Under the trial field umpires will operate with the same two partners for the first three rounds meaning there will be nine sets of umpiring teams on senior duties in each round.
The aim is to see more consistency in decision-making, positioning and feedback.
AFL field umpires coach Hayden Kennedy said each umpiring team would include an experienced senior umpire, an umpire with mid-range experience and a young umpire.
"We really want to develop our younger guys, so by doing it this way it gives us the opportunity to put some of the younger, developing umpires with some of the older ones and put them out into some of the bigger games so there is some real mentoring going on," Kennedy told AFL.com.au.
By exposing younger umpires to bigger games alongside experienced umpires the pool of experience will grow and, in thinking similar to the way AFL clubs introduce younger players, ensure the next generation is ready to perform.
"Older umpires can really lead the younger ones and [they can] work as a real team to get better performance in the next week or the week after," Kennedy said.
The AFL umpiring department has undergone significant change in the off-season with former Richmond player and assistant coach Wayne Campbell being appointed director of umpiring.
Campbell is expected to trial a range of innovations.
Field umpiring assistant coaches Michael Vozzo, Bryan Sheehan and Michael Jennings support Kennedy in his role.
Kennedy said that although teams were being selected to stick together for the first three rounds there was still flexibility for a change to be made if required.
The success of the trial – which is a feature of the NFL – will be reviewed after three rounds.
