AFL players are quietly resenting the lack of intra-season rest time after the league decided against reintroducing two byes for 2016, Sydney defender Ted Richards says.
The AFL dropped one of the two bye rounds at the end of 2014 having had to shorten the 2015 season to cater for the cricket World Cup.
But it decided against reintroducing the double-bye season for this year.
"We're quietly filthy that the AFL hasn't given us the two byes that we've been requesting," Richards, who sits on the AFL Players' Association board, told Melbourne radio station RSN on Wednesday.
Instead, the eight teams who make the finals will get a week's rest after the final round 23.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
But Richards argues all teams should be entitled to two weeks off, with the physical and mental reprieve invaluable.
"From a player's perspective, there's a lot of merit to having two byes evenly scattered throughout the season for all teams," he said.
The 33-year-old himself was eased back into competitive action with the reserves during the Swans' bye last weekend after a month out with concussion.
He rates himself a 50-50 chance to make his AFL return against the Bulldogs at the SCG on Saturday.
"It'll be a full game this week, it's just a matter of which team," he said.
Richards also backed a call by Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge to do away with rookie lists, with one list of 44 players at each club a better option.
"Rookie lists have served their purpose," Richards said.
"(It's) time to scrap them and give those guys an opportunity to be rewarded if they're playing good enough football in the reserves to be selected."
