No Oppo Supporters 2025 AFL General Discussion

[Bloods86]

I don't think the rule is last disposal though. If you paddle the ball along the ground and it goes out, it's still going to be a free kick to the opposition. But that isn't a disposal.

The AFL website/app states last disposal.

 

[SM]

The AFL website/app states last disposal.

I reckon that's going to look pretty interesting if there's a loose ball and a player just spikes it along the boundary and it bounces out and they claim it's a throw in because there was no last disposal.

 

[Bloods86]

I reckon that's going to look pretty interesting if there's a loose ball and a player just spikes it along the boundary and it bounces out and they claim it's a throw in because there was no last disposal.

Yeah that'd be the ruling, unless they are keeping the right to rule insufficient intent as well (not sure). Same for spoils from marking contests, paddling the ball over etc. Probably going to need umpires to turn into champion data at times if they aren't sure if there was a clean disposal from within a bunch of players.

 

[caesar88]

Turnover stats are going to go absolutely through the roof

 

[SM]

Yeah that'd be the ruling, unless they are keeping the right to rule insufficient intent as well (not sure). Same for spoils from marking contests, paddling the ball over etc. Probably going to need umpires to turn into champion data at times if they aren't sure if there was a clean disposal from within a bunch of players.

Spoils from marking contests are different, that's a contested situation. It's only uncontested touches.

 

[Bloods86]

Spoils from marking contests are different, that's a contested situation. It's only uncontested touches.

I'm saying the ruling is the same, a throw in. Unless they do keep the right to just rule insufficient intent in addition to the last disposal rule.

 

[Adnico26Parker]

Club's article on the changes:

2026 AFL additional rule changes – Explained

Today the AFL announced a raft of additional rule changes to come into effect for the 2026 Men’s season.

www.sydneyswans.com.au

 

[SM]

I'm saying the ruling is the same, a throw in. Unless they do keep the right to just rule insufficient intent in addition to the last disposal rule.

I'm just going off how it works in the AFLW

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

The shrugging the tackle prior lottery = more frustration certain players get much more leeway.

 

[bedford]

The shrugging the tackle prior lottery = more frustration certain players get much more leeway.

Rowell will have 20 frees a game against him

 

[rustycrate]

They waited until the captain of Geelong and captain of the shrug retired.

 

[Millky95]

They waited until the captain of Geelong and captain of the shrug retired.

I hold Selwood personally responsible for the high amount of CTE that'll hit footy players at all levels in a few generations. He is a blight on the game

 

[Mister B]

The new rules:

• Ruck rule designed to hobble Grundy.
• Last disposal rule introduces more opportunities for umpires to be inconsistent with their interpretation.
• The shrugging prior rule provides umpires with opportunities to pick and choose who they penalise like they already do with the fend off and dropping at the kneee "interpretations".
• The stand rule: introduces an interpretation we have seemingly been held to for much of the last couple of seasons anyway. It's funny how we have been penalised for exactly this repeatedly already. Clearly umpires were applying an interpretation to us that never existed in the first place.

Said it once, and I'll say it again. If it wasn't for the love of the club, I'd walk away from this joke of a league in an instant.

 

[SwansLifer]

It specifically states that if a player doesn’t make a play on the ball, it will be a throw in. So corralling out of bounds = throw in (if they can reasonably gain possession I guess).

So only really defenders thumping it over the boundary line? (plus a couple of other minor times).
Danny Frawley is....Holy crap.

 

[RampeRobe]

So only really defenders thumping it over the boundary line? (plus a couple of other minor times).
Danny Frawley is....Holy crap.

My take on it, is that if a player kicks/handballs the ball and it lands in bounds, however is rolling toward the boundary line and an opposition player doesn’t take possession (when they appear to be able to) and it goes out of bounds, it will be a throw in rather than a free kick.

It going out of bounds as a result of a contest will just be a throw in as well, so similar to how it works in AFLW I guess.

 

[bedford]

Move on , it's happening

 

[joeykanga]

With the non wrestling and space apart in the ruck jumps how does Brodie rate. I feel like hes a really wrestling type of ruck that tends to like front position and pushing out the other ruck. What does our resident ruck whisperer whoever that is think about the changes in respect to Grundy and his effectiveness in that part of the game

 

[joeykanga]

With the non wrestling and space apart in the ruck jumps how does Brodie rate. I feel like hes a really wrestling type of ruck that tends to like front position and pushing out the other ruck. What does our resident ruck whisperer whoever that is think about the changes in respect to Grundy and his effectiveness in that part of the game

That seems to be a part of the game that could be very affected by the rules in a less even way across teams depending on the type of ruck they have. Probably not a neutral rule change based on personnel one has at their disposal

 

[liz]

With the non wrestling and space apart in the ruck jumps how does Brodie rate. I feel like hes a really wrestling type of ruck that tends to like front position and pushing out the other ruck. What does our resident ruck whisperer whoever that is think about the changes in respect to Grundy and his effectiveness in that part of the game

I don’t think Grundy’s main value to the team is his centre bounce work, but rather his follow up once the ball hits the ground, and his broader contribution around the ground. That said, he might be challenged against a really jumpy opponent.

I’m not yet sure what I feel about this rule change. I didn’t particularly like the aesthetics of crossing the centre line but, when you combine this change with the abolition of the bounce (and hence eliminate the unpredictability at centre bounces), they might become a tedious aspect of the game. And with a return to jumping, as we going to start seeing the knee on knee collisions again that put ruckmen’s PCLs at risk?

 

[joeykanga]

I don’t think Grundy’s main value to the team is his centre bounce work, but rather his follow up once the ball hits the ground, and his broader contribution around the ground. That said, he might be challenged against a really jumpy opponent.

I’m not yet sure what I feel about this rule change. I didn’t particularly like the aesthetics of crossing the centre line but, when you combine this change with the abolition of the bounce (and hence eliminate the unpredictability at centre bounces), they might become a tedious aspect of the game. And with a return to jumping, as we going to start seeing the knee on knee collisions again that put ruckmen’s PCLs at risk?

I did mean purely the ruck aspect when I was asking about Brodie. I wonder if they even thought of your good point about the pcls.
One of our most famous rucks injured himself that way in the ruck. Id hate for that to be taking good players out from the sheer inevitability and consequences of changing a rule to save a few seconds. Is that why they're doing it.

 

[liz]

The bounce has gone to save a few seconds (and maybe a few umpires). I doubt the crossing-the-line change is about time. It’s a response to the loud media voices who didn’t like the look of it.

It’s the combination of the two changes that is the unknown. If they’d stopped the crossing-the-line but not eliminated the bounce, there would still be a role for the rucks who rarely jump because once someone jumps in the air it’s a little harder to react to unpredictability.

 

[tombomb]

It might make a bit of a difference to Grundy, but it's not like every other team has a more athletic ruckman.

 

[Voula]

So much for getting rid of the interpretation problem. Isn't that the soul reason this rule was introduced.

Fixing a problem that's not there with a fix that doesn't really fix the problem

I agree. Can we trust the umpires to adjudicate it correctly?

 

[Voula]

The shrugging the tackle prior lottery = more frustration certain players get much more leeway.

I'll be honest, I thought this was already a rule. No wonder I used to get frustrated when it wasn't paid.

 

[melbournehammer]

the shrugging rule might actually be the best thing to happen to tall forwards since arm chopping.

now instead of small forwards getting 1-2 frees per game for shrugging we are going have to kick goals from marking and genuine crumbing

Plus they may get more 50s when no one knows who is the person being told to stand when there are three guys inside the 5 metres.