The League will trial the new rule in next year’s NAB Cup and, should clubs throw their weight behind the rule change, it is likely to be introduced for the 2009 home and away season.
There has been much speculation about players rushing behinds in 2008, with the issue being thrown into the spotlight on more than one occasion.
Tigers defender Joel Bowden ran down the clock to help his side get the points against Essendon in round 16 and, more prominently, in this year’s Grand Final when Hawthorn rushed a staggering 11 rushed behinds against the Cats.
Those matches have seen a call for a response, with officials debating what the best action would be to ensure the punishment was neither too severe nor too lenient.
The AFL has proposed a free kick from the goal line be paid against the side guilty of rushing the behind, and Wallace has told the Herald Sun that the League’s plan is the best option.
“If they balled it up 25m out, we (Richmond) would step the ball through the goal line and we would have all 18 players come inside the back half,” Wallace said.
“We just reckon that would look ugly.
“They would have brought in a rule and it wouldn't have changed what we would do.
“The free kick rule would change what we would do.
“If you put it through the goals under the same circumstances, you're going to give the opposition a shot a goal.”
Adelaide coach Neil Craig is also a strong supporter of the proposed rule change, but not everyone thinks a rushed behind calls for a free shot at goal.
AFL legend Leigh Matthews is one who supports a bounce 25m from goal.
Recently retired champion full-back Mal Michael, who played under Matthews and was part of the Brisbane Lions' three successive premierships, backed his former coach’s view when describing the free kick rule as “a bit extreme”.
“They should go 30m out, where you would have a white dot, and bounce it there,” Michael said.
Wallace said his club was looking forward to seeing the response to new rule during the pre-season.
“More particularly, we'll wait and see how it's adjudicated. The adjudication is going to be the big thing,” he said.
“If it is an obvious rush through (that's OK), but if it's just a defensive spoil or attempt and they start giving free kicks, obviously we wouldn't like that too much.”
