Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell and Gold Coast Suns coach Damien Hardwick have weighed in on the controversial ‘last touch’ rule the AFL is thinking about implementing.
AFL's new General Manager, Greg Swann, has suggested bringing in the rule which would pay a free kick against players who dispose of the ball over the boundary line between the 50 metre arcs.
Speaking on AFL 360, Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell said his first instinct was to be against the 'last touch' rule.
“My first instinct is no, I think, but I'm not sure how much it will change. So I don't know if that's gonna get rid of 10 throw in a game or one or two,” Mitchell said.
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“The thing I think I love about our game is that you can be, you know, the wizard [Hawk forward Nick Watson] and be 5 foot 2, or you can be, you know, [Hawk ruckman] Ned Reeves and be 7 foot, and I think keeping both body shapes and all the body shapes in between in the game is really important.
“So I think it's important that they keep Ruckman in the game and we want all those really tall lads to be still playing a game going forward.”
The Suns' coach was also asked about the rule change and said he would be ok with it if it didn't change the way the game looked.
“Yeah, probably the same as Mitch. It's a good point that Mitch made, and probably on the data that we were given by the AFL, we think there might be around 4 or 5 a game, which does seem quite low. But you know, obviously, they've got the data to back that up,” Harwick said.
“So as long as it's not a significant change in the way the game looks, I think I can live with it, but I'm probably a little bit with Mitchell. I don't think the game needs that drastic change, but, you know, proof will be in the pudding.”
The 'last touch' rule will be put to the AFL's commission who will decide whether to tick off on the change later this year.