7 new rules - AFL Rule Changes for 2026

[EBERT THE KING]

Has the sport of Soccer had 7 changes in the last 100 years? This must bring our changes in the last 10 years to over 100.
Absolute joke.

No, and thats why they would look at this league and laugh.

Just a minnow being run by pathetic administrators.

 

[RonnieRaven]

Waiting for a mid season AFLX comp for bonus points and going to 8 umpires to help police 7 new rules

 

[zyzzbruh]

On the last touch rule - No mention of what happens if the oppo player corrals the ball over the line after an opposition kick tho. If they don't define a ruling for that situation it won't take long for it to come up as it would look stupid. A player under pressure would be better off letting the ball cross the line so they can obtain a freekick and dispose under no pressure just like how defenders and goalkeepers in soccer protect the ball over the touch line to gain a throw in or goal kick - that would be a blight on the game.

Also the stricter interpretation of the stand rule is going to create a freekick fest.

The remainder are logical

 

[Altum Volantes]

Any news about the wild card weekend?

They would be waiting for the fixture release to bask in that one.

Plus it will reduce the blow of losing everyone's beloved Opening Round.

 

[jannissary]

fan of the ruck nominations changing, felt like it happened far too often that the nominated ruck was waited for too often throughout the season.

 

[Stars align]

Have no issues with any of the rule changes other than the stand rule. Doubling down on this insanity is wild to me. AFL executives need to go.

1000% on the stand rule
If they are going to enforce it should not be allowed when players are taking a set shot on goal reduces the man on the mark to effectively one of those blow up figures that used to spruik Godfrey’s
Secondly can only be enforced fairly an umpire is directly in line with the players and calls play on as soon as the player leaves their line…too many times the player in possession is effectively past the man on the mark before playon is called

 

[Ian Dunross]

It makes the game more like soccer and discourages important AFL strategies.
The solution to a bad rule is not to make a far worse rule to avoid ambiguity.

Deliberately kicking the ball out of bounds is an important strategy that we want to preserve, why?

 

[JPetro83]

Any news about the wild card weekend?

I was hoping they would scrap the pre finals bye and have a bye week in-between the Premlim finals and GF

 

[lalorGOAT]

Deliberately kicking the ball out of bounds is an important strategy that we want to preserve, why?

You haven't been able to do that in decades.

 

[TheLastCall]

On the last touch rule - No mention of what happens if the oppo player corrals the ball over the line after an opposition kick tho. If they don't define a ruling for that situation it won't take long for it to come up as it would look stupid. A player under pressure would be better off letting the ball cross the line so they can obtain a freekick and dispose under no pressure just like how defenders and goalkeepers in soccer protect the ball over the touch line to gain a throw in or goal kick - that would be a blight on the game.

Also the stricter interpretation of the stand rule is going to create a freekick fest.

The remainder are logical

If a player corrals the ball over the line (to try to get the free), it's a throw in. That's covered in the rule.

 

[Liam Boy]

The ruck rule seems pretty arbitrary, all the other rules seem clearly designed to improve the speed of the game, but this one's just kind of an aesthetic preference? Why do we want guys to be able to jump at each other like maniacs instead of doing grounded body work, isn't that more dangerous?

 

[THECHIEFTON]

All these rule changes and they missed the majority of things that need to be changed. Like actually paying incorrect disposal and pushes in the back in marking contests. Plus should have got rid of the stand rule and contact below the knees.

 

[zyzzbruh]

All these rule changes and they missed the majority of things that need to be changed. Like actually paying incorrect disposal and pushes in the back in marking contests. Plus should have got rid of the stand rule and contact below the knees.

Incorrect disposal is a rule, it's just not applicable if the player does not have prior opportunity to actually do anything with his possession - which is fair.

 

[Xtreme]

Last disposal, sheesh, this sport is run by a bunch of morons.

Swan is making things worse, not better


May as well completely strip away the fabric of the game.

 

[YeoShuey]

Stupid rule changes.

How long until they get rid of boundary umpires now? The last disposal rule is heading in that direction.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

On the last touch rule - No mention of what happens if the oppo player corrals the ball over the line after an opposition kick tho. If they don't define a ruling for that situation it won't take long for it to come up as it would look stupid. A player under pressure would be better off letting the ball cross the line so they can obtain a freekick and dispose under no pressure just like how defenders and goalkeepers in soccer protect the ball over the touch line to gain a throw in or goal kick - that would be a blight on the game.

Don't sweat it, you're going to love it. I follow SANFL and was dubious when we introduced it. By the end of the first season, I loved it. No more worrying about insufficient attempts, etc.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

The ruck rule seems pretty arbitrary, all the other rules seem clearly designed to improve the speed of the game, but this one's just kind of an aesthetic preference? Why do we want guys to be able to jump at each other like maniacs instead of doing grounded body work, isn't that more dangerous?

The thing with the ruck rules that needed to change is that clarity on what is a free and what isn't.
It's ridiculous seeing free kicks paid in such a high percentage of ruck contests and the rucks don't even konw who gets the free when the whistle blows.

I'm not sure this fixes that?

 

[powerrrrrrrrrrrr]

Can see a lot of arguments brewing next year here on what constitutes a shrug and htb under this new interpretation next year.

Like the current interpretation, some players will be penalised to the ends of the earth if an opponent breaths on them while others can shrug 20 tackles and be deemed play on.

 

[Xtreme]

Don't sweat it, you're going to love it. I follow SANFL and was dubious when we introduced it. By the end of the first season, I loved it. No more worrying about insufficient attempts, etc.

So instead of having teams like Geelong appealing for LBW after the ball goes out of bounds... we're going to get finger pointing just like in the Spider-man gif..... every player pointing at the other claiming that they touched it last.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

Can see a lot of arguments brewing next year here on what constitutes a shrug and htb under this new interpretation next year.

Like the current interpretation, some players will be penalised to the ends of the earth if an opponent breaths on them while others can shrug 20 tackles and be deemed play on.

I think the players like Newcombe, Rowell, Cripps will shrug players off and not get called HTB. Whereas other players will get called for it. (The rule is that if an additional tackle comes in it's HTB).

 

[hawkman]

I think these guys benefit:

• TDK
• Luke Jackson
• Mark Blicavs
• Draper

And, these guys suffer greatly:

• Pittonet
• ROB
• Briggs
• Sweet
• Nank

Then, these guys will probably remain just as effective:

• Witts
• Meek
• Gawn
• Grundy
• Cameron
• Xerri
• English
• Marshall

But happy to be corrected/challenged on some of these - I just know TDK will benefit a LOT

Think Meek may have a little trouble with it but it will see Chol do more centre ruck work who will enjoy it

 

[TheLastCall]

I think most of the changes make sense. Prepare for more rucks doing their knees. They need to make sure jumping rucks don't raise their knees in the contest, to stop the situation they introduced the circle for in the first place.

 

[FlyHigh18]

It makes the game more like soccer and discourages important AFL strategies.
The solution to a bad rule is not to make a far worse rule to avoid ambiguity.

lol wtf? If your strategy is to sneak the ball out then go play a different sport.

 

[crows dude]

I saw it live frequently with the club I sponsor locally. It is horrible. Results in about 5-10 free kicks a quarter.

Its basically that now anyway so not much changes.

 

[FlyHigh18]

"Reducing dead time within matches was a key focus of the meetings, with the AFL hoping to slash around three minutes of total game length as a result of the impending rule changes."

All this for 3 bloody minutes.

Personally i feel it's abit of a mixed bag. I like last out, ball up and goal square changes, hate the centre circle ruck change, and the stand rule should have buggered off.