The AFL as the governing body of Australian Football views the development and subsequent rollout of the Next Generation Australian Football Match Policy as a significant and critical step in ensuring that Australian Football provides the very best experience for junior participants and their families.  The policy aims to:

1. Provide clear direction to leagues and clubs for the provision of appropriate pathways for all boys and girls in safe, enjoyable and accountable environments.
2. Ensure that junior football is delivered in a uniform manner across all States and Territories.
3. Maximise the recruitment and retention of players and umpires through programs and match rules appropriate to each age level (meets the needs of children - they are not little adults).

The Next Generation Australian Football Match Policy is broadly divided into the AFL Junior Policy (5-12 year olds) and the AFL Youth Policy (13-18 year olds) together with supporting policies and procedures.

AFL Junior Policy

Young people grow and mature at different rates.  The junior policy is considerate of this growth and maturation diversity and provides an appropriate and sequential range of programs and match rules to cater for the individual differences and needs of participating children.

Modifications to ground sizes, team numbers and the laws of the game are introduced as boys and girls progress through the player pathway – it is important to remember that children are not little adults.

The emphasis is not on winning but the development of FUNdamental movement skills, basic game specific skills and maximum participation in a fun and safe environment.
 

AFL Youth Policy

The spirit and intention of the youth policy is to ensure that all games are played in a competitive and fair manner in an environment that:

• permits a player whose sole objective is to contest and gain possession of the ball, to do so in a safe and fair manner.
• rewards and acknowledges commitment and loyalty to the team, club and or school.
• allows all players to feel an essential part of the team while enabling each individual to develop self-efficacy, self-worth and an identity within the community (team/club/school).
• engenders and reinforces community values and social responsibility.

The policy has been developed in consultation with the ASC and is based on the ASC’s Junior Sports Framework. The ASC developed the framework to assist sports with the development of their sport specific policies. The Junior Sports Framework is informed by contemporary research both nationally and internationally. This research has been invaluable in the development of the rules and procedures contained in the next Generation Australian Football Match Policy, together continual research, refinements and evaluation from within the Australian Football industry over many years.

For the majority of affiliated leagues and clubs across the country the policy does not present a significant shift in the match rules and procedures that are currently being delivered. The AFL through our State football bodies looks forward to working in collaboration and consultation with all Affiliate leagues to ensure the policies complete rollout.

The AFL understands that in some circumstances is may take time and would encourage leagues to work through any issues with their relevant State football body.

Policy

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Under the new advantage rule introduced for the 2011 season, it is now the player not　the umpire　that determines whether there is an advantage after a whistle is blown for a free kick infringement. The player with the ball can elect to take the advantage and play on, or stop and have the free kick awarded to his team.

Previously, if a player took the advantage, played on without disposing of the ball and the siren sounded, the ball would be brought back for the player to take the free kick.

AFL Umpires Manager Jeff Gieschen today confirmed to all clubs the interpretation for the Premiership Season will be that advantage stands in the siren situation and the ball will not be brought back.

"Given the spirit and intention of the new rule was to put the advantage decision solely in the hands of the player, and to be consistent with the situation where someone plays on from a mark, we wish to confirm the correct interpretation of the rule for the Premiership Season by clarifying that if a player takes the advantage and the siren sounds, the advantage stands. The ball will not be brought back," Mr Gieschen said.