Talking Footy

Sin-bin trial plan
By Jon Pierik
November 26, 2004
http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,86 ... 11,00.html


THE AFL is considering borrowing another rugby league tradition and may trial a sin-bin rule in the Wizard Cup pre-season competition.

While discussion is still very much at a preliminary stage, there are some club officials who believe the rule is a sensible way of calming player emotions.

"There won't be a send-off rule for home-and-away (games)," AFL operations manager Adrian Anderson said last night.

"We haven't finalised the Wizard Cup rules."

If introduced, it's unclear whether players only on report would be sin-binned or whether the send-off rule could be used as a way of penalising actions which do not warrant a report.

How long a player would face on the sidelines has yet to be determined, as well as whether the offending player could be replaced.

"There are a whole range of send-off options," Anderson said.

Rugby league players face 10 minutes out of the game if sin-binned for a professional foul or rough play.

"For a more serious offence, they can be sent off for the rest of the game. There have been instances of a player being ordered off in the opening minute, leaving his team one man short for the rest of the game.

Rugby union also has a sin bin and send-off rule.

If introduced, it would be the second major rugby league initiative the AFL has followed, after its tribunal revamp this week.

Reported players next season can accept NRL-style set penalties, be represented legally and make critical public comments on tribunal outcomes.

The AFL has used the Wizard Cup to trial a number of rules in recent years.

Umpires will again award nine points for goals kicked outside 50m next season.

Play-on will be called when players kick backwards to teammates, unless inside their own 50m. Play-on will also be called when the ball returns to the field of play after hitting the goal and point posts.

The Wizard Cup begins on Friday, February 19 with the grand final on Saturday, March 12.

Herald Sun



Not sure about this yet. I think I'll reserve my judgement until I've seen it in action during the Wizard Cup, if it is indeed put in place of course.

Not knowing the game as well as others, I cant really say how it would affect it. But I watched the Grand Final last year and that incident that was started by the Lions player at the end of the game IMHO warranted time off the field. I notice that there has been talk about his actions being deliberate also.

I think it could help clean up cheap shots, etc.

Dizzys_on_fire wrote:

Not knowing the game as well as others, I cant really say how it would affect it. But I watched the Grand Final last year and that incident that was started by the Lions player at the end of the game IMHO warranted time off the field. I notice that there has been talk about his actions being deliberate also.

I think it could help clean up cheap shots, etc.

With such a large field area to cover I'd be very concerned if one of my teams players was sent off for any period of time. The idea of being able to replace the player sent off would ease my concerns with this proposed rule change. Still I think it will be interesting to see how it works in the Wizard Cup first.