New football boss Greg Swann has made a bold move, proposing a change to the insufficient intent rule from the 2026 AFL season.
The proposed change would eliminate the level of subjectivity that umpires are forced to make around the already controversial rule.
Instead, a free kick would be paid against players who dispose of the ball over the boundary line between the 50-metre arcs.
As reported by Sam Edmund of SEN, the AFL Commission will meet this month and be asked to approve this change and any others that are proposed.
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"All these things have to be approved by the commission, but there will be recommendations put forward and that will be one that we adopt,” Swann said on the AFL Record.
“The stats show on the games played that there would only be two extra free kicks a game,”
“It’s not a big change, but it’s a tough call for the umps sometimes and we’re almost there anyway.”
The insufficient intent rule has been a source of much controversy since it was first introduced in 2016.
In the final game of the home-and-away season, Karl Amon was penalized by the umpire in the final minutes of Hawthorn's clash with Brisbane.
Amon missed a handball to open teammate Jack Ginnivan in the back pocket, and the ball went directly out of bounds.
The Lions kicked a match-sealing goal as a result of the free kick.
The reigning premiers went on to secure their spot in the top four, while the Hawks were forced to settle for eighth.