INCREASINGLY concerned by the growing trend of the rolling zone, Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade could seek a meeting with the League's lawmakers to table his ideas on how the game can overcome "ugly football".
This year's pre-season matches have been dominated by teams employing full-ground zones, similar to the one used by Hawthorn in its run to the 2008 premiership.
Eade believes the defensive tactic spells an issue for the game.
"I must admit I get concerned when we have more possessions, more handballs, less inside 50s and less goals," he said after training at Whitten Oval on Wednesday morning.
"That’s a worrying trend as a lover of the game. That has nothing to do with the Western Bulldogs or coaching a team, this is where the game’s headed."
His concern is strengthened by the belief it is no passing fad.
"Flooding's been in now for 10 to 13 years … and I always thought that was going to evolve. It has, but I’ve got concerns that I don’t think this will evolve.
"I think it may be stuck with us for a while."
Last week Eade described his side's NAB Challenge match against St Kilda as one of the worst he had ever seen.
While lamenting the Dogs' skills in the hot and windy conditions, he admitted the zone was used by both sides.
Eade said all teams were likely to employ the tactic this season, however, he doesn’t believe it's good for football's long-term future.
"I’m more looking at the aesthetics of the game, so that teams who crack it and finish in the top four and average 12 goals a game, is that what we want?" he said.
"I think the game at the moment, the last three or four years, is probably the best it’s ever been.
"[There’s been] a lot of continuous footy, a lot of high speed and at the same time a lot of goals … I just wouldn’t like to see it totally defensive."
If the defensive mindset is retained for the home-and-away rounds, Eade said he had already considered ways to combat it.
"I’ve got an idea on how it could be solved … I don’t know if it’s got any holes in it, it probably has," he said.
"But I’ll talk to some powers that be and put my thoughts down on paper."
He also rejected claims that recently-introduced rule changes had led to the way football was now being played.
"The rule changes have got nothing to do with people implementing zones," he said.
"We could have had no rule changes ever and the zone could still work … so people who say, 'Oh there’s too many rule changes', it’s got nothing to do with the way the footy’s going to be played this year.
"Let’s not confuse and muddy the waters [by saying] that previous rule changes have anything to do with the way footy’s being played at the moment. It’s not."
