Interchange (Australian rules football)
Encyclopedia
Interchange is the term used to describe a team position in Australian rules football
, consisting of the players who are off the ground at any time. Colloquially, the interchange is known as "the bench".
An interchange takes place when a player leaves the field and is replaced by one of the three players on the bench, The number of interchanges made in Australian football is unlimited; teams are not limited to the number of times they may make changes, players have no limit to the number of times they may be changed, and an interchange can occur at any time during the game, including during gameplay.
A fourth player sits on the bench, known as the substitute. He begins the game wearing a green vest over his playing guernsey. He may not enter the field of play, nor be interchanged while wearing the green vest. At any time during the game, he may be substituted for one of the other players in the team - either on the ground or on the bench. He takes off his green vest, and the player he substitutes puts on a red vest. The player in the red vest may take no further part in the game. Teams are limited to a single substitution per game. A player may be substituted for tactical reasons or to replace an injured player.
The three players named on the interchange bench and the one substitute named in the teamsheet, which is submitted ninety minutes before the commencement of the game, must be the three interchange players and the substitute who start on the bench, however they may be substituted immediately if the coach wishes.
Representative teams (such as State of Origin
teams), practice and exhibition matches often feature an extended interchange bench of up to six or eight players.
Where a players leaves the ground on a stretcher, he is permitted to take the most direct route to the changerooms for medical treatment, and is still permitted to return later in the game; however, where he leaves on a stretcher, the player must wait for 20 minutes of playing time before returning. If a stretcher is brought onto the ground but the player ultimately does not need to use it, he must still wait for 20 minutes before returning.
A player may be forced to make an interchange by the umpire under the blood rule
. If an umpire sees a player bleeding, he will call time-on at the next appropriate time, stopping play until the player has left the field and been replaced.
Where the league has a provision to do so, an interchange steward is provided to monitor interchanges.
, and all players from both teams line will line-up in the centre of the ground to be counted by the umpires.
If either team has more players on the ground than it should, the general rule is that the team's entire score to that point of the game is cancelled; additionally, a free kick and 50-metre penalty
are paid to the opposing captain from the centre of the ground or the spot of the ball. Not all leagues automatically impose a cancellation of the score; in some cases, the progress score at the time of the head count is recorded, and league officials meet after the game to assess whether or not to retrospectively cancel the score.
If both teams have the correct number of players, a free kick and 50-metre penalty
are paid against the captain who initiated the head count; that captain may also be reported for time-wasting and sent off
(should the rules of the league permit) if the umpire believes that time-wasting was the captain's primary reason for calling the head count.
Head counts are rare at the top levels of the sport, but occur from time to time at suburban, country and junior levels.
' champion Fred Bills, playing the last of his 313 league games (having announced his retirement earlier that week) entered the field of play before John Cassin
, who was injured and lying on a stretcher, had left it. This prompted West Adelaide
, trailing 11.7 (73) to 12.10 (82) in the final quarter, to request a head count. West Torrens players ran for the boundary line, while West Adelaide players wrestled with them to keep them in bounds. One player, identified in the match report published in The Advertiser as Norm Dare
, managed to leap the fence and hide under a supporter's coat to avoid detection from the umpire. Ultimately, the count was abandoned when it became impossible to vouch for who was on the field at the time of the request; West Torrens went on to win by three goals. The incident was celebrated as one of the sport's 150 greatest moments in the 150th year celebrations in 2008. or
There have been only three head counts, all unsuccessful, in the history of the VFL/AFL:
Notable successful head counts around the country are listed in the table below.
A few weeks after this incident, the AFL introduced a new rule, allowing the interchange steward to inform the umpires of interchange errors: specifically, when a player enters the field before the player he is replacing has left the field, or when a player is interchanged without using the interchange gate. In each case, the penalty is a free kick and a 50-metre penalty
in the centre of the ground (or, at the spot of the ball at the time); in the case of a player not using the interchange gate, this penalty replaces the previous rule that the player would not be permitted to return. Any goals or behinds scored or free kicks given to the opposition when an interchange infringement has occurred get cancelled out.
This process is seen only at the professional AFL level; lower levels of the sport still rely on the head count rule to police interchanges. Additionally, AFL captains retain the right to call for a head count if they believe an interchange infringement has not been detected by the interchange steward.
