'That is ridiculous': Nathan Buckley's bold call on AFL rookie controversy

Former AFL coach Nathan Buckley has weighed in on the debate surrounding players being named for their debut as the medical sub, rubbishing suggestions it was unfair on players.

Twice this season players have been presented with their jersey prior to their first game, only to spend the entirety of the match on the bench as the medical sub.

CLASSY: AFL fan speaks out after returning Buddy Franklin's 1000th goal ball

WOW: AFL star's kind act after fan 'poleaxed' in Buddy mayhem

Despite not getting a minute of playing time, both Essendon's Tex Wanganeen and St Kilda's Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera have been credited with playing their first AFL game this season.

The fact that both are related to AFL legend Gavin Wanganeen, the father of Tex and uncle of Nasiah, left the likes of Essendon great Matthew Lloyd feeling uneasy seeing the special moment of a jumper presentation undercut by the lack of actual playing time.

However Buckley offered a counterpoint on Monday morning, suggesting young players would often prefer to be named as the sub than play in the reserves.

Saying it was something you 'couldn't legislate out', Buckley admitted he had tried to avoid debuting players as the medical sub but argued there were many positives in doing so as well.

"The circumstances, right here at this moment, I can see criticism and I can see the downside," he told SEN Breakfast.

“But if you asked that kid, ‘Do you want to play a game in the twos or do you want to come and be a sub and sit on the sidelines and you could be (playing) in five minutes and you can contribute to an AFL game’, 100 per cent of those answers would be, ‘I’m doing that’.

“The AFL telling a club they can’t play a first game player as the sub? That is ridiculous. That is absolutely ridiculous because do you know why that happens periodically? Because it is a good way to introduce young talent into the game.

“To sit on a bench and absorb and witness and be apart of an AFL game from that perspective is absolutely good for their development.

“I do understand the criticism that comes with it, but sitting on the other side in the coaching panel, you have to pick the side that you think is going to give you the best chance of winning that week."

Matthew Lloyd uneasy about AFL medical sub debuts

Lloyd had argued earlier in the weekend that it would be preferable to see players only named in the team when they're ready to start on the ground.

Under current rules, a player named as the medical substitute counts as having played a game, even if they aren't required to take the field.

“I don’t like it,” Lloyd said.

“When Gavin Wanganeen’s out there presenting (his jumper) to him, his family fly over – all these arrangements, yet the person doesn’t play one second of football.

“It’s such a special moment. We can all talk about our first moment, our first kick, what the experience was like. Ask (Wanganeen) and he won’t be able to say anything.

“I think wait until they’re good enough to be in the 22 to give them their first game and that special occasion, rather than have them sit there for the whole game.

“And then what do you do with him this week? Do you drop him?”

Co-host Tony Jones was in agreement, suggesting it was 'almost demeaning' for the Wanganeen family.

Gavin presented Tex with his jumper prior to the game, only for his son to stay planted on the bench for the entire game.

Click here to sign up to our newsletter for all the latest and breaking stories from Australia and around the world.