The Growing Concern Over Injury Lists in the AFL
Richmond’s current injury situation has sparked a critical debate about whether the Australian Football League (AFL) should offer more flexibility to clubs with extensive injury lists. The Tigers are currently just barely managing to field their starting 23 players and three emergency spots for Friday night’s Dreamtime at the G match against Essendon. However, if one or more players were to suffer an injury or illness, the club would have to seek special assistance from the AFL to bring in additional players.
This raises the question: Should the AFL introduce a supplementary list of players that clubs can access during times of crisis, similar to what was done during the pandemic? Or is this a rare occurrence that doesn’t warrant new rules and adjustments?
Luke Beveridge’s Perspective
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge supports the idea of introducing more flexibility into the system. He believes the AFL should consider allowing clubs to bring in additional players to their lists when needed. “One of the things I’ve been talking about having conversations with the AFL is that we need more fluidity in the scope to bring players onto an AFL list to be able to play them,” Beveridge said.
He pointed to Richmond as a prime example of a club that could benefit from such a system. “With their injury toll worsening, a supplementary list would allow them to feed players onto it and call on them when needed.”
Beveridge also highlighted the challenges of maintaining a sufficient number of players on the list. “The 23 rounds, pre-season games are still there, and when Tasmania come in, there is likely to be another round. With only 42 players on a list outside of category Bs, it’s not enough. I think the opportunity to have a four to six supplementary approach and maybe even extend it further for a team like Richmond, who are feeling the pinch with their injury toll, would be beneficial.”
He acknowledged that there are details to work through, such as who goes in and out of the list and what holds clubs have on players at the end of the year. However, he believes this is something that needs to be considered for the future.
Historical Precedent and Future Possibilities
The most recent example of a club needing to use top-up players was the West Coast Eagles in 2022. Due to the impact of the pandemic, the club was restricted to just 17 AFL-listed players for a match against North Melbourne. At that time, clubs were allowed to have 20 reserve players on a supplementary list in case of a mass outbreak of Covid-19 within the squad.
Beveridge suggests that the AFL should look to Tasmania’s list concessions, particularly regarding rookie and list sizes, as a potential model for the future. “Drafts are important; you need key dates and you need to prepare and plan and strategise to make sure your list is worked through in a really sophisticated way,” he said.
He added that every AFL club should have the flexibility to build their lists in a similar way to Tasmania, especially if they face an injury toll like some other clubs. “But we have to work through that,” he concluded.
Conclusion
As the AFL continues to navigate the challenges of player injuries and roster management, the conversation around supplementary lists and greater flexibility is gaining momentum. With clubs like Richmond facing significant challenges, the league may need to reconsider its current approach to ensure all teams can compete fairly and effectively throughout the season. Whether this leads to a permanent change in the rules remains to be seen, but the discussion is certainly ongoing.
