Category: Rules

This is a unique period with daily games and official teams coming out each day rather than as a bulk release. It requires unique solutions. The following rule modifications shall apply as Administrative Ruling by Logistix:

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RULING 1: Coaches are expected to check the daily teams and make modifications as necessary to their teams. Only players named in the official daily teams are eligible to score points or be subbed/replaced from the bench.

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RULING 2: If a player that a coach has named in their team is not named in the official AFL team release (let’s call this Player X), they can replace Player X in one of 3 ways:

1) From a squad player outside of their bench who has not played

2) From a bench player who has not played

3) From a bench player who has played as long as Player X was named under the Good Faith Naming rule, with a strict interpretation of this rule as follows:

• Player X must have had a reasonable chance of playing e.g. returning from suspension, listed as “test” on afl official injury list
• It would be a reasonable choice for the coach to name Player X in that position on field given the players they have available. e.g. if you named a player who is clearly not a forward as a forward and also stacked the bench with clearly better forwards, this would not be Good Faith naming.
• The replacement of Player X should occur before the AFL team that Player X plays for starts playing. i.e. before Player X effectively becomes an illegal player on the field. In accordance with the first requirement to check the daily teams, this will generally mean you need to action rapidly within 12-24hrs.

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If the bench has locked any of the players you wish to change under these rules, clearly request the player replacement on the bench banter + send a whatsapp message to alert Sub-Master & Administrator to your request.

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Note that none of the above FoF modifications affect our usual ability to substitute players post game using any player on our bench in the case of late withdrawals or injured players.

ADDENDUM 17/8/20
RULING 3

The Partial Lockout has effectively become a Rolling Lockout for both eligible and ineligible players

Eligible players: You have until their game starts to replace them

Ineligible players: You have until they become officially ineligible to replace them.

• For players from teams playing in that round, they become ineligible when their team starts playing.

• For players from teams with a bye, they become ineligible when the rounds starts. 

It was decided last night at the MSD by the attending 7 coaches that the qualifying games for the formal player statistical categories (e.g. elite, 11-20 etc) will be 6 for this season (instead of the usual 7 games).

Coaches select a squad of 23 players.
Each week coaches name 10 starting players on field and 4 bench players

The starting field players are:
– 2 Forwards
– 1 Half Forward
– 1 Marker
– 1 Extractor (specialised midfielder)
– 2 Midfielders
– 1 Tackler (specialised midfielder)
– 1 Half-Back
– 1 Utility

Scoring
The players score as follows, noting all positions have 2 x Frees Against removed from their score except forwards who are exempt:
– Forwards: 6 x goals + 1 x points
– Half Forwards: 4 x goals + 4 x I50
– Markers: 4 x marks
– Extractor: Disposals/2 + 3 x Clearances
– Midfielders: 1 x disposals
– Tackler: Disposals/2 + 3 x Tackles
– Half Back: 3 x R50 + 1 x I50
– Utility: 3 x Goals + 0.5 x points + 2 x marks + 0.5 x disposals + 2.5 x tackles + 0.4 x Hit Outs

Note:
R50 = Rebounds from 50 and
I50 = Inside Fifties.

Subbing:
A field player can be subbed out if one of the 2 following rules apply:

1. They were a late withdrawal from the AFL side
– for this to apply they need to have first been an eligible “named player”. This usually means they were officially named in the Thursday night AFL team lists but there are some exceptions to this rule when there are unorthodox rounds (like rounds with games on Mondays or midweek where players aren’t named on Thursday night teams).
– the reason for requiring the player to be an eligible named player is to prevent gaming of the system where coaches may name a player who they know is not going to play and benefit being able to choose from their whole bench to replace them.

2. They are injured during a game and played no more than 3/4 of a game
– it is the duty of the coach wishing to make the sub to prove that they fit this criteria, e.g. by citing AFL match reports or live AFL game feeds.

In the event a starting field player is eligible to be subbed, a coach can replace him with any player from their bench (to maximise their score).
To enact a sub, the coach must request this from the Sub-Master (Koach) within 48hrs of the end of a round.

The vote is: 
That the Hit Out multiplier in the ute score be reduced from 0.5 to 0.4
This will apply from 2020

Rules passes 6-0
YES: Mick, Emperor, Twadds, Karl, Sammy, Toby
NO:
ABSTAIN: Ross (Raife & Heath did not vote)

The vote is:

That the HF position calculation be changed 

From I50 x 3 + Goals x 2 + Marks – 2 x FA

To I50 x 4 + Goals x 4 – 2 x FA

This will start from 2020.

Vote passes 7-0
Yes; Sammy, Karl, Ross, Anand, Twadds, Mick, Tobes
No:
Abstain: Raife, Heath

Under the new Rookie Rule:

• 1) Can retain any player as a rookie at 1st PSD if played 26 career games or less. This rookie can be of any quality (including Elite)
• 2) Can continue to retain same player as a rookie at a 2nd consecutive PSD as long as is ranked 11-20 or less. 
• 3) Can continue to retain same player as a rookie for a 3rd consecutive PSD as long as is ranked 21-30 or less.
  
• Only 1 rookie can be retained in a squad at any 1 time
• The rule amendment only will apply to new rookies drafted at the PSD 2020 and beyond

Rule Passed 5-0
Yes: Sammy, Ross, Karl, Anand, Twadds,
No:
Abstain: Mick, Raife, Toby, (Heath did not vote)

The HFFL continues to benefit from innovation and resultant rule changes. If they are properly constructed and vetted they provide improved strategy, promote equalisation and generally increase enjoyment. As testament to this, only 1 rule change has ever been reversed (Veteran’s rule).

However constant rule discussion and votes is tiresome for many coaches and detracts from the business of playing the game. Some coaches very much enjoy innovation related banter while others do not. So we need to be able to progress innovation and cater to both those who enjoy it and don’t enjoy it. Additionally we need to have separate forums for different discussions (e.g messenger apps, email) so that only the interested/necessary parties are involved and the weekly HFFL Banter is not diluted/distracted by these discussions. With this in mind, the following are suggested new regulations regarding rule changes:

Rule Change Windows

Continue reading “Rule Discussion Regulation”