What counts towards the interchange cap, and what happens if a club goes over it?

Counts: an interchange is counted once the replacement player enters the ground, however long they stay on.

Does not count:

• A player who leaves and immediately re-enters without being replaced.
• Interchanges at quarter time, half time and three-quarter time.
• Injury and safety exits: a detailed off-field head injury assessment, the blood rule, the stretcher rule, an extended medical assessment, or a player ordered off under the rules.

Once the cap is reached, only those medical exits can still be replaced. A player leaving for a head injury assessment cannot return for 15 minutes, and one leaving for a stretcher or extended medical assessment cannot return for 20 minutes.

Penalty for exceeding the cap: the opposition is awarded a free kick and a 50-metre penalty, the extra player is ordered off, and the club faces a sanction of up to 20 units for a first offence and up to 40 units for later offences.

Source: AFL Regulations (11 February 2026), Regulation 12.8(c).