How will new rules impact ruckmen like Max Gawn, Brodie Grundy and Sean Darcy?
What are the rule changes?
The most obvious change is death of center bounce, This means that the ball will be thrown towards the center or the ground every time.
This change, along with the fact that “the opposing team cannot cross the center circle line and interact with the opposing team before joining the football”, will make the center bounce look as different as a man who has just shaved his mustache in 2025.
Three new rules will speed up the game and make it harder for big men to participate in kicking contests or get behind the ball and mark, as the ball remains in play and in transition more often than in 2025.
The AFL’s new football performance boss Greg Swann has left no stone unturned when making rules decisions. Credit: Wayne Taylor
These rule changes include the introduction of a free kick for the last shot that goes out of bounds between 50-metre arcs. The referees will restart play from the place where a designated ball is not available or from the boundary throw. Ruckmen will even rush to kick when they receive a mark or win a free kick. Perhaps on the plus side, there are no more substitutes, five players are now on the bench.
Where will the focus be?
There is unanimous agreement that any rule change suits St Kilda’s recruitment of De Koning.
He is athletically tall and has an outstanding leap from center jumps. He is not the finished product by any means, but he will be able to play football like a jockey rides the best horse in the race.
Melbourne champion Gawn has already predicted De Koning will be the next star on the horizon and his ascension to the post should be celebrated as he spurred a spectacular bounce back after fearing the AFL would disappear.
The league’s research found: “Only 21 percent of center jump contests during the 2025 season featured at least one kick jump. Just two years ago, in 2023, that number was 63 percent.”
On the surface, this seems to threaten the future of those with concrete in their boots. But experts say the nature of the threat will become clearer once referees learn how to interpret the new rules.
Lloyd Meek’s ability to wrestle ruck opponents will be somewhat nullified by the change to the center square ball up rule.Credit: AFL Pictures
“It all depends on the decision,” one track coach said. “You can still find ways to intercept or block your opponent’s jump from center, but you need to see how referees award free kicks.”
Last year was considered a free-for-all and the referee’s whistle was unpredictable. Throwing the ball up the middle will lead to greater accuracy and the settings will reflect this, although there are still expected to be differences in how high some umpires will throw the ball.
So there is less consensus among pundits about what the changes mean for struggling ruckmen such as the Dockers’ Sean Darcy, Sydney’s Grundy and Hawthorn’s Meek. Some fans printed Meek’s obituary, suspecting that the rule changes would favor teammate Ned Reeves.
Not so fast, experts say. Being smart enough to adapt is now more important than having a defined characteristic.
Cooper Duff-Tytler remains one of the brightest prospects in this year’s draft class.Credit: via Getty Images
“Center bounces will be fascinating. The rules mean smart ruckmen can adapt. Smart ruckmen like Grundy know how to change the rules and their positions to counter their opponents’ advantage and maximize their own advantage,” said an assistant coach.
Some will adapt. Some won’t. The need to adapt potentially explains in part why the Hawks were so keen to bring retired Lions premiership ruckman Oscar McInerney, universally known as the team’s first man, onto their coaching panel this season.
“Bounces from center have become so critical with 6-6-6 that a lot of work will be required to get it right,” one official said.
As the game gets faster, will the punks be able to keep up?
Ruckman will not only need to jump on bounces from the center or block his opponent’s rise, but he will also need to cover the ground like a midfielder to get involved in the play. Instead of waiting for the nomination, like a waiter coming to the table with three different fingers, the referees will throw the ball down immediately.
This fact has one football manager worried that soon everyone will be looking for clones of Mark Blicav; 198cm players who can compete in stoppages and attack in the gap potentially dilute the notion that the game is for all shapes and sizes. “Do we want that? I’m not so sure,” he said.
Mark Blicavs helped the Cats reach the grand final, but the Lions prevailed in the final decider. Credit: via Getty Images
With three fewer tackles expected per game and umpires fast-forwarding through stoppages, ruckmen may be positioned behind the ball to mark, leaving smaller players to handle the ball at the point closest to the stoppage. This could mean welcoming back the Shaun Grigg-type drifter.
All six experts agree that the marking ability of tall players will always be valuable; This means that players such as Gawn, Cameron and Nankervis will remain on the agenda.
The challenge will be positioning behind the ball, especially with the final touch. Teams that use their ruckmen to bolster their defense also can’t expect that player to falter all the time. One assistant said this was why the Western Bulldogs, with Tim English, Sam Darcy and Rory Lobb all over the field, had an advantage through the new rules. This may explain why St Kilda kept Rowan Marshall despite his trade request.
One coach said the game gets so fast that a tired, clumsy ruckman would have a hard time showing off his skills if pushed too hard. So two tramps or one tramp with different roles will be the way forward.
No one has Blicavs’ physical attributes, but one recruiter thought he should try out Collingwood captain Darcy Moore on his back and copy his father Peter’s skills on the football field. Geelong’s Sam De Koning has been tried before, as has the Hawks’ Mabior Chol.
The recruiter said it was time for the AFL to think outside the box with wrestling in its sights and decide who could play the best role going forward rather than assuming it would be the same old names.
Duff-Tytler’s run was therefore well timed and she entered the competition with proper rules. It will still take time to develop, but the chances of success have increased.
There will be losses. However, after each disappearance, another player will appear. No one sees the rules that point to the death of the rogue man.
“I’m really looking forward to watching how the smart players adapt,” one assistant coach said.
“The rules have something for everyone.”
