Sound on. Turn your volume up.

The big centre bounce is back. Launched straight up from the centre circle, as high as you want, with no umpire in the way.

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Fig. 1 The prototype. Real footage, September 2026.

The centre restart is one of the AFL’s signature moments. The switch from the bounce to the ball-up made it more consistent, but the ball now goes up lower and everyone can see it coming. The Centre Bounce Machine is a launcher set into the centre circle, built to bring that spectacle back.

Fig. 2 Visualisation. AI-generated.

01A spectacular start

A spectacular start.

There is no question that the old centre bounce could be spectacular. In the 1993 and 2002 Grand Finals the ball soared high, straight and true, creating an immediate sense of occasion and excitement.

1993

Hang time 2.47 s

2002

Hang time 1.35 s

2026

Hang time 0.60 s

Fig. 3 Grand Final first bounces, played left to right, on repeat. Hang time is ball release to first ruck contact, timed from the broadcast footage.1

Unfortunately, bounces like these were not guaranteed. Too often the ball went sideways, fell short or simply failed to produce the spectacle everyone wanted. And the new centre ball-up? It simply isn’t in the same league.

Fig. 4 Multiple tests in the KDR factory showed the Centre Bounce Machine launching repeatedly to around eight metres high, dead straight, equivalent to the best of the old centre bounces.

Hang time 2.42 s

The Centre Bounce Machine changes that. It can replicate the height and accuracy of the great bounces of 1993 and 2002, every time. No unpredictable bounce. No ball going sideways. No umpire standing in the way. Add dramatic lighting, sound and even smoke, and the opening bounce becomes more than the start of a game. It becomes a spectacular television event.

Fig. 5 Even higher, and it can go higher again.

Hang time ≈ 2.8 s

02Umpire safety

Umpires out of the contest.

The Centre Bounce Machine takes umpires out of the immediate contest. They don’t have to back away, and they no longer become targets for players pushing and manoeuvring for the best position, so umpire safety is immediately improved. With the umpire away from the bounce, players no longer have to avoid areas and the contest is completely clean, allowing those with the best skills to dominate.

Fig. 6 2026 Round 13, Collingwood v Melbourne, 2nd quarter, 14:43. The umpire is knocked over at a centre throw-up.2

In May 2026 the AFL cracked down on umpire contact, starting with centre throw-ups.3

Umpires having a clear path to retreat from the ball-up can mean up to half of the centre circle is off limits to a genuine contest.

The umpires will also be in a better position to award free kicks and will not be concerned about their safety.

03Formula 1 red‑light start

Formula 1 red‑light start.

What makes a Formula 1 start so compelling is that nobody knows exactly when it will happen.

Fig. 7 Formula 1 start sequence. Footage: Netflix, Drive to Survive.4

Bringing the same excitement to the AFL

The red lights build the tension. Everyone knows the race is about to start, but not the moment the lights go out, and that small uncertainty creates anticipation, excitement and theatre. With an umpire-controlled ball-up, spectators watch the umpire prepare and know exactly when it is coming, so much of the anticipation is lost. A short, visible randomised start sequence signals the bounce is imminent, then holds for a random 1 to 5 seconds before release. Just like Formula 1, everyone knows it’s about to happen, but not exactly when.

04How it works

Charge. Set. Release. Reset.

A pneumatic launcher sits flush under the turf at the centre circle. The umpire starts it from outside the square at the start of each quarter and after every goal. The hold before release is random, so the start is never quite the same twice.

  1. 1Charge

    The onboard pressure tank is charged with compressed air. In testing it ran at 6⁠–⁠8 bar.

  2. 2Set

    The ball sits on a seat flush with the turf. Height-adjustment bolts set the plate level with the surface.

  3. 3Release

    After the start sequence it holds for a random 1⁠–⁠5 seconds. Then a valve dumps the air through the flange connector into the piston, which snaps up and launches the ball vertically.

    The prototype's black pneumatic ram standing up out of its white CENTRE BOUNCE lid.
    The real ram: the prototype.

  4. 4Reset

    The piston retracts and the cap sits flush again, ready for the next goal.

    By default each launch varies slightly in height and timing, so no two bounces are quite the same. Or, if preferred, it can go straight up to the same height, without any variation, each and every time.

Pneumatic · 6⁠–⁠8 bar

Fig. 8 Launcher cutaway (CAD render).

Not a step back. A better centre restart, so the game keeps one of its great moments.

It could be trialled at a handful of grounds first, and become a moment the AFL is known for.