Which men's AFL rule changes for 2026 came from the AFLW?
Rule- Australia
- AFL
- AFLW
- Laws of the Game
- Draft
- All ages
- 2026
- Fans
Two of the seven men's rule changes for 2026 brought the men's game into line with rules the AFLW already had:
- Last disposal (the "lasso" rule): a free kick is awarded when the ball crosses the boundary line from a disposal between the arcs. The AFL described this as aligning the men's game with the AFLW rule.
- Ruck nominations: umpires can restart play without a nominated ruck present, which the AFL said brings the men's game in line with AFLW rules.
The other men's changes (goalsquare starting positions, centre ball-up contests, kick-in time, shrugging in the tackle and the stand rule) are separate. Four of the related ones were also made for the 2026 AFLW season: see the questions above.
Source: AFL.com.au, "Explainer: the seven AFL rule changes coming in for 2026".
Added 24 Oct 2026