The AFL's ticking time bomb: The damning numbers forcing the league's new footy boss to act
'It's just around the set-ups and waiting for ruckmen to get to contests and even the boundary throw-ins or if you are waiting for them to get there and there is a chance to actually speed that up a bit,' Swann said.
'There is good vision and video of ruckman taking 20 seconds to come from one end of the ground to the other and everyone stands there and waits,' Swann said.
'That's something that hopefully we can have a look at and maybe address even before the [end of the] season.'
The AFL had to revise the starting time of Sunday games this season pushing them forward five minutes to 3.15pm as they were creeping into the 6pm news.
The first quarter of Sunday's Cats-Saints game went for four seconds beyond the 35-minute mark and had most scenarios requiring the clock to be stopped other than a 6-6-6 infringement.
There were eight goals kicked, 15 stoppages around the ground, nine boundary throw-ins, two kick-ins, two kicks out-on-the-full, plus a recalled bounce, a score review, a 50-metre penalty, a downfield free kick, two kick-ins, a blood rule and a field umpire conferring with a boundary umpire over a decision.
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Each boundary throw-in takes roughly 25 seconds of time on, bounces around the ground take about eight seconds and the time that elapses between goals and the ball being bounced is around 55 seconds. The score review and the subsequent kick in took 44 seconds.
Attendees at the game were there for three hours, 27 minutes and 16 seconds from the first bounce to the final siren including quarter and half-time breaks.
Swann estimated a return to about two hours per match, or four 30 minute quarters, plus quarter and half-time breaks was the ideal game length.
The AFL's desire to reduce game length is consistent in world sport aware that engagement time is at a premium.
Dillon and Swann addressed a range of issues, including:
What Tasmania's election means for the Devils
Dillon said despite official confirmation of the result of the Tasmanian election over the weekend yet to come, with the Liberal Party likely to form a minority government, there had been an overwhelming endorsement of the new team and controversial Macquarie Point Stadium.
While the Liberals will likely need to rely on crossbenchers to form government, Dillon said it was time to begin work on the stadium, a condition of entry for the AFL's 19th team – in 2028.
'Pleasingly over 70 per cent of the votes that were cast in Tasmania over the weekend went to a candidate that was pro-stadium. We are looking forward to a 2028 start date for the Tasmania Devils. It's really clear we will have a stadium at Mac Point with a roof and 23,000 capacity,' Dillon said.
Ditch the centre bounce?
Swann revealed there was strong support from clubs to discard the traditional centre bounce. He was due to meet with league umpires late on Monday. Bouncing the ball can be difficult for umpires with back issues.
'We will do some work on it. In the next little bit, I will get around to all clubs and get their views,' he said.
'I have had some clubs already ring and give me their views. I would say the majority are in favour of throwing the ball up. Obviously, that's not going to happen until next year, but we will have a look at that as well.'
Asked if there was the possibility of having a ceremonial bounce to start games, Swann replied: 'At the grand final last year, the first bounce went sideways, and they had to recall it. You would want to do the ceremonial bounce if it goes straight.'
Keep fans in the loop
Swann said he wanted the football operations department, including match review officer decisions, to have greater transparency.
'Maybe explaining some of the decisions we make, maybe we can be a bit more forthcoming with that. We are not going to explain everything away because otherwise you would be here all day,' he said.
'But, if there are some things that are a bit contentious, I think people deserve to understand why we have gone a certain way.'
Pre-finals bye
Swann said the pre-finals bye was also up for discussion.
'That's another one for next year, really. You would have a look at it,' he said.
Added Dillon: 'We are talking season structure for next year. How you set that up. When you have your byes, how many of them you have.'
Father-sons, NGAs and the draft
'On the academies, having lived through those, they are crucial up there [the northern states] for the development of the game,' Swann said of the northern academies.
'The new DVI [draft value index] index is going to make a big difference to what you pay for those people now. We need to let that run for a year or two. It will make a big difference to how many blokes you can and can't get.'
Priority pick for the West Coast Eagles
The Eagles have won a combined 11 games in their past four seasons, but Dillon all but ruled out the 2018 premiers being granted a priority draft selection should they apply. Rather, he pointed to the work Swann had done when in charge of rebuilding the Lions, while also acknowledging how Adelaide were set to play finals this year for the first time since 2017.
'The blueprint is there in the work Swanny and the work he did in Brisbane … and if you look at Adelaide at the weekend, they haven't been in the finals since 2017, but through a lot of hard work, some really good decisions, great trading, great drafting, they are poised now for a top four pick,' Dillon said.
