Tough Waters not out to change bump laws

WEST Coast hard-man Beau Waters says he is a supporter of AFL rules that protect the head and he won't use his new role on the Laws of the Game Committee to lobby for change.

Waters, who is currently recovering from hip surgery, has replaced Fremantle captain Matthew Pavlich as the sole player on the committee.

The 26-year-old was found guilty of high bumps twice last season – against Melbourne's Jack Grimes and the Brisbane Lions' Jack Redden – serving a total of five matches on the sidelines in his 113-game career.

Pushing to rewind the AFL's crackdown on the bump, however, will not be on the West Coast vice-captain's agenda.

"I think the shirtfront has obviously been eliminated from the game for the safety of all the players and we can see across all the codes that the head is now sacrilege … I'm a big supporter of that as well," Waters said on Wednesday.

"I'm really looking forward to sitting down with the guys and understanding where they're coming from … rather than me running up like a rat up a drainpipe.

"It's a very illustrious group and no doubt it will give me a great insight into the laws of the game."

Waters, who is seen as the Eagles' eventual replacement for captain Darren Glass, is completing an MBA and is also an ambassador for the Cancer Council WA.

He was approached to fill the role by the AFL Players' Association, which then presented his case to the AFL.

The premiership half-back said he had an open mind on whether the laws of the game would continue to need changing.   

"I think the game is definitely evolving very quickly," he said.  

"I think technology and the resources available to the AFL teams have enhanced teams' ability to change and evolve.

"For me it will just be good to understand from the AFL's perspective where they want that to go; whether we continue to change or whether we just let those creases iron themselves out."

Waters, who was named at half-back in the 2012 All Australian team, had hip surgery in December and remains on a restricted training program.

However, he is on track to join the Eagles' main group within three weeks with a view to playing during the NAB Cup.

Waters reiterated that teammate Nic Naitanui does not have a timeline for his recovery from groin surgery, with the All Australian ruckman restricted to light running in the Eagles' rehab group.  

"He's a very important commodity within the club and he's had pretty serious groin surgery," Waters said.  

"He's moving along well.

"I know he's starting to do some stuff on the ground and physically he's looking very fit. His attitude has been perfect throughout the entire process.

"There's no doubt that Nic will be up and going at some stage during 2013."

Nathan Schmook is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Nathan