Lachie Blakiston’s Confidence in 2026 Ruck Rule Changes
Lachie Blakiston, Essendon’s emerging ruck talent, is optimistic about the upcoming changes to ruck rules for the 2026 season. These modifications are expected to align well with his playing style and could enhance his performance on the field.
Blakiston is set to take on a pivotal role as the Bombers’ starting ruck in the early part of the season. This comes after the retirement of Todd Goldstein, the departure of Sam Draper, and Nick Bryan’s ongoing recovery from an ACL rupture. The 27-year-old was selected in last year’s mid-season rookie draft but had to adapt to a key defender role due to the team’s injury challenges, facing opponents like Aaron Naughton and Sam Darcy.
Starting in 2026, rucks will be restricted from crossing the centre line before engaging with their opposition. The AFL aims to increase excitement at centre stoppages by encouraging more jumping rucks. This follows an analysis showing that only 21% of centre bounces involved jumping rucks in 2025, down from 63% in 2023. Additionally, the introduction of ball-ups instead of centre bounces will bring a new dynamic to the game.
Blakiston believes these rule changes will make the game more exciting. He said:
“The rule changes will make it a good watch. 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.”
Pre-Season Performance and Mentorship
Blakiston has shown consistent performance in the WAFL prior to being picked up, and his pre-season efforts have not gone unnoticed. His competitiveness and simple left-footed kicking action complement his ruck work. Forward Kyle Langford praised Blakiston’s pre-season during a press conference in January, while 20-year-old Vigo Visentini also appears notably stronger.
Goldstein, now the Bombers’ ruck coach, has had a significant impact on both Blakiston and Visentini. Blakiston noted:
“He’s only been in the role for the last few months but ‘Goldy’ has had a great impact on me and Vigo. It’s nice to have him still around the club. 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.”
Key Partnerships and Team Dynamics
Blakiston’s partnership with midfielder Darcy Parish has been highlighted as crucial for the Bombers’ midfield turnaround in 2026. Parish has impressed during pre-season, with winger Xavier Duursma backing him to return to his prime 2021 form after a series of injuries. Duursma commented:
“He is able to get to stoppages early and help all the boys. 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’s collaboration with Parish, alongside Jye Caldwell and Zach Merrett, will be vital in improving the Bombers’ midfield performance. The team struggled in the engine room last year, ranking in the bottom four for contested possessions, hard ball gets, clearances, and first possession rate.
Building Confidence and Experience
Blakiston’s experience in the AFL last year has given him confidence to play fearlessly in 2026. He reflected on his time as a backline player:
“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. 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.”
Blakiston expressed optimism about playing alongside Nick Bryan once he regains match fitness. Bryan, who has played at least one game in every season since 2021, is expected to be preferred once he builds up his fitness. Blakiston stated:
“Absolutely, I think I can play with Nick Bryan. 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 at last Tuesday’s photo day, Duursma praised Blakiston’s pre-season performance:
“He’s put together a great pre-season so far. 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.”
