Controversial Daicos incident now worth a suspension as AFL proposes further rule changes

The AFL has proposed multiple changes to its regulations for the 2026 season including the ability to suspend players for stomach punches.

Code Sports revealed a lengthy memo was sent to clubs on Wednesday, for which they’re seeking feedback by late January.

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If put into place the changes will see all intentional strikes to an opposition player graded as medium impact, meaning a shot to the body would warrant a one-match ban instead of a fine under the MRO matrix.

For example Marcus Windhager, who was offered a $1000 fine for striking Nick Daicos in a controversial June incident, could now be suspended for the same action – though in his case it was a fixed financial sanction and not fully graded.

Another proposed change already floated would see Match Review Officer Michael Christian to tweak the impact grading of incidents which result in a concussion.

Previously these incidents have automatically been graded as severe which resulted in three-week bans for incidents like bumps and tackles which many inside and outside the footy world felt deserved no penalty – or at least a much lighter one.

An adjustment to the repeat fine system would see players no longer cop escalating fines for multiple low-level offences, unless they are the exact same offence, while fines would only accumulate over one year instead of two.

This would have saved players almost $130,000 last year alone. In total $627,975 worth of fines were handed down in the 2025 season.

It also means players would need to be penalised four times for umpire contact in a season before facing a potential suspension, rather than four times over two seasons, making it much less likely for a ban to be handed out.

Other proposals include:

– Pushing a player into a marking contest to be enshrined as rough conduct, following a mid-season tweak in 2025;

– Teams playing on a Thursday night can have Tribunal hearings heard on the prior Monday, instead of having to wait until Tuesday;

– Sponsorship logos on headbands and offensive symbols or images on uniforms or skin are banned;

– The ability for Andrew Dillon or Greg Swann to nominate a Mark of the Year or Goal of the Year contender that doesn’t win the weekly vote;

– The All-Australian team to contain 23 players with five on the bench;

– Confirmation of the substitute being removed and a wildcard finals round expanding the post-season to 10 teams.