Group Nine players have slammed the possibility of playing 14 rounds.
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Three draft draws are circling following Tumbarumba’s late withdrawal from the competition with the clubs asked to vote for their preference of playing a 14, 16 or 18 round competition.
Eighteen rounds would see each club play each other twice.
Brothers forward, and vice-president, Brayden Sharrock believes 18 is what the players want and will be better for the competition.
“Everyone wanted to play more games and make it more professional,” Sharrock said.
“You work really hard in the off-season and that is coming from us (Brothers) who haven’t been real successful, but still want to play more football.”
He believes having less rounds would diminish the competition’s strong reputation and could be less attractive to sponsors.
Gundagai captain-coach James Smart is another in favour of the 18 rounds.
“The appeal of the 18 round competition is that is it fair to all clubs and everyone is playing each other twice,” Smart said.
“Between the clubs and players there are a lot of different things to consider, but my immediate thoughts, and speaking to a few of the boys they have said the same thing about the 18 rounds.
“It is the fairest way for the comp to be run, everyone is playing each other twice, no team is getting a perceived easy run into the semis.”
Smart’s thoughts are at odds with the Tigers hierarchy who is looking to cut the season from 18 to 14 rounds.
Tumut co-coach Dean Bristow and new Albury captain-coach Adrian Purtell could see the merits in 16 rounds while Young captain-coach James Woolford thought 14 was too short.
“If you lose two or three games then you are automatically chasing your tail straight way, but if you had 16 or 18 you can make them up along the way with other clubs fighting for positions,” Woolford said.
Sharrock hopes clubs take the players’ perspective into account.
Four votes are already in with two for 14 rounds and two for 16 rounds.