Never content with standing still, the AFL has unveiled a raft of new rule changes that could dramatically change the way footy is played this season.

From a crackdown on players moving on the mark, the end of the centre bounce and other drastic changes to ruck contests, these are the rules that have changed in the off-season and how they could play out on-field this year.

Last disposal out-of-bounds rule

Perhaps the most controversial and talked-about rule change of the lot, the AFL has adopted a rule first used in women’s football and in South Australia’s state league, known as the ‘lasso’ law.

A free kick will now be awarded if the ball clears the boundary between the 50-metre arcs and the last time it touched a player was a clear disposal. The change is part of a move to effectively axe the insufficient intent ruling in a bid to clear up confusion.

The rule was put to its first test in AFL Origin and while it didn’t have a huge effect on the way the game was played, experts were split over one incident where the ball deflected off Zak Butters’ leg and a free kick was paid to his opponent.

It is expected home-and-away matches will feature more of these free kicks, given the elite skill level of the two sides in the showpiece match.

An AFL report into the new rule found an average of three less boundary throw-ins would take place per game, had the rule been in place for the 2025 season.

Centre ball-up rule change

It was a slow death and advocates fought to the bitter end, but the bounce has now been completely removed from the game.

And with the change, the league has also changed the way it will adjudicate centre stoppages. Rucks will no longer be able to cross the centre line prior to engaging with their opponent.

The change has been made to encourage the return of jumping ruck contests, rather than standing wrestles, and showcase the ability of the league’s increasing number of athletic big men.

It is expected to suit high-flyers like St Kilda’s Tom De Koning and Fremantle’s Luke Jackson, but will also force more physical counterparts like Gold Coast’s Jarrod Witts and Adelaide’s Reilly O’Brien to find other ways to manage the duels.

Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield even joked it caught him off-guard when umpires tossed the ball up, rather than bouncing it, in AFL Origin.

Wrestling rucks won’t be a complete thing of the past with around-the-ground stoppages and boundary throw-ins still providing the more physical talls a way to impact the game.

Ruck nominations

Umpires can now restart play at around-the-ground stoppages without a ruckman nominating and they will no longer wait for those rucks that nominate to arrive at the contest.

As part of a widespread effort to reduce the total length of matches, the ruck nominations have been abolished because they were one of footy’s biggest wastes of time.

The game would often be brought to a halt — often up to a whopping 25 seconds — waiting for rucks to arrive at a contest.

The tweak could see the return of smaller midfield players deputising in the ruck while the genuine talls shift behind the ball to impact contests further down the ground.

Shrugging the tackle

A player who attempts to shrug a tackle will now be deemed to have had prior opportunity and will be judged the same as someone who attempts to fend off.

The change could satisfy footy fans’ long-held frustrations with players trying to force a tackler to catch them high to gain a free kick. That should keep the ball moving and make those tackles easier for umpires to adjudicate.

Goal square starting position

This rule change is another of the handful made to cut dead time out of the game.

Previously as part of the 6-6-6, one player from each side — typically the full-forward and full-back — were required to start in the goal square before play could restart. But from now on there is no requirement for any player to start in the square.

Stand rule changes

The highly controversial stand rule — loved by some, hated by others — is here to stay.

Now this season there will be a much stronger emphasis on making players actually stand the mark.

If a player is now within the five-metre radius of where a mark or free kick is paid you must stand and cannot veer out of the protected area.

This rule change eliminates the loophole of players moving around off the mark and will look to create more free flowing ball movement and players taking the game on. This change created just a single 50-metre penalty in AFL Origin when Patrick Cripps failed to stand properly leading to a Tristan Xerri set shot goal, but umpired practice games at clubs have resulted in frustrations around the rule.

Align kick-in time

Previously players were given just eight seconds before being called to play on after being paid a free kick or mark around the ground, but 12 seconds for a kick-in after a behind.

That will now be eight seconds in both instances.