The AFL have announced limits to contact training will be rolled out across its landscape from the 2027 pre-season onwards, with an eye to in-season training being impacted in the future, too.
The AFL provided the reasoning for this material change to a player's preparation for the combative sport in a statement on Monday morning.
"Contact training limits for the AFL pre-season aim to further reduce avoidable head impacts and concussion risk while maintaining appropriate physical preparation for the season," it read.
It's the latest precaution taken by AFL administrators, as the scourge of head trauma and associated conditions like CTE grip the code.
The AFL called the introduction of these limits, as unpopular as they may be, a "direct response to 2023 recommendations from the Victorian Coroner's investigation into the death of former AFL player, Shane Tuck."
| Period | Total contact training minutes (per week) | High-intensity contact training minutes (per week) |
| Pre-Christmas | Up to 120 | Up to 60 |
| Weeks 1& 2 post-Christmas | Up to 120 | Up to 60 |
| Weeks 3 & 4 post-Christmas | Up to 160 | Up to 90 |
| Week 5+ (including practice matches) | Up to 160 | Up to 120* |
The limit for in-season training is yet to be finalised, with the AFL's Contact Training Consultation Group to make a recommendation on the exact parameters once the full dataset from the completed 2026 season becomes available.
The AFL are also mandating that clubs do not engage in high-intensity contact training on consecutive days, and is recommending a "graded return" during the first week of a player's return to training following a "break in contact exposure", caused by injury, or any other factor. Clubs have also been mandated to monitor contact training, and will be asked to supply vision of any concussions sustained at training in accordance with this monitoring.
Executive General Manager (AFLW), Health & Football Operations, Laura Kane said:
“The AFL will continue to monitor and refine these limits based on data and practical feedback from clubs. It is critical they are tailored to the needs of our players from both a safety and competitive preparation perspective.”
