ONE OF Hawthorn's secret trial guinea pigs says change to the AFL's rules to ease congestion is "inevitable".

The Hawks were the first club to test experimental rules behind closed doors at Etihad Stadium – in front of key AFL officials charged with reviewing the state of the game – during their round 12 bye.

Among the rules that day were set structures that required a certain number of players from each team to be inside the respective 50s for centre bounces and stoppages between the arcs.

The trials, including two that followed with Brisbane and Fremantle, are occurring during a season where scoring has plummeted to 50-year lows and debate about the watchability of the game has reached fever point.

"I think players liked it, but it was one of those things that didn't feel too different out there," Hawthorn's dual premiership utility Taylor Duryea told AFL.com.au.

"I haven't really looked at it, in terms of vision-wise, to see what it looks like, but as a player it felt pretty normal, so change feels like it's inevitable."

Duryea said he was open to any rule change made in football's best interests, so long as it didn't "take away too much from the fabric of the game".

Part of the appeal, and hope, of 'starting points' is that the general fan won't notice any discernible change, yet the potential benefits include a more aesthetically pleasing game.

"I'm probably going to be defensive about (the criticism), because we think we're going out there and putting on a good show," he said.

"We definitely put in the work and have a crack each weekend. I don't think that's the issue.

"The game's critiqued in every era and there's going to be people that like it from other eras and people that like it the way it is – and sometimes you have to take the feedback on.

"There are still good attendances, there are still people buying into the game and they love it as much as ever, so I don't think too much has to change."