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AFL Football Boss Swann Unveils Plans to Speed Up Games and Reform Centre Bounce

On his first day Swann reviewed club feedback, met umpires to kick off efforts to speed up games, improve decision transparency, safeguard player development pathways.

Former West Coast star Nic Naitanui soars at a centre bounce. Photo by Daniel Wilkins.
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Overview

  • Swann began his tenure on July 21 by analysing 43 pages of club inquiries and holding meetings with umpires to identify quick procedural fixes for this season.
  • He ruled out reducing the 20-minute length of each quarter but will tighten ruck contest setups and boundary throw-in protocols to address average game times now exceeding two hours.
  • Swann has launched formal consultations with all 18 clubs on replacing the traditional centre bounce with a ball-up, targeting implementation in the 2026 season.
  • He pledged greater transparency around umpire and match-review officer decisions so that fans can better understand contentious rulings.
  • He affirmed support for the Northern Academy programs and said the AFL’s new Draft Value Index needs one to two years of operation before its impact on talent pathways can be fully assessed.