![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/poster-fallback.png\"\/)
<\/p>\n
WHAT’S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.<\/p>\n
TWO BIG RULE TWEAKS, ONE BIG DEFINING SEASON FOR BIGS<\/p>\n
The 2026 season looms as a defining one for the game\u2019s tallest players.<\/p>\n
For a couple of key AFL tweaks could break some rucks \u2013 and make some others.<\/p>\n
One of the most significant changes for the 2026 AFL season is the scrapping of the sub rule, which will allow teams to have five players on the bench for matches.<\/p>\n
Early industry speculation suggested the tweak could favour rucks as clubs now would be more prepared to play two talls in the same 23-man team.<\/p>\n
On Monday, the Hawks had a close look at Lloyd Meek and Ned Reeves in the same team with an even ruck-forward split against Geelong. It\u2019s something the team has done consistently over the summer during internal match play.<\/p>\n
After Meek and Reeves played 14 games together in 2023, the duo weren\u2019t picked in the same side for any matches in the past two seasons. Meek (46 games) was the preferred ruck over Reeves (5 games), with Mabior Chol pinch-hitting to relieve Meek in-game.<\/p>\n
\\Lloyd Meek of the Hawks and Mitch Knevitt of the Cats compete for the ball during the 2026 AFL match simulation between the Hawthorn Hawks and the Geelong Cats at the Kennedy Community Centre on February 16, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson\/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Hawks assistant David Hale was noncommittal about whether the Hawks planned to play both rucks in the same side come the home and away season.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think who you play in that fifth role will evolve as the year goes on, whether teams use an extra runner or an extra ruckman, as we saw.,\u201d Hale told reporters.<\/p>\n
\u201cBoth of those guys have had a good summer. I think the centre bounce rule obviously helps \u2018Noodle\u2019 (Reeves) in terms of his height, I think he got his hands around the ball well today, but Meeky\u2019s had a good couple of years as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cBoth of those guys bring different things to the table and we think that those guys for us can be advantageous going forward, whether playing together or separately.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hawks vs Cats: Pre-Season Highlights | 12:14<\/p>\n
At the Suns, Ned Moyle has barely got a look in for several years, consistently stuck behind the reliable Jarrod Witts. But on Thursday night against St Kilda, Witts and Moyle shared the Suns\u2019 ruck load in a potential sign of things to come.<\/p>\n
The Giants, too, would be tempted to play both Kieren Briggs and the emerging Nick Madden in the same side after their strong showings forward of centre against Collingwood on Friday. Briggs booted four goals and Madden added three majors, giving the Giants ample to consider ahead of Opening Round.<\/p>\n
Carlton had a look at both Marc Pittonet and recruit Liam Reidy in the same side, while Adelaide trialled Lachlan McAndrew and Toby Murray against the Power.<\/p>\n
As noted by dual premiership Crows skipper Mark Bickley during the Kayo Sports broadcast, Adelaide appears keen to pick Murray, which would ensure imposing forward Riley Thilthorpe can remain closer to goal.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s interesting Riley Thilthorpe did a lot of the ruck work last year as a second ruck,\u201d Bickley told Kayo Sports.<\/p>\n
\u201cGot a feeling they don\u2019t really want him in the ruck \u2013 they want him dominating in the front half of the ground.<\/p>\n
Thilthorpe dominates in early showdown | 11:31<\/p>\n
\u201cToby Murray might get a bit of a look this year \u2013 particularly with the extra interchange player where you can play an extra tall.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve got a feeling they\u2019d love Murray who\u2019s got a bit of forward craft as well, to have the ability to play forward but also come on and be that second ruckman.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn days like today when Riley Thilthorpe is catching it and looking really dangerous, you don\u2019t want him in the ruck. You want him 20m out from goal marking them and kicking goals.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the flexibility that Toby Murray offers.\u201d<\/p>\n
St Kilda on Thursday night unleashed star recruit Tom De Koning alongside Rowan Marshall for the first time.<\/p>\n
Marshall wanted a move to Geelong once the Saints made De Koning their No. 1 free agency target \u2013 only for the move to fall over in trade week \u2013 but the Saints remained adamant a De Koning-Marshall partnership could work.<\/p>\n
