A number of senior AFL players have called on the league to make changes to the game that will improve it as a spectacle.
And one of the biggest stars in the league has suggested zones may well be the answer.
Melbourne co-captain Nathan Jones has for the “magic” to be brought back into footy.
“For me it’s about bringing back the magic,” Jones told Fox Footy’s On the Couch this week.
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“The game is not in the best position or state it could be.
“Removing my playing hat, I love the game for its competitiveness as a player, but as far as watching it…I used to be an avid watcher.
“But now I feel like I’m turning more games off. It’s not as aesthetically pleasing, I’m not getting as much enjoyment out of it and it’s not providing that excitement that it used to.”
Geelong superstar Patrick Dangerfield went one step further and put his hat in the ring in favour of serious consideration of bringing in zones to limit congestion.
“‘Zones’ is a terrible word within our code,” the 2016 Brownlow medallist said.
“But what it could potentially bring us, I think, is definitely worth investigating.
“So, before you judge it take a look at it first because I think there’s merit in it, without a doubt.”
Dangerfield cited falling television ratings as a reason for the AFL to act now rather than waiting until a big problem existed.
“I don’t think the AFL are looking at this and saying ‘We’ve got time for audiences to decrease, we’ve got time for the revenue of the game to decrease’…they want it moved now.
“It needs to be changed now…we need to bump (TV) audiences up now.”