RoCo Responds: AFL rule changes, fan behaviour and Ross Lyon's legacy

Brian Arbuckle asks: “Over the years there has been a lot of noise around Ross Lyon and his ability to change. Do you think this has been fair comment, especially as former players like Nick Riewoldt & co. praise the hell out of him? Has he been more open to changing his game this year, albeit a small sample size so far?”

RoCo Responds: Must admit, Brian, I’ve had my doubts as well, certainly in terms of game style.

In terms of list management, though, there’s plenty of evidence he has embraced change. Freo debuted 15 players in the last two seasons, second only to North Melbourne, and last year’s line-up was the youngest Lyon has ever coached.

The game style is interesting. There was a story that at the start of 2017, Ross was keen to pursue a more attacking style, but the players struggled to come to grips with it and actually asked to go back to what they had known. Maybe he’s now got the personnel to be able to actually put it in place, they looked so much quicker and potent on Sunday. The numbers back it up, too. Freo ranked only 15th last year for mark/play-on percentage. After admittedly one game, they’re currently sixth.

Shane Sutherland asks: “Rohan, this year will be a blockbuster due to the drafts and free agency in the last few years is just starting to work now for all teams. Just look at this weekend gone; six surprising upsets. Do you agree?”

RoCo Responds: I certainly hope so, Shane. I’m not sure free agency is having the impact it was intended to, so far most of the better players available seem to have gone to clubs which were already in decent positions and needed them the least. But I do think it has also opened up player movement generally. Seems to have encouraged more trading, and that’s been more accessible to weaker teams, as well as less compromised drafts with GWS and Gold Coast.

No doubt in my mind the competition across the board is tighter than ever. Any team can beat any other on a given day. Yes, even Gold Coast.

David Hayley asks: “RoCo can you see Geelong achieving something this year? It was good to see forward pressure, agree? Also rumours flying about Geelong are interested in Darcy Parish (being a local Whinchelsea lad). Thoughts?”

RoCo Responds: I tipped the Cats to finish eighth, but wouldn’t be at all shocked if they did substantially better. I felt like they needed some more zip and really need the likes of Nakia Cockatoo and Quinton Narkle to stand up, but then neither of that pair played last Friday night and they still seemed to match Collingwood’s run.

Perhaps that extra forward line pressure you mentioned can play a part in that, Luke Dahlhaus, Tom Atkins and Gryan Miers certainly aren’t slow, and Gary Rohan obviously gives them more speed. Being able to lock the ball inside 50 more will help ease pressure on the defence and allow their forward thrusts to be a bit better organised as well.

Parish? They might be, but can’t see why Essendon would let him go. Heaps of potential. Missed out on team last week, will definitely play this week.

Joy Hooker asks: “Rohan, views on the impact of the runner restrictions? And what are those coloured signs all about? Is orange a team burn, red the coach is angry, blue you cool dudes? WTF do they all mean?”

RoCo Responds: I like the runner restrictions, Joy, it’s good to see a bit of control taken out of the coaches’ hands in my view. I think they’re overstating the impact, to be honest.

Surely, their most important instructions have been well and truly drilled in before the game starts. And as for positional switches, etc., it’s not that hard to relay a message via a player returning to the game from the interchange bench.

As for what the signs mean, well, your guess is as good as mine. I sat next to the Western Bulldogs’ bench on Saturday night, and noticed a lot of cards with numbers, presumably to call players off for a spell. They were also holding up other cards for minutes left in quarter. Thought I also spotted one which read: “Large ‘Meat Lovers’, hold the anchovies”, but I was pretty hungry at the time so may have been hallucinating.

Craig Lambert asks: “Rohan, did you think that the new rules improved or imposed on goal scoring? Did the league get it wrong and take the game back to the blocking days?”

RoCo Responds: Way too early to tell anything much, Craig. First figures would indicate not given it was the lowest scoring first round of a season since 1965. But that’s pretty superficial. Much of that had to do with inaccuracy.

According to Champion Data, shot at goal accuracy on the weekend was just 42.8 per cent, where last year’s average was 47 per cent, 42.8 the second-worst figure recorded. Significantly, though, last season teams averaged 25.4 shots at goal per game. In round one, that figure was 26.1.

In short, more chances created, fewer converted. I’ve said repeatedly I don’t think scoring will increase that much, but it’s also about clearing congestion around the bounces, and even just seeing more clean breaks out of the square after bounces is, I think, a good result.

Emmanuel Pimentel asks: “I don’t think that paying $25 to say whatever you like at players or other supporters is right. People claim this is OK. I think footy should still be subject to societal rules of decency. What do you think RoCo?”

RoCo Responds: Tend to agree with you, Emmanuel. Whilst I don’t have a problem with “sledging” per se, there are boundaries which shouldn’t be crossed that these days should be pretty obvious.

I do think crowds are a lot more prepared to report anti-social behaviour. In my view, if that’s what it takes to make people clean up their act, so be it.

Cameron Davies asks: “How do we fix North Melbourne?”

RoCo Responds: “I’m not all that sure the Roos need much fixing, Cameron. Yes, last Sunday was a bit of a shocker. But they’re hardly the first team to have to travel to Perth and get cleaned up, particularly in round one. The record of the WA teams at home to interstate opponents in round one is 11-6 since 2000.

I do think injuries have knocked the backline around a bit. When you take out keys like Scott Thompson, Majak Daw plus an underdone Robbie Tarrant, it’s going to knock you around. I’m bullish about North this year, tipped them seventh, and not throwing the toys out of the cot just yet.

Scott Hamer-Mathew asks: “Could James Hird return as coach of Essendon if John Worsfold cannot get this group up?”

RoCo Responds: I’d say not, Scott, but then people did say that before his initial foray into coaching, too. I think he’s being very careful about his public rehabilitation, only just now dipping the toe in the water again in terms of a media involvement.

It’s not just a question of public reaction, either. There were some pretty messy endings to his relationships with various people at the club, and if he regain his public standing, does he really need the added pressure again? The “but” I’d have here concerns his enormous pride (and no, I’m not talking about ego). We never really got a fair indication of just how good a coach Hird was, I reckon. Two of his four seasons in charge were against a backdrop of constant crisis, a third involved the controversial program going off the rails.

And despite that, he did still have his side qualify for finals. He’d be keen to prove a point on that score. But at the risk of turning his life upside down again? I’m not convinced.

Tim Holt asks: “Should (umpire) Glenn “Jesse” James be inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame due to his meaning to the game?

RoCo Responds: Good call, Tim. Glenn obviously is a significant figure given his Indigenous background, not a profile we’ve seen regularly in umpiring ranks. But even that aside, there are a couple of umpires already in there who officiated in fewer games than Glenn’s 166.

He did two grand finals, was universally respected by players, and for what it’s worth, is a ripping bloke. I’d love to see him in there!

Andrew Caltagirone asks: “How good will Sam Walsh be? Are the raps warranted?

RoCo Responds: Very, very good, Andrew. And that’s (injury permitting) at worst. I try not to get too caught up in the hype that often surrounds young players, but there really is something special about this guy.

The fact he had 24 disposals in his AFL debut yet didn’t crack a mention in most of the “bests” for Carlton says enough about the sort of expectations on him already. He’s just looked so comfortable at the level in JLT games and against the Tigers, he’s so composed, and there’s a real steadiness about the way he works through a game.

He’s going to be an absolute gun.