THE AFL will introduce limits on contact training for all AFL and AFLW players as it seeks to reduce the occurrence of head injuries.
Starting in the coming men's pre-season, clubs will be restricted on how many contact training minutes their players can be exposed to each week, with further restrictions during the season itself.
Clubs will be restricted to a maximum of 120 or 160 minutes of total contact training per week of pre-season training. That maximum amount will increase throughout the pre-season to accommodate more match simulation training closer to round one.
Within those 120 or 160-minute limits, there will be a sub-limit on 'high-intensity' contact training of 60, 90 or 120 minutes, depending on the stage of pre-season.
The specifics on contact training limits during the AFL premiership season, as well as the AFLW pre-season and in-season periods, will be confirmed later this year once more data is collected.
The move is a direct response to 2023 recommendations from the Victorian Coroner's investigation into the death of former AFL player, Shane Tuck, and follows a two-year consultation period involving club football bosses, coaches, medical staff as well as representatives from the AFL, AFL Players Association and AFL Coaches Association.
"The AFL found variable levels of contact training across AFL programs albeit with some consistent themes including, importantly, that concussions occurred most commonly in match simulation and small-sided high intensity drills," the AFL said in a statement.
"There was also found to be no correlation between volume of contact training and ladder position."
Clubs will no longer be permitted to engage in high-intensity contact training on consecutive days, while there will also be limits on the type of contact training players are exposed to on their return from a break.
The League will bring in a dedicated resource "to monitor, evaluate and continue to evolve the AFL's management of contact training limits", with the restrictions to be refined in future years once more data is collected.
"The framework is based on world-class medical advice and is constantly evolving as we deepen our learning and understanding," said Laura Kane, the AFL's executive general manager AFLW, health and football operations.
"The prevention and management of head trauma, and the introduction of AFL pre-season contact training limits is a further step towards achieving our goal of being a global leader in brain health and concussion and head trauma.
"The AFL has undertaken an extensive data collection and consultation process in order to introduce contact training limits which balance player welfare with elite performance.
"The AFL will continue to monitor and refine these limits based on data and practical feedback from clubs. It is critical they are tailored to the needs of our players from both a safety and competitive preparation perspective."
