The AFL considered the proximity of the next AFLW season before deciding to proceed with rule changes for the 2018 competition.
The league announced on Wednesday that three rule changes would be implemented for 2018, including the radical "last disposal" rule in which a player will give away a free kick if they kick or handball the ball over the boundary line without it being touched by an opposition player. The other changes are a reduction of interchange players from six to five, meaning teams will now have 21 players in total (16 on the field plus five interchange), and the implementation of time-on for the last two minutes of each quarter.
The amendments come despite round one of the second AFLW season being less than two months away. They come following a recent meeting between the AFL and AFLW coaches, with the aim to reduce congestion and increase scoring.
AFL football operations manager Steve Hocking explained the process behind the changes. "A number of options were debated at length by the clubs and the AFL, including anti-density rules, on how we can continue to reduce congestion and increase scoring," Hocking said.
"There was a strong view that a number of options require more data to ensure that they would actually have the desired impact we are seeking, along with the consideration any such changes would be a significant alteration for players and coaches close to the start of the 2018 season.
"This law has been implemented in the SANFL over the last two years, with the data supporting the reduction of stoppages and an increase in scoring."
The "last disposal" rule change will not apply where a player prevents the ball from being touched by an opposition player via a shepherd where it could otherwise have been touched. Where there is doubt, umpires will throw the ball in.
The AFL said the first season of AFLW had 37 per cent more stoppages and 96 per cent more secondary stoppages than the men's league.
