The AFL is set to propose at least one major change to their sport’s rules and guidelines for season 2026, as Greg Swann hits his straps in his role as the competition’s new General Manager.
As per SEN’s Sam Edmund, Swann told AFL Record that the league’s commission will be asked next month to approve a ‘last disposal out of bounds rule’, among other rule tweaks.
The aforementioned rule will remove current ambiguity around what is deemed ‘insufficient intent’ from players when disposing of the ball, and instead see a free kick paid against anyone who kicks or handballs the Sherrin over the boundary line in between the two 50-metre arcs.
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“All these things have to be approved by the commission. But there will be recommendations put forward and that will be one that we adopt,” Swann told AFL Record.
“We do it in AFLW, the SANFL does it, it’s between the arcs and it’s a kick or a handball.
“The stats show on the games played that there would only be two extra free kicks a game. It’s not a big change, but it’s a tough call for the umps sometimes and we’re almost there anyway.”
In what would be a huge second move, Swann also suggested that the tactical sub rule will almost certainly be eradicated before next season also, in a move that would be supremely popular with the current coaches.
Such a change would see five players named on the bench without an increase in the 75 bench rotations allowed by a team per game.
The 6-6-6 rule is set to stay for at least another season, while changes to ruck contests and the continued use of the bounce by umpires in the centre circle remain points of contention.
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