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7 new rules - AFL Rule Changes for 2026
- Thread starter crows dude
- Start date
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They don't care what we think is the answer.
Yes correct.
The AFL know that you support your club, and know that you (possibly) think the AFL is inept. So clubs respond to supporters.
You support your club, you go and you watch and you pay. If the club screws up, you don’t go or you don’t watch or you don’t pay.
You ridicule the AFL, you still go and you watch and you pay.
The AFL know that, and as such don’t care what you think. About the Grand Final venue, about the umpiring, about ridiculous Brownlow vote totals, about these 7 rule changes or the 100 before that. They know you’ll still go and watch and pay.
Just wait until there’s an issue that might swing that dial a bit, then they’ll care. They care about female go/watch/spend as it’s 50% of the market so issues like AFLW, disrepect behaviour towards women, gets their attention. Drugs, performance enhancing sure (Essendon anyone?) but “recreational” isn’t really a dial mover, more a governance one. Concussion, definitely, if AFL is seen as not caring about players welfare there would be a not insignificant drop off supporter wise and certainly sponsor wise.
Rules? Ha, about the only thing that would swing the dial is if they changed the scoring. And even then, I reckon 99% would still go/watch/pay.
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- Feb 5, 2018
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Ah well, it further questions the legitimacy of Joel Selwood's career, so as Hawthorn supporters, we'll survive.
I can see the logic behind all the rule changes, so I'm pretty pleased to be honest.
The goal square 6 6 6 rule is a no-brainer. Having players in the goal square after a goal is not impacting on the game in any way.
Last disposal won't have a great material impact on the game. Players are already hyper aware of the insufficient intent rule. Play will still go down the wings, the main things will just be when kicking it down the line to hit a contest. If it gets knocked over the line, no issue just throw it in.
No cross in the centre circle line is interesting, and I'll wait to see how it plays out. The last two years I have seen a lot of ruckman get over early and essentially block the other ruckman to create space which under the new 'drop zone' interpretation is within the rules. It will make ruck contests more competitive, and with the bounce now gone contests will be a bit more predictable.
Kick-in time to 8 seconds, makes sense. With the mark at a kick in 15 metres away from the square now there's plenty of time for the full back to move it on without any issue.
No ruck nominations is a great time saver. Will wait to see how it works in practice though, assuming it will just be up to teams to organise themselves so they don't have a third man up.
Shrug change makes sense, while ducking is prior a shrug previously wasn't so it incentivised players to try and con the umpire into drawing a high contact free without much risk. At least now, it's either a free for high or a free for HTB, not sure players will want to take that gamble.
The stand change is well overdue. As it was umpired the stand rule was pretty much at the discretion of the player, either choose to stand or slowly back out 5m...as long as you were continuously moving the umpire couldn't pin you as you never stood still. Players were coached to back out and never really gave the bloke who won the mark any advantage to move the ball quickly. This will catch a few out early but honestly players have adapted to every iteration of the stand rule quite quickly so I don't see this being an issue past round three.
The goal square 6 6 6 rule is a no-brainer. Having players in the goal square after a goal is not impacting on the game in any way.
Last disposal won't have a great material impact on the game. Players are already hyper aware of the insufficient intent rule. Play will still go down the wings, the main things will just be when kicking it down the line to hit a contest. If it gets knocked over the line, no issue just throw it in.
No cross in the centre circle line is interesting, and I'll wait to see how it plays out. The last two years I have seen a lot of ruckman get over early and essentially block the other ruckman to create space which under the new 'drop zone' interpretation is within the rules. It will make ruck contests more competitive, and with the bounce now gone contests will be a bit more predictable.
Kick-in time to 8 seconds, makes sense. With the mark at a kick in 15 metres away from the square now there's plenty of time for the full back to move it on without any issue.
No ruck nominations is a great time saver. Will wait to see how it works in practice though, assuming it will just be up to teams to organise themselves so they don't have a third man up.
Shrug change makes sense, while ducking is prior a shrug previously wasn't so it incentivised players to try and con the umpire into drawing a high contact free without much risk. At least now, it's either a free for high or a free for HTB, not sure players will want to take that gamble.
The stand change is well overdue. As it was umpired the stand rule was pretty much at the discretion of the player, either choose to stand or slowly back out 5m...as long as you were continuously moving the umpire couldn't pin you as you never stood still. Players were coached to back out and never really gave the bloke who won the mark any advantage to move the ball quickly. This will catch a few out early but honestly players have adapted to every iteration of the stand rule quite quickly so I don't see this being an issue past round three.
SSSSSS
Brownlow Medallist
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Reeves is going to be a watch.
Was one of the most effective tap ruckman in the centre square when he was best 22. Was completely useless outside of this scenario.
He's beefed up a bit more since.
Cleavy
Community Leader
- Moderator
- #83
"Clubs were made aware of the rule changes on Wednesday after they were approved by the AFL Commission, with further detailed explanations around the nuances of each still to be communicated to the 18 teams in the coming weeks.
