AFL reverts to 20 minute quarters

The AFL has committed to 20 minute quarters for the 2021 AFL season, the league announcing a return to normality for next year on Thursday.

And the floating fixture will return, with the League set to lock in the timeslots for only the first six rounds of next season.

After reducing quarter lengths to 16 minutes plus time-on this year due to the condensed nature of the season following the outbreak of COVID-19, the AFL Commission has ticked off a return to normal.

The half-time break will consist of a 20-minute block with quarter-time and three-quarter time breaks to run six minutes.

There will be a 50-second gap following a goal to the resume of the centre restart, down from 60 seconds in 2020.

The 20-minutes plus time-on quarter lengths will also be consistent with the 2021 VFL and East Coast Second-Tier Competition.

The AFL is set to reveal rounds 1-6 before Christmas, a floating fixture to exist for rounds 7-23 with the matches and opponents to be set but not venues and times choice of TV broadcaster.

It has been planned for the rest of the season to be released in blocks of four to six rounds.

The controversial AFLW conference system has also been scrapped, with the new season set to start on January 28th.

The complete AFL Women's fixture will be revealed on Friday.

IMAGE: AFL website.