And while neither totally dominated, De Koning had some eye-catching moments and Marshall booted the first goal of the game after taking a strong mark close to goal.<\/p>\n
Tom De Koning of the Saints and Jarrod Witts of the Suns contest the ruck during the 2026 AFL match simulation between the Gold Coast Suns and the St Kilda Saints at People First Stadium on February 19, 2026 in the Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Russell Freeman\/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought it was a really good step for him (De Koning) to build some chemistry with his midfielders,\u201d Saints football boss Lenny Hayes said post-match.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe and Rowan worked well together and they\u2019ve been building that over the last four to six weeks. It was pleasing, but we\u2019re not getting too carried away there.\u201d<\/p>\n
De Koning, too, looks like a player who\u2019ll benefit from the new ruck rules.<\/p>\n
Rucks in 2026 are now unable to cross the centre line before engaging with their opposition ruck. This is because Greg Swann and the AFL want to see the jumping rucks return to the game.<\/p>\n
Suns v Saints: Full Match Highlights | 12:34<\/p>\n
Melbourne skipper Max Gawn \u2013 an eight-time All-Australian ruck \u2013 conceded after AFL Origin he might have to adjust his rucking style.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think some of the guys who can jump are really going to excel and some of the older guys, like me, are potentially going to have to come up a different way,\u201d Gawn told Fox Footy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a few guys like myself, Jarrod Witts, Reilly O\u2019Brien, Darcy Cameron, Darcy Fort \u2013 some guys who have been around for a while who don\u2019t necessarily jump as high as Tom De Koning. So we\u2019ve got to come up with something.\u201d<\/p>\n
One example from match simulation was in the Essendon-Richmond match sim. With Nick Bryan sidelined with injury, Lachy Blakiston was the Bombers\u2019 No.1 ruck \u2013 and he looked comfortable against Tigers skipper Toby Nankervis, using the new rules to his advantage with his athleticism, despite being somewhat undersized.<\/p>\n
It\u2019ll be fascinating to see how dual All-Australian Brodie Grundy \u2013 a follow-up ruck, rather than a jumper \u2013 fares this season.<\/p>\n
Lions v Blues full match sim highlights | 11:55<\/p>\n
\u201cHe (Grundy) certainly made the most of the previous rule of being able to come across the line,\u201d Swans assistant Ben Matthews said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought he played a really strong game (against the Bulldogs). Forever in a day, his strength has been his scramble work \u2013 how he gets after the ball when it hits the deck \u2013 that won\u2019t change. And he\u2019s been jumping well against Pete Ladhams and young \u2018Greeny\u2019 (William Green) at training.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a very good player, Brodie, and he\u2019s adapted to what the game has thrown up at him \u2013 and I feel like he\u2019ll adapt again. Maybe a little less influential from a first hit-out point of view, but we\u2019ll see. As long as he can halve that contest and get the ball on the ground, he becomes a real weapon for us as an extra mid.<\/p>\n
\u201cBrodie is a great pro who studies the game and works tirelessly with Mike Pyke our ruck coach, so we expect him to adapt really strongly.\u201d<\/p>\n
PAIR OF PICKETTS: FOOTY\u2019S MOST EXCITING FAMILY DUO IN YEARS<\/p>\n
Melbourne assistant coach Troy Chaplin could only smile post-game when the inevitable Latrelle Pickett question came.<\/p>\n
Pickett and cousin Kysaiah Pickett were all the buzz after the Demons\u2019 match simulation demolition of North Melbourne.<\/p>\n
But the reality is it\u2019s been hard for the club across the past few months to keep the cousin pairing\u2019s tantalising potential under wraps.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh yeah, he\u2019s looked good. He\u2019s looked as good as that,\u201d Chaplin cheekily told reporters when asked about Latrelle\u2019s pre-season. \u201cWe\u2019ve known what he\u2019s capable of.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith him and Kozzy, it\u2019s going to be pretty good viewing for our supporters.\u201d<\/p>\n
Latrelle Pickett with Kysaiah Pickett after the AFL Draft. Picture: Michael KleinSource: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n
Kysaiah is entering just his seventh AFL season, while Latrelle has only been on Melbourne\u2019s list for three months.<\/p>\n
