AFLW Locks In Three Rule Changes For Next Season

The AFLW competition has locked in three rule changes for next season.

The competition has officially adopted the last touch rule, which will see a free kick awarded against any player that kicks or handballs the football over the boundary line, without being touched by another player.

A free kick will not be awarded, though, if the ball goes out of play while a player is shepherded by another player who could have touched the ball before it went over the boundary line.

The umpires have been instructed to throw the ball in if there is any doubt over the free kick.

"With any new change there is a certain amount of nerves," AFLW head of football Nicole Livingstone told afl.com.au.

"But the bottom line is, if there is any doubt in terms of whether or not it has been touched or not, the umpire will throw the ball in."

The competition has also shrunk the sizes of teams for next season, taking teams from 22 players down to 21.

One less player will be allowed on the bench as a result.

Games have also been extended, with each quarter now containing two extra minutes of time-on.

Livingstone said the changes were made knowing the women play in a different competition to the men.

"I think with any kind of change there will be those traditionalist that aren't that comfortable with it. There's certainly being a lot of commentary around why don't we play the same game as the men," she said.

"But when you've got 800 men on lists around the country with AFL, we don't want to get lost with that crowd. We want our women to standout and showcase the best football that they can play and I think that's what's really important."