The AFL Commission has confirmed five rule adjustments ahead of the 2023 AFLW season, with the league extending the duration of match lengths.
Quarters will now be set at 15 minutes plus time on, while breaks between quarters have been shortened.
Restrictions have also been put in place to limit interchange rotations as well as on-field access for club runners in-game.
Boundary throw-ins between the two forward 50s will be brought in from the boundary line, with the last-touch out-of-bounds law in the same area of the field to remain intact.
The AFL has also changed the fines structure for players who are charged with low-level classifiable offences and fixed-financial offences from the MRO. AFLW players will also be subject to a two-year roll over period for classifiable offences.
On Thursday the AFL confirmed details on the following five changes and amendments ahead of the upcoming AFLW season, which will commence the first weekend of September:
1. Duration of match and intervals between quarters
Increased quarter length to 15 minutes plus time on for goals or major injuries only, and the existing additional 2 minutes plus time on for match stoppages, goals or major injuries.
The length of the interval at quarter time and three-quarter time will be reduced from 6 minutes and 30 seconds to 6 minutes, and that the length of interval at half time will be reduced from 16 minutes to 14 minutes.
2.ย Boundary throw-ins
Boundary umpires will move 10 metres into the playing surface when the ball goes out of bounds between the 50 metre arcs. Boundary throw ins within the fifty metre arcs will be completed from the boundary line.
The existing โlast touch out of bounds' rule will still apply between the 50-metre arcs.
3. Interchange cap and interchange boards
An interchange cap of 60 rotations per team per match will be introduced. Clubs will be permitted to use interchange boards to deliver messages relating to rotations and team tactics (as per the AFL competition).
4. Runners
There will be a cap on runners accessing the field of play.
Runners can access the playing surface three times per quarter until the last three minutes of that quarter for a maximum of 90 seconds each time. Runners can access the playing surface for a short period after goals.
5. Financial sanctions for low-level reportable and fixed-financial offences
The fine structure for low-level classifiable offences will be as follows:
| Classifiable offence | Base sanction | Early Guilty Plea |
| First offence | $400 | $250 |
| Second offence | $600 | $350 |
| Third and subsequent offence | $1000 | $600 |
The fine structure for fixed-financial offences will be as follows:
| Fixed Financial Offence | Base sanction | Early Guilty Plea |
| First offence | $200 | $100 |
| Second offence | $300 | $200 |
| Third and subsequent offence | $500 | $300 |
A two-year roll over period for Classifiable Offences will be introduced.
This results in fine amounts increasing where a player has committed the same offence more than once in the past two years, rather than just in the current season.
This is consistent with the treatment of the fines for Fixed Financial Offences.
