Infotainment Factory: AFLX stars become invisible in 'hysterical' gaffe

During Friday night's AFLX action fans noticed a few players disappearing before their very eyes.

An unfortunate green screen gaffe meant that projected on field advertising clashed with the similarly green-coloured uniforms of Jack Riewoldt's team and eventual grand final winners, Rampage.

AFLX fans - and critics - were not impressed, with many taking to social media to share their frustration.

With less than 30 seconds left in Friday night's decider at Marvel Stadium, Riewoldt converted a set shot for a 20-point super goal from a tight angle to give his side an 84-67 win over Nat Fyfe's Flyers.

The much-hyped but oft-criticised AFL concept attracted an official crowd figure of 23,828 although the top deck of the stadium was closed and there were plenty of seats available on the bottom two.

The players were familiar, as were the skills - but that's about where the similarities to a normal evening out at the AFL ended.

From the rectangular pitch, with a rock climbing wall at one corner and a bar diagonally opposite, to the light-up goalposts to the multi-coloured beanbags scattered along the city wing - it was all a bit different.

"Should be called AFL EX - never seen again," tweeted Hawthorn premiership player Xavier Ellis.

"#AFLX Trying to like it but it's a little snoozy. What's the verdict?" former Adelaide coach Graham Cornes tweeted.

But chief AFLX spruiker Patrick Dangerfield, whose Bolts finished third, maintained critics missed the point.

"It polarises because it is so different," Dangerfield said.

"But it's got to be different because the next generation, young kids now, are different. They see the game in a different light.

"They're less inclined to follow teams ... they love following the stars - we've seen that overseas.

"I think it (has a future) ... when you have the buy-in from the players - you could see the enjoyment they and the fans had which was clear to see."

On the field, the ball pinged from end to end, there was the occasional high mark, with Riewoldt and Isaac Heeney pulling down the biggest grabs of the night.

Riewoldt shared one of the lighter moments with teammates Patrick Cripps, who converted an NFL-style field goal held by the Richmond star.

But with made-up rules, a notable lack of intensity and no traditional team allegiances to get excited about it lacked the passion of a normal AFL encounter.

"It was good fun ... I loved it," Riewoldt said.

"The game was the final to what has been a fantastic last two days.

"It's not very often that you get 50 of the best AFL players together without their (own) colours on, to put themselves in a vulnerable position to try something new.

"I think everyone absolutely loved it."

- with AAP