A player deemed to have reacted to contact in a way that may affect an umpire's decision, may incite a melee or is not in the spirit of the game will be hit with fines of up to $2400 for a third offence during the 2010 premiership season.
The move comes after AFL general manager of operations Adrian Anderson and match review panel chairman Andrew McKay received submissions from the 16 clubs and the AFLPA.
Other key amendments to be introduced include greater protection for the man on the mark, a crackdown on dangerous sling tackles and adjustments to the sanctions imposed on a range of offences.
The match review panel's grading for offences of head-butting and eye-gouging have been increased in line with the seriousness of such actions while the financial sanctions imposed for negligent contact with an umpire have been reduced.
The 2010 season will be the sixth year the revamped tribunal process has been in place and Anderson was delighted with the results the system had achieved so far.
"The AFL examines its tribunal system every year and we will continue to do so, to see if we can continue to improve it," he said.
"The game is being played in a great spirit, which is the overall objective of the tribunal system, and the 2009 grand final is a classic example of that.
"In 2009, there were only 68 matches lost through suspension - the lowest tally since 1985."
The tribunal sat 35 times during the 2009 season with 76 per cent of players accepting the match review panel's classification of their respective offences. Fines imposed on players totaled $101,700.
Financial penalties for abusing umpires will increase as the league continues to work to attract and keep umpires at grassroots level, but first- and second-year players and rookie-listed players on minimum wages will receive some respite, with fines to be capped at 50 per cent of their match payments.
As in previous years an instructional DVD containing examples of reportable offences has been circulated to all 16 AFL clubs.
