6-6-6 warning, shot clock among possible rule changes floated by AFL

The AFL has canvassed the views of football bosses and senior coaches around the league, with a host of significant rule changes on the agenda for the 2025 season.

The AFL has asked senior coaches and football bosses for feedback on a list of potential rule tweaks and interpretations including eradicating the 6-6-6 warning and handing players only 20 seconds to take set shots at goal.

The Herald Sun can reveal AFL football boss Josh Mahoney sent out an email on Wednesday night asking for feedback ahead of potential changes which would be released to clubs before Christmas.

The league stressed to coaches it was far from certain to change rules around the topics for discussion but was keen to assess their views.

As part of efforts to continue pushing a more free-flowing game, those club officials have been asked their views on whether the maximum time to play on from a free kick or mark should be reduced from the usual six or seven seconds.

The league wants to assess views on whether umpires should also call play on more quickly after a behind is kicked to ensure the ball comes back into play with less delay as the player kicking the ball in assesses his options.

The 6-6-6 warning at centre bounces could be gone. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The league wants to assess views on whether umpires should also call play on more quickly after a behind is kicked to ensure the ball comes back into play more quickly.

And rather than handing players 30 seconds from a set shot before they are ‘on the runway’ towards a shot at goal, the league is canvassing views on a 20-second limit.

The league has worked hard to try to enhance the amount of time the ball is in play, which at one stage in the early 2000s had dropped below 50 per cent of total game time.

Forcing players to play on from a mark or free kick quickly would potentially cause a more chaotic game with more turnovers because players would be rushed into playing on rather than find a free man with a pinpoint kick.

Mahoney asked the coaches and general managers of football whether the league should remove the 6-6-6 warning that is caused when a player does not start in the set positions inside 50 after a goal.

The rule was brought in for the 2019 season to stop clubs playing a loose man at centre bounces, and means six players from each side must be inside each 50m arc at each centre bounce.

The AFL is also looking into the amount of time players get for a set shot. Photo by Phil Hillyard

But five years on the calls for eradicating the warning have been deafening.

The AFL also asks if it does not eradicate the warning whether the ball should be bounced or thrown up, with one view within AFL House that throwing the ball up after a warning gives some clubs with tall tap ruckmen an advantage.

Other topics for consideration include whether umpires should consider insufficient intent when the ruckman hits the ball out of play from a ruck contest.

Currently if the ruckman hits the ball out on the full they are penalised with an insufficient intent free kick.

But the AFL could allow its umpires discretion to judge whether the player meant to hit the ball out of bounds.

The league is also interested in views on whether all free kicks after a goal should be taken in the middle of the ground regardless of which team gives away the free kick.

In rare cases a defensive player is penalised only seconds after a goal is scored, in effect handing one team a decisive double-goal.

The league could tweak its rules so in that circumstance the team which kicked the goal and was then awarded a free kick would receive that kick from the centre square.

AFL IGNORES CRIPPS, MOORE PLEAS ON FOOTY’S MOST CONTENTIOUS RULE

The AFL is set to retain its much-scrutinised four-man bench and substitute despite strong lobbying from senior players and the player union to eradicate the sub.

The league is still working through potential rule changes for the 2025 season but was thrilled senior coaches and players gave up their time in Grand Final week for a rules and game analysis forum.

At that forum players made clear that they hate the sub and the ramifications for players, much preferring a five-person bench.

Under the current rules the fifth member of the bench is only able to come into the game as the substitute to replace a teammate – either through injury or tactical reasons – who then cannot return to the game.

Players hate being the named sub and hate being subbed off midgame, with Western Bulldogs deputy vice-captain Caleb Daniel leaving the club in part because of his use in that role seven times this year.

Caleb Daniel was subbed on or off more times than he played full games in 2024. Picture: Michael Klein

Players including Patrick Cripps, Darcy Moore and Sam Frost attended that rules summit and were strong in their dislike for the rule.

They believe players who are the sub or are subbed off are often disadvantaged at selection the next week because of a lack of game time and fitness, with players subbed off struggling to hide their frustration at the decisions.

But the Herald Sun understands the league is set to stick with the four-person interchange bench and sub.

It believes that specific make-up of the bench with a cap of 75 rotations allows for fairness and also the capacity to replace an injured player with a fresh teammate.

Logan McDonald of the Swans after being subbed out. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

The AFL remains upbeat about the standard of the game, entertainment value and strong appetite from supporters to attend the football despite gripes about umpiring standards.

Some senior coaches at the summit agreed with the player push, with some believing a fifth member of the bench to be used freely would also bring more tall players into the game.

Coaches say they would more often play a second ruckman in their sides if they had the capacity to use all five players on the bench from the first bounce.

Players and coaches at that rules summit spoke about the stand rule, game length, how to disincentivise dangerous tackles and the holding the ball rule.

Carlton captain Cripps was worried a mid-season rule tweak which rewarded a player who pinned an arm of his opponent would stop players going for the ball.

“It’s around the new interpretation. It’s not a crack at the umpires, it’s what’s being coached,” he said in July.

“The arm being pinged, it’s automatically holding the ball if you don’t get rid of it. My thing is, if people don’t have prior and they have the arm pinged, it should be a quick ball-up.”

Last year the AFL cracked down on illegal smothers over summer in the wake of the Angus Brayshaw-Brayden Maynard finals collision and also banned officials from whistling on the bench as part of rule changes.

It also strengthened the onus on players not to commit a strike when fending or pushing an opponent in a decision that saw Isaac Heeney ineligible for the Brownlow Medal after a high fend on Jimmy Webster.

Originally published as 6-6-6 warning, shot clock among possible rule changes floated by AFL