PORT ADELAIDE’S football analyst Chris Sheedy takes you inside innovations and trends in elite Australian Football and Port Adelaide with his new regular column, On The Inside. In his first column exclusive to portadelaidefc.com.au, Sheeds talks about the new rotation cap for 2014 and 2015.

The AFL has introduced a rule that will see interchange rotations capped to 120 per game for the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

After this two year period, the rule will be assessed in conjunction with the AFL clubs to determine whether it is modified or continues into 2016.

Although the rotations cap limits total interchanges to 120 per game, it is only limited to those changes which take place during quarters. Teams are still able to make changes during the quarter breaks and these do not count towards the cap; the same goes for the substitute. So with a theoretical maximum of nine changes possible during the breaks (three breaks and three players changing onto the bench) and one substitution, the number of possible interchanges really sits at 130 per match.

There will be greater strategy involved in rotating players - with no quarterly limits, teams can make a call to when they use the bench during the game. Port Adelaide was ranked eighth for average rotations in the league last year at approximately 134 per game, including 131 during actual game time.

If you assume that Port Adelaide is around the middle of the rotation averages, then some teams will probably be more adversely impacted by the cap than others and increases the emphasis on fitness.

It’s partly why our high performance manager Darren Burgess has gone on record as saying the demands on player bodies will be greater this year, and why a greater emphasis on endurance training will be needed for the strong performing teams in the 2014 season.

We’ll certainly be hoping to outrun our opposition during ‘red time’.

Beyond our club, the interchange cap could change the way you see the game by slowing it down. Less rotations could limit the speed of ball movement for some teams as their players tire late in games. Players may not be able to spread from stoppages at high speed or a breakdown in play as frequently. That could allow opposition sides to close down outside options and force turnovers or stoppages.

Importantly for us, fit teams might be able to exploit slower moving teams with their running ability into space and by moving the ball around congestion (and faster from it) later in the games.

The cap will really change up the way the game is played during time-on and that’s where we need to find an advantage.

Unfortunately, the cap could also have a detrimental impact on some players as their bodies struggle to cope with the greater demands of the game. Don’t be surprised if ‘resting’ players becomes more commonplace in the future as a means of managing player wellbeing.

Hardcore followers of the AFL and discussions around rule changes will know there was some talk of an 80-rotation cap a little while ago and we’re pleased the cap was increased to 120, even though the jury is still out on what the cap will do to the way the game is played. One thing is for sure - the rotation cap is one issue that will generate plenty of controversy from those involved in the game.

One things for sure, we will be keeping close eye on the NAB challenge in the coming weeks to see how the competition deals with it.

Excited to see what happens!