorter periods with fewer players and tweaked rules. The aim, according to the AFL, is to appeal to an overseas audience and younger fans, but since its inception has been met with some resistance.
And the latest move has, perhaps predictably, been met with ridicule in some quarters.
Corey Norris
(@coreynorris9)Here I was worried about the legitimacy of AFLX …but have since found out paper-scissors-rock will replace the coin toss. Play on.
Kevin Airs
(@KevinAirs)I just tried reading an AFLX media release but I cringed so hard I need medical attention.
James Colley
(@JamColley)My AFLX vision:
– post-apocalyptic wasteland field
– hand-to-hand combat weapons
– a turret to shoot down long punts
– once a game, at random, the ball explodes and kills the person carrying it.
– The Powerade Purge Quarter™ where everything’s legal
– Rock Paper Scissors comp
Anticipation for Friday’s tournament has also been tempered by a number of big-name withdrawals through injury. Melbourne’s Tom McDonald and GWS forward Jeremy Cameron became the latest star players to drop out on Wednesday.
McDonald was due to play for Jack Riewoldt’s Rampage side, with Cameron selected to play for Nat Fyfe’s Flyers. Hawthorn pair Isaac Smith and Luke Breust had already pulled out in favour of rest while new teammate Chad Wingard, along with Port Adelaide’s Robbie Gray, Melbourne’s Steven May, Fremantle’s Joel Hamling and North Melbourne’s Robbie Tarrant are all missing through injury.
Fyfe and fellow AFLX captain Patrick Dangerfield sought to defend the concept in the wake of the criticism on Thursday, with the Fremantle star emphasising the event is supposed to be fun and “for the kids”. “The colours are bright, the names are a bit funky. Have a good time,” he said.
Dangerfield, who will lead the Bolts on Friday, said he could not understand the negative press and that critics of the revamped competition were missing the point.
“It’s been interesting seeing just how many negative articles there has been and the personal opinion of those journalists,” Dangerfield said. “It [AFLX] is not aimed at them, it’s aimed at a younger demographic. I’d encourage having an open mind towards it. We’re really excited about it.”