Damien Hardwick has taken aim at the AFL's implementation of new anti-density rules to the game's second-tier competition during his post-game press conference on Sunday.

The rule stipulates that each team must have three players inside each 50 metre arc, including one in the goal square prior to each throw-in and kick-in.

Speaking on Sunday, Hardwick provided a scathing analysis of the new laws, claiming that it will only make it harder for VFL players to adjust when they take the step up to AFL.

โ€œItโ€™s hard to prepare them for AFL level. Itโ€™s so non-AFL like what weโ€™re seeing at the moment.

โ€œSo thatโ€™s going to be an enormous challenge for our players - theyโ€™re going to have to do top-up running, because itโ€™s nothing like AFL at the minute.โ€

The new-look VFL has absorbed sides from the NEAFL, with the competition now expanding to facilitate a record 22 clubs from across the eastern seaboard of Australia.

With this, the competition now has a more increased focus on younger talent, with sides now required to play a minimum of six under-22 players in each match.

SEE ALSO: Zero Hanger Round 2 Power Rankings

However, the new rule that is being trialed for potential implementation into the AFL itself has come under intense scrutiny.

With umpires having to force teams to set-up in accordance with the rule before each stoppage, the game stagnates and in the confusion players are giving away free kicks through a lack of understanding.

Hardwick is far from the first coach to provide a poor review of the new rule, with Carlton coach David Teague also firing shots on Wednesday.

โ€œI think itโ€˜s hard, some of the VFL guys havenโ€™t played at all for 12 months. Youโ€™re sitting there waiting 14, 15 seconds for each stoppage for the players to get back (into position).

โ€œThe players didnโ€˜t enjoy it, the fans didnโ€™t enjoy it."

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 30: Blues head coach David Teague in action during a Carlton Blues AFL training session at Ikon Park on July 30, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

North Melbourne coach David Noble also gave his two cents on the matter on Thursday at his press conference.

โ€œIt takes too long to reset and it changes the roles that weโ€˜re looking for our players to play coming into the AFL.

โ€œI understand trying to โ€˜de-densifyโ€™ numbers, Iโ€™m not against that, but the length that we actually had to take...it needs a lot more discussion before it gets put in.โ€

The VFL season kicks off on the 16th of April, with 11 matches being played over the course of the weekend.