A MORE predictable ruck contest is resulting in more accurate delivery from the League's tall timber, according to Champion Data, as the impact of the new centre circle rule begins to take shape.

Stats reveal almost all of the competition's rucks have seen an increase in their hitout to advantage percentage this year, with the removal of the centre bounce allowing players to palm the ball off with more finesse.

It's the jumping rucks who are finding this most advantageous, with Brisbane recruit Sam Draper enjoying the most dramatic increase with his hitout to advantage numbers up from 21.4 per cent in 2025 to 34.6 per cent this year. 

Port Adelaide tall Jordon Sweet (up 7.3 per cent), Western Bulldogs star Tim English (up 6.7 per cent) and Sydney's Brodie Grundy (up 5.5 per cent) have all enjoyed uptick in their numbers too. 

The improved accuracy is coinciding with each ruck generating far fewer hitouts a game compared to 2025, largely on the back of there being less opportunity to do so.

Fewer ball ins due to the last disposal rule, and a suite of teams opting for a dual-ruck model in 2026, have seen average hitouts down across the board, with West Coast's Bailey Williams one of the only talls to be notching up more hitouts this year compared to last.

Hitout averages 2025 v 2026

It's helped the much-improved Eagle more than double his player ratings points average to 12.1 from his nine games this year – staking his claim as the most improved ruck in the league.

Adelaide's Lachlan McAndrew also has claims on that title, having all but ended teammate Reilly O'Brien's career on the back of taking the No.1 ruck mantle at the Crows. 

McAndrew is averaging the third most hitouts in the competition with 32.3 per game and has played every match this year since debuting in round one, becoming one of the revelations of the season.

Meanwhile, O'Brien – who had been tipped to be one of the players hardest hit by the new centre bounce rules – might not have predicted the impact on him would be this dramatic, having played just once this season. 

The Crows tried and failed in their double ruck experiment back in round four, with O'Brien's sojourn alongside McAndrew yielding only three disposals, one of which ultimately led to Josh Treacy's late match-winner.

The big-bodied veteran conceded even before the 2026 season began that the likes of himself, Tristan Xerri and Darcy Cameron might have to manipulate the rules in certain ways to suit their playing styles.

Player ratings 2025 v 2026

While Xerri and Cameron's numbers don't quite stack up to that of their 2025 seasons, the discrepancy isn't as dramatic as it might appear – and that's the case for a couple of other strength-based rucks too.

Both have had their player ratings points drop, however Xerri's 14.7 points per game still puts him in the top four rucks in the competition behind All-Australian contenders Max Gawn, Grundy and Luke Jackson. 

Greater Western Sydney brute Keiren Briggs has also responded in recent weeks after finding himself out of the side earlier in the season, seeing no drop in his player ratings, while Carlton's Marc Pittonet has also produced an impressive first half of 2026.

Jackson – who AFL.com.au's Damian Barrett declared the competition's No.1 player on AFL Daily earlier this week – has seen no deviation in his player ratings from 2025 to 2026, however he's one of the few players to be averaging more hitouts and clearances, having emerged as a genuine Brownlow Medal chance. 

Playing in tandem with recruit Mason Cox has helped the Dockers unicorn utilise his all-round talents more this season, with the ladder leaders adopting a dual-ruck model that's become common competition-wide.

Cox has spent just over 50 per cent of time on ground in his eight games with Jackson, with the American providing support as a genuine back-up ruck.

The Lions have gone for a similar mould with Draper and premiership hero Darcy Fort splitting duties and spending a nearly-identical amount of time on ground together (70.4 per cent and 64.8 per cent respectively), while Hawthorn has opted to play both Lloyd Meek and Ned Reeves since round one, however the pair rarely share the field, both spending an average of 54 per cent of time on ground. 

It's meant Meek has seen the most dramatic decrease in his output after breakout 2024 and 2025 campaigns, averaging 16.4 hitouts less this year compared to last.

Gawn and Grundy remain the AFL's premier pure rucks, going neck and neck each week as the top two for player ratings, with 2026 rule tweaks helping the cream rise to the top above all else.

While some careers have blossomed, and others have hit some road bumps along the way, the game's most unique position is providing a myriad of ways to generate success for all 18 clubs.