One thing is clear after AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan's hosting of all 18 coaches at his house: there is genuine concern about the state of the game.
McLachlan's informal dinner meetings have become an annual opportunity for coaches to air their views and exchange ideas.
AFL footy boss Steve Hocking was in attendance on Monday night and his extensive fact-finding mission into the spectacle of the game was a hot topic.
Hocking is looking at ways the league can improve the look of the game, with easing congestion around the ball and increasing scoring being the key battlegrounds.
"I think there's a genuine concern about the fact that maybe there's not enough scoring happening in footy ... that people want to see more of that," Brisbane coach Chris Fagan told SEN radio.
"When you sit around a table like that, there are a million-and-one different ideas about how it can be done.
"Chris Scott and I were talking about an idea about shortening the game somewhat ... playing more games, but shortening them.
"And maybe even looking at the idea of not having interchange but going back to the 19th, 20th, 21st and 22nd man so the game opens up a little bit more quite naturally.
"That's one of the things we talked about, but there's lots of different ideas ... zones and things like that seem a little bit clunky and umpires have to umpire that."
The coaches met after they took part in Neale Daniher's Big Freeze 4 at the MCG to help raise funds for Motor Neurone Disease research.
All went down a slide into icy water without incident, except for Fagan who suffered a serious hamstring injury when he slipped out of the pool.
"It feels worse than any hamstring I've ever done in my life, I must admit," Fagan laughed.
"We've got a bye this weekend but there's every chance I might be sitting on the bench once we get back.
"There was a lot of laughter at my expense but it was pretty funny when you look at it."
Share
