Author Topic: Rule changes in 2026 / AFL to abolish the sub and centre bounce  (Read 17 times)

Offline one-eyed

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Greg Swann’s first moves as the AFL’s head of football have landed, with two key areas of the game scrapped ahead of the 2026 season.

Both the iconic centre bounce and the substitute rule will no longer feature in AFL games, with the AFL Commission approving the changes following consultation with clubs, umpires, players and the AFLPA.

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2025/10/01/afl-2025-afl-rule-changes-centre-bounce-sub-rule

Online WilliamPowell

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The removal of the bounce, just piece of the fabric of the game torn away by HQ

Greg Swan proving he's out of touch with what fans want... he's a perfect fit for HQ
"Oh yes I am a dreamer, I still see us flying high!"

from the song "Don't Walk Away" by Pat Benatar 1988 (Wide Awake In Dreamland)

Offline Assange Tiger 😎

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The removal of the bounce, just piece of the fabric of the game torn away by HQ

Greg Swan proving he's out of touch with what fans want... he's a perfect fit for HQ

Disagree. Don't think fans care, think most of us don't like seeing our ruckman at a disadvantage due to a shoddy bounce that doesn't get recalled.

This move doesn't do anything but ensure every ball up is 100% fair.
I work in Africa and they were taking the pee out of me for saving Africa.......
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Offline Damo

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The removal of the bounce, just piece of the fabric of the game torn away by HQ

Greg Swan proving he's out of touch with what fans want... he's a perfect fit for HQ

Greg Swann (let’s spell his name correctly if taking a pot shot), is a champion bloke and a genuine fan of the game

Saying he’s out of touch is the biggest load of BS I’ve ever read on this forum

WP - you are from the West and should know better ..


Offline Damo

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https://youtu.be/czyPavaUmG4?si=7VsgOJll0sjYGbo6

This Greg Swann

Out of touch with the fans

Legend

Online WilliamPowell

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The removal of the bounce, just piece of the fabric of the game torn away by HQ

Greg Swan proving he's out of touch with what fans want... he's a perfect fit for HQ

Greg Swann (let’s spell his name correctly if taking a pot shot), is a champion bloke and a genuine fan of the game

Saying he’s out of touch is the biggest load of BS I’ve ever read on this forum

WP - you are from the West and should know better ..

Auto correct is a bummer

Anyways ...

He is out of touch.

He said he wants to shorten games. 2 easy rule changes will would shorten games

Flick the embarrassing stand rule and the equally pointless ruck nomination rule. Time saved right there

But no, in Greg's world getting rid of the bounce is going to make the games shorter. He is also a fan of the last touch rule.

I suppose at least he's got giving the sub rule the flick right

There are things so unique to our game and piece by piece HQ are removing them.

Damo, you are consistently bemoaning the how so much of the physicality of the game has been taken away. You say it alot "the game's stuffed".

This is just another example of the game as we know and love being changed not for the actual betterment of the game but because the AFL desperately want to be seen as doing something

"Oh yes I am a dreamer, I still see us flying high!"

from the song "Don't Walk Away" by Pat Benatar 1988 (Wide Awake In Dreamland)