The League on Thursday wrote to all clubs to confirm the trials that will be used, with AFL general manager football operations Adrian Anderson confirming the pre-season competition will continue to be used to trial rules that may provide some benefit for future use in the premiership season.
In recent years, successful trials have included the revised ruck rule at centre bounces, the new advantage rule, the interchange substitute rule and the deliberate rushed behind rule - all of which have since become part of the premiership season and the Laws of the Game.
The nine-point ‘NAB super goal’ for goals kicked from outside 50m, will continue to feature during the competition.
The other trial rules are as follows:
1. Interchange system with two interchange and two substitute players on the bench (will not be used in the final week of the NAB Cup)
The AFL will trial the use of two substitute players on the interchange. It has already been determined that the three interchange and one substitute player will remain in place for 2012 premiership season. In rounds two and three, when teams are playing four quarter matches, four new players may be introduced for the second half of each game.
2. Free kick against player who drags or holds ball under opponent
As an extension of the rule trialed in both the 2010 and 2011 NAB cups, the umpire may pay a free kick against a player who drags the ball under his opponent, and may also pay a free kick against a player who holds a ball under his opponent, when he is trying to knock it out.
3. Deliberate out of bounds
A free kick will be paid against the last team to dispose of the ball with a kick or a handball before it goes out of bounds, provided no-one else touches the ball before it goes out. A stricter version of the rule was in force last year, but it was felt the 'last touch' element was too harsh in certain situations, and this has been altered in 2012 to a last kick, last handball or a player walking the ball over the line.
4. Ruck contests at field bounces and throw-ins
Ruckmen will not be permitted to make contact with their opponent prior to bounces and throw-ins, with umpires ensuring the players do not make contact with each other until the ball leaves the umpire’s hand. The trial is designed to encourage ruckmen to contest the ball, rather than focus on nullifying their opponent, as well as making ruck contests easier to adjudicate.
In response to requests from clubs, the final round of the NAB Cup will be played with premiership season rules, to allow clubs sufficient preparation for round one, although the NAB Super Goal will still be a feature of the NAB Cup Grand Final.
In addition the trial rules, there will be two umpiring trials:
1. Boundary and goal umpires to pay free kicks for holding and high contact at stoppages
As an extension to the 2010 and 2011 NAB Cup trial, boundary and goal umpires may pay free kicks for obvious holding or high contact infringements. They will not pay any other form of free kick.
2. Official scorer is able to participate in consultation process for scoring decisions
As per the trial that was used in the 2011 NAB Cup, the official scorer would be able to participate in the consultation process for scoring decisions. If the trial is again successful, it may be introduced for the regular season.
Mr Anderson said the AFL had elected to continue a number of recent trials - free kick against a player dragging or holding the ball under his opponent, umpire multi-skilling and a stricter deliberate out of bounds ruling - to further look at their impact on the way the game is played, along with observing the effect of an extra substitute player, and whether excessive contact between ruckmen prior to stoppages could be eliminated.
"At all times, the focus for the AFL with any consideration of trial rules is to both protect the health and safety of players and to ensure we retain the elements of our game that appeal to spectators and make our game unique - a free flowing and continuous style of play, and great highlights such as long kicks, high marking and contested possession," he said.
The NAB Cup fixture for 2012 was released in October. In a new development, all 18 clubs have had all matches fixtured for the opening three rounds of competition.
Each club will play two shortened matches in their week one pool against the other two sides, comprising two 20-minute halves (approximately) across a three-hour window for the three matches. Clubs will then play full-scale matches in weeks two and three of the NAB Cup.
All matches across the three rounds (two shortened games and two full games) will count equally for four points and percentage, with the two best-performed teams over the opening three rounds to compete in the NAB Cup Grand Final on Saturday March 17.
The 16 other clubs will play NAB Cup matches that weekend across March 16-17 in various metropolitan cities across the country.
