Don't tamper with the NEAFL: Canberra Demons' call
The AFL's intention to trial rule changes was met with widespread backlash and Canberra Demons player-coach Kade Klemke says it has no place in the NEAFL.
It comes as the Demons look to edge closer to the minor premiership when they face fellow finals hopefuls the Southport Sharks at Fankhauser Reserve on Saturday.
The AFL's proposal to trial rule changes in the NEAFL has fallen flat after plans to do it in the top flight were met with backlash about the integrity of the game.
The AFL had planned to run a trial of the 6-6-6 rule - a set-up of of six midfielders, six forwards and six defenders for each centre-square bounce - in Saturday's NEAFL match between Sydney and Brisbane, but opted against altering a game with finals ramifications to suit one rule change.
AFL officials believe one solitary rule change would do little to reduce congestion and only multiple rule changes in collaboration would be worthwhile.
Klemke says the rule changes would not have the same effect in the NEAFL and says the Demons have not been contacted about partaking in a trial.
"I’m a believer in not changing the game, especially the NEAFL," Klemke said.
"The NEAFL is such an open, fast flowing game, I don’t think we need to change it. It’s the AFL that is probably more the issue. I don’t think it’s as big of an issue here in this competition.
"We’re not as fit as the AFL players, they can run up and down the ground so they can get numbers to the footy, whereas in the lower competitions we don’t deal with that stuff. We try and do the same thing but we’re nowhere near as fit."
Demons defender Jack Baker will play his first game for Canberra since tearing his anterior cruciate ligament last year, a return he thought impossible when he linked up with Coolamon in the Riverina Football League this year.
But the 23-year-old backflipped to return to the capital and he has his eyes locked on helping the Demons to a maiden finals appearance.
"Coolamon weren’t going very well and he wasn’t enjoying it as much as he would have liked," Klemke said.
"We were going well, so before the June deadline he decided he wanted to have a crack, understanding he wasn’t just going to force his way straight in.
"He has taken his time but he’s been persisting and doing well. He totally understands where we were at when we were winning, no one in the back six was playing bad so it was hard to push in.
"He gets his opportunity and hopefully for him he doesn’t look back."
Demons midfielder Isaac Taylor will become the second player to play 50 NEAFL games for Canberra when he turns out against Southport, following in the footsteps of skipper Aaron Bruce.
But Klemke says "he probably would have been equal with Brucey if I didn’t drop him earlier in the year" in a "wake-up call" that has proved vital.
"I guess that’s been the great thing, he probably didn’t have the start of the year he would have liked, especially his first game against Southport," Klemke said.
"I left him out the next week, and ever since that, over the two years I’ve been here he has probably played his best footy over the past four or five weeks."
NEAFL ROUND 18
Saturday: Southport Sharks v Canberra Demons at Fankhauser Reserve, 12pm. Live stream: Live on NEAFL TV.
SOUTHPORT
B: 45. Ethan Reeves, 14. Brodie Murdoch, 15. Jordan Taylor
HB: 37. Daniel Charlesworth, 12. Rhys Clark, 8. Seb Tape
C: 34. Tyler Roos, 5. Andrew Boston, 32. Tom Wilkinson
HF: 4. Michael Manteit, 19. Josh Baxter, 33. Matt Doran
F: 7. Ryan Davis, 17. Mitch Johnson, 21. Wade Hancock
Foll: 46. Josh Hall, 10. Josh Clayton, 11. Noa Corbett
Inter: 16. Lee Dale, 27. Jack O’Shea, 6. Dylan Fyfe, 20. Tom Howard, 24. Dylan Mutu
Emer: 43. Jaicob Kenny, 13. Tom Ellard, 41. Kai Sheers
CANBERRA
B: 35. Tom Highmore, 2. Alex Paech, 18. Angus Baker
HB: 25. Sam Martyn, 15. Jack Baker, 6. Kade Klemke
C: 45. Harrison Carr, 24. Alex Smout, 9. Jack Powell
HF: 4. Aaron Bruce, 11. Jacob Turner, 16. Mitch Hardie
F: 17. Jarrod Osborne, 13. Tom Faul, 23. Ben Fulford
Foll: 42. Cameron Milne, 8. Mitch Maguire, 1. Isaac Taylor
Inter: 19. Nathan Richards, 21. Matt Vardanega, 7. Connor Owen-Auburn, 5. Nick Collins, 26. Sam Tonkes
Emer: 29. Ben Halse, 12. Luke McKay, 34. Luke Robertson