The better team on the day takes the win.
The Australian Football League (AFL) has
made a significant change to how tied
finals, including the Grand Final, will be
decided. The controversial **golden
score rule**, which has been in place
since 2015, has been scrapped in favor of
a **revised extra-time format** designed
to ensure a fairer outcome in high-stakes
matches.
The decision, announced on Wednesday,
follows concerns about fairness,
particularly the **potential for wind
advantage** during the golden score
period. The new system will see teams
play repeated extra-time periods until a
winner is determined.
Why the Change?
The golden score rule was initially
introduced to eliminate the need for a
**Grand Final replay**, which
historically occurred when the decider
ended in a draw. Under that system, tied
teams would first play a **10-minute
extra-time period (split into two five-
minute halves, plus time-on)**. If scores
remained level, the match would
continue until a team broke the deadlock
by scoring a goal or behind.
However, critics pointed out several
**flaws in the rule**, including:
– The **wind advantage** issue, which could unfairly benefit the team kicking in a certain direction.
– The pressure of a **sudden-death scenario**, which many felt was an unnatural way to determine a season’s champion.
– The unpredictability of a result being decided by a **single scoring moment**, rather than allowing teams to battle it out over a structured extra period.
In response to these concerns, the **AFL
Commission moved to amend Regulation
2.8 (Tie in Finals Series Matches)**,
introducing a new system that ensures
extra time is played in a structured and
repeatable manner until a clear winner
emerges.
How the New Extra-Time Rule Works.
Under the **revised regulation**, tied finals matches—including the Grand Final—will follow this procedure:
1. **Goal umpires confirm that the scores are level at full-time.**
2. **A six-minute break is taken** (six minutes and thirty seconds for AFLW games).
3. **Teams switch ends.**
4. **A three-minute extra-time period is played, plus time-on.**
5. **At the end of this period, the siren sounds, and teams immediately swap ends.**
6. **A second three-minute extra-time period begins (plus time-on).**
7. **At the conclusion of this period, the siren sounds again, and the team with the higher score is declared the winner.**
8. **If scores are still tied, the process repeats until a winner is determined.**
This new system ensures that teams have
multiple chances to **outplay their
opponents**, rather than relying on a
single moment to decide the result.
Additional Adjustments.
The **AFL has also made modifications
to certain match rules** that will apply
during extra time:
– **Starting Positions Reset**: The **6-6-6
formation rule** (six forwards, six
midfielders, and six defenders at every
centre bounce) will reset at the
beginning of each extra-time period.
– **Interchange Cap Adjustments**:
Teams will be granted **10 interchanges
per each two-period extra-time session**.
However, any unused interchanges will
**not carry over** into the next period.
AFLW games, which do not have an
interchange cap, will be exempt from
this rule.
AFL’s History with Drawn Grand Finals.
Before the introduction of the golden
score rule, drawn **Grand Finals were
replayed the following week**. This
happened three times in **AFL history**:
– **1948**: Melbourne defeated Essendon in a replay.
– **1977**: North Melbourne triumphed over Collingwood in the second match.
– **2010**: Collingwood secured victory against St Kilda after the first game ended in a tie.
While the replay system was a historic
part of AFL tradition, the league decided
it was impractical in the modern era,
leading to the introduction of the
**golden score rule in 2015**.
A Fairer Way to Settle Finals.
The **removal of the golden score rule**
and introduction of a **structured extra-
time format** ensures that finals
matches, including the **Grand Final**,
are decided in a way that **prioritizes
fairness and competition**. The AFL’s
new approach guarantees that teams
have the opportunity to prove
themselves over **multiple extra-time
periods**, rather than facing the sudden
pressure of a single scoring moment.
With this change in place, future AFL
finals will now be settled in a way that
**eliminates controversy and creates a
more balanced contest**, ensuring that
the **best team on the day truly earns
the win**.
