AFL

Rule changes to shorten AFL games, cut time-wasting

Oct 29, 2025

Steele Sidebottom of the Magpies — The AFL's latest rule changes will put players under pressure to keep the ball in play. -AAP Image

The AFL hopes of a raft of new rule changes will allow up to four minutes to be cut from increasingly longer games.

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A bid to streamline matches and cut time-wasting are behind seven law interpretations announced by the league on Wednesday with AFL football boxx Greg Swann hoping game times will be reduce by three to four minutes.

"The quarters ended up going out to, on average, over 35," Swann said.

"We think that's too long.

"The other thing that's happened in the last few years is that the actual time of the ball being in play has reduced as well.

"So the game's got longer, but the actual playing time's got less."

AFL players will be penalised under the last-disposal out of bounds rule next season.

A free kick will be awarded against players who have the last disposal before the ball crosses the boundary line between the 50m arcs.

The last-disposal rule, which is already in place in AFLW and the second-tier SANFL, is set to remove some of the umpire guesswork around the existing insufficient intent rule.

However, insufficient intent will remain in place inside the 50m arcs.

The AFL has also removed the requirement for a player to start in the goal square at centre ball-ups, while a competing ruck cannot cross the centre circle line and engage with their opponent prior to contesting the ball.

A shrug in a tackle will now be deemed prior opportunity and a player must now stand if they are within the protected area - within five metres - when a mark or free kick is paid.

Players will also have a reduced amount of time to bring the ball back into play after a behind, down to eight seconds from 12.

But Swann believes scrapping the need for players to nominate for a ruck contest could have the biggest impact.

"There's some classics we've highlighted where we've waited for 20-25 seconds for ruckmen to get to a position," Swann said.

"Wow we'll just ball it up, and whoever's there's there, and we'll move on."

The latest rule changes follow the AFL's decision last month to scrap the centre bounce and remove the substitute, allowing teams to have five players on the interchange bench.

Swann is not concerned about players having trouble adapting to the new rules.

"Having not long come out of club land, it's amazing how quickly the players do adjust to whatever rule changes," Swann said.

"The coaches drum it in. We have umpires come out and practice it.

"They'll probably have all this under control by Christmas."