This time-line is for the VFL/AFL only, and there has not necessarily been uniformity between it and the other leagues in the country.
Historically, the interchange bench was used sparingly, and mostly to take poor-performing players out of the game. There was a marked change in this at the top level as professionalism grew in the sport between 2000–2010, and the interchange bench began to be used much more frequently as a means of rotating players to manage player fatigue through the game and offer rest periods for hard working players and game time for young/old players. The average number of interchanges in the AFL doubled between 2007 (56 changes per team per game) and 2010 (113 changes per team per game) as coaches sought to give frequent rests to their running players.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
, consisting of the players who are off the ground at any time. Colloquially, the interchange is known as "the bench".
AFL
Beginning from 2011, at AFL level, each team is permitted three interchange players and one substitute player.An interchange takes place when a player leaves the field and is replaced by one of the three players on the bench, The number of interchanges made in Australian football is unlimited; teams are not limited to the number of times they may make changes, players have no limit to the number of times they may be changed, and an interchange can occur at any time during the game, including during gameplay.
A fourth player sits on the bench, known as the substitute. He begins the game wearing a green vest over his playing guernsey. He may not enter the field of play, nor be interchanged while wearing the green vest. At any time during the game, he may be substituted for one of the other players in the team - either on the ground or on the bench. He takes off his green vest, and the player he substitutes puts on a red vest. The player in the red vest may take no further part in the game. Teams are limited to a single substitution per game. A player may be substituted for tactical reasons or to replace an injured player.
The three players named on the interchange bench and the one substitute named in the teamsheet, which is submitted ninety minutes before the commencement of the game, must be the three interchange players and the substitute who start on the bench, however they may be substituted immediately if the coach wishes.
Other leagues
Interchange rules are not uniform across all leagues. In the major state leagues, as of 2011, following interchange numbers are permitted:- Victorian Football LeagueVictorian Football LeagueThe Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
: five interchange players, with no substitutions. - North East Australian Football LeagueNorth East Australian Football LeagueThe North East Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league in New South Wales, Queensland, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory in Australia...
: five interchange players for most matches; but, four interchange players for matches between two non-AFL affiliated Eastern Conference teams, and for Eastern Conference finals.
Representative teams (such as State of Origin
Interstate matches in Australian rules football
Australian rules football matches between teams representing Australian colonies/states and territories have been held since 1879. For most of the 20th century, the absence of a national club competition and international matches meant that football games between state representative teams were...
teams), practice and exhibition matches often feature an extended interchange bench of up to six or eight players.
Interchange protocol
In front of the interchange benches is the interchange area (sometimes called the interchange gate), which is a short stretch of the boundary line, roughly centred between the two teams' benches, through which all players must enter and exit the ground when being interchanged. It is marked on the boundary line with two short lines, perpendicular to the boundary, and sometimes with a slanted end. Generally, a player who interchanges without using the gate is not permitted to return for the rest of the game.Where a players leaves the ground on a stretcher, he is permitted to take the most direct route to the changerooms for medical treatment, and is still permitted to return later in the game; however, where he leaves on a stretcher, the player must wait for 20 minutes of playing time before returning. If a stretcher is brought onto the ground but the player ultimately does not need to use it, he must still wait for 20 minutes before returning.
A player may be forced to make an interchange by the umpire under the blood rule
Blood rule
The Blood rule is a rule used in many sports that states that an athlete that receives an open wound, is bleeding, or who has blood on them or their clothes, must immediately leave the playing area to receive medical attention...
. If an umpire sees a player bleeding, he will call time-on at the next appropriate time, stopping play until the player has left the field and been replaced.
Where the league has a provision to do so, an interchange steward is provided to monitor interchanges.
Head count
The primary means for controlling interchanges in most leagues (but not in the AFL) is via a Head Count, currently detailed in Law 5.5 of the game. To initiate this procedure, a team captain must request a head count from the umpire. The umpire, at the opportunity, will call time onTime on (Australian rules football)
Time on in Australian Football League is the portion of each quarter allocated for extra play which could not occur due to time being stopped....
, and all players from both teams line will line-up in the centre of the ground to be counted by the umpires.
