The new rule would penalise players who kick (on the bounce) or handpass the ball directly over the boundary line in between the 50-metre arcs from next season.
It would eliminate some of the umpires' need for guesswork around the current 'insufficient intent' rule.
New AFL football performance boss Greg Swann is a fan of the last disposal rule, which is already used in AFLW and the second-tier SANFL.
Swann is reportedly set to put it to the AFL Commission among a raft of recommended changes to be voted on in grand final week.
Gold Coast coach Hardwick said data distributed to clubs by the AFL suggested there would be about "four or five" last disposal free kicks paid per match.
"It does seem quite low but obviously they've got the data to back that up," Hardwick said on Fox Footy.
"As long as it's not a significant change in the way the game looks, I can live with it.
"I don't think the game needs that drastic a change but the proof will be in the pudding."
Hawthorn coach Mitchell said he didn't have knowledge of the data and wasn't immediately on board with the new rule when it was put to him.
"My first instinct is no, but I'm not sure how much it will change," Mitchell said on Fox Footy.
Mitchell, who played 329 games with the Hawks and West Coast, fears a reduction in ruck contests could lead to tall players being eliminated from the game.
"The thing I love about our game is you can be 'The Wizard' (Nick Watson) and be five-foot-two or you can be Ned Reeves and be seven-foot," he said.
"Keeping both body shapes and all the body shapes in between in the game is really important.
"So I think it's important that they keep ruckmen in the game and we want all those really tall lads to be playing our game going forward."
Swann is also set to eradicate the substitute rule, allowing five players on the bench but keeping interchange rotations capped at 75.
The six-six-six constraints on starting positions will likely remain but there is doubt over the centre bounce.
"All these things have to be approved by the Commission," Swann told the AFL Record.
"But there will be recommendations put forward and that (last disposal) will be one that we adopt.
"We do it in AFLW, the SANFL does it. It's between the arcs and it's a kick or a handball.
"The stats show on the games played that there would only be two extra free kicks a game.
"It's not a big change, but it's a tough call for the umps sometimes and we're almost there anyway."
Experienced administrator Swann left his post as Brisbane Lions chief executive to take up his new position with the AFL in July.
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