Clarko warns AFL against 2021 idea

Опубликованно 11.09.2020 09:40

Amid reports league heavyweights are looking at continuing with shorter quarters next season, at 18 minutes, potentially to help get more games and offset those lost in 2020, Clarkson said they could kill the goose that laid the golden egg.

Clarkson said there wasn’t a lot of “high class” football played this year due to the 16-minute quarters the AFL brought in to “get the season away”.

While it was necessary this year, the four-time premiership coach said it would damage the game if it continued.

“The single most important thing for any consideration around that sort of stuff is the quality of the game. It’s got nothing to do, from my end, with who’s getting paid what,” he said on Friday.

“If in the wisdom of the AFL they think the quality of the game is impacted by condensed games or shorter quarters, if it impacts negatively on the game I wouldn’t be doing any of it.

“This season we have got the season out of the road in a sense, being able to complete it, and from the league’s point of view and the money coming in that was really important. But I think it has probably come at a cost to the actual quality of the game.

“I don’t think there has been high-class football played, particularly by our club, but by many of the clubs.

“I think the key for the decision makers is the quality of the game has to be paramount, and then whatever happens underneath that gets worked out.”

High-level AFL talks are underway to shorten quarters and extend next year's season to 28 rounds. https://t.co/5zYfOfohG3 @TomBrowne7 #7AFL #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/PFiiADuT7j— 7NEWS Melbourne (@7NewsMelbourne) September 10, 2020

Clarkson said players had also been adversely affected by shorter quarters and wouldn’t want them to continue.

“They don’t want to be compromised either. Some players were used to getting 30 or 35 possessions are now getting judged on whether they get 20,” he said.

“Some of the more durable athletes and aerobic beasts can’t get the benefit of the longer quarters anymore.

“How it all unfolds I am not sure, but the players want a high-quality game too.

“The money will work itself out, and particularly if it’s a high-quality product. The fan will come in their droves, and the advertisers and the broadcasters, they will come in droves if it’s a high-quality product.”

Clarkson said he was yet to hear from the AFL about list sizes for next season despite declaring it was hampering his club’s 2021 preparations and making decisions on the futures of older players.

But he conceded the AFL had “a lot on it’s plate”.

“They are not deliberately stalling, but every club has an eye on the now and an eye on the future,” he said.

“We just need that information as soon as we can. They’ll get to it pretty soon I’m sure.”

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