THE FUTURE of the bounce will be discussed by club football managers and the AFL Laws of the Game Committee in separate meetings this week as the game's umpires push for it to be scrapped.
The AFL will host club football managers on Wednesday, with the agenda to include the traditional centre bounce, while the Laws of the Game committee will meet on Thursday to discuss the issue.
The AFL Umpires Association has voiced its opposition to the bounce this year because of the impact it can have on recruitment and retention of umpires, and injuries caused by the strain of bouncing.
Interim football operations manager Andrew Dillon said there were a number of factors that needed to be taken into account when deciding on the future of a traditional aspect of the game.
"Is having the bounce keeping people from umpiring? That's an issue if it is," Dillon told 3AW on Tuesday night.
"We're having a discussion on Thursday at the Laws of the Game in relation to the AFL Umpires Association and the bounce, and is it causing injuries for umpires? That's another concern.
"You have to weigh that up with tradition and there's a lot of people that are pro the bounce. They're all the things that go into it.
"Eventually it'll be the Laws of the Game Committee that makes a recommendation up to the Commission, if we go that far, whether they would recommend for it to be removed."
During the pre-season, AFL umpires coach Hayden Kennedy said he believed there was "no real benefit" to bouncing the ball at centre stoppages, suggesting throwing the ball up and creating an even contest was "probably the best way to go".
Meanwhile, Dillon, who has replaced former football operations manager Simon Lethlean on an interim basis, said he expected to be in the role until the end of the season.
The AFL has started its search for a new head of football, with expressions of interest closing on July 31.
"It'll be a fairly in-depth search that we do and there will be a number of interviews," Dillon said.
"If [the successful applicant] was from club-land and the season was still going, they wouldn't be leaving during the season.
"So I imagine I will be in there in the interim role at least until the end of the finals."
