AFL set to change regulations on deliberate stomach punches and tweak fines system for 2026

The AFL has outlined proposed tweaks to the rules for the 2026 season including a crackdown on deliberate on-field acts. Plus, more possible rule changes have been flagged. See the details.

A planned AFL crackdown on stomach punches will see players suspended for intentional hits as a tweak to the fines system could save players hundreds of thousands of dollars next season.

The AFL sent a detailed memo to clubs on Wednesday proposing a long list of changes to its regulations before the 2026 AFL and AFLW seasons.

The changes will be looked over by clubs with feedback provided by late January.

As part of the list of planned tweaks, any intentional strike to an opposition player will now be graded as medium impact, bumping up stomach punches from a fine to a one-game ban.

Marcus Windhager was fined for this hit on Nick Daicos earlier this year

Examples shown to clubs of incidents that would now carry a suspension showed round arms to the guts of opponents that were previously graded as low impact.

The changes to the match review system included a more lenient grading for impact in careless incidents, as reported by this masthead.

The proposed change would allow match review officer Michael Christian to grade a careless incident as high or medium impact, rather than an automatic grading of severe for any action involving a concussion.

That would mean players previously rubbed out for an automatic three weeks would receive lesser penalties for bumps or dangerous tackles.

The league has proposed to reduce fines dished out to players by adjusting its repeat fining system.

Currently, players are hit with increasing fines for repeat low-level offences, even if they aren’t the same actions.

Under the new rules, multiple low-level offences such as a melee or minor umpire contact, will only see stacked fines if the same action is repeated.

And the escalation of fines will only occur during the same season instead of over two years.

According the AFL’s memo – seen by this masthead – the first rule change would save players $54,500 in fines and the second adjustment $75,625.

The player representative, the AFLPA, has campaigned on reducing fines for over 18 months as players put their hands in their pockets over and over, growing the view the AFL punishment system as unfair.

Toby Greene has been forced to consistently dig into his wallet for AFL fines. Photo by Phil Hillyard

Fines have skyrocketed in recent years, from a total of $197,000 in the 2023 season to a whopping $627,975 in 2025, as repeat offenders like Port Adelaide jet Zak Butters and GWS captain Toby Greene were forced to consistently dig into their wallets.

AFLPA CEO James Gallagher met with AFL footy boss Greg Swann and legal head Stephen Meade in October to again push for change.

The players have grumbled about inconsistencies in the MRO process with suspensions, with 66 per cent of players surveyed by the AFLPA believing rough conduct charges are unfair.

Hawthorn midfielder Conor Nash told this masthead in June that the tribunal was a “fair circus” after he was banned for four matches in April for an incident he admitted he got “completely wrong”.

The change to careless grading may ease that angst.

Players were up in arms last year when the AFL rushed through a rule tweak mid-season that would send players to the tribunal if they tallied up four instances of umpire contact over a two-year period.

That rule has been tweaked in the AFL proposals, to become an automatic one-game ban for four incidents of umpire contact in one season, limiting the likelihood of players being pulled up.

Conor Nash was suspended for four matches in season 2024. Picture: Michael Klein

Blue Adam Cerra was sent to the tribunal for a fourth instance of umpire contact in July but a suspension was never put on the table and he walked away with a $5500 fine.

The AFL claimed in the memo that umpire contact was reduced by “more than 50 per cent” when it implemented the contentious changes last year, which were not well received by players, with 68 per cent of those surveyed deeming the policing of umpire contact as unfair.

Clubs have until January 22 to provide feedback to the changes, which would then be implemented before the season.

Originally published as AFL set to change regulations on deliberate stomach punches and tweak fines system for 2026