AFL 2026

[locky801]

SA should play Tassie

Under the roof

[wenchbarwer]

Former Power assistant’s big Butters prediction

A lot of trade talk next season will centre around Port Adelaide superstar Zak Butters.

The three-time Power best and fairest and two-time All-Australian is out of contract at the end of 2026 and it is widely expected that he will leave Alberton.

The 25-year-old Victorian grew up a Western Bulldogs nut and that’s where his former assistant coach, Chad Cornes, believes he’ll end up.

“I love ‘Buttsy’, he’s such a great guy,” Cornes said on SEN Breakfast.

“If I had to make a prediction I think he goes this time next year.

“I would be saying that he loves the Bulldogs, just a real hardcore Bulldogs supporter before he got drafted."

[Booney]

Here we go :

THE AFL is cracking down on dead time within games by introducing seven new rule changes ahead of the 2026 Toyota AFL Premiership season that it believes will slash around three minutes of match length from increasingly bloated fixtures.

A last disposal rule, new centre ball-up contest laws and a stronger enforcement of players standing in the protected area will all be part of the new rule changes, which were communicated to clubs on Wednesday.

The League has spent months canvassing all 18 clubs and key stakeholders around the rule changes, which are focused on reducing match length and making existing rules easier to adjudicate for umpires.

The rule changes, explained in detail below, relate to:

Goalsquare starting positions
Last disposal rules
Centre ball-up contests
Aligned kick-in times
Ruck nominations
Shrugging in the tackle
The stand rule

GOALSQUARE STARTING POSITION
While the 6-6-6 rule will remain from centre ball-ups, there will no longer be a requirement for at least one player per team to start in the goalsquare. This will be a measure to help reduce dead time after goals.

Last season, the AFL's findings discovered that the goalsquare was the last remaining facet of 6-6-6 to be organised at 10 per cent of all post-goal restarts. On average, that delayed the game by 8-10 seconds per instance. The League subsequently expects the total time saved through this rule change will be around 20-30 seconds per match.

LAST DISPOSAL
A free kick will now be awarded when the ball crosses the line from a disposal between the arcs, bringing the men's game in line with the AFLW's 'lasso' rule.

It will operate similar to SANFL in the sense that if a player blocks an opponent or doesn't play the ball before it crosses the line, a normal boundary throw-in will occur instead of a last disposal free kick.

In the 2025 season, the AFL's findings discovered that there were 20 boundary throw-ins paid between the arcs and 0.5 insufficient intent free kicks paid between the arcs per game. The League then adapted those numbers for a scenario where the last disposal rule had been introduced. Its adapted numbers showed boundary throw-ins would be reduced by three per game, while 0.3 current insufficient intent free kicks would be negated by a last disposal free kick.

CENTRE BALL-UP CONTESTS
At all centre ball-ups, competing rucks will now be unable to cross the centre line before engaging with their opposition ruck. This is born from a desire to see the jumping rucks return to the game.

The AFL has said this rule would not have been possible without the end of the 'centre bounce', as opposed to the 'centre ball-up', due to the variables of which direction the ball can go from a bounce. The ball-up also gives the umpire extra time and ability to assess where the ruck is stationed when he engages his opponent.

The AFL's findings discovered that only 21 per cent of centre bounce ruck contests had at least one ruck jumping in the 2025 season. In 2023, just two years ago, that number was at 63 per cent.

There will still be an opportunity for the more physical wrestling rucks to impact the game at around-the-ground stoppages and boundary throw-ins.

ALIGN KICK-IN TIME
Umpires currently allow 'reasonable time' for a kick-in, which is deemed at around 12 seconds. However, 'reasonable time' for a mark or free kick paid around the ground is deemed at eight seconds. From 2026 onwards, both of these will align to be eight seconds.

The AFL sampled more than 1200 kick-ins across the 2025 season, with a quarter of those lasting longer than 10 seconds and 13 per cent lasting longer than 12 seconds.

There was an average of 21 kick-ins taken per game across the 2025 season. If a quarter of those are reduced by four or five seconds, the League is conservatively hoping that around 21 seconds of match length is knocked off through kick-ins alone.

RUCK NOMINATIONS
Umpires can now restart play without a nominated ruck being present, bringing the men's game in line with AFLW rules. If there is no nomination, or the nominated ruck is too far away, the play will be restarted immediately.

The 'third-man up' is still outlawed, so if no rucks nominate – or if the two nominated rucks are too far away when play is restarted – the ball will be thrown up and will have to hit the ground before 'play on' is called.

The AFL discovered that there were on average four ball-ups and six boundary throw-ins per game last season with a delay due to the umpire waiting for nominated rucks to arrive at a contest before restarting the play. It contributed to an average of three and a half seconds worth of delay on ball-ups and around one second worth of delay on boundary throw-ins.

One particular example from St Kilda's victory over Melbourne late in the year saw two rucks nominate for a boundary throw-in on the opposite wing, despite only just returning to the field of play from the bench. The umpire waited more than 25 seconds for the two rucks to arrive at the contest, before restarting the play.

SHRUGGING IN THE TACKLE
A shrug in a tackle will now be deemed prior opportunity. It will be similar to how a fend, or an attempt to evade a tackle is deemed prior opportunity.

It's hoped this will stop players from contributing to a high tackle, while making the rule easier to adjudicate for umpires.