But after the duo\u2019s performance on Friday, it\u2019s genuinely hard to think of a more electrifying family combination at the same club since Peter and Shaun Burgoyne dominated together during the Port Adelaide golden years.<\/p>\n
Latrelle, 20, showed ample promise with several brilliant moments \u2013 most notably a stunning five-bounce run from half-back in the third term that ended in a selfless pass inside 50 to Jacob van Rooyen. He also teamed up with cousin Kysaiah on multiple occasions in what would\u2019ve been a thrilling sight for Dees fans.<\/p>\n
Despite being taken in November\u2019s national with Pick 12, Latrelle looks like a massive chance for a Round 1 debut.<\/p>\n
\u201cLatrelle is very mature for his age,\u201d Chaplin said. \u201cHe\u2019s got a good story, he\u2019s had to work hard for it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got really high hopes of what he can produce. When you talk to him, he wants to be Latrelle Pickett \u2013 he doesn\u2019t want to live in Kozzy\u2019s shadow and that\u2019s the exciting thing.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe did some really good things today. He\u2019s still got some great growth as well, but that\u2019s the exciting bit about it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Roos defender in trouble after tackle | 00:36<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Kysaiah lit up the match simulation with five goals. For most of the game, he was a level above anyone else on the ground.<\/p>\n
After his maiden All-Australian selection in 2025, Pickett showed even more glitz as he tore through the midfield.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a special talent. We\u2019re only scratching the surface,\u201d Chaplin said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe showed he could play a little bit of midfield last year playing that mid-forward role. He played a little bit of that (on Friday) and a bit more midfield.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re excited because we could put Kozzy wherever we need to put him and it\u2019s not going to affect our system or the way we set up.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no ceiling on what he can do \u2013 that\u2019s the exciting bit. We\u2019ve just got to make sure we keep being consistent with him and that\u2019s what he\u2019s starting to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kysaiah Pickett of the Demons kicks a goal during the 2026 AFL match simulation between the Melbourne Demons and the North Melbourne Kangaroos at Casey Fields on February 20, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by James Wiltshire\/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Asked if there\u2019d ever been moments where Demons coaches just sat back and marvelled at the talent of the Picketts, Chaplin smiled and said: \u201cYeah absolutely.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell for one I wanted Latrelle to finish that goal when he had five bounces, but his composure to find a teammate \u2026 it also shows it\u2019s not just about him. His willingness to bring his teammates into the game is fantastic and it shows how measured he is at a young age. We\u2019re excited by what he can produce.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know what Kozzy is going to do. I think he kicked 5.2 today \u2013 not bad!\u201d<\/p>\n
As the younger, new-look Demons prepare for a potentially tough initiation under new coach Steven King in 2026, the new Pickett pairing arrival is ideal timing.<\/p>\n
NORTH ON WATCH AFTER \u2018UNFLATTERING\u2019 LOSS<\/p>\n
While the Picketts dazzled for the Demons, North Melbourne\u2019s performance would\u2019ve been a jarring experience for its fans.<\/p>\n
It was only a February match simulation, so setting off the alarm bells now would be premature.<\/p>\n
At the same time, you could sense the Roos\u2019 frustration post-game, with assistant coach Michael Barlow dubbing the 80-point loss as \u201cunflattering and disappointing\u201d.<\/p>\n
They were blown away in the middle and couldn\u2019t match the Demons\u2019 more exciting play style.<\/p>\n
The final quarter was a blowout as Melbourne put their foot down with six goals to one.<\/p>\n
Barlow said it took the Roos \u201ca bit of time to get going\u201d, adding they struggled to contain Dees once the footy was in open space due to subpar workrate.<\/p>\n
\u201cQ2 and Q3 OK and then probably playing behind for a lot of the day, fatigue \u2013 yeah. Q4 took us a way a little bit from where we want to be,\u201d Barlow told reporters.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut at the same time \u2013 and we had a really good discussion as a group just before around having real belief and confidence in what we\u2019ve been able to do in the last few months and the back-end of last year \u2013 we have the faith and things will be OK. We\u2019ll get another opportunity to butter up next week.\u201d<\/p>\n
North Melbourne was poor defensively while Tristan Xerri looked well below his best with the new ruck rules at centre bounces. (Photo by James Wiltshire\/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
After six consecutive bottom-three finishes, North has indicated it\u2019s ready to make genuine inroads and challenge for finals.<\/p>\n
But the Roos failed to throw many punches on Friday. Ultimately, they have the youngest and third-least experienced list in the competition.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve got to go work on what you can learn, both individually and collectively,\u201d Barlow said. \u201cWe\u2019re not a side, at this point in time, that can take mulligans.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe acknowledge we\u2019re better than that and I\u2019m on the front foot saying we\u2019re better than how we performed across the 120 minutes tonight. But at the same time, individuals will go to work with their coach throughout the week on what to improve.<\/p>\n
\u201cCollectively, we won\u2019t waiver from what we\u2019ve trained, what we\u2019ve coached and educated for pretty much the three months of pre-season, but also the back-end of last year where we made some growth.\u201d<\/p>\n
Oliver sizzles in impressive debut | 10:03<\/p>\n
\u2018SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER\u2019: OMINOUS WARNING AS \u2018SWANS SURGE\u2019 LOOMS<\/p>\n
Swans assistant Ben Matthews barely hesitated.<\/p>\n
This time last year, Sydney seemed significantly underprepared for its 2025 campaign.<\/p>\n
After reaching the ultimate stage in 2024 \u2013 only to suffer a humiliating Grand Final loss to Brisbane \u2013 a shock coaching change took place in November, with coach John Longmire quitting after 14 seasons and handing the reins to assistant Dean Cox.<\/p>\n
Then came a significant early-season injury toll, with the likes of Callum Mills, Errol Gulden, Tom Papley and Harry Cunningham all missing half a season. Elsewhere, Joel Amartey managed just eight games and Logan McDonald didn\u2019t get on the park at all.<\/p>\n
Sydney\u2019s 2025 campaign essentially ended in Round 12 when it suffered a horror 90-point loss to Adelaide, which saw Cox\u2019s side sink to 4-8. And while the Swans finished their 2025 campaign with an impressive surge \u2013 winning eight of their final 11 games \u2013 they left their run too late.<\/p>\n
But it\u2019s a different build-up for the Swans this year.<\/p>\n
Bulldogs v Swans: Full Match Highlights | 13:43<\/p>\n
Asked how much more prepared Sydney is for 2026 compared to 12 months ago, assistant coach Matthews said: \u201cSignificantly better prepared.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no doubt from an injury point of view last pre-season, we didn\u2019t get a great run of having our top 25 to 30 out on the park consistently throughout pre-season. That\u2019s certainly been a change having most of our top 30 on the park, training most weeks and most main sessions, building their chemistry \u2013 it\u2019s a big advantage.<\/p>\n
\u201cHopefully that comes across in our game style, but also our connection with each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
It certainly came across on Thursday afternoon during the Swans\u2019 slick match simulation showing against the Western Bulldogs \u2013 especially with how they moved the ball.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve watched the Giants build a sustainable brand of footy around a \u2018tsunami\u2019 style of transition play \u2014 and the Swans might have their own iteration brewing.<\/p>\n
Errol Gulden of the Swans in action ahead of Lachie Jaques of the Bulldogs during the 2026 AFL match simulation between the Western Bulldogs and the Sydney Swans at Mission Whitten Oval on February 19, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Adam Trafford\/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Premiership Swan and triple All-Australian Dan Hannebery had the inside word on a tinkered Swans ball movement approach this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cLooking at some of their training and speaking to a few insiders, I think they\u2019re going to want to try and create more speed on the ball out of the back half,\u201d Hannebery told Kayo Sports.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve seen the Giants\u2019 tsunami \u2014 it\u2019s almost going to be a \u2018Swans Surge\u2019 this year, I believe.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re going to try the high handball and give Curnow and co. a bit of a chance.\u201d<\/p>\n
And the Swans were able to move the ball with relative ease against the Dogs, despite what was a high-intensity contest early on at Whitten Oval.<\/p>\n
After getting possession, they looked to move it on as quickly as possible, including switching the play at almost every opportunity.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are looking to switch the ball at all costs, which is great to see, and it\u2019s going to create a lot of opportunities up forward,\u201d Hannebery noted in the third quarter.<\/p>\n
One player who\u2019ll significantly help with implementing a Swans Surge style is Gulden, who was humming with confidence and energy on Thursday as he cut up the Dogs with his transition dash<\/p>\n
Gulden just under 12 months ago suffered a fractured ankle in a pre-season clash against the Suns \u2013 an injury that wiped out the first half of his 2025 campaign.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no doubt it impacted our team last year when he wasn\u2019t there for the first half of the season,\u201d Matthews said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHopefully having Errol and Isaac (Heeney) and Chad (Warner) building their chemistry \u2026 having good players on the park is a definite advantage and helps other players around them<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we feel like not just Errol\u2019s improved, but other players have improved around the team. It\u2019s hopefully a good position for us to be in and some headaches at selection as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gulden hit up star recruit Charlie Curnow several times throughout the match in an exciting glimpse of what\u2019s to come in 2026. The dual Coleman Medallist cruised to four majors against the Bulldogs, getting free inside 50 on several occasions with relative ease.<\/p>\n
Errol Gulden of the Swans (left) congratulates Charlie Curnow (middle) of the Swans on a goal with Isaac Heeney of the Swans during the 2026 AFL match simulation between the Western Bulldogs and the Sydney Swans at Mission Whitten Oval on February 19, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Adam Trafford\/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
For Matthews, Curnow\u2019s chemistry with fellow tall forward McDonald \u2013 who also slotted four goals \u2013 was just as noteworthy.<\/p>\n
\u201cJeremy Laidler our forwards coach has done a hell of a lot of work on their synergy and movement patterns over the pre-season,\u201d Matthews said.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously we started pre-season a little bit earlier, having not made finals last year, so we\u2019ve had a good period of time out there and those players working together, which has been fantastic for them.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve done a hell of a lot of drills, which has focused on their connection. It\u2019s always pleasing when it comes together. The Dogs were missing a few today, so you take that for what it is. But from our point of view, we were really happy with their synergy.\u201d<\/p>\n
JAGGA, LALOR LOOKING TO BOUNCE BACK<\/p>\n
While 2024 draftees like Levi Ashcroft, Murphy Reid, Isaac Kako and Harvey Langford all impressed with ample senior exposure in their debut AFL seasons last year, the footy world missed out on arguably the two best prospects from the class.<\/p>\n
Carlton\u2019s Jagga Smith (Pick 3) wasn\u2019t seen at all after a match simulation ACL rupture, while Richmond\u2019s Sam Lalor (Pick 1) managed just 10 full games (11 overall) due to injury.<\/p>\n
But both last week showed their 2026 potential against Brisbane and Essendon respectively.<\/p>\n
We were looking for flashes of Smith\u2019s brilliance in the Blues-Lions clash \u2013 and we certainly saw them. Mere seconds after lining up at his first centre ball-up, Smith pushed forward, received a handball and nailed a long-range goal just minutes into the game.<\/p>\n
The 20-year-old was strong in transition and active and clean at ground level, giving hungry Blues fans a tantalising taste of what\u2019s to come.<\/p>\n
Blues assistant Josh Fraser said Smith played a \u201cterrific\u201d game.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe way he connects with the midfield \u2013 having missed a lot of football \u2013 and the synergy he brings with them, his composure with the ball in-hand and moving the ball inside 50 as well, he\u2019s going to be a terrific player,\u201d Fraser told reporters.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s so determined, he takes a lot of pride in his performance and he wants to win. For him to get out there and get through and show some encouraging signs, it\u2019s a great step for him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jagga Smith of the Blues in action during the 2026 AFL match simulation between the Brisbane Lions and the Carlton Blues at Brighton Homes Arena on February 18, 2026 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Russell Freeman\/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Lalor against Essendon was tantalising in the early stages, rising to mark inside 50, having drifted forward from the centre ball-up.<\/p>\n
\u201cI actually didn\u2019t see it (the mark)\u201d, Tigers assistant coach Jack Ziebell said with a smile post-game. \u201cI was turning around talking to someone but he came off the ground and told me about it pretty quick.\u201d<\/p>\n
The former No.1 pick was clean and comfortable in possession, attending many centre ball-ups. Most importantly, he got through unscathed in what has been a careful yet complete pre-season for the young star after hamstring issues hampered his debut campaign.<\/p>\n
With the way he moved, played and looked against the Bombers \u2013 while wearing the No.4 jumper \u2013 it was hard not to be reminded of a young Dustin Martin.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know Sam\u2019s a really talented player. He\u2019s had a really impressive summer,\u201d Ziebell said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a junior, he really didn\u2019t get to do any pre-seasons. So where he\u2019s come from to where he\u2019s hopefully going to be, this is a really important summer for him and he\u2019s done everything we\u2019ve asked of him so far. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe was one on managed minutes today. He got through that really well \u2026 He\u2019s going to be really important for us going forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
Parish shines as Dons dismantle Tigers | 12:49<\/p>\n
AND A WORD ON ELIJAH TSATAS<\/p>\n
Eyebrows were raised on Thursday when Elijah Tsatas was left out of the Bombers\u2019 match simulation squad against Richmond.<\/p>\n
After all, it\u2019s been a tough first three AFL seasons for Tsatas, managing just 16 games due to a combination of injury and form after being taken with Pick 5 in the 2022 draft.<\/p>\n
But Essendon assistant Ben Jacobs insisted playing Tsatas in the VFL scratch match on Friday was the best choice considering hi circumstances.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2018Lij\u2019 is playing a full game now,\u201d Jacobs told reporters minutes after the Bombers\u2019 big match simulation win over Richmond.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe came off limited prep. He had some soreness probably two or three weeks ago so he\u2019s been compromised in terms of his prep, missed a few main sessions, played half a game last week \u2013 and with eight on the bench (against Richmond), his minutes would\u2019ve been compromised.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo let him have full minutes in the VFL.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked what the Bombers wanted to see from Tsatas this year, Jacobs said: \u201cI think he\u2019s built his midfield craft well in terms of his stoppage \u2013 he\u2019s a stoppage beast \u2013 and like Archie Roberts, these young guys are building a base of being able to run at the level. So I\u2019m excited to see his ground coverage now.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Our first look at footy in 2026 exposed what the rule changes will mean, while building hype around…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":496465,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[560],"tags":[638,64,63,55,639,85],"class_list":["post-496464","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-afl","tag-afl","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australian-football-league","tag-australianfootballleague","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/496464","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=496464"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/496464\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/496465"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=496464"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=496464"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=496464"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}