'They have got where they have got without a priority pick, and I think you can do it.'
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St Kilda have pulled off the greatest three-quarter-time comeback in VFL/AFL history, storming home from 46 points down to stun Melbourne in a crazy finish at Marvel Stadium. Off-contract star Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera was the hero, slotting two goals in a frantic climax to pinch a miracle six-point victory. The Saints slotted nine unanswered goals in the final term to win 15.6 (96) to 13.12 (90). It pips the previous the best last quarter revival, when the Brisbane Bears came from 45 points down at the final break to beat Hawthorn in 1995. Wanganeen-Milera calmly slotted his third goal after flying for a soaring mark with less than 20 seconds remaining. That levelled the scores, before a 6-6-6 penalty in the middle was paid against the Demons, to the confusion of all players. Saints ruck Rowan Marshall was able to perfectly pick out Wanganeen-Milera running inside 50 to take a mark just before the siren sounded. Any score would have given the Saints victory, but Wanganeen-Milera went back and kicked the goal, to a raucous reaction from the crowd. "Underneath the exterior, I can get emotional," St Kilda coach Ross Lyon said, who was in disbelief watching in the box. "A little bit watery when Nas took that mark. "I think it's just that emotion, just for the players, just for them. "Our young players never gave up, and our leaders never gave up, and they found a way." Lyon also revealed Wanganeen-Milera, who had a game-high 34 disposals alongside his match-winning four goals, was in doubt to play due to a stye in his eye. "I had a sleep-in this morning. Got up, make my coffee. I see four missed calls from the doctor," Lyon said. "Experience tells me this can't be good. "He said 'Nas has come in' and they upped his antibiotics, given him an injection. "I rang him (Wanganeen-Milera), he goes, 'No, I'll be right'. "I just said, 'If you're not right, no pressure, we'll tap you out'. "He just let us know so it was a good story." St Kilda are desperate to keep Wanganeen-Milera as he entertains large offers from both South Australian clubs. This performance, one of the best individual efforts of the season, will only lift his value even further. Melbourne forward Bayley Fritsch broke the game open with three first-quarter goals, giving his side a 25-point buffer. The Demons, inspired by tackling machine Jack Viney (16 tackles) extended their lead during every quarter to cruise into the last break seemingly destined for a seventh-straight win. Instead, their capitulation ended a six-game losing run for the Saints, with their last victory also against Melbourne in June when they pipped the inaccurate Demons in Alice Springs. Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin was left gobsmacked at losing from such a position of dominance. "Devastating loss, clearly," he said. "We didn't defend and pressure as well as we were early in the game. "Then basically late in the game, we didn't handle the pressure, we didn't handle the moment, and we didn't handle the tight game scenarios like we should have, and that's on all of us. "We'll own that together." St Kilda youngster Lance Collard injured his foot in the first quarter, tried to play on, but was subbed out in the second term for Hugh Boxshall and ended the match on crutches. Melbourne defender Jake Bowey could be in some trouble with the match review officer after a potential dangerous tackle on St Kilda forward Jack Higgins just before halftime. St Kilda have pulled off the greatest three-quarter-time comeback in VFL/AFL history, storming home from 46 points down to stun Melbourne in a crazy finish at Marvel Stadium. Off-contract star Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera was the hero, slotting two goals in a frantic climax to pinch a miracle six-point victory. The Saints slotted nine unanswered goals in the final term to win 15.6 (96) to 13.12 (90). It pips the previous the best last quarter revival, when the Brisbane Bears came from 45 points down at the final break to beat Hawthorn in 1995. Wanganeen-Milera calmly slotted his third goal after flying for a soaring mark with less than 20 seconds remaining. That levelled the scores, before a 6-6-6 penalty in the middle was paid against the Demons, to the confusion of all players. Saints ruck Rowan Marshall was able to perfectly pick out Wanganeen-Milera running inside 50 to take a mark just before the siren sounded. Any score would have given the Saints victory, but Wanganeen-Milera went back and kicked the goal, to a raucous reaction from the crowd. "Underneath the exterior, I can get emotional," St Kilda coach Ross Lyon said, who was in disbelief watching in the box. "A little bit watery when Nas took that mark. "I think it's just that emotion, just for the players, just for them. "Our young players never gave up, and our leaders never gave up, and they found a way." Lyon also revealed Wanganeen-Milera, who had a game-high 34 disposals alongside his match-winning four goals, was in doubt to play due to a stye in his eye. "I had a sleep-in this morning. Got up, make my coffee. I see four missed calls from the doctor," Lyon