STAND
There will be a stronger enforcement of players being told to 'stand' if they are inside the protected area.

Now, if you are within 5m of a mark or a free kick when it is paid, deemed the protected area, you will be required to 'stand' and can no longer reverse to being 'outside five'.

The AFL found that more and more players have left the protected area to stand 'outside five' across the last season. In 2025 alone, the AFL's findings discovered that only 58 per cent of opposition players would 'stand' when told while 18 per cent of players went to the area deemed 'outside five' by the umpire.

It's hoped this will see more players take the game on, encourage overlapping possessions and more free-flowing ball movement.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/1447460?fbc ... NpipK78Pbw

[wenchbarwer]

Ruck rules are excellent, very happy with this. Crows may regret signing ROB for 3 more years. Hopefully this is implemented in the laws of Australian football too.

Last disposal is a no brainer, we've seen how well this works at SANFL & local footy for a couple of years now. Also like the shrug being deemed as prior, looks like the Hawks forward line need to learn some new tricks.

[Jim05]

Ruck rules are excellent, very happy with this. Crows may regret signing ROB for 3 more years. Hopefully this is implemented in the laws of Australian football too.

Last disposal is a no brainer, we've seen how well this works at SANFL & local footy for a couple of years now. Also like the shrug being deemed as prior, looks like the Hawks forward line need to learn some new tricks.

AFL should have adopted the last disposal rule across the whole ground. Between the arcs is just stupid IMO

[Armchair expert]

Liam Reidy all Australian ruck incoming

[Booney]

Liam Reidy all Australian ruck incoming

These aren't actually happening, I've just announced it, you'll have to wait for them to get introduced later.

[Booney]

SHRUGGING IN THE TACKLE
A shrug in a tackle will now be deemed prior opportunity. It will be similar to how a fend, or an attempt to evade a tackle is deemed prior opportunity.

It's hoped this will stop players from contributing to a high tackle, while making the rule easier to adjudicate for umpires.

Hawthorn's forward line is f*cked.

[Corona Man]

SHRUGGING IN THE TACKLE
A shrug in a tackle will now be deemed prior opportunity. It will be similar to how a fend, or an attempt to evade a tackle is deemed prior opportunity.

It's hoped this will stop players from contributing to a high tackle, while making the rule easier to adjudicate for umpires.

Hawthorn's forward line is f*cked.

They'll adjust

[Dutchy]

Why even look for a ruck nomination?

[Bum Crack]

If they're going to bring in new rules, how about they piss of the remaining shit rules still in place. It reminds me of when Kerry Packer was interviewed and he said when you make a new law, how about you repeal the old law. The game has gone to shit.

[whufc]

If they're going to bring in new rules, how about they piss of the remaining shit rules still in place. It reminds me of when Kerry Packer was interviewed and he said when you make a new law, how about you repeal the old law. The game has gone to shit.

Yep nearly all the suggested rules changes for next season are in place due to rule changes they brought into the game in recent times.

[FlyingHigh]

They are worried about all this dead time yet still won't crack down on the player wasting 30 seconds pretending to have a shot for goal and then not having a legitimate shot. It's not that hard to work it out, far easier than the unnecessary insufficient intent. Could easily make it a free to the man on the mark if a legitimate shot isn't taken after the 30 seconds.
Typical AFL f*cktards.

And, also, if they wanted to reduce the length of games, just go back to 25 minute quarters and the ball not stopping for throwins or ballups.

[mighty_tiger_79]

Why even look for a ruck nomination?

exactly
just throw it up
keep the game moving ffs

[Armchair expert]

Let injured players cross anywhere on the boundary line is a simple way to reduce match time.

[gadj1976]

Why even look for a ruck nomination?

Cos we're under 11's.

Seriously, everyone talks about urgent rule changes, why is this still in existence at all? If the nearest bloke is 177cm, he will contest the ruck!

FMD Swanny, come on, fix it!

[whufc]

They are worried about all this dead time yet still won't crack down on the player wasting 30 seconds pretending to have a shot for goal and then not having a legitimate shot. It's not that hard to work it out, far easier than the unnecessary insufficient intent. Could easily make it a free to the man on the mark if a legitimate shot isn't taken after the 30 seconds.
Typical AFL f*cktards.

And, also, if they wanted to reduce the length of games, just go back to 25 minute quarters and the ball not stopping for throwins or ballups.

Yep the reason they take the full 30 seconds every time is so they can defensively set up their zone in the event of a miss.

[Dutchy]

Why even look for a ruck nomination?

Cos we're under 11's.

Seriously, everyone talks about urgent rule changes, why is this still in existence at all? If the nearest bloke is 177cm, he will contest the ruck!

FMD Swanny, come on, fix it!

"One player from each team is able to contest the ruck contest, if a 3rd player contests it is a free kick"

Why does it need to be harder that that?

[Jimmy_041]

Ruck rules are excellent, very happy with this. Crows may regret signing ROB for 3 more years. Hopefully this is implemented in the laws of Australian football too.

Last disposal is a no brainer, we've seen how well this works at SANFL & local footy for a couple of years now. Also like the shrug being deemed as prior, looks like the Hawks forward line need to learn some new tricks.

AFL should have adopted the last disposal rule across the whole ground. Between the arcs is just stupid IMO

Got to be seen to be smarter. They're not!

[Armchair expert]