Fremantle forward Sam Switkowski has expressed his support for the AFL's list of rule changes for the upcoming 2024 Toyotal AFL Premiership season to further protect players' heads.

Switkowski spoke to the media Wednesday morning following the AFL’s announcement and believes the rule changes involved in making the game safer for players will have long-term benefits for the game.

“I’m all for the AFL bringing in new rules to help protect players’ heads, I think it's super important,” Switkowski said. 

“Accidents happen, and they are probably going to still happen, but it is a good thing the AFL is bringing it to light.

“People don’t always like change, and initially whether we’re changing the technique of the tackle, being more careful out there, or having to sit out for an extra week, it’s frustrating, but in the long term it will be a good thing, and it will become petty normalised after a while.”

One of the most significant rule changes focuses on run-down tackles, with greater care being put on the tackler when running down an opponent and taking them to the ground. 

In 2023, Switkoski was ranked ‘Elite’ by Champion Data for his tackling, averaging four tackles per game with a season-high eight tackles being registered against Brisbane in round 21. 

The 27-year-old said the change in the rule would put more focus on his mindset when chasing down an opponent to tackle, rather than altering his actual technique. 

“We never intentionally go out there and think about getting someone’s head into the ground, so it might just be a little bit more caution,” Switkowski said.

“I find it’s not too hard to not make a player crash their head into the ground because if you are doing that, you’re probably pushing them forward, and it’s a good chance you’ll give away a push in the back.

“(It's) not necessarily a technique change but probably more of a mindset change, just being a little bit more careful… it’s a fine line, and it’s tricky, but it’s pretty hard to change your technique when everything happens so quick out there, and you’re in the fight.

“I like to try and grab an arm or something, and if you can get a holding the ball free kick from just making them dispose of it incorrectly through dropping the ball or something is pretty effective.”

The AFL made more than 30 changes to the rules this season to ensure the game is safer for players while evolving its on-field product.

The other rule changes that were announced on Tuesday were:

• In circumstances where a player elects to leave the ground in an attempt to smother the football, any reasonably foreseeable high contact with an opponent that is at least Low Impact will be deemed to be Careless at a minimum, unless the player has taken all reasonable steps to avoid that high contact and/or minimise the force of that high contact
• AFL has amended the Guidelines to state that there may be types of run-down tackles that are dangerous, and which constitute a Reportable Offence (i.e. run-down tackles where the tackled player is driven into the ground with excessive force).
• In ruck contests, players will be permitted to straight-arm block opponents as long as the player contests the ball.

For further information on the AFL’s new rule changes click here.