Why do some AFL timers count backwards and some count forwards?

Question

Why do some AFL timers count backwards and some count forwards?

Answer 1

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Answer 2

In AFL games, there is 20 minutes a quarter, and the clock stops at "time-on" (i.e. the ball goes out of bounds) to make the quarters go for up to about 35 minutes.

So the timekeepers count the clock in effect backwards from 20 minutes to 0.

At the matches the clock is always shown as the total elapsed minutes in the quarter - which doesn't stop.  The idea of this is the players and spectators don't know how long is left in the quarters which increases the tension in close games.

Channel 9 TV broadcast shows the timer counting backwards so we always know on TV how much time is left.

Channel 10 does the same, except has their "5 minute warning" where they revert to forward counters (again so we don't know how long is left in the match).

Answer 3

yeah what he said