THE AFL is urgently seeking ways to discourage players from leading with their heads to gain a free kick for high contact amid concerns the dangerous practice is becoming more prevalent.



Director of umpiring Wayne Campbell said he would consult with clubs, coaches and the laws of the game committee to get an answer as soon as possible.



While he said a mid-season rule change was unlikely, a tweak in how free kicks were adjudicated when a player ducked his head was possible.



"It's where the players have their head over the ball and deliberately lead with their head and contribute to the contact … that is the one we are looking at," Campbell said.



"[We] need to disincentivise someone trying to draw a free kick through searching with the head for contact."



Richmond CEO Brendon Gale wrote about his concern for player safety on Twitter on Friday night. AFL legend Leigh Matthews agreed that something needed to be done before a player was seriously hurt.



"I think the footy world acknowledges that it is an issue so it is beholden on the laws of the game and us to look at it," Campbell said.

Campbell said it was important to differentiate between the type of head—high contact when determining what changes might be necessary.



"We say a shrug is OK if there is head high contact. If you drop your knees that will continue to be a free kick because it's really hard to adjudicate if it is not," Campbell said.



The average number of free kicks per game for head high contact in 2015 is 5.2, exactly the same average per game as 2013, 2012 and 2011. In 2014 the average was 4.9.

Players leading with their heads, fishing for free kicks, is much more than a blight on the game. It's terrifying! @AFL #AFLDonsNorth — Brendon Gale (@brendongale25) May 15, 2015

Richmond's Trent Cotchin has both earned the most free kicks for head high contact (13) and given the most away (seven).



Geelong's Joel Selwood and North Melbourne's Lindsay Thomas have also earned 13 frees for high contact in 2015 while Essendon's Joe Daniher and Fremantle's Nathan Fyfe have conceded seven free kicks for high contact this season.