Essendon ruck Lachie Blakiston is confident that the change in ruck rules for 2026 will suit his game.
Blakiston looks set to be the Bombers' starting ruck in the opening part of the season, following the retirement of Todd Goldstein, departure of Sam Draper and with Nick Bryan still sidelined with an ACL rupture.
The 27-year-old was taken at last year's mid-season rookie draft, but was forced to play 11 games as a makeshift key defender due to the Bombers' injury crisis, lining up on the likes of Aaron Naughton and Sam Darcy.
From 2026, rucks will be unable to cross the centre line before engaging with their opposition ruck, with the AFL hoping to bring greater excitement to centre stoppages by enticing jumping rucks.
It follows an AFL analysis which found just 21 per cent of centre bounces had jumping rucks in 2025, down from 63 per cent in 2023.
The ball up replacing the centre bounce, meanwhile, will also add an unfamiliar dynamic.
“The rule changes will make it a good watch,” Blakiston told Zero Hanger.
“There'll be a lot more jumping and agile rucks will be going at it because you can't cross and have a tussle.
“I think players like myself will benefit from that which will be nice.
"It hasn't changed my game too much because my one-wood is running and jumping so I've been pretty lucky."
The East Fremantle product was one of the WAFL's most consistent talls for the 18 months prior to being picked up and has caught the eye in pre-season, with his competitiveness and simple left-footed kicking action complementing his ruck work.
Forward Kyle Langford praised Blakiston's pre-season during a press conference in January, while 20-year-old Vigo Visentini also looks notably stronger.
The pair have been mentored by Goldstein, who has been employed as the Bombers' ruck coach following a decorated 345-game career.
“He's only been in the role for the last few months but ‘Goldy' has had a great impact on me and Vigo so it's nice to have him still around the club," Blakiston said.
“I've learned a lot around body positioning particularly now with the new rules - timing of my jump and using my strengths.
“He watches a lot of vision of us and lets us know what we've got to do to take it to the best in the competition.”
The Cockburn product noted Darcy Parish as a midfielder he had waxed particularly well with during match simulations.
Parish has impressed onlookers throughout pre-season, with winger Xavier Duursma backing him to return to his prime 2021 form after an injury-interrupted few years.
“He is able to get to stoppages early and help all the boys," Duursma said.
“He is an elite ball user by hand and foot.
“He just steadies everyone around him, that is a massive part of being able to have a consistently good midfield in there.”
Blakiston gelling with Parish, alongside Jye Caldwell and Zach Merrett, will be crucial in the Bombers turning around their midfield fortunes in 2026.
The club was routinely smashed in the engine room last year, ranking in the bottom four in the competition for contested possessions, hard ball gets, clearances and first possession rate.
Blakiston averaged 34 hitouts and 16 disposals when he first garnered serious AFL attention in 2024.
He translated those individual numbers into stoppage dominance for his team, with East Fremantle ranked first for contested possessions and second for clearances in that year.
Blakiston's AFL exposure last year gives him confidence that he will be able to play fearlessly in 2026.
“I'm definitely feeling more relaxed and confident than I was in the middle of the year being chucked into the backline which was an experience," Blakiston said.
“I learned a lot by playing there - you see the game differently and I learned things I wouldn't have by just playing ruck.
“That intercepting ability - being able to anticipate and read the game and know when to come forward definitely developed which was nice and adds something to my game now I'm back in the ruck.
“It is nice being back in the ruck but I'm better for that experience because I've lost the nerves and am just comfortable playing footy.
“I think if I just display my strengths - my agility and my follow up work and my work in the ruck - I'm confident that will go a long way for us as a team and hopefully I can hold a spot in the best 23.”
Blakiston expressed optimism that he could play in the same lineup as Bryan.
There is a widespread expectation that the 24-year-old will be preferred once he builds match fitness.
Having played at least one game in every season since 2021, but just 23 across the course of his career, Bryan appears ready to assume the number one ruck mantle when fit.
“Absolutely, I think I can play with Nick Bryan," Blakiston asserted.
“It would be nice to get him out on the park and get some connection going because he's been in rehab.
“With the sub rule going, there is more flexibility to have a tall on the bench so I'd be more than happy to give it a go.”
Speaking to media at last Tuesday's photo day, Duursma poured praise on Blakiston's pre-season.
“He's put together a great pre-season so far," Duursma said.
“He's got a nice left foot, he's very athletic, gets the ruck tap and follows up too, which is really impressive.
“I'm looking forward to having him out there.”
