AFL Commission set to introduce new measures to avoid Brayden Maynard-style smothers

The AFL Commission is set to go ahead with a crackdown on Brayden Maynard-style smothers in the league’s latest move to safeguard players. Full details of the rule change.

The AFL Commission is next Monday expected to rubber stamp a crackdown on Brayden Maynard-style smothers that harm opponents in the latest move to safeguard players.

The league’s December missive to clubs asked them to consider a rule tweak that would force players to take “reasonable steps” to avoid or minimise contact after jumping off the ground to smother.

Maynard was able to play in the 2023 premiership after the AFL tribunal cleared him of culpability over the smother that knocked Demons star Angus Brayshaw out of the qualifying final.

The Pies defender could have been suspended for the rest of the AFL finals series after his incident was sent to the tribunal but after a four-hour hearing the tribunal accepted he was making a reasonable attempt to smother.

The league did not appeal the decision but immediately made clear it would not stand for players being concussed through a smother similar to the Maynard act.

The mid-December letter to clubs from AFL official Laura Kane saw the AFL state that a changed rule would see Maynard’s bump deemed careless, rough conduct unless players were shown to be “adopting a body position that minimises the force of the contact.”

Brayden Maynard floors Angus Brayshaw last year. Picture: Fox Sport

Angus Brayshaw left the field on a stretcher. Picture: Fox Sport

The league received feedback from clubs by Monday last week and will consider clubs positions before putting an official AFL stance to the AFL Commission next week.

The AFL Commission are the final arbiters of that rule tweak but it would be extremely surprising if that body did not approve the AFL football department recommendations.

Clubs were also asked about their views on the AFL sub rule and a potential change to five players on the bench rather than four players and a sub, to be used at the discretion of a club.

But while clubs have differing positions on whether five players on the bench would be advantageous, the very likely scenario is that the league will continue with its current bench configuration.

The league has also asked clubs how they would like to announce a player dropped from the initial 22 who is still set to be the sub that weekend.

Many clubs began officially declaring their sub at Thursday night selection to ensure transparency for their fans, especially over high-profile players seemingly dropped who were set to play as the 23rd man.

Angus Brayshaw is taken from the field following the incident. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Brayden Maynard was cleared to play in the 2023 finals series. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

The league has a decision to make on whether a mid-season trade period is introduced this season but is still working through that process across the pre-season.

It is not yet ready to ask the AFL Commission to make a decision on a mid-season trade period, which would need significant protections to retain competition balance.

Clubs have already been told the AFL tribunal and match review process will be on the lookout for dangerous chase-down tackles in 2024 that impact the tackled player’s head.

The league is keen to reduce the number of tribunal cases so could allow the MRO to hand players three-match bans where appropriate for incidents assessed as severe rather than send them directly to the tribunal.

Clubs could also have to hand over a bigger financial figure to send cases to the tribunal, with that money currently counted as part of the football department cap.