"Surely not": Cornes and Edmund baffled by reported 'pseudo sub' tactic

With a collective of new rules set for 2026, AFL clubs are preparing fresh tactical decisions to maximise their return on team selection.

In an overwhelmingly positive move by new footy boss Greg Swann, the AFL has officially removed the substitute from gameday squads, instead permitting sides to select 23 players, including five on the bench, that can be introduced into rotations from the first bounce.

While the fifth bench selection adds flexibility with rotations and an extra set of legs, AFL.com.au’s Cal Twomey revealed that clubs are considering introducing a so-called ‘pseudo substitute’.

“Clubs are weighing up using the new fifth player on the interchange as a ‘pseudo substitute’, holding players out of games until later as they prepare for the AFL’s suite of new rules,” Twomey revealed on Monday afternoon.

Although the concept makes sense from a tactical perspective, Sam Edmund and Kane Cornes were baffled by the reports.

Following several complaints across numerous clubs surrounding the sub rule, clubs opting to deploy a substitute following its removal certainly caught the SEN Breakfast hosts by surprise.

Edmund: “Surely not… surely after all the campaigning after multiple seasons…”

Cornes: “Sooking, whinging!”

Edmund: “Which is somewhat valid, mind you, about having five and doing away with the injury necessitated sub, (but) that we would then hold them back as a ‘pseudo sub’…”

Cornes: “If I was Greg Swann this morning, I’m ringing every coach, and saying, ‘I don’t know if someone is pulling Cal’s leg here, but surely after the sooking and whinging and complaining that you’ve all done, you’re not going to hold the fifth player on the bench back. If you are, and if that happens, we will just go back to four!’

“You’re just going to hold one off, bring him off halfway through the third with fresh legs… sort of defeats the purpose.”

Edmund: “Get them in the rotation straight away! Isn’t that what they were wanting?”

Cornes: “Or were they just whinging over the fact that they had to hold off naming the sub, not for embarrassment but the fact that the players hated it?”

Edmund: “They’re still going to have to communicate that to the player. So, nothing really changes, it’s just the semantics really.

“Cal’s spoken to multiple clubs, coaches and officials to get a sense of their plans for the new rules with the possibility of using a player on the bench until later in the game like the previous incarnation of the sub rule being a strong consideration for clubs.

“If they are just going to bring them on later in the game anyway, then I’m not sure what all the complaining was about.”

Listen to the full discussion below: