SYDNEY Swans premiership coach John Longmire is pushing the AFL to increase the number of interchange players when matches resume in the 2020 season.

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And Longmire has suggested the additional players on the bench be under 21 years of age.

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With each club required to play a remaining 16 matches in the season, and with a return date after the COVID-19 enforced shutdown unlikely to be before July, Longmire has strongly advocated a rule change to accommodate the addition of at least two players. 

"If we've got to go into a period of playing two games in five days, and really condensing our season, which if we get back, that looks likely to happen, I am absolutely in favour of extending the interchange," Longmire told AFL.com.au.

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"We want our best players playing as much as they can. And to do that we need to be able to have the flexibility to rotate those best players and not wear them out.

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"Even though the quarters will be reduced, like they were in round one, we need to be able to lessen their loads, so they are available for most of the games, and to do that,  we need to have an expanded interchange.

"I've even thrown up the idea that two on your bench need be under 21. One, it would keep those younger kids engaged. There is a lot of work to be done with that.

"I don't have all the answers. But one thing I would be really keen to do is have an extended interchange, so that our best players can play the workload that will be required when we get started again."