Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size To quote Bob Dylan, The times they are a changin’. Footy will have a new look this year. The league has unveiled a package of rule and interpretation changes after almost a year’s consultation and analysis. “We have listened to our fans, players, coaches, umpires and clubs," said AFL football operations chief Steven Hocking, who already has a strong reputation as a change agent. “The rule changes and interpretations protect and respect the traditions of Australian football while progressing our game. “We all want more of what makes our game great – free-flowing passages of play, one-on-one contests, and players having space to play on instinct. “These changes are about giving players the best chance to play the best game, and giving the fans more of what they love." Fans are beginning to glimpse the changes in pre-season, intra-club games and practice matches, although the proof of the changes’ exact impacts probably won’t be apparent until the season proper.


For the moment, we are left to wonder what might happen. So what are the new rules and what difference do insiders think they'll make? The "6-6-6" rule for centre bounces Our take on the new rule The 6-6-6 rule is probably the most dramatic of the changes. It means players are placed into zones at the start of every quarter and every goal. Notwithstanding the rules preventing more than four players from starting in the second square, one of the most distinctive elements of football has been that players are allowed to roam the field, in contrast to other codes.


It must be stressed that once the ball has been bounced, players can run around freely so there is nothing stopping teams from putting a player behind the ball as soon as they are allowed to. The rationale behind the rule is to open up forward lines, and maximise the chances of old-fashioned one-on-one battles inside forward 50. One AFL club’s assistant coach suggested that scores from centre bounces would increase, and that the rule would make it harder to defend. Who could benefit? This should, in theory, benefit players who are strong contested marks in one-on-ones. St Kilda’s Paddy McCartin looms as the type of forward who could be helped by the rule as he is more likely to be afforded space. Paddy McCartin may be the type of player who gets a boost from the 6-6-6 rule. Credit:Matthew Absalom-Wong


The man-on-the-mark rule For all defenders who take a mark or gain a free kick within nine metres of their own goal, the man on the mark for the attacking team will be brought in line with the top of the goal square. Our take on the rule This is similar to the rule whereby any player who marks the ball in the goal square is sent to take a set shot from the top of the square rather than the angle they mark the ball on, which had been the case in the past. This rule is designed to enhance the chances of teams using the centre corridor to attack, similar to the kick-in rules. It should open up more attacking opportunities for defending teams, theoretically driving up scoring. The kick-in rules For kick-ins from a behind, a player will no longer need to kick to himself to play on out of the goal square.


Our take on the rules These rules were alternatives to the bigger goal square trialled last year in the VFL. The idea here is to allow clubs to rebound faster and more freely from defence, which should mean the ball reaches the middle of the ground more often from kick-ins and, in theory, increase the number of coast-to-coast goals. There was some intrigue around how Champion Data would count kicks with this new rule. Kick-ins were counted as kicks only when players kicked to themselves and played on beyond the goal square. While they no longer need to kick to themselves, players will still only be awarded a statistical kick when they kick from beyond the goal square. Who could benefit? Players such as West Coast premiership captain Shannon Hurn, known for being a prodigious kick, loom as particularly dangerous. Hurn will be able to kick in faster and from a more attacking position. The new kick-in rule will unleash the potential of players such as Shannon Hurn. Credit:Matthew Absalom-Wong


Prior opportunity gone in ruck contests A ruck player who takes possession of the football while contesting a bounce or throw-up by a field umpire, or a boundary throw-in by a boundary umpire, will not be regarded as having had prior opportunity. Where there is uncertainty over who is the designated ruck, the ruck for each team will continue to nominate to the field umpire. Our take on the rule This is one of the big-ticket rule changes. Whereas teams could use undersized players such as Richmond’s Shaun Grigg to concede the tap in a ruck contest but benefit from having an extra midfielder on the ground, the fact that ruckmen will now be able to grab the ball and use it means the benefit of having a good ruckman will be accentuated. Who could benefit? Teams are more likely to play two specialist ruckmen in their side, giving an opportunity to the likes of Melbourne recruit Braydon Preuss to play alongside Max Gawn. When Preuss was at North Melbourne, the Kangaroos had been reluctant for him to play in the same team as Todd Goldstein, but this new rule protects old-school ruckmen much like the "third-man up" rule implemented for the 2017 season. One player also suggested to The Age that teams could use this new rule to waste time and cause repeat stoppages given players won’t be penalised for grabbing the ball from the ruck contest. Umpire contact no-go zone Umpire Contact Field umpires to pay free kicks for clear careless contact with an umpire.

