Essendon's first official appearance for 2004 will be against Fremantle in the first round of the Wizard Cup on Friday, February 20th. The coaching panel is sure to give a handful of young players the chance to taste senior football. New faces in the Essendon team won't be the only changes to the pre-season competition. The Australian Football League (AFL) recently announced it would trial a further five rule innovations during the 2004 Wizard Home Loans Cup competition.
The five new rules trialed are:
- Any player taking a mark or free kick within the goal square will be lined up from the middle of the goals for his shot at goal, rather than being placed on an angle from the centre of the goals;
- Any ball hitting the goal or behind posts during play that does not fully cross the goal or boundary line will be play on;
- The boundary umpire will move in 10 metres from the boundary line to return the ball to play at all throw-ins;
- A 10 metre outer circle for ruckman to begin their contests for the centre bounce;
- The capacity for umpires to check video replays on whether or not a goal was a 'nine-point' goal.
Separately, each team will be restricted to one runner who is allowed to deliver five messages per quarter of each match.
The AFL confirmed the trial laws introduced for the 2003 competition would remain:
- A nine point score for long goals scored from outside the 50 metre arc;
- A deliberate rushed behind by the defensive team now worth three points instead of one;
- The expansion of the centre square from 45 metres to 50 metres;
- Allowing the defensive team to immediately kick in after a point has been signalled all-clear, rather than after the goal umpire has waved the flags and;
- Play on to be called for any mark taken from a kick backwards to a teammate, except if the player marks the ball in his own attacking 50 metre arc.
Round 1 Wizard Cup fixturing and broadcasting details are as follows (all times are local):
Friday Feb 20
Western Bulldogs v Richmond at Telstra Dome, Melbourne, 7.40pm (Channel 9)
Essendon v Fremantle at Marrara Oval, Darwin, 7.10pm (Fox Footy Channel)
Saturday Feb 21
Kangaroos v Melbourne at Manuka Oval, Canberra, 1.10pm (Fox Footy Channel)
Port Adelaide v Geelong at Bundaberg Stadium, Cairns, 7.10pm (Fox Footy Channel)
West Coast v Collingwood at Subiaco, Perth, 5.40pm (Channel 9)
Sunday Feb 22
Hawthorn v Brisbane Lions at York Park, Launceston, 1.10pm (Fox Footy Channel)
Sydney v Carlton at Telstra Stadium, Sydney, 3.45pm (Fox Footy Channel)
Adelaide v St Kilda at AAMI Stadium, Adelaide, 4.40pm (Channel 10)
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