Some of the AFL’s top players believe the league should change the rules around scoring, making it so it’s a goal rather than a behind when a ball touches the post and goes through.

The AFL has previously been criticised for changing the rules too often. Before season 2019 we saw the introduction of nine new rule and interpretation changes, with the aim to speed up the game and increase scoring.

And just to remind you, last season’s scoring reached a historic low - the lowest since 1967.

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Round 18

When quizzed about what new rules he’d like to see inserted into the competition ahead of 2020, Saints veteran Dan Hannebery told foxfooty.com.au, “I’m happy with just limiting the amount of rules they introduce. Leave it as is for a while.”

Essendon hard nut Devon Smith shared his sentiments, pleading with the AFL to “leave it alone for a bit - for a year”.

And that the AFL have, with no new rules entering the game for season 2020.

However a cluster of players may just have the scoring solution for AFL chief Gillon McLachlan and his gang of legislators.

Brisbane Lions captain Dayne Zorko is keen to make our scoring rules more like soccer, where a ball touching the post does not stop play, but instead it either means play continues (if it bounces back onto the field) or a goal (if it goes through).

“I’ve got a good one (rule change) - I want if it hits the goal post and comes back into play it’ll be play on,” he told Foxfooty.com.au.

“They did it in the Wizzy (Wizard) Cup a couple of years ago.

“I think that’s a great rule, in every other code the ball comes back into play and its play on. We practice it at training sometimes thinking that rule might just come back in. I hope it does.”

His Lions teammate Eric Hipwood fully supported his skipper’s proposal.

“If you’re having a shot at goal and it hits the post and comes back into play, it’s play on,” Hipwood said.

“Or if it hits the post and goes through for a goal, it should be a goal.”

A man no stranger to getting his name on the scoresheet, Geelong’s eight-time leading goal kicker Tom Hawkins, backed the radical proposal.

“I don’t mind the idea that if the ball hits the post it’s back in play… they flirted with the idea of having that in the pre-season comp a few years ago,” Hawkins told Foxfooty.com.au.

It should come as no surprise to see the big Cat throw his weight behind the idea. Hawkins was controversially awarded a goal in Geelong’s tense 2009 Grand Final victory over the Saints, after the ball clearly hit the inside of the goal post.

Some will argue that our post system is unique to world sport and thus should remain as is – if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it right?

Former Gaelic star Zach Tuohy disagrees.

“I think an entirely uncontroversial rule you could bring in. If it hits the goal post and goes through, it’s a goal,” the Irishman said.

“It’s creating grey where there doesn’t need to be any grey. You couldn’t mess it up.”

Hawthorn’s Luke Breust joined the chorus of support.

“I like that - play on and then rebound, get another shot,” the triple premiership star said.