The AFL will crack down on deliberately rushed behinds, with a rule change certain for next year's NAB Cup and potentially the premiership season.

The league's preparedness to make the rule change permanent so quickly reflects growing concern about the tactic.

It was highlighted during the grand final, when Hawthorn rushed 11 behinds in their upset win over Geelong.

The Hawks clearly used the tactic to retain possession and coach Alastair Clarkson said post-match that the rule needed changing.

The league sent a discussion paper to clubs on Friday, seeking final feedback on a range of topics relating to the rules.

The most contentious of the seven suggested rule changes is awarding a free kick from wherever the ball is deliberately rushed.

This would bring deliberate rushed behinds in line with the penalty for deliberate out of bounds and dramatically increase the risk of a goal being scored.

AFL operations manager Adrian Anderson said the rushed behinds was "clearly" a major issue among clubs and coaches.

"(There is) the feel that it really, effectively is killing the contest," he said.

"They consider that something should be done to discourage deliberately rushed behinds.

"The clubs are quite clearly saying as well that they will deliberately rush more behinds next year.

"We will look for an alternative to be trialled in the NAB Cup and we will leave open the possible introduction of that rule for the 2009 premiership season."

According to AFL figures, deliberately rushed behinds were up from 2.0 per game last year to 2.4 this season.

Other potential changes include bouncing the ball 25m from goal, a throw-in or free kick from the behind post, or a free kick from where the 50m arc meets the boundary line.

But none of the options feature the current NAB Cup rule, where a deliberate rushed behind is worth three points.

No clubs want the scoring system changed during the regular system.

Other main suggestions in the topic paper include:

* The contentious cap on interchanges would not apply in next year's NAB Cup. But two of the eight players on the bench could only be used as substitutes. That means anyone coming off for those two players could not return to the game.

* A softening of the penalty for interchange infringements, another hot topic this year. The current rule, brought in mid-season, is that the side at fault is penalised a free kick and 50m penalty from where play stops or the centre circle, whichever is greater.

The new proposal is if the infringing team has possession, the opposition has a free kick from where play was stopped.

If the team at fault does not have possession, they give up a free and a 50m penalty from where play was stopped.

* Four field umpires, meaning greater scrutiny of stoppages. This would mean some umpires doubling up at weekends.

* A NAB Cup trial where a free after disposal also includes a 50m penalty.

* Legal kicking distance increased to 20m from 15m (NAB Cup).

* Scrapping of the NAB Cup experiments such as not awarding a mark for a backwards kick in defence, playing on when the ball hits the goal or behind post and throwing the ball back into play from 10m inside the boundary line.

* Re-positioning the goal line so it is level with the back of the padding around the posts, rather than the centre of the posts. Goal umpires rely on the padding for their sight lines.

The AFL is seeking final feedback on the rules discussion paper by the end of next week.

Their laws committee will meet on October 30 and a final set of proposals will then go before the AFL executive and commission.

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