Five rules have been brought in for experimentation in the pre-season competition this year, with the ball out of bounds ruling the only one to act as an opening round novelty.
"It's one of the ideas that came up in our discussions with the club coaching groups last year about how we could do something different for round one," AFL general manager of football operations Adrian Anderson told afl.com.au this week.
A free kick will be paid if the umpire is able to determine who last touched the ball but it won't be applied if the ball goes out from a spoil after a marking contest or as the result of a defensive smother to a kick or handball.
Free kicks will also be paid against a player who holds the ball underneath an opponent in an attempt to force a holding the ball decision.
"We're really looking forward to having a look at this one," Anderson said.
"It's a variation on the holding the ball rule. If you are the player tackling and you hold the ball in and prevent a player underneath from getting the ball out, you will be penalised; not the player who has the ball trapped underneath him.
"We think this practice has really evolved over time because of the diving on the ball rule that if a player dives on it and he doesn't get it out, it's a free kick - that's been the case for a long time.
"But if you're that player stopping it from coming out, you'll be the one penalised."
That will exist across the duration of the NAB Cup and NAB Challenge Series, as will rules that allow boundary umpires to pay free kicks for holding and high contact and the expanded bench that allows for six interchange players and two substitutes.
In the NAB Cup only, players who are awarded a 50m penalty that takes them inside the 50m arc will be given the choice of remaining inside or kicking from outside the line for a chance at a nine-point super goal.
A trial review using technology will also be used that will allow the crowd at the ground to witness any footage seen by umpires.
"The one that's got a bit of attention is that the official scorer will be miked up and be able to participate in a consultation to look at the video and help determine if it was a six or nine pointer," Anderson said.
"It will also assist in determining if a score is in doubt."
The process of reviewing by the official scorer will commence after a consultation between any of the umpires, using the broadcast footage immediately available.
Players will not be permitted to call for a consultation and once play has resumed, the window to call for one has closed.
Anderson said the AFL would continue to use the NAB Cup as an opportunity to examine potential rule options after a number of recent successful trials.
Rules that have started as pre-season experiments and since been included in the premiership season include the revised ruck rule at centre bounces, the altered advantage rule and the player substitute rule and the rushed behind rule.
