Rival coaches Chris Fagan and Brad Scott saw the fruits of their AFL competition committee labours on Sunday at Marvel Stadium.
The AFL’s new rules had a big influence, particularly at the centre bounces, as Brisbane rallied in the last quarter to beat North Melbourne by 20 points.
The Lions’ Fagan and North’s Scott are the senior coaching representatives on the competition committee, which was formed last year under the AFL football boss Steve Hocking.
The committee’s work led to several significant rule changes this season, designed to open up the game and make if more free-flowing.
In the last quarter, the Lions won the centre clearances 10-3 and that effectively decided the match.
Scott noted North lost the centre clearances 20-10 for the match.
“We had ourselves in a winning position for most of the game,” Scott said.
“But the game’s changed, it’s a different game now.
“That (what happens at the centre bounces) has mattered more than it’s ever mattered in, I suspect, football history.
“It’s a huge component of the game.”
Scott also noted that coaches now have much less control over what happens if the game starts going against their team.
“While I’m an advocate, it’s going to be harder to coach if things aren’t going your way, because you’re limited in how you can turn things around,” he said.
Fagan agreed that there is an added edge around what might happen at each centre bounce.
“It’s a great thing for the game – there’s a sense of anticipation, with every centre bounce, in the crowd,” he said.
“You can sort-of feel it, they know it might go one way or the other.”