Hawthorn Coach Alastair Clarkson says much confusion remains across the coaching fraternity surrounding the new rule changes.
Speaking on SEN Breakfast on Monday, Clarkson said a coaches meeting held last Thursday showed there was still a level of uncertainty regarding the controversial interpretations.
“We just want some clarity,” Clarkson said.
“We’re about to go into a big season, we’re starting this Thursday night and as we sit right here now, we still don’t exactly know what’s going on with the runner’s rule and what the interpretation is going to be there.
“That’s got its frustrations and they were aired last Thursday morning at different stages.”
The four-time premiership coach highlighted the interchange rotations limit rule as a precedent to be followed.
“What the coaches were keen on was a little bit around the same philosophy as the interchange rotations.
“If we’re going to make change, does it need to be so dramatic in the first instance?
“I think interchange rotations were around 160 and the first call was to cull them down to 40 - it was just too dramatic a call.
“But then they found a natural sort of line at 80.”
Clarkson said he was unsure what the AFL’s reaction to the criticism would be, but declared the coaches wanted “clarity in exactly what it’s going to look like”.
“I dare say it would need to happen today, we’ve got three days (until the season starts).
“We discussed this four days ago and I would’ve expected something would’ve been pushed through to the clubs by now.”
