AFL cracks down on 'fakers' in sweep of rule changes for 2023 season
The AFL has cracked down on players it suggests are "fakers", announcing a 50-metre penalty will no longer be awarded when a player pretends to handball while behind the mark.
It's one of three changes the AFL has made to its rules for the 2023 season, in a bid to make officiating easier, minimise unnecessary delay and reduce "exploitation" tactics.
One blight brought about by the controversial "stand" rule saw players faking handballs in an attempt to trick opponents into moving off the mark before "play on" was called.
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"Instead, when this occurs, the mark and stand will be reset," the AFL said in a statement released to clubs.
"Please note that if the player 'faking' a handball steps off their line, umpires will call 'play on'."
Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes is miffed.
"When you introduce silly rules it creates problems," Cornes wrote on Twitter.
The AFL has made a host of rule changes ahead of the 2023 season. Getty Images
Collingwood legend Mick McGuane is also among the critics.
"Oh, no, no, no," McGuane wrote on Twitter.
"Now we are asking the umpires to determine if a player is faking handballs (versus) an option that may be there but decided to change his mind."
Former Lion Marty Pask, now an AFL player agent, made the same argument.
"Now we need to determine a fake handball motion (versus) a player changing their mind (which they are entitled to do)," Pask wrote on Twitter.
"That's going to be interesting."
Another rule change states players must make immediate decisions regarding the five-metre protected area.
When a player is awarded a mark or free kick, one player from the opposing team may stand on the mark or be directed by a field umpire.
All other players from the opposing team must be positioned behind the mark or outside the protected area.
And another rule change explains that, when lining up for a set shot, a player will no longer receive both a 15-second and 25-second warning.
It's expected that players are aware they have 30 seconds to begin moving in; therefore, a player will only receive a 25-second warning.
