NORTH Melbourne coach Brad Scott fears umpires will "overreact" to the new runner guidelines this weekend and pay unnecessary free kicks.

The AFL issued a set of stricter guidelines governing runners this week, banning them from coming within 25m of a stoppage and from being inside the 50m arc during stoppages.

Runners will now also be expected to be off the ground, or be in the process of leaving the ground, when the ball is bounced to restart play after a goal.

Scott said on Thursday he did not expect the new guidelines would have much impact on teams' coaching staff, but was concerned umpires might be overly strict in applying them initially.

"My great fear is that the umpires overreact early," Scott said.

"I hope they're pretty lenient on it and they don't pay unnecessary free kicks because a runner's within 20m of a stoppage instead of the 25m he should be.

"I hope it doesn't impact much; I certainly don't think it will impact our coach's box too much."

The new guidelines were introduced less than a fortnight after Carlton's Mitch Robinson pushed Geelong runner Nigel Lappin at a stoppage near the Blues' goal in the dying seconds of the Cats' five-point win.

Lappin received a suspended $2000 fine last Thursday, but the AFL said Lappin had not intended to impact play.

The new guidelines are in keeping with the AFL's recent determination to minimise the number of team officials on the ground during play.

It is a philosophy that Scott agrees with.

"We want to see the players play; we don't want to see officials, doctors, runners and water-boys out on the ground, so if we can fix that that would be good," Scott said.

"But I just don't want the umpires to overreact in any game this week."

Twitter: @AFL_Nick