AFL football performance boss Greg Swann has hinted play could be sped up before the end of the season as he prioritises reducing the length of matches in his new role.
Insisting he won’t be making “radical” changes to the game, Swann is also eager to see the umpires throw the ball up rather than bouncing it in the centre of the ground.
The veteran administrator has ruled out reducing the 20-minute playing time for each quarter, but believes the league can tighten up in situations where umpires are waiting for players to get to ruck contests and boundary throw-ins.
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“There’s a chance to actually speed that up a bit,” Swann told reporters on Monday.
“There’s good vision and video of ruckmen taking 20 seconds to come from one end of the ground to the other.
“Everyone stands around and waits, so to me that’s something that hopefully we can have a look at and maybe address even before the season finishes.”
Swann said it was too early to tell whether the ball would be bounced to open the 2026 season, but has received strong support from “a majority” of clubs for his plan to scrap the bounce.
He is also keen to introduce more transparency around key AFL decisions, including those under the match review system.
“We’re not going to explain everything away because otherwise you’d be here all day,” Swann said.
“But there’s some things that are a bit contentious that I think people deserve to understand why we’ve gone a certain way.”
Swann gave his tick of approval to the controversial 50-metre penalty paid against Fremantle’s Karl Worner for dissent on Sunday, and declared umpires have been doing a “fantastic job” this season.
“One of the things that’s difficult for the umpires is the rules; we just need to try and make them a bit simpler,” Swann said.
“Whether it’s the stand (rule), whether it’s holding the ball … that’s something that I’m really keen to talk to clubs and coaches and footy managers about.
“Is there an easier way for these guys to have to adjudicate it?”
While AFL traditionalists often call on the league to “leave the game alone”, Swann flagged innovation as being crucial to the competition’s ongoing success.
“It’s the best game there is but the reason for that is we keep trying to make it better, and I think that’s what we should do,” he said.
Swann spoke openly and expansively about his new role on Channel 7’s post-match AFL coverage on Friday night, when he oversaw a Brisbane Lions win for the final time.