Bomber’s New Confidence: Tall Ready for Native Role

Blakiston Backs New Ruck Rules to Boost His Game at Essendon

Essendon’s Lachie Blakiston is feeling confident about the upcoming changes to ruck regulations, slated for 2026, believing they will significantly benefit his playing style. With the departures of Todd Goldstein and Sam Draper, and Nick Bryan still recovering from an ACL injury, Blakiston is poised to be the Bombers’ primary ruckman at the season’s commencement.

The 27-year-old, who joined the Bombers via last year’s mid-season rookie draft, found himself unexpectedly thrust into an 11-game stint as a makeshift key defender during Essendon’s injury crisis. This experience saw him line up against formidable opponents such as Aaron Naughton and Sam Darcy, offering him a unique perspective on the game.

A New Era for Ruck Contests

From 2026, a notable shift in the rules will prohibit rucks from crossing the centre line before engaging with their direct opponent at a centre stoppage. The Australian Football League (AFL) is implementing this change with the aim of injecting more excitement into centre bounces, encouraging more dynamic aerial contests. This initiative follows an AFL analysis revealing a decline in jumping rucks at centre bounces, dropping from 63 per cent in 2023 to a mere 21 per cent in 2025.

Furthermore, the introduction of a “ball-up” to replace the traditional centre bounce will introduce an unfamiliar element to game play.

“The rule changes will make it a good watch,” Blakiston commented. “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 Gains and Veteran Guidance

The East Fremantle product has impressed during the pre-season, showcasing his competitiveness and a clean left-footed kicking action that complements his ruck craft. These attributes were honed during his consistent performances for East Fremantle in the WAFL in the 18 months leading up to his AFL call-up.

Forward Kyle Langford publicly lauded Blakiston’s pre-season efforts in January, and 20-year-old Vigo Visentini has also demonstrated noticeable physical development. Both players have benefited from the mentorship of Todd Goldstein, who has returned to Essendon as the club’s ruck coach after an illustrious 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 shared. “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.”

Midfield Synergy and a Resurgent Darcy Parish

Blakiston also highlighted a strong connection with midfielder Darcy Parish during match simulations. Parish has been a standout performer in pre-season, with winger Xavier Duursma expressing confidence in his return to his dominant 2021 form after a series of injury setbacks.

“He is able to get to stoppages early and help all the boys,” Duursma stated. “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.”

The synergy between Blakiston and midfielders such as Parish, Jye Caldwell, and Zach Merrett will be critical for Essendon as they aim to improve their midfield performance in 2026. Last year, the Bombers struggled in this area, ranking among the bottom four teams for contested possessions, hard ball gets, clearances, and first possession rate.

Blakiston’s individual statistics from 2024, when he averaged 34 hitouts and 16 disposals, were instrumental in East Fremantle’s success, with the team finishing first for contested possessions and second for clearances.

Building Confidence Through Adversity

Blakiston’s AFL experience last year, albeit in a different role, has instilled a greater sense of fearlessness for the upcoming season.

“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 admitted. “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.”

Potential for a Dual-Ruck Combination

Blakiston expressed optimism about the possibility of playing alongside Nick Bryan, with many anticipating Bryan will be the preferred number one ruck once he regains match fitness. Bryan, who has played at least one game every season since 2021 but has accumulated only 23 appearances in his career, appears ready to step into a more prominent role.

“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.”

Duursma further echoed the praise for Blakiston’s pre-season performance, stating at last Tuesday’s photo day, “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.”