The AFLs influential football boss believes that a good game is defined by skills, player v player highlights and close contests, rather than simply scoring.
The AFLs general manager of football operations, Steven Hocking — who this week will host the first meeting of his new heavyweight competition committee — told The Age that the concept of a good game is not all about scoring.
One on one: Brisbane's Darcy Gardiner tackles Jaidyn Stephenson of Collingwood at the Gabba.
Photo: AAP
Any game, no matter the score, is best remembered by the player v player highlights and the closeness of the contest. Football fans love the players being able to perform skills execution to the highest level, Hocking said.
It is not all about scoring.
Hockings description of what defines a good game follows the widespread acclaim that was received by the Brisbane v Collingwood game, in which the Magpies booted 19.7 to the luckless Lions 18.6 in a fast and free-flowing game.
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It was only the second game this year in which both teams scored more than 100 points. Scoring is down to 84 points per team per game this year, the lowest in 50 years, and down five points on last season.
The question of what constitutes a good game — and how it can be delivered — is under discussion at the AFL, which holds the important first meeting of the Hocking-led competition committee on Thursday. The state of the on-field game is certain to be talked about by the group comprising the likes of Patrick Dangerfield, Brad Scott and Eddie McGuire.
Any game, no matter the score, is best remembered by the player v player highlights and the closeness of the contest.
Steven Hocking
This Gabba game was in stark contrast to other games this season and this round, including Saturday nights heavily defensive game at the SCG, won by a well-coached and defensively adept North Melbourne over the Swans, and the Sunday evening game has raised the question of why this game has been an exception in a largely defence-dominated season.
Brisbane coach Chris Fagan pointed out that the Gabba game — which hung in the balance until the final minute — had a few unusual features, including the accuracy of both sides, the high number of goals kicked from centre-bounce clearances and the relatively high inside 50 counts for both sides.
Fagan told Fairfax Media there were not that many scores in the exciting match, and that the high goal tallies were due to unusual accuracy — the Lions scored 10.0 in the first half, compared to Collingwoods 10.3.
It wasnt a high [number of] scores game. It was a high accuracy game.
Fagan said there was a total of 50 scores by the teams, which was not a large number.
But the teams had enjoyed high numbers of forward entries, he said. Collingwood had 61 entries to its forward 50-metre arc, compared to the Lions 56.
In a sign of the different ways fans and coaches view football, Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said after the Gabba match that, from his coachs perspective, he didnt like the way Collingwood failed to defend.
Fagan said both teams had been sharp in moving the ball in the game, which had been played in perfect conditions.
He said it was significant that 10 goals were kicked from centre bounces — five for each team. Thats unusual.
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