But the AFL has hoped to provide clubs with clarity on the rule changes as early as possible, with umpires expected to make club visits and train the new laws throughout the summer and into pre-season."
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or you could just explain it all properly when you announce it like a competent administration
But the AFL has hoped to provide clubs with clarity on the rule changes as early as possible, with umpires expected to make club visits and train the new laws throughout the summer and into pre-season."
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or you could just explain it all properly when you announce it like a competent administration
The biggest dog shit rule of the lot.
As long as the player doesn't go over the mark there should be no other rule needed.
Watch a bunch of bullshit 50 metre penalties get dished out for something that has zero impact on the player with the ball getting their kick off.
The whole premise that your opponent can just run past you while on the mark and you can't do a single thing to defend that is ridiculous.
Garbage netball like rule.
Get rid of standing man on the mark thing
Not sure on last touch to be honest this is more an aflw thing
Like to see if you kick backwards in your own back 50 its play on like to see this
Also maybe if the ball hits the post but goes in the goal side of the goals its a goal goes behind its a behind
but if ball hits goal post but still goes through the goals side its a goal
Im for the throw in stoppages around the ground if no ruckman is there just throw the ball up regardless like this one.
Like them to get the holding the man and blocking frees given more so holding the man.
A free they hardly ever give now is holding the man and holding the ball they are either head high or a tip never holding the ball.
like to see more reward for effort in the game as well.
Not sure on last touch to be honest this is more an aflw thing
Like to see if you kick backwards in your own back 50 its play on like to see this
Also maybe if the ball hits the post but goes in the goal side of the goals its a goal goes behind its a behind
but if ball hits goal post but still goes through the goals side its a goal
Im for the throw in stoppages around the ground if no ruckman is there just throw the ball up regardless like this one.
Like them to get the holding the man and blocking frees given more so holding the man.
A free they hardly ever give now is holding the man and holding the ball they are either head high or a tip never holding the ball.
like to see more reward for effort in the game as well.
Not really, most are extremely minor.
Clamp down on holding the man off the ball as well.
heaps of holding on off the ball and contests nowadays.
a players trying to contest but cant as hes held onto.
Need to clamp down on this tactic.
happens alot in most contests just off from the contest.
holding on off the ball should be outlawed
i understand in the contest theres some contact but off it now give me a break
heaps of holding on off the ball and contests nowadays.
a players trying to contest but cant as hes held onto.
Need to clamp down on this tactic.
happens alot in most contests just off from the contest.
holding on off the ball should be outlawed
i understand in the contest theres some contact but off it now give me a break
- Jan 3, 2012
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Just bring in AFLX and be done with it
The stand rule objectively improves ball movement offensively... are you denying that?
So it's about getting the ball forward offensively with this rule but then penalising a team with the last touch rule if they don't manage to hit a target before it goes out while trying to move it forward offensively.
Makes so much sense
He was effective, then they started allowing blocking. Now theyve gone the other way so should be effective again
So it's about getting the ball forward offensively with this rule but then penalising a team with the last touch rule if they don't manage to hit a target before it goes out while trying to move it forward offensively.
Makes so much sense
Maybe this argument sounded better in your head?
i dno.Huge leapers and tall Rucks over 205 cm ie. with bigger reach all will benefit. Bulky but short Rucks like Xerri can no longer use their strength to counter their lack of height.
Would not be surprised if Cox gets a lifeline now.
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Maybe this argument sounded better in your head?
Makes perfect sense.
The claim is a rule is needed to improve getting the ball forward offensively (a stupid reason for a rule).
If moving the ball forward is so important and worthy of a (stupid) rule then why have rules penalising players for doing just that? Moving it forward.
I think they’re fine changes for the most part, but can’t help but feel like they’re going to be a nightmare to adhere to for at least the first quarter of ‘26 and will result in a lot of soft 50s
LukeParkerno1
Post-Human
We wouldn’t have needed it if umps would pay EVERY game the same way. This cleans up the mess and means less interpretation in the middle of the ground that’s all it’s done. Last year we literally had a game where two identical “deliberates” were paid the opposite way. It was horribly inconsistent this just cleans it up and is fairer there’s no maybes
Only took 5 posts on new rule changes for Nick Daicos to be brought up. Some of you oppo supporters are obsessed.
Kicking the ball over the boundary line does not actually help the game move faster, because it results in a boundary throw in and gives time for 80% of the players to group up around the congestion. Is that really that hard to follow?
If players are so poorly skilled they can't stop kicking the ball out of bounds then they'll be punished by immediately giving the opposition control of the ball and chances to score, so their only other option is to go through the corridor which also creates exciting positive football
- Aug 18, 2018
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Missing out on Marshall? Not to worry we'll just get our man to change the rules first day on the job.
That's just good business
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