Who is running the AFL? If the events of the past week are any indication, the coaches have far too much influence.
Despite the denial of football operations manager Steve Hocking, the AFL has acquiesced to the more experienced and most vocal among the coaching fraternity.
The league's introduction of a medical substitute a day before the start of the season is a classic case of policy on the run.
This change is open to exploitation and an unnecessary impost on clubs already struggling financially in the wake of the pandemic.
Initially it was touted as being instituted for concussed players, but Hocking and his department were coerced into widening the rule's implementation.
There wasn't universal support even among the coaches, with Western Bulldogs mentor Luke Beveridge expressing his disapproval publicly. Australian football is a game of physical and mental attrition - only the strong survive and thrive, particularly at the elite level.
Concussion is a serious issue, and quite rightly there are already protocols in place to protect players' health and safety. If it is deemed necessary to have an extra player to bring on, boost the interchange bench to five, but it makes more sense to leave it at four.
Any increase defeats the intent of the changes brought in this year to open up the game and make it easier to score - ensuring the man on the mark remains stationary until play on is called by the umpire and reducing teams' rotations to 75 a game.
Clubs with the strongest lists are the beneficiaries - it is easier for them to field a 23rd player than those with less depth.
Having a concussion substitute is debatable but there is no need for a medical sub - it puts too much pressure on the clubs' medical staff.
FANS GO MISSING
Crowds have been a hot topic, and it was pleasing to see so many fans in Victoria who were starved of live football last season attending the games at a reduced-capacity MCG and Marvel Stadium.
But not all fans shared the same enthusiasm - where were all of the Melbourne and North Melbourne supporters for their opening home games of the season? There had been pressure on the AFL to switch the Melbourne-Fremantle game to Marvel Stadium and replace it with Essendon-Hawthorn, but the league stuck with the original fixture.
The pathetic response by Demons fans last Saturday was vindication that the game should have been moved, with a paltry 21,365 in attendance.
On the club's website the Demons' membership is listed as being just under 41,000 - as there were so few Dockers supporters in the venue, where were those thousands of so-called passionate red and blue devotees?
The game was at their home on a perfect Melbourne autumn day and the Demons have their sights on the finals after narrowly missing out last season.
While the expectations on North Melbourne, whose 2021 membership is listed as being just over 36,000, are not so high, the Kangaroos have a new coach and several exciting recruits.
As expected the Roos lost easily to Port Adelaide, but the turnout of 13,050 under the Marvel Stadium roof was most disappointing. Let's hope the Victorian Government raises crowd capacity for the MCG, Marvel Stadium and GMHBA Stadium to 75 per cent for round two, with several big games scheduled.
CROWS, SWANS IN STUNNING UPSETS
It is folly to judge how the season will pan out after the opening round, but there were several eye-catching performances.
Undoubtedly the biggest surprise was Adelaide's stunning win at home over last year's grand finalist Geelong, but equally Sydney's victory over Brisbane at the Gabba and Hawthorn's remarkable comeback win over Essendon were noteworthy.
Maybe the form shown by the Crows and Swans should not be such a shock, given the encouraging displays in the second half of last season.
Adelaide is always tough to defeat at home and has adjusted quickly to the high-pressure game style demanded by coach Matthew Nicks.
Sydney has invested heavily in youth and a talented crop is coming through its academy, combined with shrewd drafting and trading.
In their biggest turnaround under four-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson, the rebuilding Hawks displayed great resolve.
Brownlow medallist Tom Mitchell and Jaeger O'Meara sparked the revival, while young players Will Day, Changkuoth Jiath, Dylan Moore and first-gamer Tyler Brockman were also impressive.
While the Cats were disappointing, it should be remembered they lost their first game on the road last season to the Giants. But the Crows exposed gaps in Geelong's ruck division and defence without the retired Harry Taylor.
It was also a disappointing start for Brisbane, with coach Chris Fagan not holding back in his criticism of the lacklustre Lions.
Last year's preliminary finalists travel to Victoria to face the Cats, who are likely to be without star midfielder Patrick Dangerfield on Friday night.
While there was no malice in Dangerfield's bump on Jake Kelly, he made accidental contact to the Crow's head and should be suspended.
- This article is supported by the Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas
