The new AFL season kicks off tonight with a flurry of rule changes and a controversial shake-up to the finals format, following an eventful offseason that saw the movement of several big-name players.

Central News unpacks it all ahead of tonight’s season opener and talks exclusively with AFLFA President Ron Issko.

WILDCARD FINALS

The finals system will see its first change since 2000, extending from four to five weeks long as the pool of qualifying teams grows from eight to 10.

During what was once the ‘pre-finals bye’, 7th will play off against 10th and 8th against 9th in a ‘wildcard round’.

The winners will advance to the next four weeks, which are set to play out as per the previous final eight system.

Upon announcement, chief executive Andrew Dillon spruiked it as giving “fans an extra weekend of finals footy, while giving more clubs and players the opportunity to play finals footy and win a Premiership”.

However, a survey of over 5,000 fans conducted by the AFL Fans Association (AFLFA) found 77 per cent opposed introducing wildcard finals.

“It feels like with a final 10, you’re rewarding mediocrity,” Issko told Central News, noting that, in recent times, 10th-placed teams have typically finished with a negative win-loss ledger.

“When you look at a season where you’ve won 10 and lost 13, you’d have to say it’s a failed season.

“Now, [if] you win less games than you lose and you’re 10th, you’re rewarded with a finals spot.”

Issko believes the move “favoured broadcasters a little bit too much over the fans”, though acknowledges league expansion may make it more suitable.

“When Tasmania come in and then they get another [20th] team in, then you could probably go to a top 10,” he said.

“But right now, it’s not what the fans want.”

TRADES

After a disappointing 2025 campaign saw them miss finals for the first time since 2020, the Sydney Swans made arguably the most seismic move of the trade period.

In a deal made just three minutes before the deadline, the Swans prised two-time Coleman Medallist, Charlie Curnow out of Carlton, despite the star forward being contracted through to 2029.

Curnow adds an experienced head to the younger spine of Joel Amartey and Logan McDonald, both of whom had their year hampered by injury.

Promising signs have already emerged with all three scoring multiple goals in last week’s match simulation against GWS.

In return, Carlton gained Swans forward Will Hayward alongside Sydney’s next three first round draft picks with utility Ollie Florent also traded to the Blues in a separate deal to free up salary cap space.

Over the ANZAC Bridge, the ‘Orange Tsunami’ made a big splash too with GWS landing four-time Melbourne Best & Fairest winner, Clayton Oliver.

It came after the premiership midfielder was told he could not be guaranteed a regular spot in the Demons’ best 23 this year.

Oliver brings vital depth and experience to a midfield group now without reigning Kevin Sheedy medallist Tom Green, after the star on-baller recently sustained a season-ending ACL injury at training.

Oliver’s premiership teammate, Christian Petracca, also made headlines, reneging on a long-term contract at Melbourne to start afresh at the Gold Coast Suns.

The 2021 Norm Smith Medallist will be joined at the Suns by tall forward, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan. The former No. 1 draft pick departs the Western Bulldogs after a prolonged saga of media scrutiny surrounding notable absences from training and all 2025 games for personal reasons.

Though, perhaps the biggest trade story was a move that ultimately faltered at the final hurdle. Essendon captain Zach Merrett requested a trade to Hawthorn which the Bombers firmly pushed back on.

Negotiations went down to the wire with neither club able to reach a mutual agreement before the deadline.

Merrett has since rescinded the captaincy though reports have now recently emerged of a potential contract extension at Essendon.

RULE CHANGES

A spate of rule changes will be introduced this season aimed at “making the game easier for umpires to adjudicate and also reducing total match length”, as new football boss, Greg Swann outlined in a league statement.

Boundary throw-ins will no longer occur between the 50 metre arcs when a ball crosses the line off a disposal with a free kick instead being awarded to the opposing team.

If within the 5-metre ‘protected area’ of a mark, players must now stand until play restarts rather than being allowed to retreat ‘outside five’.

Ruck contests have seen the most overhaul with centre bounces being abolished, ruck nominations no longer required to resume play after stoppage, and ruckmen now obliged to engage their opponent before crossing the centreline in centre ball-ups.

This has drawn criticism from both current and retired ruckmen alike for hiking the risk of serious knee injuries.

Both AFL House and the AFL Players Association (AFLPA) were approached on the matter but did not respond to questions from Central News.

Other tweaks include kick-in time being reduced from 12 to 8 seconds and shrugging in a tackle now being deemed prior opportunity.

The 2026 AFL season kicks off tonight at the SCG with Sydney vs Carlton from 7:30 AEDT.

Main image of MCG by Wikimedia.