AFL makes mid-season alteration to its protected zone rule to stop players milking free kicks

The AFL has made a mid-season alteration to its contentious protected zone rule to stop players from milking free kicks. The AFL told clubs it would not pay a 50m penalty when a player takes his opponent into the protected area behind a man on the mark then ducks around his teammate to deliberately extract a free kick. Players within two metres of their opponents have been allowed to follow them closely into the protected zone as they attempt to tag the opposition player. But when their opponent ducked one side of the man on the mark and left them exposed on the other side of the man on the mark the umpires often paid a 50m penalty. Clubs were told on Tuesday if a player attempted that tactic the 50m penalty would no longer be paid. Players will be told that if they are left trapped when their opponent ducks around the man on the mark they must immediately clear the 10m protected zone to ensure they do not stop play. If they get out of the zone immediately they will not be penalised. It is the second tweak to an AFL rule within weeks after clubs were told the AFL had watered down its dissent rule mid-season. Previously players who threw their arms up to complain about a decision were penalised with a 50m penalty in many circumstances. But in a decision that the umpires department did not relay to the media clubs were told throwing arms up in complaint did not constitute demonstrative umpire dissent. Umpires boss Dan Richardson said too many players were deliberately trying to take their opponent into the protected zone to milk a free kick. “The protected area rule is designed for the kicker to have options to move the ball,” Richardson said. “It is having the desired effect, however there have been more and more instances of players deliberately running their opponent into the zone with the intention of getting split and/or drawing a 50m penalty. “If this ‘split’ of players happens, providing the defender moves to vacate the area, the umpires have been instructed to no longer apply a 50m penalty. “Feedback is important, and we continually listen to a whole range of stakeholders, and this clarification will provide opportunity for the rule to be applied as intended.”