Collingwood coach Wayne Siekman has instructed players to obey umpires as initiatives to reduce congestion are implemented

COLLINGWOOD coach Wayne Siekman has instructed his players to obey the umpires as the league implements its new initiatives in a bid to reduce congestion in AFLW, starting this weekend.

The AFL is trying to rid AFLW of congestion around the contest. Picture: Getty

COLLINGWOOD players will be told to obey the instruction of umpires as the league’s initiatives to reduce congestion are implemented.

The league has stressed on several occasions this week that the directive that players must form a 5-6-5 set-up at centre bounces and a 15 metre protected zone around stoppages “is not a rule change” but a “spirit of the game initiative that (has brought) unified agreement from all coaches”.

THE MEMO: HOW AFL WANTS TO FIX AFLW

OPINION: GILLON McLACHLAN HAS MOVED GOALPOSTS ON AFLW

TEAMS: MO HOPE’S AXING PUT ALL PIES ON NOTICE

PETER GORDON: AFLW v AFLX? DOGS PRESIDENTS SLAMS LEAGUE

NO COMPROMISE: LUKE HODGE URGES WOMEN TO PLAY TO WIN

And Magpies coach Wayne Siekman said that his players will be consulted ahead of Saturday night’s clash with Fremantle and that any instruction “will be something to follow”.

“We haven’t spoken to the players too much as yet, because they’re digesting a lot of information as AFL players at the moment,” he said.

“You only give them little bits at a time.

“Certainly the main point is probably the 15m ... we just needed to let the players know that.

“We’ll work on that (tonight).

The AFL is trying to rid AFLW of congestion around the contest. Picture: Getty

“But the rest is what we already did anyway. It’s not a big change for us.”

And despite the guidance not being an official rule switch, Siekman said he believed that players are expected to follow umpire directives as gospel from now on.

“I believe so — that’s what the memo says,” he said.

DEES STAR: DAISY PEARCE’S PASSIONATE AFLW DEFENCE

LIONS COACH: DON’T PANIC OVER LOW AFLW SCORES

CHANGES: GIANTS ‘SUPER HAPPY’ OVER AFLW CHANGES

“We’re a football club and we’re trying to win games of football. There’s a premiership at stake at the end of the season. So I’m doing what I’m employed to do by the Collingwood Football Club and that’s win games of football.”

Siekman said his team had made only “a slight adjustment” to its game style in the wake of the memo, which he welcomed.

“To see that they care so much about the game and that the AFL is so invested in this is great for women’s football that they want what’s best for the sport and we want to make this thing get bigger and better as soon as we can do the players get the rewards,” he said.

Collingwood captain Steph Chiocci in action in Round 1. Picture: Getty

“The more chance we have one-on-ones, the better we’re going to be.

“We encourage it and support it.

“It’s great for AFLW — it’s in the news and everyone is talking about us.

“Any news is good news, as they say.”

Saturday night’s match is expected to attract a crowd of more than 50,000 people at Perth Stadium, with the Magpies having trained with loud music both on the track and in the gym in recent weeks to prepare for their likely inability to communicate on-field.

“The really good positive is we played in that massive game last year, the first game, (when) the players couldn’t hear themselves,” Siekman said.

“We’ve actually prepared better than last year with that, so we’ll be ready to go, and hopefully that’s an advantage for our football side.”