After years of debate, the AFL have scrapped the normal centre bounce for the 2026 season.
A part of the sport for greater than a century, the bounce has proved some extent of conjecture in fashionable occasions, with considerations over the pressure on umpires and its troublesome proving a barrier for high quality officers to be promoted to AFL stage resulting in requires it to be eliminated.
The AFL introduced on Wednesday that as a part of a plan to each enhance umpiring traditions and reduce down on pointless wasted time, the bounce can be no extra, with umpires to now throw the ball up within the centre circle as they do for ball-ups across the floor.
“The centre bounce has lengthy been part of Australian Soccer custom, however as the sport has developed, there are a number of areas which can profit from permitting umpires to easily throw the ball up on the restart,” new AFL soccer supervisor Greg Swann mentioned in an announcement.
“Presently, umpire pathways are being narrowed by the requirement of the bounce. It’s a troublesome ability to execute, and we imagine is stopping a few of our greatest umpiring prospects from progressing any additional within the AFL pathway regardless of having elite decision-making expertise.
“By eradicating the ability facet of bouncing the ball, umpires can focus their vitality on adjudicating the sport and consistency of choice making.
“We additionally anticipate this choice might be safer for umpires and gamers on the contest and reduce the probability of umpire contact on the restart.
“The elimination of the bounce we predict can even have a constructive affect within the discount of recreation size and produce a cleaner and fairer ruck contest, two areas we’ve got been monitoring for the previous two seasons.
“Moreover, it’ll additionally create consistency throughout nationwide competitions.”
The AFL are additionally scrapping the much-maligned sub rule, which was re-introduced in 2021 as an damage substitute participant earlier than being expanded in 2023 to be all-purpose.
The rule has been closely criticised, together with by Geelong coach Chris Scott following the Cats’ grand ultimate loss to Brisbane final week.
As a substitute, from 2026 onwards groups will begin with 5 gamers on the interchange bench, although the rotations cap of 75 per match will stay.
“We’ve listened to the suggestions from gamers, the Golf equipment and the AFLPA to take away the substitute in favour of a fifth interchange participant with rotations to stay the identical,” Swann mentioned.
‘Worrying about himself’: Wilkie slammed regardless of sticking with Saints
St Kilda star Callum Wilkie is about to honour his contract on the Saints, regardless of a monster rival provide from the Western Bulldogs.
A day on from ending runner-up to Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera within the Saints’ finest and fairest rely for 2025, the 29-year previous defender reportedly confirmed to the membership he won’t be searching for a commerce, having acquired a major enhance to his present deal.
On Channel 7’s The Agenda Setters, reporter Mitch Cleary mentioned the additional cash was a major think about Wilkie’s choice to show down the Canines’ provide, which was mentioned to be price 4 years and $4 million, with Saints president Andrew Bassat even getting concerned in making certain he stayed.
In keeping with Cleary, Wilkie’s contract is now price greater than incoming recruit Jack Silvagni, who selected the Saints as a free agent in mid-September.
“Cal Wilkie is seen as the long run captain of the St Kilda footy membership, and he met with Luke Beveridge within the final couple of weeks as he explored his four-year, $4 million provide to maneuver to the Western Bulldogs,” Cleary mentioned.
“However he’s determined to remain – the St Kilda footy membership have upped that provide for him to be extra in line and even above Jack Silvagni’s pay fee. That’s been the priority, that Silvagni’s coming in, Leek Aleer’s on an identical ball park to what Cal Wilkie, an All-Australian and star of the footy membership, has been incomes.
“However he has dedicated in the present day, and knowledgeable all events that he’s staying on the Saints.”
Nevertheless, Agenda Setters co-host Kane Cornes wasn’t impressed with Wilkie’s conduct, saying buying round for a greater provide was unbecoming of a possible candidate to be the Saints’ subsequent skipper.
“I discover that basically unusual {that a} chief, the subsequent captain of the footy membership, is assembly with a rival coach if he’s proud of the place he’s at,” Cornes mentioned.
When requested whether or not his consideration of the Bulldogs’ provide ought to affect his declare on the captaincy, Cornes mentioned ‘completely’.
“He’s assembly with rival coaches within the low season, not worrying about getting his crew higher however worrying about himself, and never proud of the contract that he was very blissful to signal not that way back – and go ‘oh, cling on, issues have moved, wage cap’s gone up, such and such is getting extra, it’s about me, I want extra money’ …” he mentioned.