said. "Experience tells me this can't be good. "He said 'Nas has come in' and they upped his antibiotics, given him an injection. "I rang him (Wanganeen-Milera), he goes, 'No, I'll be right'. "I just said, 'If you're not right, no pressure, we'll tap you out'. "He just let us know so it was a good story." St Kilda are desperate to keep Wanganeen-Milera as he entertains large offers from both South Australian clubs. This performance, one of the best individual efforts of the season, will only lift his value even further. Melbourne forward Bayley Fritsch broke the game open with three first-quarter goals, giving his side a 25-point buffer. The Demons, inspired by tackling machine Jack Viney (16 tackles) extended their lead during every quarter to cruise into the last break seemingly destined for a seventh-straight win. Instead, their capitulation ended a six-game losing run for the Saints, with their last victory also against Melbourne in June when they pipped the inaccurate Demons in Alice Springs. Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin was left gobsmacked at losing from such a position of dominance. "Devastating loss, clearly," he said. "We didn't defend and pressure as well as we were early in the game. "Then basically late in the game, we didn't handle the pressure, we didn't handle the moment, and we didn't handle the tight game scenarios like we should have, and that's on all of us. "We'll own that together." St Kilda youngster Lance Collard injured his foot in the first quarter, tried to play on, but was subbed out in the second term for Hugh Boxshall and ended the match on crutches. Melbourne defender Jake Bowey could be in some trouble with the match review officer after a potential dangerous tackle on St Kilda forward Jack Higgins just before halftime. St Kilda have pulled off the greatest three-quarter-time comeback in VFL/AFL history, storming home from 46 points down to stun Melbourne in a crazy finish at Marvel Stadium. Off-contract star Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera was the hero, slotting two goals in a frantic climax to pinch a miracle six-point victory. The Saints slotted nine unanswered goals in the final term to win 15.6 (96) to 13.12 (90). It pips the previous the best last quarter revival, when the Brisbane Bears came from 45 points down at the final break to beat Hawthorn in 1995. Wanganeen-Milera calmly slotted his third goal after flying for a soaring mark with less than 20 seconds remaining. That levelled the scores, before a 6-6-6 penalty in the middle was paid against the Demons, to the confusion of all players. Saints ruck Rowan Marshall was able to perfectly pick out Wanganeen-Milera running inside 50 to take a mark just before the siren sounded. Any score would have given the Saints victory, but Wanganeen-Milera went back and kicked the goal, to a raucous reaction from the crowd. "Underneath the exterior, I can get emotional," St Kilda coach Ross Lyon said, who was in disbelief watching in the box. "A little bit watery when Nas took that mark. "I think it's just that emotion, just for the players, just for them. "Our young players never gave up, and our leaders never gave up, and they found a way." Lyon also revealed Wanganeen-Milera, who had a game-high 34 disposals alongside his match-winning four goals, was in doubt to play due to a stye in his eye. "I had a sleep-in this morning. Got up, make my coffee. I see four missed calls from the doctor," Lyon said. "Experience tells me this can't be good. "He said 'Nas has come in' and they upped his antibiotics, given him an injection. "I rang him (Wanganeen-Milera), he goes, 'No, I'll be right'. "I just said, 'If you're not right, no pressure, we'll tap you out'. "He just let us know so it was a good story." St Kilda are desperate to keep Wanganeen-Milera as he entertains large offers from both South Australian clubs. This performance, one of the best individual efforts of the season, will only lift his value even further. Melbourne forward Bayley Fritsch broke the game open with three first-quarter goals, giving his side a 25-point buffer. The Demons, inspired by tackling machine Jack Viney (16 tackles) extended their lead during every quarter to cruise into the last break seemingly destined for a seventh-straight win. Instead, their capitulation ended a six-game losing run for the Saints, with their last victory also against Melbourne in June when they pipped the inaccurate Demons in Alice Springs. Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin was left gobsmacked at losing from such a position of dominance. "Devastating loss, clearly," he said. "We didn't defend and pressure as well as we were early in the game. "Then basically late in the game, we didn't handle the pressure, we didn't handle the moment, and we didn't handle the tight game scenarios like we should have, and that's on all of us. "We'll own that together." St Kilda youngster Lance Collard injured his foot in the first quarter, tried to play on, but was subbed out in the second term for Hugh Boxshall and ended the match on crutches. Melbourne defender Jake Bowey could be in some trouble with the match review officer after a potential dangerous tackle on St Kilda forward Jack Higgins just before halftime.
