The AFL has introduced an extra bye at the end of the minor round to allow the top eight clubs to prepare for the 2016 finals.
Concerns over the integrity of the last round led to the change, which the AFL hopes will ensure that finals-bound clubs no longer select half-strength teams to close out the home and away season.
The final round of the 2016 Toyota AFL premiership season will be played across the weekend of August 26-28, a fortnight before the opening weekend of the finals.
"The AFL has introduced a bye week before the finals so that those clubs playing in September can have the best possible lead-in and preparation for the most important matches of our season," AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said on Thursday.
The 2016 finals series will start on the weekend of September 10-12 and the Grand Final will be held on October 1.
The League has yet to indicate how it will fill the 'football-free' weekend between round 23 and the commencement of the finals, however discussions are already underway with broadcasters and other stakeholders as to how to fill the void.
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