So - I need someone to help me understand a rule I cannot get my head around.

1/. There are now two (2) differently defined protected areas.
- ONE is in effect when the ball is being kicked in after a point. Section 17.3 of the rules defines this.
- The OTHER is in effect after a mark or free-kick - section 20.1.2 (b) defines this.

2/. Apparently the definitions of 20.1.2 (B) also apply to the area defined in 17.3 - hence they are both called 'The PROTECTED AREA'. It reads like this:

No Player shall enter and remain in the Protected Area unless the field
Umpire calls ‘Play On’ or the Player from the opposing Team is accompanying or following within two metres of their opponent. Any Player caught in the Protected Area must make every endeavour to immediately vacate the Protected Area.

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Now - and I know I am prob the only one trying to get my head around this - this means that should a player chase after an opponent into the protected area during a kick in - which is now 24m deep RIGHT ACROSS THE OVAL (the square is 9m + the 'blue dot' signalling the protected area is a further 15m out! - a 50m penalty 'can' be the result. As in, if you are more than 2m behind, that is a protected zone violation and the ball will be moved from the 24m 'blue dot' - which is 'the mark' and advanced 50m straight down the middle of the field.

The umpires are telling me they will be taking a 'liberal' view of this rule...but that is something that sounds cool in Feb but feels a lot less fun in May when it is being officiated like crazy.

I was at a presentation about all this last night and I am pretty clear on the standard 'protected area' thing around the ground. I mean, it's completely stupid and the AFL have lost their minds, but, whatever - I get it. But this massive boundary line to boundary line protected zone that appears after every point that no-one is allowed into? I am really battling to understand how that works, how it is to be policed etc.

Has anyone got their head around it?