The interchange cap will be introduced in 2014.
Fox Sports reports that the interchange cap currently being trialled in the AFL’s NAB Cup games will come into play in 2014.
Despite drawing fierce opposition from many AFL coaches after only one week of trialling in the NAB Cup, AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou has made it clear that the cap will go ahead.
The only decision remaining according to Demetriou is how large the cap will be. Currently the trial has implemented an interchange maximum of 80 per game but this could be increased.
Last year the AFL’s laws of the game committee recommended a cap of 80 be introduced for this season but was later pushed back after a review of the proposal in October.
Demetriou said the commission wanted the extra time to assess another season under the current interchange rules and trial the cap in the 2013 pre-season.
In reactions by some of the AFL coaches, the rule has been described as defying common sense, and many have claimed that rather than help decrease player injuries it will instead increase their chance as players become fatigued.
Western Bulldogs player Mitch Wallis said on Tuesday the extra fatigue caused by the cap was noticeable.
“It would be fine for a game but if you had a whole season of that, fatigue would set in and injuries would occur as a result,” said Wallis, as quoted by Fox Sports.
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