If either team has more players on the ground than it should, the general rule is that the team's entire score to that point of the game is cancelled; additionally, a free kick and 50-metre penalty
50-metre penalty
In the sport of Australian Rules Football, the 50-metre penalty is applied by umpires to a number of different infractions when a free kick or mark has already been paid.Some leagues and competitions use a 25-metre penalty...
are paid to the opposing captain from the centre of the ground or the spot of the ball. Not all leagues automatically impose a cancellation of the score; in some cases, the progress score at the time of the head count is recorded, and league officials meet after the game to assess whether or not to retrospectively cancel the score.
If both teams have the correct number of players, a free kick and 50-metre penalty
50-metre penalty
In the sport of Australian Rules Football, the 50-metre penalty is applied by umpires to a number of different infractions when a free kick or mark has already been paid.Some leagues and competitions use a 25-metre penalty...
are paid against the captain who initiated the head count; that captain may also be reported for time-wasting and sent off
Ejection (sports)
In sports, an ejection is one of several disqualifying actions assessed to a player or coach by a game official , usually for unsportsmanlike conduct....
(should the rules of the league permit) if the umpire believes that time-wasting was the captain's primary reason for calling the head count.
Head counts are rare at the top levels of the sport, but occur from time to time at suburban, country and junior levels.
Famous head counts
The most famous head-count request occurred in the SANFL in Round 15, 1975. West TorrensWest Torrens Football Club
West Torrens Football Club was an Australian rules football club that competed in the South Australian National Football League from 1897 to 1990...
' champion Fred Bills, playing the last of his 313 league games (having announced his retirement earlier that week) entered the field of play before John Cassin
John Cassin (footballer)
John Cassin is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Essendon, North Melbourne and Fitzroy in the VFL.He made his league debut in 1971 for Essendon after being recruited by the club under the father-son rule, his father Jack was a dual premiership player with Essendon.Cassin was...
, who was injured and lying on a stretcher, had left it. This prompted West Adelaide
West Adelaide Football Club
West Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club in the South Australian National Football League . Commonly known as The Bloods and Westies, the clubs home base is City Mazda Stadium located in Richmond, an inner-western suburb of Adelaide.-Early Years :West Adelaide was formed in...
, trailing 11.7 (73) to 12.10 (82) in the final quarter, to request a head count. West Torrens players ran for the boundary line, while West Adelaide players wrestled with them to keep them in bounds. One player, identified in the match report published in The Advertiser as Norm Dare
Norm Dare
Norm Dare is a former Australian rules footballer and coach, most notable for coaching five premierships in the QAFL.Dare initially played league football for Fitzroy in the VFL, where he played 70 games between 1968 and 1974...
, managed to leap the fence and hide under a supporter's coat to avoid detection from the umpire. Ultimately, the count was abandoned when it became impossible to vouch for who was on the field at the time of the request; West Torrens went on to win by three goals. The incident was celebrated as one of the sport's 150 greatest moments in the 150th year celebrations in 2008. or
There have been only three head counts, all unsuccessful, in the history of the VFL/AFL:
- by captain Wels EickeWels EickeWellesley Hastings "Wels" Eicke was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.-Early life/career:Eicke was a talented young sportsman who was a champion swimmer at school level...
against Round 12, 1924; - by captain Jack ClarkeJack E. ClarkeJack E. Clarke was an Australian rules footballer and coach in the VFL. An Essendon and Victorian champion, Clarke was one of the premier midfielders of the VFL for well over a decade, leading the mighty Dons to the flag in 1962 when captain and also playing in the victorious 1965 side...
against in Round 17, 1958; - by captain Guy McKennaGuy McKennaGuy Lindsay McKenna is an Australian rules football coach and former player. He is the current coach of the Gold Coast Football Club in the Australian Football League . McKenna also played 267 games for the West Coast Eagles, including the 1992 and 1994 premiership wins...
against St Kilda in Round 22, 1999.
