THE pre-game warm-up is dead.

Foxfooty.com.au can reveal a list of regulations that was recently distributed to each club detailing a series of changes ahead of the 2018 home and away season.

Clubs will no longer be able to warm-up as a team on the ground other than briefly before the first bounce.

Clubs generally completed a 15-minute warm-up on the field 25 to 40 minutes out from the first bounce, went back into the rooms and then re-entered the arena for a final kick before the match commenced.

Round 18

Players will still be permitted to enter the arena an hour or two before the start of play — when there is no curtain raiser — but teams will need to conduct the vast majority of pre-game drills in the confines of the change rooms.

It’s understood the AFL has implemented these changes to accommodate more curtain raisers and fan activation initiatives.

But when contacted by foxfooty.com.au, three separate clubs said they hoped a common sense approach would be taken which would see players allowed on the field to warm-up if there is not a curtain raiser.

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The rule changes could have a big impact on St Kilda. Source: Getty Images

St Kilda in particular will be affected by this change. For the last two years its players have run onto the ground three minutes before the first bounce in home games, completed a handful of run throughs and then assumed their positions.

Now they will need to enter the arena 11 minutes before the start of the game. The away club must enter three minutes earlier than the home team.

Among other changes:

— Clubs will now be required to list four emergency players, up from three. Part of the reason for this change is to accommodate the possibility of a ruckman getting injured in the warm-up. The position is more specialised than ever and four emergencies allows coaches more flexibility and insurance.

— Four emergencies will essentially allow clubs to have a reserve player for each of the four positions on the ground and should completely eliminate the possibility of a player outside the selected squad parachuting into the starting team at the last minute.

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North players warm-up prior to last weekend’s pre-season clash. Source: Getty Images

— Players must cease kicking for goal in warm-ups five minutes before the first bounce, as opposed to three minutes. Given home teams will enter the arena 11 minutes before play begins, that leaves just six minutes for forwards to practise goalkicking and get an accurate gauge on conditions.

— Approval may be sought for players listed on the long-term injury list to be seated on the club interchange bench during matches, providing the player is listed on the official team sheet as one of the 26 match officials.

— The pre-match warning siren, which ran three minutes before the first bounce, has been removed. It has been replaced by the following sequence:

1. Umpires enter the arena (1 siren)

2. 5 minutes prior to match start (1 siren)

3. 2 minutes prior to match start (2 sirens)

4. 1 minute prior to match start (1 siren)

All the aforementioned changes will be implemented for the 2018 home and away season.