“You had been blissful to signal that contract … if he will get injured this yr, or doesn’t play properly, does St Kilda go ‘can we’ve got some a refund’? That might by no means, ever occur!”
Callum Wilkie. (Picture by Janelle St Pierre/AFL Images through Getty Pictures)
Ugle-Hagan cops weird journo comment on Gold Coast journey
Troubled Western Bulldogs star Jamarra Ugle-Hagan has headed to the Gold Coast in a bid to restart his derailed AFL profession.
The previous No.1 draft choose, who didn’t play at any stage in 2025 amid off-field private points that noticed him spend prolonged intervals away from the membership, is about to satisfy with the Suns in coming days, who’re the one membership with curiosity in providing him a lifeline on the highest stage.
Chatting with media at Gold Coast Airport, Ugle-Hagan quipped “clearly it’s the dream to play AFL soccer… It’s a great place for a vacation”, in response to 9’s Tom Morris.
Nevertheless, Ugle-Hagan additionally deflected a weird comment from a journalist, showing to poke enjoyable at his turbulent yr.
“Clearly, your season went fairly good – you performed properly, and whatnot,” the journalist remarked.
“No remark,” Ugle-Hagan replied.
The 23-year previous has performed 67 video games for the Bulldogs and kicked 103 objectives since making his AFL debut in 2021, together with a career-high 43 in 2024 that appeared to sign a vivid future.
Ugle-Hagan stays contracted on the Bulldogs for 2026 on a deal price a reported $850,000, but it surely appears all however sure he gained’t be on the membership – although whether or not the Suns will take him on board stays to be seen.
Devils’ conflict chest consists of huge ‘signing bonus’, main draft concessions
Tasmania’s AFL crew will get a $5 million conflict chest to draw gamers, the No.1 choose of their first draft and a number of different concessions to construct an inaugural roster.
The membership can even get the No.3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13 picks, in addition to the primary choice of every subsequent spherical, of their maiden draft in 2027.
Nevertheless, 4 of these picks – No.5, 7, 11 and 13 – should be utilized in trades.
Record construct guidelines for the Devils, who will enter the AFL and AFLW in 2028, had been unveiled by the league on Wednesday.
It features a $5 million “signing bonus” past the wage cap to be utilised over the membership’s first two seasons. A most of $3 million will be spent in a single yr.
Tasmania Soccer Membership CEO Brendon Gale mentioned the concessions, finalised after prolonged negotiations, had been important for the institution of the soccer program.
“Having certainty round how we will construct that listing permits our membership and notably our soccer division to speed up ahead,” he mentioned.
The Devils are getting into groups within the second-tier VFL and VFLW in 2026 and on Tuesday introduced former Essendon ahead Jye Menzie because the membership’s first participant signing.
Head of recruiting Derek Hine mentioned AFL gamers had approached the fledgling membership.
“We don’t have to talk to them, they’ve been chatting with us,” Hine, who helped arrange premiership-winning rosters at Collingwood, mentioned.
“That’s been the extent of curiosity. It has been fairly overwhelming. Gamers and administration teams are trying the place the alternatives are.”
Among the many guidelines embody the flexibility to enroll to 18 out-of-contract gamers throughout two years from 2027, at a most of 1 participant per membership.
Golf equipment that lose uncontracted gamers to Tasmania through the concession will obtain compensation floating draft picks in return.
The Devils additionally get a versatile listing measurement over their first 5 seasons, permitting as much as 48 gamers on their roster in years two, three and 4.
There are a number of concessions to present the membership entry to proficient children, together with entry to pre-list Tasmania pathway gamers from two years earlier than the membership enters the AFL.
AFLW listing concessions are nonetheless being negotiated.
The Devils entry into the nationwide competitors is contingent on building of a $1.13 billion roofed stadium at Macquarie Level in Hobart.
The challenge, backed by Tasmania’s governing Liberals and Labor however opposed by the Greens and a few independents, will come earlier than parliament in November for a vote of approval.
A current report from the state’s planning fee mentioned the stadium’s prices outweigh its advantages and beneficial it not go forward.
The Devils are in talks with Collingwood legend Nathan Buckley to be the membership’s first head coach.
(AAP)
