The biggest, most persistent topic in AFL media in 2018 has been, by far, “the state of the game”. Since approximately May this year, when Leigh Matthews and Dermott Brereton declared the game was too congested and that they’d almost fallen out of love with the sport of Aussie Rules, respectively, the state of the game has been the media’s bugbear. I wrote earlier this year about the nostalgia driving some of the criticisms – we have legends of the game calling for expanded goal-squares, last-touch out-of-bounds free kicks and zones, in an attempt to restore the aesthetics of the AFL to the apparent “golden years” of the 1970s and 80s. A “state of the game” committee was formed to float ideas about how to “fix” the modern game. Starting positions - or zones - appear set to be introduced as soon as next year.

Falling TV ratings (not a phenomenon restricted to the AFL, as media consumption becomes increasingly fragmented), fewer goals (which allows for fewer after-goal commercials during matches) and more stoppages are the red flags that have raised the ire of broadcasters. And yes, the television broadcasters do fund the sport through million and billion-dollar deals.

But what do the fans actually think? Despite a few angry talkback callers and some anecdotal evidence, Auskick participation is not falling. Auskick saw a 2% growth in participation in 2017. Kids still love footy. And as I reported a month ago, attendance to AFL matches is on the rise (aside from an anomalous drop from 2011 to 2012, the trend is steadily upwards).

An SEN poll conducted one month ago indicated that 67% of fans think the state of the game in 2018 is “better than it used to be” and both talkback radio and social media are flooded with AFL fans railing against the idea of further changes to our great game. The volume of resistance to further rule changes can best be described as “deafening”.

Why should footy fans have any confidence that rule changes will “fix” congestion, anyway? The interchange cap was introduced in 2014 as an attempt to reduce congestion. The exact reasoning behind why this would reduce congestion is unclear – the empirical proof has never been presented to the public, and the results indicate that congestion has remained at similar levels over the past four years. The statistical differences are microscopic – and in the case of disposal efficiency and contested possessions, worse. So why hasn’t this been thoroughly reviewed? This was a change to the game that was introduced to reduce congestion, and it has failed. So why are we leaving it as it is, or even considering making more extreme reductions to the interchange cap?

The idea of introducing zones is nonsensical, from top to bottom. At best, it will create new issues that will require further changes to fix them. At worst, it will fundamentally change a game that is, at present, more popular than ever. Forcing players to form up in 6-6-6 starting positions - as floated by the AFL and reported on by Jake Niall in The Age - will play havoc with game-plans, set plays and the current way AFL is executed at the highest level, and as many fans have already declared – we love footy the way it is! Imagine watching a team desperately flood their backline after the bounce of the ball to protect a tight lead in a Grand Final. Consider the exhaustion of players constantly running from the enforced starting position to where their game-plan indicates they should be, and the reduction in skill due to that exhaustion. Nothing about this screams “aesthetically pleasing”.

If we do want to tinker with the rules, let’s start with these two: the ruck nomination rule, and the 10 metre protected area rule. The former slows the game down and creates unnecessary confusion, the latter is simply bad and should be eliminated as soon as possible. The sliding in/contact below the knees rule also needs to be significantly relaxed. Talk about a knee jerk reaction. Fans hate these rules, players don’t understand them, and umpires clearly find it hard to interpret them correctly.

And while we’re cleaning things up – the fixture needs a huge improvement. Floating fixtures, allowing for the allocation of blockbuster match-ups to prime-time slots as the season evolves, might be complicated to institute but would be appreciated by fans. If there’s any negative sentiment about the “look of the game” it’s due to some awful matches being played by low-placed sides in some extremely visible time-slots.

The ability to watch every match – including the bad ones – is a relatively new phenomenon. Speaking to that point, Bruce McAvaney – arguably the most respected commentator in the history of Aussie Rules - told Channel 7’s The Front Bar that, “In the old days every match was being played on the same time on a Saturday – we didn’t see all those matches.”

“I go to a fair bit of footy and I see a lot of good games. I actually love the game. I don’t mind the bad ones.

“I actually think the game’s in a great position at the moment.”

The ultimate point is this: fans love footy, and the idea of making changes to the game on a fundamental level is the only thing that’s got us worried. Listen to the fans, and leave footy alone.