THE AFL will decide in October whether to change the interchange rules for next season, weighing up a shift to a two sub and two interchange system, a cap on interchanges, or maintaining the status quo.

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The League says game trends in the two seasons since the introduction of the three-and-one system have been "encouraging", although it is concerned about increasing interchange rates and congestion.

The current proposal for a capped interchange system would see interchanges limited to 80, a number based on 2008 interchange figures, although AFL football operations general manager Adrian Anderson said the number was "not set in stone".

Average interchanges per game have risen to 131 this season, up from 118 last year.

The cap system was trialled in the 2008 NAB Cup, when interchanges were limited to 16 per quarter.

A version of the two-and-two system was used during this year's NAB Cup.

The AFL believes a move to two-and-two would further reduce player speed and intensity, which would have the knock-on effect of bringing congestion down and opening games up earlier.

It said stoppages were down 19 per cent and tackles down 10 per cent in this year's NAB Cup.

The League also says a two-and-two system would reduce the impact on a team suffering two game-ending injuries.

But there are concerns that interchange rates would continue to rise, putting player welfare at risk. Anderson said clubs and players had so far expressed resistance to any change during the consultation process.

But, he said, the League must balance those views with those of fans, with recent research suggesting congestion was of major concern to supporters.

"The players as a whole feel that they're trained harder than ever before, and they feel tireder after games than ever before, and we understand that," Anderson said.

"One of the motivators, if not our key motivator, in all of the law changes in recent years has been protecting players from injury, and I think we've had a good strong track record of doing that.

"So when it comes back to the players' views, I think as the game gets more and more professional, and there's more fitness staff, they're getting paid more, and they're pushing players to the limit.

"I think regardless of whether you had three-and-one interchange or four interchange, or whatever you do, they're going to push to get the maximum out of their players."

Medical groups are also being consulted as part of the laws review process, which is currently in its second stage.

Anderson said the AFL didn't have a preference among the three options.

"It's not our role to have a view," he said.

"Our role is to consult about these three things, investigate each of them further and make the right decision for the game."

AFL Coaches Association president Danny Frawley told AFL.com.au there were "no surprises" in the options revealed on Wednesday.
 
"Once [AFL game analysis manager] Joel Bowden is finished the second round of meetings, we will get feedback from all of the coaches and formulate our own view and response, ahead of the next meeting of the Laws of the Game Committee in September," Frawley said.
 
"By that time, we'll have a better understanding of the collective view of the coaches."
 
Frawley added that the coaches have had two "great and inclusive" meetings with the League on rule changes and on-field matters