Coach's Guide to WA Football Junior Football Years 3-6 2026

No time-on is added to quarters. After a weather or other delay the remaining quarters are shortened equally so the match finishes on time. Balls must be yellow, and the home team supplies the match ball and the away team a spare. Girls can play in mixed teams up to and including Year 9 under the Equal Opportunity policy.

WA Football's Equal Opportunity and Fair Play policy requires:

• Every player named in a match must play at least 60% of it. This applies to the first game a player plays in a weekend, so a player who plays up for another team in a second game is exempt.
• Equal game time across the season for all players, and an equal chance to play a variety of positions.
• Coaches must use all places in the team (including bench spaces) and play the maximum number of players available, including in finals.
• If you have excess players, roster different players off each week. Do not leave players out of multiple matches in a row without a valid reason such as injury or discipline.
• Avoid overplaying highly talented players.
• Each team tracks game time using the Rookie Me Play app, managed by the Interchange Steward (paper rotations if the app is unavailable).

Breaches can bring fines, Code of Conduct breaches, loss of E-points or the game being deemed a forfeit, at the League's discretion.

The Match On-Field Equalisation Policy requires both teams to have the same number of players on the field at all times.

Years 3-6 use "even-up": a team with more players must offer extra players to the opposition when the opponent cannot field the required number. Rotate so no single player plays more than one quarter per match for the opposition.

Other points:

• Maximum on the ground: 12 players in Years 3-4 and 15 in Years 5-6.
• If a player is injured and the team has no replacement, tell the opposition, who must immediately take one player off (the one closest to the interchange). When the injured player returns, both teams re-enter together.
• A yellow-carded player with no replacement means no even-up during the 15-minute penalty; a red card with no replacement means no even-up for the rest of the match.
• A match is a forfeit if a team starts with fewer than 9 players (12-a-side) or 12 players (15-a-side). For Years 3-6 teams short of numbers are still encouraged to play using even-up.
• When playing with fewer than the maximum, keep positions even using the handbook table (for example 9 on a 12-a-side ground is 3 defenders, 3 midfielders, 3 forwards).

Both year groups play Modified Wrap Tackle rules, and all high contact is paid as a free kick even if the ball carrier caused it (by shrugging, dropping, lifting an arm or ducking).

Players have a duty of care to others, and coaches must teach players how their body can affect an opponent.

All matches are played under the AFL Laws of the Game with these changes (handbook sections 55 and 56):

Boundary umpires are not used in Years 3-6 because of the Last Possession Rule. If a mixed year group competition is played, the lower year group's rules apply.

Years 3 to 6 have no match results, premiership points, ladders or finals, and no awards (such as fairest and best). Scores are for competition purposes only: apart from official match day paperwork (team sheets, score cards and PlayHQ results), publishing results of modified matches in print or electronic media is prohibited.

Mercy Rule (all junior matches): when the margin reaches 60 points or more, scoring on the scoreboard stops at the end of that quarter. Goal umpires and independent scorers keep scoring as usual. Coaches must not agree to skip the rule, and both coaches must act to even up a one-sided match. Measures do not have to wait for 60 points. Examples from the handbook:

• leading team: rotate dominant players and change positions, set a challenge to keep possession for a number of passes before scoring, or use the non-preferred hand and foot
• trailing team: set goals like winning a mark and passing to a teammate, blocking a shot, or conceding fewer points than the previous quarter

Breaching the Mercy Rule can bring a reprimand, loss of premiership points, non-award of E-points, a Code of Conduct breach or suspension.

Coaches Box: only coaching staff listed on the team sheet may be in the box during play, and they must stay in it except at authorised quarter breaks, half time and full time. The box may hold the coach, one assistant coach, team manager, runner, First Aid / Medical Officer and players named in the match (such as benched or injured players). Goal umpires, the interchange steward, the home independent scorer or timekeeper, and anyone not named in the match are not permitted in it.

On the playing surface during play: only players on the field (not benched), team runners, the First Aid / Medical Officer, field umpires, and people the First Aider asks to help carry a stretcher once the field umpire allows it. Coaches must not enter the field during play unless the field umpire instructs them to.

Runners (one per team, aged 18 or over, named on the team sheet) may be on the field for a maximum of 7 minutes per quarter, enter and leave via the interchange, and must not enter the 50 m arc during kick-outs or shots on goal or the centre square during ball-ups.

A coach who enters the field to give instruction during a stretcher stoppage concedes a free kick in front of goal at the end of the 10 metre square. Coaches must also not remove a team from the field during play.

Yes, with limits (WA Football handbook sections 6 to 9):

Play ups

• A player can play up a maximum of one year group. In a combined competition the lower year group's rules apply.
• Temporary play ups are allowed only if the player is not displacing a registered player in the older year group, and in metro competitions the club manages this without approval.
• No more than four games in an older year group without League approval. Once approved for a fifth game, the player belongs to the older year group for the rest of the season including finals. A fifth game without approval makes the player ineligible and the match a forfeit.

Play downs

• A maximum of one year group, on application by the club with parent or guardian support, and not temporary.
• Needs evidence: a school letter if based on school year group; written authority from a sports physician or registered medical practitioner that the child is below the fifth percentile for height or weight; or medical authority for a disability.
• Small clubs short of players may apply for play-down permits, with a maximum of four per team.

Moving teams: a player cannot move to another team in the same club and year group after Round One unless the League approves or directs it; otherwise the player is ineligible and the game a forfeit. Players cannot play for another team in the same age group.

Umpires and League Administrators can issue yellow and red cards to any player, official or spectator.

• Two yellow cards in one match: no further part and an automatic one-match suspension.
• A third yellow card over the season (and each after) becomes a red card with an automatic one-match suspension.
• Anyone who fails to leave the playing surface or arena when directed is reported, the match is terminated and their team forfeits.

Dangerous tackles: cues include leaving the head or body vulnerable, slinging, pinned arms, lifting the legs and driving or two-action tackles. Guide for umpires: low impact with no head-to-ground contact is a free kick; low impact with head hitting the ground, or high impact without, is a yellow card; high impact with head hitting the ground is a red card.

Coaches and team managers face the same investigations and penalties as players. Players in Years 3 to 6 do not appear at the Community Football Tribunal because of their age.

WA Football's concussion policy says any player who has a concussion or suspected concussion must be medically assessed as soon as possible and must not return to play in the same game or practice session. "If in doubt, sit them out."

• Coaches must follow the First Aid / Medical Officer's advice on returning injured, concussed or ill players (the officer has the final say on whether a player resumes).
• Remove the player from the ground and assess using the Concussion Recognition Tool. If there is confusion, vomiting or a worsening headache, call an ambulance and refer to hospital; otherwise refer to a doctor.
• All confirmed and suspected concussions are reported on PlayHQ as soon as possible, ideally by 9am on the Monday after the match.
• Return to training and play follows the national graded return process and needs a medical certificate. The 21 days in the guidelines is a minimum, not a standard wait.
• A second concussion in a season needs assessment and clearance from a doctor who specialises in concussion management. After a third in a season (across club, school and any other competition) WA Football highly recommends the player does not play for the rest of the season.