REVEALED: The revolutionary changes being considered by the AFL as star claims the league wants to reduce the length of games to a maximum of two hours
- The AFL is ‘interested’ in reducing game time by limiting quarters to 30 minutes
- Commentator Dwayne Russell said the quarters could be cut by a few minutes
- Quarters are a designated 20 minutes but can stretch above the 30 minute mark
The AFL is ‘interested’ in reducing the length of games in a bid to appeal to more fans, according to commentator Dwayne Russell.
The former Geelong and Port Adelaide player says the league could consider implementing time constraints to quarters, by stopping the play at 30 minutes.
‘The AFL is interested in finding a way to shorten games I’m told by maybe up to 15 minutes,’ Russell told SEN’s Dwayne’s World.
‘Reduce the quarters by two-to-three minutes per quarter, bring the quarters back from 32, 33, 34 minutes that we’re often getting back to 29 and 30-minute quarters again like it was in the old days.’
The AFL is ‘interested’ in reducing the length of games according to commentator Dwayne Russell. Pictured: Fans at the 2019 AFL Grand Final
In 1994, the league amended playing time per quarter to 20 minutes plus time-on, instead of 25 minutes plus time-on.
Stoppages, which occur after goals, when the ball goes out or during a umpire ball-up, can greatly impact the time of play, raising quarters from the imposed 20 minutes to above the 30-minute mark.
Russell, who thinks the changes could be introduced in 2021 once perfected, said he has been told the players are also interested in a shorter game.
Russell, a former Geelong and Port Adelaide player, says the league could consider implementing time constraints to quarters, by stopping the play at 30 minutes
It’s understood one option to lower the quarters would be excluding time on during the first five to 10 minutes of a quarter.
Russell took on callers to discuss the potential changes and questioned whether it would be better for fans focus.
‘Are games too long? We know the AFL has cut five minutes from the half-time break from 20 minutes to 15 minutes to shorten the total game length because of attention span and ratings reasons,’ he questioned.
Russell added the AFL wanted to shorten the day of sport from ‘drive-way to drive-way’ for families.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the AFL for comment.
In 1994, the league amended playing time per quarter to 20 minutes plus time-on, instead of 25 minutes plus time-on. Pictured: Jack Darling of the West Coast Eagles (left) and Adam Tomlinson of the GWS Giants