Wednesday, Feb. 19
SCOTT MORTON

IT'S not just the players that will have to get used to the Wizard Cup rule changes when the competition kicks off on Friday night.

Supporters too will have to wrestle with an extra column in scoreboard ledgers to accommodate the introduction of a nine-point goal from outside 50 metres.

So instead of the traditional goals, behinds and total points, scoreboards will distinguish between the Wizard Cup nine-point goal and six-point goal.

There will however be no scoreboard distinction between a behind and a rushed behind, the latter being worth three points to the opposing team in the preseason competition.

Geelong's business operation manager Stuart Fox said the new scoring system required ``a fair bit of modification'' to Geelong's scoreboard, the only manual scoreboard in the competition.

``We will obviously go to some expense to get it all set up and then it all comes down again,'' he said.

``It's a little unfortunate but that's the way they want to run the Wizard Cup.

``When we have state-of-the-art facilities with the new stadium we'll just push a button and it'll all be done.''

Geelong's modified scoreboard is expected to be ready by late this week, before Geelong's match against the Western Bulldogs on Sunday.

Among the Wizard Cup rule changes on trial are a nine-point goal from outside 50 metres, rushed behinds worth three points and play on when the ball is kicked backwards, unless the player is inside his forward 50 metre arc.