Beveridge wants end to AFL rookie lists

Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge wants the AFL to end rookie lists, with one list of 44 players at each club instead.

Beveridge will push his case at Tuesday’s unofficial meeting of senior coaches with AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan.

The league boss is hosting nine of the 18 coaches for an annual get-together and dinner.

The AFL is open to doing away with rookie lists and Beveridge said if it is going to happen for next year, the decision needs to be made quickly.

“One of the primary things I will be looking for is just a bit more direction around what’s happening with the lists – whether or not they’re going to combine the two (senior and rookie),” he said.

“It would be nice to know now … that call needs to be made really early.

“Hopefully we get an answer over the next week or two.

“I’m in favour of just making it 44 (players).”

But Beveridge is no fan of talk that the AFL might consider introducing some sort of mid-season trading, to further free up player movement between clubs.

While the Bulldogs coach said the idea was interesting, he wants clubs to rely on good planning and list management.

“I like the idea of a war of attrition … if it’s not going well for you mid-season, too bad,” he said.

Geelong’s Chris Scott had made it clear he will push for the format of the bye rounds to change.

Currently the mid-season byes are split over three rounds, with six matches per weekend instead of the usual nine.

Last weekend, each game featured a team coming off their bye against an opponent that had played the previous weekend.

Collingwood came off their bye and beat Fremantle, while Geelong had played the weekend before and lost to St Kilda.

Magpies coach Nathan Buckley said on Monday night he did not mind the current bye format.

That drew a sharp response from his Geelong counterpart.

“I find it impossible to believe that Bucks actually thinks that,” Scott said on Fox Footy’s AFL360.

“We should fix it next year if it’s possible.”

But Scott also acknowledged that their concerns would be heard.

“Do you know in my experience what Gill will say? `Yeah, we can probably do that a bit better’ – which is a great attitude to have,” Scott said.

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