The AFL’s new ruck rules have predictably delivered an early-season talking point, as players adjusted to the revised laws – which is to say, they found the best way to exploit them.

The idea seemed good because the rule change was elegant – nominate a ruckman from either side at each stoppage, and only the pair would be allowed to contest the tap. It would restore the positional emphasis of the classic ruckman, as well as enhance player safety by eliminating the third man up.

But only two weeks into the 2017 season, we’re seeing how regulatory change never leads to only the intended result. In last week’s Richmond-Collingwood game, Tiger midfielder Shaun Grigg milked a free kick after nominating himself for the ruck at a boundary throw-in and was blocked by direct opponent Brayden Maynard. Another response seen so far this season has been teams not nominating a ruckman at all, preferring instead to contest the fall of the ball.

During preseason, North Melbourne star on-baller Jack Ziebell showed up a shortcoming of the rule: “I wasn’t looking at the ball, waiting for the ball to get to the ruckman, and the throw-in fell short and landed on my back. I gave away a free kick because I wasn’t the nominated ruckman.”

The rule was altered afterward, so that accidental contact with the ball becomes play-on. Ziebell expects the ruck rule will eventually have its intended effect – which the Kangaroos captain welcomes, seeing how he plays next to a premier ruckman in Todd Goldstein, as well as a promising deputy in Brayden Preuss.

“It allows you mentally, and structurally, to be a little bit more attacking,” Ziebell says. “We’re blessed with Goldy … he’s an outstanding tap ruckman, and he puts it down his midfielders’ throat more often than not.

“It gives you a greater advantage at the stoppage. But what you do with that advantage is up to the midfielders, making sure they make full use of the dominance of the ruck. Sometimes it doesn’t happen like that, because opposition teams are across what you’re doing.”