The Ballarat, Central Highlands, Maryborough and Mininera Football Leagues will adopt the majority of the new rules that will be put into play at AFL level.

The only two to not be included is the much-talked about 6-6-6 rule, which sees clubs required to have six players in each third of the ground, with one player inside the goalsquare at centre bounces, as well as two traditional wingman.

While runners and water carriers will still have the ability to enter the ground at any stage, whereas in the AFL they are now only permitted onto the ground after goals.

The main rule of interest that will be introduced, and has provoked much discussion, is the kick-in rule. Players will now be allowed to run out of the goal square, previously required to play-on by kicking the ball to themselves, and the man on the mark will be moved back a further five metres - encouraging quick play in order to break defensive zones.

Meanwhile, players will be able to kick around the body or banana after the siren, as long as the angle is not improved. Players can now have hands in an opponents back, but cannot push in the back.

When a 50m penalty is given, a player can play-on at any point through the 50m infringement, keeping play live and not disadvantaging the attacking side. The other rules see slight tweaks to umpire contact ruling, manning the mark deep inside 50 and the ruck contest.

Ballarat Football Umpires Association operations manager Scott Carey said the aforementioned two rules were not introduced because the 6-6-6 would prove difficult to adjudicate 

While there was no need to tighten the standards on runners and water carriers at local level.