Next year's NAB Cup will feature one of seven alternatives devised by the League's Laws Committee, with any rule change trialed possibly being introduced for the 2009 premiership season as well. .
The suggestions put forward by the Laws Committee include:
* A free kick from wherever the ball is rushed;
* Bouncing the ball a designated distance from goal;
* Throwing the ball in from behind the post;
* Disallowing the player who rushes the ball from kicking it back in;
* Disallowing the kick in until after the flags are waved;
* A free kick from where the 50m arc dissects the boundary line; and,
* A free kick from behind the post.
Statistics show deliberately rushed behinds have increased from 2.0 per side per game in 2007, to 2.4 this year.
The AFL's general manager of football operations Adrian Anderson said the Laws Committee decided a change was necessary after general input from the clubs indicated that figure was set to increase further in 2009 "if left unchecked".
"What has really come through clearly in the recent feedback from the clubs and coaches is that they consider something should be done to discourage deliberately rushed behinds," he said.
"The clubs are quite clearly saying as well that they will rush more behinds next year.
"What we've outlined is that we will look at an alternative to be trialled in the NAB Cup, and we'll look at that alternative then and we'll leave open the possible introduction of that rule in the 2009 premiership season."
Previously, the League has trialled a rule in the NAB Cup where deliberately rushed behinds award the opposition side three points instead of one.
Anderson said while there is still a chance that rule will be implemented again in the 2009 pre-season, the AFL is keen to road test another solution.
"The reason we're looking at trialling something different is that with the three-point rule, there has been significant feedback to the extent where people from the clubs don't like the idea of changing the scoring system," he said.
"It's not to say that's not an option as well. It's to say we've looked at that and we know how that works, and now we want to take the opportunity to try something different in the NAB Cup, and potentially introduce that in premiership season."
The Laws Committee will seek reaction from the clubs next week before deciding which alternative to put forward to the Commission ahead of its next meeting.
"We'll make a recommendation to the AFL Executive and Commission once we've received all the feedback, and that will be taken to the Commission in either the November or December Commission meetings," Anderson said.
"The Commission then has to approve any changes to the laws of the game."
Click here for a summary of the AFL Laws Committee proposed rule changes.
