AFL legend Leigh Matthews gave his take on rule changes being tested on null and void matches at the end of the season and he believes it would demean the game.
AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan announced on Wednesday that league officials are considering trialling new rules in games that donโt involve teams in or in contention for the top eight.
He said three games were on the cards for the trials โ Carlton vs Fremantle in round 21, Carlton vs Bulldogs in round 22 and Gold Coast vs Brisbane in round 22.
"It seems demeaning to me, a bit like it's demeaning the game," Matthews told Macquarie Sports Radio.
"I kind of thought when I played myself and coached my players, every game was like a grand final."
Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew says the AFL have not contacted him about his club potentially being involved in trials, but he wants to use the rest of the season to focus on winning games and not becoming the leagueโs guinea pigs.
"It sounds like it would be a hard thing to do," Dew told reporters.
"We want to play every game to win, not trial (changes).
"There might not be implications for the finals but there's players' careers and club reputations."
The trials will only go ahead if the clubs involved agree to it.
The main rules the AFL are looking to trial are starting positions at centre bounces and stoppages and creating a bigger goal square.
