TICK, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick. The AFL now has less than four days to defuse the time bomb created by the paperwork element of its new interchange rules. However, there seems to be no inclination to cut the wires.

And so, starting on Friday night, when Geelong play Collingwood in front of more than 80,000 at the MCG, there remains a chance the result could be shaped by a player moving fractionally outside the interchange area before the necessary paperwork has been completed.

Swans coach Paul Roos was particularly vocal in his disgust about the paper trail after the weekend trial. But his outburst will have nothing on the fury of the game's major stakeholders - the fans - should a club be penalised a vital goal because a player puts a toenail over the line before the bookwork is done.

AFL figures indicate that eight free-kicks plus 50-metre penalties (resulting in almost certain goals, given that the penalty is enforced from, at the very least, the centre circle) would have been paid had the new rule been in operation during last weekend's moratorium.

They did not specify the incidents, but almost all the confusion was caused by the procedure whereby club interchange officials have to hand Post-it notes with the numbers of the players coming on and off to the AFL stewards before players can leave the holding area rather than after the change is completed.

The Swans will today decide whether to put a submission to the AFL calling for the paperwork element of the new rule to be either scrapped or modified before it comes into effect.

Roos, who labelled the interchange paperwork as "ridiculous" and "embarrassing" on Sunday, was still nonplussed yesterday by the regulation that has made it particularly difficult for players to call changes from the field when they need a rest.

"What no one has been able to explain to me is why we need to record the changes before they happen," Roos said. "We are trying to ensure that it is 18 against 18, and the rule does that. So why the paperwork?"

An AFL spokesman said yesterday there was no chance the "simple" procedure would be altered, and that the clubs had brought the system upon themselves by flouting the rules.

"They've always been supposed to inform the interchange officials of changes, and they haven't done that and, as a result, we've ended up with three instances where teams have had 19 players on the field," he said.

The most infamous of those occurred when Swan Jesse White ran onto the field in the dying moments of the drawn match against the Kangaroos. For that, the Swans could pay a hefty price. It is believed that the first time they concede a free kick under the new rule, they will also have to pay $25,000 - the suspended portion of the $50,000 fine they received for fielding 19 players against North Melbourne.

But, with the bomb ticking, you get the feeling at least one club will pay an even greater price on the scoreboard for a clerical error.

Kneecapped Kennelly may miss just one match for Swans

THE Swans are hopeful defender Tadhg Kennelly will miss just one match despite dislocating his left knee during the 91-point victory over Essendon on Sunday.

A scan yesterday revealed no further structural damage and, although Kennelly has been ruled out of Saturday's match against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium, there is a chance he could return in round 10 against Richmond at the SCG.

Kennelly dislocated his right knee last year and missed just two games. But a series of injuries, including the knee and shoulder complaints, have restricted the talented Irishman in recent seasons.

Meanwhile, Port Adelaide could be without brilliant clearance specialist Shaun Burgoyne on Saturday after he was offered a three-week suspension for striking Hawthorn's Sam Mitchell.

Mitchell was carried from the ground on a stretcher after the incident in the first half of Hawthorn's tight 15-point victory. Port will decide today whether to accept the ban or contest it.

They will assess the fitness of the versatile Chad Cornes, who suffered a broken finger against St Kilda in round six.