Who will benefit from new AFL rules

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Everyone from runners to ruckmen will be affected by this season's changes. So what are the new rules and how are they likely to play out?
By Daniel Cherny
FEBRUARY 24, 20

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

'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.

I tend to think these are comprehensive changes not subtle tweaks.

The three that standout for me are:

The 6-6-6 rule will open the game up a bit in the centre square and tip something back to the key forwards

I'm not sure how well placed we are for this and I think it has the potential to neutralize our zoning set-up straight after a goal
Up forward we aren't really known for contested marks

Prior opportunity in ruck contests we can possibly cover given we seem to want to use both English and Trengove. Where we are potentially exposed is if we suffer an injury to either of the ruckman as we don't have many other options

The kick-in rule could be a positive for us because we have some quality kickers in our back line.

It will be interesting to see which clubs benefit by these changes and gets a jump on other teams.

Pre-season rules wash-up: How your team has adjusted

Western Bulldogs

Midfield: With the Dogs' stronger midfield depth this season, Toby McLean appears to be one player who may be squeezed out from centre bounces. He attended just three against the Saints on Sunday, with Josh Dunkley, Jackson Macrae, Mitch Wallis and Tom Liberatore preferred. Despite losing to the Saints, the Dogs won the centre clearance count 17-8.

Rucks: Used two completely different set-ups in their pre-season encounters. Jackson Trengove and Tim English both played big minutes against the Suns in week one, switching between ruck and attack. Against the Saints, Trengove played the first half before he was replaced by English, with some assistance from Zaine Cordy. Luke Beveridge remains torn on the setup heading into round one.

Back six at the bounce: Given Aaron Naughton was swung forward against St Kilda, the Dogs played undersized in defence against St Kilda's three talls. Cordy played in a key defensive post with Dale Morris, while Bailey Williams may be asked to play taller in the early rounds.

Forwards at the bounce: With the Bulldogs lacking firepower in the front half, medium types Wallis, Sam Lloyd and Billy Gowers often started in the goalsquare. Naughton, who played in defence last week, will start as a forward in round one after impressing against the Saints alongside Josh Schache. Matt Suckling was used in a forward tag against Dylan Roberton, who was everywhere in the first half. It hurt Suckling's stats, as he finished with just six touches from 74 per cent game time.

Kick-ins: As Jason Johannisen remains sidelined with an ankle setback, the Dogs used Hayden Crozier, Taylor Duryea and Caleb Daniel as their main kick-in options.

Other observations: With Beveridge voicing his concerns over the lack of runners, the Dogs reverted to different boards featuring dice rolls from 1-6 on the bench to communicate to players. - Mitch Cleary

Not quite on field rules but the Saints have done well securing two players to cover injuries. Marsh and Rowe will provide some depth for them to cover injuries to key defenders

Spectators will benefit. The kick in and 666 are terrific.

Was in a coaching round table with a current afl coach and we had to try and devise a plan to beat 666. We couldn’t do it. Win the centre break in a genuine 4v4 and reap the benefit. Brave defenders who play in front are your best chance...but who is game to stand 5m in front of their man With the ball potentially only 1 kick away...

Hope Tom Boyd gets fit. New rules would help him a lot.