COACHES Damien Hardwick and Sam Mitchell are not convinced the AFL needs a 'last disposal' out of bounds rule, which is currently under consideration by the League.

Greg Swann, the AFL's new executive general manager of football performance, has said he will put forward the proposed rule change to the AFL Commission later this month.

The new rule would penalise players who kick (on the bounce) or handpass the ball directly over the boundary line in between the 50m arcs.

If implemented, the rule change would eliminate some of the umpires' need to make a call around the current 'insufficient intent' rule.

The last disposal rule is already used in AFLW and the SANFL.

Gold Coast coach Hardwick said data distributed to clubs by the AFL suggested there would be about "four or five" last disposal free kicks paid per match.

"It does seem quite low but obviously they've got the data to back that up," Hardwick said on Fox Footy.

"As long as it's not a significant change in the way the game looks, I can live with it.

"I don't think the game needs that drastic a change but the proof will be in the pudding."

Hawthorn coach Mitchell said he didn't have knowledge of the data and wasn't immediately on board with the new rule when it was put to him.

"My first instinct is no, but I'm not sure how much it will change," Mitchell said on Fox Footy.

Mitchell, who played 329 games with the Hawks and West Coast, fears a reduction in ruck contests could lead to tall players being eliminated from the game.

"The thing I love about our game is you can be 'The Wizard' (Nick Watson) and be five-foot-two or you can be Ned Reeves and be seven-foot," he said.

"Keeping both body shapes and all the body shapes in between in the game is really important.

"So I think it's important that they keep ruckmen in the game and we want all those really tall lads to be playing our game going forward."

In an interview with the AFL Record, Swann indicated scrapping of the substitute rule is also on the agenda, which would allow five players on the bench and rotations to stay at 75.

He said six-six-six warning on starting positions will likely remain.

"All these things have to be approved by the Commission," Swann told the AFL Record.

"But there will be recommendations put forward and that (last disposal) will be one that we adopt.

"We do it in AFLW, the SANFL does it. It's between the arcs and it's a kick or a handball.

"The stats show on the games played that there would only be two extra free kicks a game.

"It's not a big change, but it's a tough call for the umps sometimes and we're almost there anyway."

The AFL Commission will meet in Grand Final week.