The AFL has written to each of the competing clubs for the upcoming 2016 Toyota AFL Finals Series to restate a change to the playing conditions that was implemented at the start of the premiership season.

At its April meeting earlier this year, the AFL Commission approved a recommendation from the AFL Executive that extra time would now be played for all finals, including the Toyota AFL Grand Final. The playing conditions in the event of a draw at the end of normal time are now be the same for all finals matches and apply as follows:

- If scores are tied at the end of normal time, there will be two periods of additional time played of five minutes each way, plus time-on. Teams will have a new rotation cap of 15 interchanges.

- If scores remain tied at the end of additional time, the siren will NOT be sounded and play will continue until the next score has been confirmed. The siren will then immediately sound to end the match.

The AFL removed replays for drawn finals, except the Grand Final, in 1991 and has played extra time in two finals across the last 25 seasons - the 1994 Second Qualifying Final between North Melbourne and Hawthorn (won by North Melbourne), and the 2007 Second Semi-Final between West Coast and Collingwood (won by Collingwood).

The 2010 Grand Final between Collingwood and St Kilda was drawn and the Commission decided earlier this year it would no longer replay the Grand Final, due to the potential serious disadvantage for a travelling team in the national competition.

AFL General Manager Football Operations Mark Evans said the AFL had also detailed the scenario to clubs that could apply in the rare situation if a player had a set shot after additional time had concluded, that then tied the scores - a player scoring a behind with one point the difference or a scoring a goal with six points the difference.

'If the circumstances were ever to apply that scores were tied after extra time with a post-siren shot at goal, with the siren having sounded, in this circumstance the ball would immediately be returned to the centre square with no break and play would immediately resume with a centre bounce. The players would be told the next score wins the game and the siren would sound immediately after confirmation of the next score," he said.