Let’s be clear ... fans go through the turnstiles to see their team win. Or, if it isn’t equipped to win with talent alone, then at the very least have the capacity to challenge.

For more 100 years footy coaches have had the ability to defend a lead, or plug a gap and halt the opposition’s momentum with a simple defensive mechanism — an extra man behind the ball at the centre bounce.

This tactic can be challenged in several ways, for example: moving your extra man directly on to the loose player for a seven-man forward line; counter it with your run off the back line with your extra; or throw your extra into the stoppage after the centre bounce.

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Tactics. Beautiful, invigorating, game-changing tactics. With the new 6-6-6 zone rule the extra-man weapon is no longer available.

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When the Western Bulldogs had all the momentum against Hawthorn last Sunday, I know Alastair Clarkson would have liked to deploy a Jack Gunston-type behind the ball to pull back the lead. But he couldn’t. The Hawks were overwhelmed as the Dogs continually cleared the centre square.

Supporters don’t want you sitting on your hands doing nothing to change the outcome of the game. As a coach, you want to win. That’s it. Don’t worry about high marking and open spaces.

Aesthetically, 6-6-6 looks good. And it has benefited certain teams.

It comes down to rate of attrition and it’s how the ball was cleared that matters.

Play Video In this 1995 7NEWS flashback to the build-up to the first Western Derby, a young Basil Zempilas explains why the Eagles barred the Dockers from their pre-game anchor lift. The West Australian Video In this 1995 7NEWS flashback to the build-up to the first Western Derby, a young Basil Zempilas explains why the Eagles barred the Dockers from their pre-game anchor lift.

The team that wins is likely to be the team that cleared the ball quickly and cleanly into a strong forward line (such as Geelong) because if you lose in the midfield then you have to resurrect the ball in the back line, which becomes tiresome after four quarters.

Last round Melbourne went inside 50 more often against Geelong, but it was the quality of clearances, or lack of, which hurt the Demons (losing by 80 points). Class is hard to beat.

Brisbane has been aided by the new rule with a quick midfield and a young forward line to finish off the work. After two rounds, the Lions topped the ladder for scoring from the centre bounce.

Today’s game will be a test to see if North Melbourne can restrict Hawthorn’s entry into a highly productive forward line. While North has a good ruckman they don’t have the speed or the ball-getting power to capitalise on the 6-6-6 set up.

I said at the start of the season that North would play finals, but I don’t see the Kangaroos getting close to the final eight if they are not allowed to protect against a blowout with an extra man in defence. They are at the bottom of the ladder for centre clearances and it doesn’t help that they are delivering into a one-man (Ben Brown) forward line.

Today’s St Kilda and Fremantle clash will also be of great interest. The Saints have the speed in the midfield, but the Dockers have the strength and physical presence of Nat Fyfe and David Mundy. Both forward lines have the capacity to benefit from a quick clearance without interference from the “seventh” defender.

If I was coaching Collingwood or West Coast, I’d be delighted with the 6-6-6 rule as each team has a powerful midfield and a high-scoring forward line. Though I would still like to reinforce my back line.

I’d be sacrifice my winger by starting him on the defensive edge of the centre square so he can get straight in behind the ball after the bounce. But this exposes the wing, which isn’t ideal either.

Most coaches like security, but that doesn’t add up to 6-6-6, it equals 5-6-7. A slight adjustment to the new rule could create this, but I don’t see it happening.

Coaches and players learn to cope with most new rules thrown at them because it generally comes down to interpretation or a slight adjustment. But it seems this season coaches are on a wing and a prayer.

Coaching during a game is about making the right moves at the right time to aid momentum or stifle a run-on.

Without regular use of a runner I’ve seen more coaching from the boundary line than ever before. I’ve seen them using sign language and people on the boundary holding screens and placards with instructions in code. It’s ridiculous and untidy.

You can instruct players from the ground, but what you gain from that you lose from your perspective of the game from the coaches’ box.

In the box you are also on the receiving end of information from assistant coaches and statisticians. I’m not sure a headset allows for the full effect of this communication.

Play Video Melbourne's banner has taken aim at online abuse ahead of the Demons' clash with Essendon. The West Australian Video Melbourne's banner has taken aim at online abuse ahead of the Demons' clash with Essendon.

So coaches are torn as to where to place themselves.

I have seen quite a few matches this year where very few goals were scored in a quarter which means the runner can’t get on to the ground often enough to make moves.

You can’t plan for this during the week because every game is different.

Teams are being left vulnerable when their coach’s hands are so tied up he can’t get a single message to his player in the very moment he needs to.

With the addition of the new kick-in rule there is no benefit to the ball handler, the scoreline, or to the supporter.

I’ve seen a tendency for the man with the ball run out of the goal square for 20-25m without a bounce (to the blind eye of the umpire) and then bomb it to a scrap. The ball invariably comes back to him.

Almost gone is the Zach Tuohy or Shannon Hurn weapon of threading the ball through to a target in the centre square. More’s the pity.

If the AFL wanted a free-flowing, high-scoring, open-field game, it’s created lower-scoring contests, ugly sideline scenes, player fatigue, coaching frustration and supporter confusion.

I hope we don’t see the runner phased out entirely, or rotations reduced further, or the 6-6-6 zone set up remain, because surely the only way is up from here.