The AFL Commission has approved a number of changes to the Laws of the Game for the 2006 Toyota AFL Premiership Season, following recommendations from the Laws of the Game committee and recommendations and the Football Operations Department. Adrian Anderson, General Manager of Football Operations announced. The changes are as follows: 1 - Removing the requirement for defensive players to wait until the flags have been waved after a point has been scored, before bringing the ball back into play; 2 - Allowance of a shot for goal to be taken from directly in front of the goal for any mark taken, or free kick awarded, within the goal square; 3 - Automatic re-start of time-on from the time the umpire crosses arms to when the ball is bounced. Further, the AFL Umpires will also be instructed on a number of interpretation changes to be introduced for the start of the 2006 season, as follows: 1 - Limit the time for players to line up for set shots to 30 seconds; 2 - Reduced tolerance of holding players up after a mark or free kick; 3 - Quicker boundary throw-ins; 4 - Less time taken to award a 50m penalty; 5 - Stricter interpretation of the deliberate out of bounds law; 6 - Stricter policing of holding and blocking in marking contests; 7- Greater focus on detecting infringements by tagging players. Mr Anderson said the Commission and the Laws of the Game Committee had studied detailed examinations of the trends in AFL football over the last 40 years. This research had shown the style of game at the elite level had continuously trended towards a greater density of players around the ball, less contested marking and less one-on-one contests. The key points of this research is attached for all interested media. "The core objective of the AFL Commission, and the Laws of the Game committee, when examining the direction of our game is to enhance and maintain the appeal of AFL football as an outstanding sport for spectators and players," Mr Anderson said. "Our focus is to see a more continous style of play, with less players around the ball and a reduction in the likelihood of high-impact collision injuries," he said.