Field umpires to vary their approach line to centre bounces where it is apparent players are favouring a certain side of the centre circle and clearly signal their exit path. A Free Kick may be awarded: a)If a player from either team makes clear careless contact with the Umpire and the infringing player is easily identifiable. b)If a player pushes an opponent into the umpire's path and the infringing player is easily identifiable. Our take on the rule Umpire contact was a big talking point at times last year, with incidents involving Ed Curnow, Charlie Curnow, Dustin Martin, Steven May, Willie Rioli and Tom Hawkins all making headlines. A handful of players received suspensions while a host were fined. The idea of this rule is to reduce umpire contact, which had been more likely to happen at centre bounces given umpires move backwards after bouncing the ball. The 50-metre penalty rule Stricter on the infringing player, allowing the player with the ball to advance the mark by 50 metres without the infringing player delaying the game.

In addition, the player with the football will be able to play on during the advancement of the 50-metre penalty. Our take on the rule This could be quite dramatic. The idea is to stop players who give away 50-metre penalties from stalling the player who receives the free kick. One club assistant coach said he expected players would take ground and then sprint when given the opportunity to play on from a 50-metre penalty. Who could benefit? The change is likely to be more pronounced when a fast player receives the penalty and a relatively slow player has infringed. Speedsters such as Essendon’s Adam Saad and Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti loom as the kind of players who could benefit. Adam Saad and Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti: there will be holding them back under the new rules. Credit:Matthew Absalom-Wong The post-siren set shot rule A player who has been awarded a mark or free kick once play has ended will now be able to kick across their body using a snap or check-side kick. The player shall dispose of the football directly in line with the man on the mark and the goal. Our take on the rule This rule is an acknowledgement that many players prefer to kick around their body rather than with a traditional drop punt when taking a set shot. Who could benefit? Previously, players hadn’t been allowed to snap after the siren, meaning they sometimes had to use a method they didn’t prefer. But this rule means exponents of the “set-snap” such as new Sydney forward Daniel Menzel and Hawthorn recruit Chad Wingard will be able to do what feels natural. There will be no cramping the style of set-snappers Chad Wingard and Daniel Menzel. Credit:Matthew Absalom-Wong 'Hands in the back' rule gone The hands in the back rule interpretation is to be repealed, allowing a player to place his hands on the back of his opponent to protect his position in a marking contest – but not to push the player in the back. Our take on the rule The hands in the back rule had been in place for more than a decade but never proven particularly popular with players or fans because of the seemingly incidental contact that it penalised. Perhaps the most famous instance of the rule drawing ire came in 2007 when Richmond star Matthew Richardson was penalised in a moment that arguably cost the Tigers a close game against Essendon. Who could benefit? The change could allow forwards more latitude to hold their ground but, most of all, it should cut down the penalisation of very minor contact. Limits on runners and water carriers on ground Team runners may enter the playing surface only once a goal has been kicked and must exit the playing surface before play re-commences.

Water carriers are not permitted to enter the playing surface during live play. Our take on the rule The aim here is to de-clutter. The movements of runners, in particular, have been a talking point for several years, with suggestions that some spend too much time on the ground, playing a role well beyond their remit as the spreaders of messages to players. In 2017, Greater Western Sydney runner Nick Maxwell was scrutinised after allegedly lingering on the ground to block space. Sydney counterpart Jeremy Laidler also came under fire last year. Who could benefit? There is a school of thought that with runners less free to enter the field, teams who have stronger on-field leaders such as Luke Hodge will benefit, because players like the Brisbane Lions general serve as on-field coaches who can marshall teammates without needing to receive a message from coaches.