New AFL match review boss Michael Christian plans to deliver a knockout blow to gut punching, promising any incident will be penalised.
Christian said if a punch could not be graded as low impact, the aim would be to slap the offending player with a misconduct fine.
Gut punches and jumper punches became a major issue last season.
It prompted the AFL football department to issue an unusual mid-year edict, saying the players were on notice.
AFL officials such as Christian and new football operations manager Steve Hocking have started their annual pre-season visits to clubs.
Again, there will be a stern message about punches.
"The AFL wants punching out of the game," Christian said.
"We'll be telling the players that if you punch and it doesn't quite get to that low impact, then potentially you'll be fined under misconduct provisions.
"Rightfully so, for grass-roots football, for a whole range of reasons - we want to get punching out of the game.
"The message ... is just don't do it. We're still going to get you."
Hocking said players owed it to each other to stop punching.
"There's nothing wrong with a bit of sportsmanship," he said.
Hocking has made a striking impact since leaving his long-time role in the Geelong football department last August and taking on one of the AFL's most important jobs.
In December the AFL announced sweeping changes to the match review panel system.
Instead of a panel, Christian is now the sole, full-time reviewer.
The Collingwood premiership defender and commentator was a panellist for several seasons.
While the AFL tribunal and appeals board will remain independent bodies, Christian will work with Hocking where needed.
"It's probably calling out what's been going on," Hocking said.
"I don't want to sound like a smart arse, but I actually think that's been the case for a period of time."
"Am I going to interfere? It's not my style ... I'm there to support him."
Christian is pleased that he and Hocking can work together on match review decisions.
"That's one of the reasons I decided to accept the role - I'm not quite sure with the independence, the sitting outside, it would have been such a good role," he said.
Christian wants much more transparency around his match review verdicts.
He laughed when asked if he is ready for the scrutiny and criticism that is certain to come.
"I've tried to prepare myself, but I'm sure I haven't," he said.
One of the other features of the tribunal system revamp is that it will be easier for clubs to take cases to the tribunal.
"It's healthy to have more tribunal appearances - we went through a long patch last year, it might have been 10-11 weeks, where we didn't have one," Christian said.
"It's a better system and I feel excited about getting involved - it's obviously going to be challenging."
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