Footy is back this week with the NAB Challenge to kick off at regional football grounds across Australia.

The AFL will again use the NAB Challenge to trial rule changes, with two rule interpretation amendments made last year in effect for the first time. The changes include a stricter adjudication of the holding the ball rule and a stricter adjudication of the blocking in marking contests rule.

Four field umpires will be trialled across the first three weeks of matches before reverting to three umpires in the final week.
Meanwhile teams will be subject to unlimited interchange rotations over the first three weeks, before the interchange cap of 120 rotations is introduced in the final week.

This year’s NAB Challenge will again see nine points awarded for a NAB Supergoal kicked from outside the 50m arc and for every Supergoal kicked NAB will donate $500 worth of Sherrin footballs to the goal kicker’s junior football club.

Carlton is set to open its pre-season against West Coast in a balmy Mandurah on Friday night, with a top of 27 degrees forecast for the match.

The Blues will next month continue their pre-season with games against Collingwood in Bendigo and Geelong at Etihad Stadium.

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