Ross Lyon saw this trend before it happened. Now his Saints have the weapons to fire

Enough evidence is in. Every team has played eight games, and it’s clear what is separating the best from the rest in season 2026.

It’s all about what teams do in the ruck and off their half-back line.

The legitimate premiership contenders all have a pair of ruckmen who complement each other, and the ability to slingshot the ball from defence with devastating speed and efficiency.

Those blessed with those weapons already occupy the highest spots on the ladder and have benefited from this year’s rule changes, which have made the game quicker and more ballistic. Those without have been exposed, and will continue to be as the season goes on.

It’s now impossible to hide for teams who are one dimensional in the rucking department or unable to exit cleanly from their backline.

Rucking renaissance

This year more than ever, ruckmen are shaping the midfield set-up of their teams.

Those who can jump and time their leap now have an advantage at centre ball-ups because the new rules prevent them from crossing the line to engage their opponent. That’s allowed some teams to exit congestion in cleaner, swifter fashion, helping them play in their front half and forcing their opposition to constantly defend.

That’s not to say the midfielders around the big men aren’t as important as they’ve always been, but those teams without the right ruck set-up are fighting an uphill battle.

And increasingly, one ruck just isn’t enough, especially now that the substitute has been abolished and there is now an additional (fifth) player on each team’s interchange bench.

The best teams no longer rely on a single dominant presence. They build depth and contrast. The perfect combination has two defined roles – I call them the “leaper” and the “battler”.

The leaper brings energy at centre bounces, the battler absorbs the physical contests around the ground. It’s no coincidence that the sides many of these sides sit in the top five on the ladder.

It also provides flexibility. The teams with two rucks have got the luxury of resting one forward without losing their presence around the ball – and in a high-transition game, that’s a genuine advantage.

At Hawthorn, the balance is clear. Ned Reeves is the leaper, providing the aerial presence, while Lloyd Meek is the battler who delivers the physical edge.

At Fremantle, the structure is layered. Sean Darcy anchors the contest when available, while Luke Jackson adds mobility and forward impact. When Darcy went out, Mason Cox came in to compete in the ruck and up forward.

Even tireless ruck stalwarts Brodie Grundy and Max Gawn, who in the past have preferred to operate solo, are learning to job-share.

Sydney have leaned heavily on Grundy since he arrived three years ago. His ability to compete, follow up and accumulate possessions gives them far more than first use of the football. He collected 45 hitouts, 26 disposals and a goal against Gawn at the weekend – a magnificent performance in his 250th game – and is the reason the Swans are among the best in the competition for hitouts to advantage (34 per cent), consistently giving their midfield first look.

Importantly, the Swans are building depth behind Grundy. Peter Ladhams’ VFL performance two weeks ago – 39 disposals (28 contested), 47 hitouts, 15 clearances – shows they have cover at hand.

An eight-time All-Australian ruckman, Gawn has long given Melbourne an advantage at ball-ups, but even they’ve moved to support him with Max Heath. It’s no coincidence that the Dees are playing some of their best footy. Currently, he’s the No.1 ruck in the competition for disposals and clearances.

The Brisbane Lions’ pairing of Sam Draper, the leaper, and Darcy Fort, the battler, allows them to stay competitive across all phases of the game. They are the No.1 team in the competition for clearance differential, averaging an advantage of 9.9 per game.

It’s not just about contest either. The best rucks are making an impact on the scoreboard. Grundy, Gawn and Jackson all rank among the top rucks for score involvements this season – again, from teams inside the top five.

One coach who it seems predicted this shift was Ross Lyon. He brought in Tom De Koning while backing in Rowan Marshall, and also investing heavily to retain half-back Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera.

All three had a huge influence last weekend, contributing six goals in a second-half demolition against Carlton.

Expect the Saints to be in the finals mix by the end of the home-and-away season. Similarly, all the teams finding form currently have these bones, North with Tristan Xerri, Port with Jordan Sweet.

To reinforce this, when a ruck goes down, the impact is immediate.

Tim English missed a few weeks and the Western Bulldogs didn’t just lose a player – they lost structure. Their ability to compete at stoppages and stabilise their ball movement shifted, and the losses followed. Getting him back on Friday night against Fremantle was a key reason they were competitive again.

A similar pattern played out with Geelong when Mark Blicavs went down against Port Adelaide in round seven. Sweet took control with 13 hitouts to advantage and a goal – and the momentum followed. The same way Xerri did in round eight against Mitchell Edwards.

It also highlights a broader issue for Geelong. Their ruck output has been limited, with Edwards and Blicavs averaging just seven and 14 disposals respectively and a hitout-to-advantage percentage that is the lowest in the AFL.

It puts added pressure on their midfield to compensate. They’ve been able to cover it at times – reading opposition taps, sharking the ball and staying competitive – but that’s not a system you can rely on across 24 rounds.

Half-back heroes

But clearances are not the only source from which teams gain control of the ball. Once the ball leaves a stoppage, the half-back line becomes just as important.

Those not winning clearances need the weapons to regain the ball at half-back, reset and repel. In a high-transition game, leg speed is vital. Harsher restrictions on players standing the mark and the introduction of last-disposal free kicks between the 50m arcs have only increased the need for speed and precision through the middle. The best teams absorb messy moments and turn them into territory with composure and intent.

The numbers highlight the shift. The top sides convert about 25 to 30 per cent of rebound 50s into
inside 50s – nearly one in four defensive exits becomes an attacking entry. The best also turn those chains into scores at the highest rate.

At Sydney, that balance comes through Callum Mills and Nick Blakey. They sit top three in the AFL for both turning rebound-50s to inside-50s (30.2 per cent) and turning rebounds into scores (13 per cent).

At Hawthorn, the depth is just as important. Massimo D’Ambrosio, Jarman Impey, Blake Hardwick and Karl Amon all contribute. They are high metres-gained players, often featuring in their team’s top disposal getters. Given how many inside-50s the Hawks generate, what’s most important is their decision-making and quality of kicking off half-back.

For example, GWS repel the ball of their half-back line as well as any team in the competition, but they only take 20 per cent of those opportunities into their forward 50m. The reason they’re getting so much of the ball at half-back is because they’re losing the ball at stoppages due to their limited ruck options, and that forces them to defend first and launch their attacks from behind the ball.

At the Lions, Darcy Wilmot, Jaspa Fletcher, Keidean Coleman and Dayne Zorko highlight the same theme – layers. Coach Chris Fagan clearly understands the importance of having a swarm of quality ball-users across half-back to rebound with speed and offensive dash.

It’s the same story at Collingwood, where Josh Daicos and Dan Houston sit among the league’s top defenders for disposals and score involvements.

What separates the best sides is depth. They don’t rely on one player to exit defence – they
have multiple players who can make the right decisions under pressure.

The best teams right now have both their rucks and their half-back line harmonising with the other areas of their game.

Sydney have the most balanced profile in the competition thus far – top two for hitouts to advantage, top three for turning rebound-50s into inside-50s, and top two for converting those chains into scores, not to mention Grundy, the best ruckman in the competition right now. They also have a positive clearance differential.

And in 2026, that’s not just a strength — it’s the blueprint for success.

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