Notable successful head counts around the country are listed in the table below.
| League | Club penalised | Opponent | Match | Score at count | Count time | Final score | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O&KFL Ovens & King Football League 300px|thumb|right|O&K 2007 Thirds Grand Final between Whorouly and North WangarattaThe Ovens & King Football League is a minor country Australian rules football league based in Northeastern Victoria in the vicinity of Wangaratta and more recently Benalla.... |
Moyhu | Whorouly | 2008 First Semi-Final | 15-22 | 2nd quarter | 9-81 | http://www.bordermail.com.au/news/local/sport/football-australian-rules/hoppers-chances-of-victory-wiped-out/1258965.aspx |
| SA Country C'ship | Southern Districts | Western Zone | 2011 Final | 33-10 | 2nd half Lightning match |
2-28 | http://digitaledition.citymessenger.com.au/default.aspx?iid=50318&startpage=page0000031 |
| BL&GFA Barossa Light & Gawler Football Association The Barossa Light & Gawler Football Association is an Australian rules football competition based chiefly in the Barossa Valley region of South Australia, Australia. Only 42 kilometres north of the state capital of Adelaide, the BL&GFA is an affiliated member of the South Australian National... |
Barossa District | Willaston | 2011 First Semi-Final | 59-59 | 4th quarter | 6-81 | http://barossaupdate.com/?p=1609 |
Interchange Infringement Penalties
In Round 6, 2008, and played a controversial drawn match, in which a botched interchange late in the game left Sydney with 19 men on the field for about a minute, during which time the Swans scored the game-tying behind. Although the laws of the game allowed Sydney to be fined for the mistake, there could be no effect on the match result because North Melbourne had not called for a head count. This highlighted the impracticality of the Head Count rule – which had existed since the days before interchanges or substitutions were allowed – in the modern professional league with its rapid use of interchanges for fatigue management.A few weeks after this incident, the AFL introduced a new rule, allowing the interchange steward to inform the umpires of interchange errors: specifically, when a player enters the field before the player he is replacing has left the field, or when a player is interchanged without using the interchange gate. In each case, the penalty is a free kick and a 50-metre penalty
50-metre penalty
In the sport of Australian Rules Football, the 50-metre penalty is applied by umpires to a number of different infractions when a free kick or mark has already been paid.Some leagues and competitions use a 25-metre penalty...
in the centre of the ground (or, at the spot of the ball at the time); in the case of a player not using the interchange gate, this penalty replaces the previous rule that the player would not be permitted to return. Any goals or behinds scored or free kicks given to the opposition when an interchange infringement has occurred get cancelled out.
This process is seen only at the professional AFL level; lower levels of the sport still rely on the head count rule to police interchanges. Additionally, AFL captains retain the right to call for a head count if they believe an interchange infringement has not been detected by the interchange steward.
Historical interchange rules and tactics
In the VFL/AFL, the number of interchanges allowed has followed the following time-line:- Prior to 1930 – there was no means for either substitution or interchange. A team played one man short if a player was injured.
- 1930 – the introduction of a single substitute
- 1946 – the introduction of a second substitute
- 1978 – the replacement of two substitutes with two interchanges
- 1994 – the introduction of a third interchange
- 1998 – the introduction of a fourth interchange
- 2011 – the replacement of four interchanges with three interchanges and a substitute
This time-line is for the VFL/AFL only, and there has not necessarily been uniformity between it and the other leagues in the country.
Historically, the interchange bench was used sparingly, and mostly to take poor-performing players out of the game. There was a marked change in this at the top level as professionalism grew in the sport between 2000–2010, and the interchange bench began to be used much more frequently as a means of rotating players to manage player fatigue through the game and offer rest periods for hard working players and game time for young/old players. The average number of interchanges in the AFL doubled between 2007 (56 changes per team per game) and 2010 (113 changes per team per game) as coaches sought to give frequent rests to their running players.
Footnotes
- 1. In the AFL's own account of the incident, as published on its website as part of the 150th anniversary celebrations, the leap over the fence was credited not to Norm DareNorm DareNorm Dare is a former Australian rules footballer and coach, most notable for coaching five premierships in the QAFL.Dare initially played league football for Fitzroy in the VFL, where he played 70 games between 1968 and 1974...
, but to Gerry Noonan – who, like Dare, was a former Fitzroy player in the VFL who transferred to West Torrens in 1975. Additionally, the AFL's account of the incident had one other significant factual difference to the account in The Advertiser: the AFL's account indicated that the match was Fred Bills' 300th match, but the account in The Advertiser makes it unequivocably clear that it was Bills' 313th and final match.