The AFL is proposing three major rule changes to the 2023 AFLW season but remain opposed to increasing the number of rounds played per season.
Sources have told this masthead that some clubs and coaches interpret the measures as a strategy to increase scoring in the women’s competition, with the AFL proposing to extend quarters, introduce interchange caps, and restrict the use of runners.
Changes are being floated for the 2023 AFLW season.Credit: Getty Images
It comes at a time when the league and the AFL Players Association are not seeing eye-to-eye on the length of the AFLW season.
The league is seeking feedback from clubs and coaches over the mooted measures, which would see quarters lengthened from 15 minutes plus time on to 17-and-a-half minutes plus time on, rotations limited at 55, and runners permitted on the field after goals and on two other occasions per quarter. They were raised at a competition committee meeting last month.
While there is widespread support for lengthening quarters, the restrictions on rotations and use of runner have been met with hesitancy by some in the game. The planned rules over the use of runners would bring the women’s game in line with the men, but a source at one club familiar with the detail but not authorised to speak publicly said it would deny players a valuable educational resource in games.
The limit on rotations is likely to face resistance from players over concerns it could lead to more injuries. The AFL Players Association wants to have further discussions with the league before agreeing to a reduction in interchanges. There are currently no caps on rotations in the AFLW.
The AFLPA did not comment when contacted by this masthead, but men’s players were opposed to the reduction of rotations from 90 to 75 when quarters were restored to 20 minutes plus time on for the 2021 season, after the reductions implemented for the COVID-hit 2020 campaign.
While the AFL said the proposed changes, which still need to be approved by the AFL Commission, were designed to improve the competition, the changes are seen by some clubs as a way to enhance scoring by increasing player fatigue so that defensive structures break down.
Dual-premiership star Libby Birch said she was in favour of extending quarter lengths.
“Players do want longer quarters, 17:30 is great growth for the game,” Birch said.
“That’s important for us to be able to take the game to the next level and enables teams to break games open.
“It strengthens the fact you have to be fitter and faster, the game has to progress, [and] it challenges us to do that.”
The AFLPA wants the home and away season to be extended from 10 to 17 games by 2026, enabling clubs to play each other once.
“The AFL proposal is to keep the number of games where they are at for nine years at the moment, they want to judge this on the success of the competition. [The AFL said] if the comp grows we will consider growing it but if it doesn’t we won’t and that is not going to be acceptable,” AFLPA chief Paul Marsh told this masthead last week.
“[We need] to give the players a chance to develop their skills, [and] their physical development to where this is a genuinely elite competition rather than holding them back.”
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