At Saturday’s post-match media conference, Brad Scott was asked about the possibility of an interchange cap being introduced.

"They are going to select a number based on not much at all,” he told reporters.

“I have said for a long time I don't really care what it is: if it is 80, 100, 120, 140, 500, it doesn't worry us. Just tell us as soon as possible and we'll work with it."

That number has now arrived, the AFL commission announced on Monday the introduction of an interchange cap of 120 for seasons 2014 and 2015.

So how much will it impact North? So far in 2013, it has averaged 124 interchanges per game, just four above the proposed cap. The Kangaroos are equal with Gold Coast and just one above the Eagles, who have made the least rotations this year.

Team	Average interchanges per game, 2013
North Melbourne	124
AFL average	133.4
Differential	-9.4

North’s round-by-round interchange breakdown reveals some interesting numbers. The two highest interchange games for the season, Round 9 against Adelaide and Round 17 against Carlton resulted in close losses.

On the other side of the equation, the three least interchanged games of the season, Round 1 against Collingwood, Round 11 against Gold Coast and Round 20 against Adelaide also resulted in losses.

The middle ground which North has hit in the remaining games seems to have produced better results.

Total interchanges	Rounds, total	Wins	Losses
Less than 120	1, 5, 11, 15, 20, 21 (6)	2	4
Between 120 and 130	2, 3, 4, 6, 8 (5)	2	3
Between 130 and 140	7, 10, 13, 14, 16, 18, 19, 22 (8)	5	3
More than 150	9, 17 (2)	0	2

With the penalty for any team exceeding the cap being a free kick and 50 metre penalty for each rotation, the new rule will undoubtedly dominate discussion in the early stages of 2014.

However, North seems better prepared than most after looking through the numbers for 2013.

Round	North Melbourne interchanges
1	98
2	121
3	125
4	129
5	116
6	121
7	136
8	127
9	143
10	135
11	96
13	132
14	133
15	114
16	133
17	143
18	131
19	133
20	97
21	119
22	130