A SHOCK campaign to emphasise the dangers of players ducking the head to draw a free kick will be discussed at an AFL summit next week.

It was raised at a recent Laws of the Game committee meeting on the basis of the urgency to dissuade players from using the tactic.

There was even a suggestion that vision of Carlton defender Simon White's near catastrophic neck injury in late July be included in the AFL's official DVD video guidelines for the 2014 season.

White wore a brace from neck to waist for eight weeks after suffering a fractured vertebrae in a tackle while playing for VFL affiliate Northern Blues. He was ruled out for the rest of the season, but should be ready to start preparations for 2014.

Thanks for the kind msgs. Disappointed I'm not playing at least the boys reassured me u can hardly notice the brace pic.twitter.com/oiilgJyQ7z — simon white (@whiteman43) July 24, 2013

Players deliberately drawing head-high contact is one of five specific rule interpretations to be presented to AFL coaches at the pre-draft summit on the Gold Coast on Wednesday week.

The other key topics to be discussed at the meeting, also attended by senior umpires, umpires officials and Laws of the Game committee members, are marking and ruck contests, disposal in tackling and the protected area around the player with the ball.

AFL football operations manager Mark Evans said the AFL would delay compiling the DVD guidelines video until after the summit.

On the head-ducking tactic, Evans said: "What we would like is that every person at that summit to be able to contribute before we make a call,'' he said.

"We know there are different ways of drawing a free kick that are frustrating supporters and certainly making it difficult to umpire.

"When an umpire sees head-high contact, he blows the whistle and invariably their first thought is to protect that person. And that's absolutely the correct first thought.

"But what we want to do is see if there are ways that we can discourage players, particularly ducking into head-high contact.''

Evans said a free kick for deliberately ducking the head, already discussed by the Laws of the Game committee, was unlikely because player welfare was the first priority.

"When there is head-high contact, we want the whistle to be blown and it's difficult with a split-second decision to say that player drew that himself,'' he said.

Evans said the league chose five key topics for the coaches and umpires to reach consensus before the start of the pre-season training leading to the NAB Challenge series in February.

"I'm hoping to come out of that summit with some consistency and clarity as far as umpiring and coaching as to how the game should be played for a smooth start to the year,'' he said.

Key topics to discuss on 2014 rule interpretations

1. Contact in marking contests including hands-in-the-back infringements

2. Ruck contests and the separation of ruckmen at centre bounces and stoppages

3. Players dopping their heads and drawing frees for head-high contact

4. Illegal disposal in tackling

5. Policing the protected area around the player with the ball after free kicks