Australian Football Association of North America

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

The new interchange system, in which an interchange steward must accept and approve a written interchange request, has already undergone modifications. A number of clubs complained that the overly complicated process, which would not allow a player onto the ground until the paperwork was complete, was too slow and sometimes left a team one player short. Starting with Round 10, the AFL's official statistics recorder, Champion Data, was used to electronically record all interchanges. Clubs will no longer be required to give prior notice before making a change of players or await approval before making the change. The stewards will have access to the electronic information.

Since the system was introduced several weeks ago, there already have been several glitches. As well as several teams briefly being one player short, there was a major stuff up during last week's Adelaide-West Coast game. An Eagle player stepped over the yellow interchange line, but had not actually entered the field of play. The steward and umpire incorrectly penalized the Eagles, leading to an Adelaide goal. Luckily, it did not affect the eventual outcome of the game.

Clubs will still be required to submit information to the interchange steward: the numbers of the four players named to the bench; the numbers of the four players on the bench at the start of each term; the number of any player stretchered off due to injury; the number of any player who leaves the arena for any reason 

A free kick and 50 meter penalty will still be awarded if the opposition has more than 18 players on the field at any time or if a player does not use the interchange area to enter or leave the playing area.

Clubs will be fined if they fail to provide the necessary information to the steward and if a player leaves the interchange area prematurely even if he does not enter the field of play.

Source: Melbourne Age & Patrick Keane, AFL Media Release