Centre bounce scrapped, substitute removed

The AFL Commission has approved rule changes to remove the centre bounce and the substitute for the 2026 season.

The league announced the change on Wednesday after “extensive consultation with clubs, umpires, players and the AFLPA”.

The AFL’s manager of football performance, Greg Swann, said the game had evolved, and removing the bounce would bring benefits in “several areas”.

“Currently, umpire pathways are being narrowed by the requirement of the bounce. It is a difficult skill to execute, and we believe is preventing some of our best umpiring prospects from progressing any further in the AFL pathway, despite having elite decision-making skills,” Swann said.

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“By removing the skill aspect of bouncing the ball, umpires can focus their energy on adjudicating the game and consistency of decision-making.

“We also anticipate this decision will be safer for umpires and players at the contest and lessen the likelihood of umpire contact at the restart.

“The removal of the bounce we predict will also have a positive impact in the reduction of game length and produce a cleaner and fairer ruck contest, two areas we have been monitoring for the past two seasons.

“Additionally, it will also create consistency across national competitions.”

There was support among club officials to scrap the bounce throughout games but keep one per match, for ceremonial purposes, at the opening of the contest. However, the AFL has opted for a complete overhaul.

With the removal of the substitute rule, clubs will name 23 players, with five players named on the interchange.

“We have listened to the feedback from players, the clubs and the AFLPA to remove the substitute in favour of a fifth interchange player, with rotations to remain the same,” Swann said.

Players making contact with umpires at centre bounces and stoppages across the field had spiked this year, prompting a significant number of fines to be handed out.

Coaches had the option of waiting to use the substitute rule for injury and medical purposes, particularly if a player was concussed. It could also be used for tactical purposes, giving a team the chance to inject fresh legs – and speed – later in the game.

However, players long felt starting as a substitute carried a stigma, particularly when a captain was asked to fill the role.

The upgrading to a five-man bench is expected to make it easier for clubs to accommodate two ruckmen.

Clubs will continue to have up to 75 rotations per game.

Geelong coach Chris Scott was one of several coaches who had called for change. Scott even took aim at the substitute ruling after his team’s loss in Saturday’s grand final. The Cats were a man down in that game while Jeremy Cameron was assessed for an arm injury. After a lengthy wait, they opted to introduce their sub, Jack Martin, later in the game in place of ruckman Rhys Stanley.

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“I’ll say one thing – and I hope this doesn’t sound like sour grapes: I think we all – and I’m at the head of the queue – will be rapt to see the back of the sub rule,” Scott said.

“Besides the seriousness of the injury, the challenges there make planning difficult, and it feels like a bit of deja vu in a respect. We were sort of waiting and waiting, and it didn’t feel like we could make that sub until we had some clarity there.”

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