A total of 13 amendments were released by the AFL on Tuesday afternoon, with the league cracking down on players pushing their opponents into umpires, and also a tightening of the forceful front-on contact rule.
But the most interesting amendment came from the section that seemed the most boring - legal technicalities.
The AFL has amended its guidelines to reduce the chances of a player escaping a suspension due to a procedural error.
Momentum for the change began last year when Carlton skipper Cripps had his two-match ban overturned at the Appeals Board on what was effectively a technicality.
Cripps was banned for two matches for rough conduct for his collision which concussed Brisbane utility Callum Ah Chee.
The star midfielder fought the charge at the AFL Tribunal but was found guilty.Â
But Carlton got the decision overturned at the Appeals Board after successfully arguing there had been an error in law at the Tribunal and the findings of the jury were unreasonable.
The reason for that error was the use of the word bump, which the tribunal used as part of their verdict despite the term 'bump' not being explored when Cripps or his counsel were addressed.
AFL legal boss Andrew Dillon doesn't want the Tribunal to get bogged down in legal technicalities in the future.
"Further amendments made to the tribunal process make it clear that, while the tribunal must accord with natural justice in its operation, the tribunal's processes should be fair and efficient with minimal formality, acknowledging that the Tribunal is not conducting court proceedings," Dillon said in a statement.
In other changes, the guidelines have been amended to provide that a player may be found guilty of intentional conduct with an umpire if they push or hold a rival in such a way that it causes contact with an umpire.
A charge of forceful head-on contact will now include situations where a player has their head over the ball while looking up.
Previously, the charge could only be applied if the player was looking down.
The guidelines have also been updated to specify a strike can occur with an open hand as opposed to solely a closed fist.
Charges relating to the eye region have been amended to define the eye region as being in the vicinity of the eye socket.
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