AFL General Manager Football Operations Adrian Anderson said on Wednesday that the Laws Committee had put forward seven proposals for feedback from the football community.
Following this final round of consultation, a final set of proposals would then be considered by the AFL Executive and Commission later this year.
The proposals for feedback are:
1. Restricting interchange by one of the following methods:
a - Three interchange players and one substitute player
b - Two interchange players and two substitute players
c - Cap of 80 interchanges per match (including changes at breaks)
2. Length of game: Adjust the timing of quarters to keep the average length between 29-30 minutes
3. Advantage Rule: Player not umpire decides if there is an advantage (as per 2010 NAB Cup trial)
4. Boundary Umpires pay free kicks for holding and high contact at stoppages (as per 2010 NAB Cup trial)
5. Free kick against player who drags ball under opponent (as per 2010 NAB Cup trial)
6. Rough conduct (shepherd): make consistent with head down over the ball rule so that a player who shepherds is guilty of a reportable offence if he makes forceful contact to the head or neck, unless the contact was caused by circumstances outside the control of the shepherding player
7. Scoring system: If a ball hits the posts inside the goal-scoring area and goes through, it remains a goal. If a ball hits the posts inside the point-scoring area and goes through, it remains a point.
Anderson said the AFL was also seeking the public’s feedback on these topics, and supporters can respond HERE.
The Collingwood Football Club will not be responding publicly to the AFL’s proposed rule changes until the consultation process between the AFL and clubs has been completed.
