Gold Coast’s final NAB Challenge game against Adelaide on Friday will see some rule changes come into effect, with longer quarters (standard 20 minutes plus normal time-on/off scenarios) and an interchange rotation cap being introduced.
The first two NAB Challenge games allowed for unlimited rotations with SUNS senior coach Rodney Eade taking full advantage of being able to interchange his players and keep fresh legs on the field.
But in round three of the pre-season competition, teams will be capped at 90 rotations, a rule that will also be applied in the AFL premiership season.
In the 2014 and 2015 seasons, interchanges were capped at 120 per game.
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Eade doesn’t see the reduced cap having a major impact and believes teams will quickly adjust.
“We’ve had some chats about that,” Eade said.
“Not a great deal (changes), I think 90 is probably okay and we’ll be able to cope with that. Teams will adjust.
“Obviously sometimes where there is unlimited you spin the wheels a bit but you’ve just got to be a bit more circumspect, teams generally start their rotations about the three-minute mark, you’d probably start about the five or six minute mark.
“It’s probably not going to be an enormous effect to be honest.”
