AFL News: Medical sub changed to tactical sub in 2023

The AFL will change a highly debated rule in 2023, informing all the clubs before Monday’s draft. That, plus all the latest AFL news.

Paddy Ryder on the bench after being subbed out against the Bulldogs in July ,2022. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

The medical sub is gone with teams able to use a tactical substitute next season.

As expected the AFL informed clubs prior to the draft on Monday that a tactical substitute which can be used for any purpose at any stage of the game would be introduced for 2023.

Four players on the bench will remain with the change only to the workings of the substitute after months of research by the AFL’s competition committee.

The league told clubs further details on the rule change would be shared shortly but the tactical sub was the recommendation which would be placed in front of the AFL Commission ahead of their December meeting.

For the past two seasons, players required a medical reason to be replaced on the ground. This was introduced off the back of an increase – extended to 12 days – of the mandatory time out of the game for a player who suffered concussion.

There were clearly times late in the season where clubs were abusing the rule with players being subbed out with “minor injuries” which didn’t rule them out of the following week’s game.

Nat Fyfe after being subbed out through injury against Richmond in 2022. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

The original idea behind the rule had clubs having to provide injury reports to AFL medico’s to prove there was an injury. The initial expectation was a player would always miss a week if they were subbed out but this quickly became a farce.

Players were continually being cleared to play the following week despite being subbed out making it obvious they’d been pulled out of the game for tactical reasons.

This isn’t the first time the league has dabbled with a tactical sub as between 2011-15, when the interchange was reduced from four players to three, the substitute was allowed to replace a player for any reason.

WHY GILLON MCLACHLAN WON’T BE AT AFLW DECIDER

Jon Ralph

Gillon McLachlan’s farewell tour will last a full 12 months until April next year as a pre-planned overseas holiday prevents him from attending the AFLW Grand Final and national draft.

AFL staff and club presidents were told on Wednesday that McLachlan would depart after the mid-April Magic Round next April.

McLachlan had originally announced he would move on at the end of this season on April 12 this year.

With a long list of items to deliver for AFL commission boss Richard Goyder it had become increasingly certain they would drag on well into next year.

So McLachlan agreed to Goyder’s request to extend his stay but lock in a concrete end date.

Goyder revealed yesterday the AFL had whittled down its long list of applicants for McLachlan’s role to a short list, with replacement to be settled on early next year.

Goyder said McLachlan was overseas this week on holidays, which means he will miss the AFL draft that spans Monday and Tuesday and Sunday’s AFLW Grand Final in Brisbane between the Lions and Melbourne.

Gillon McLachlan’s farewell tour will last an entire year. Picture: Getty Images

AFL football boss Andrew Dillon will conduct the AFL draft across two nights for the league, with McLachlan’s trip postponed from the pandemic.

It is understood he was unable to move the dates of that trip, which was locked in before the date of the AFLW Grand Final was fixtured by the league.

The Hawthorn First Nations investigation report is set to be delivered in late December but could drag into next year if there is a disciplinary hearing while McLachlan is yet to start CBA talks with players.

Goyder wrote to presidents on Wednesday and told them the AFL’s search for a replacement had now moved on to the next stage with a “shortened candidate list and a view to the Commission signing off on the appointment in the early stages of 2023.”

It means AFL candidates including favourite Andrew Dillon and fixture boss Travis Auld will finally be given clarity on whether they have won the role.

Goyder, who will attend the AFLW Grand Final, said he was excited by the range of candidates to fill McLachlan‘s position.

“Additionally, with several key priorities still in play, including finalising a position on a 19th license for Tasmania, the Player CBA and the AFL’s response to the Hawthorn racism allegations, after a discussion with the Commission, I have asked Gill to delay his departure until after the Toyota AFL Premiership season Round Five celebrations in Adelaide and he has agreed,” he wrote.

“It is important the AFL has continuity during this period as we continue to work through some incredibly significant and complex pieces of work for the industry.

“Gill initially committed to finishing at the end of the year, and I thank him for agreeing to stay in the leadership role for an additional period as we navigate through a critically important time. Gill will be overseas this week on a trip that was delayed due to the pandemic but will continue to work with his Executive and the broader AFL team while travelling.”

Originally published as AFL News: Medical sub changed to tactical sub in 2023