GLOSSARY
Statistics

AFL Stats Glossary

Disposals
Kicks and handballs
Possessions
How players gain the ball
Marks
Contested and uncontested marks
Tackles
Defense and pressure
Inside 50s
Forward penetration
Clearances
Stoppage breaks

Scoring

GOAL

A major score, as judged by the goal umpire. Worth six points to a team's total score.

BEHIND

A minor score, as judged by the goal umpire. Behinds are worth one point to a team's total score.

GOAL ASSIST

Creating a goal by getting the ball to a teammate either via a disposal, knock-on, ground kick or hitout, or by winning a free kick before the advantage is paid to the goal scorer.

BEHIND ASSIST

Creating a behind by getting the ball to a teammate either via a disposal, knock-on, ground kick or hit-out, or by winning a free kick before the advantage is paid to the goal scorer.

SCORE ASSIST

Creating a score by getting the ball to a teammate either via a disposal, knock-on, ground kick or hitout, or by winning a free kick before the advantage is paid to the goal scorer.

Disposals & Ball Use

DISPOSAL

Legally getting rid of the ball, via a handball or kick.

HANDBALL

Disposing of the ball by hand.

EFFECTIVE KICK

A kick of more than 40 metres to a 50/50 contest or better for the team or a kick of less than 40 metres that results in the intended target retaining possession.

EFFECTIVE HANDBALL

A handball to a teammate that hits the intended target.

INEFFECTIVE KICK

Kicks that are not advantageous to the team, but do not directly turn the ball over to the opposition.

INEFFECTIVE HANDBALL

Handballs that are not advantageous to the team, but do not directly turn the ball over to the opposition.

CLANGER KICK

Kicks that give possession directly to the opposition.

CLANGER HANDBALL

Handballs that give possession directly to the opposition.

GROUND KICK

A deliberate kick without taking possession that gains either significant distance from the point of contact or an uncontested possession for a teammate.

INEFFECTIVE GROUND KICK

Ground kicks that are not advantageous to the team, but do not directly turn the ball over to the opposition.

Possessions

CONTESTED POSSESSION

A possession which has been won when the ball is in dispute. Includes looseball-gets, hardball-gets, contested marks, gathers from a hit-out and frees for.

UNCONTESTED POSSESSION

Possessions gained whilst under no physical pressure, either from a teammate's disposal or an opposition's clanger kick. Includes handball receives, uncontested marks (including lead marks) and intended ball gets from a disposal.

HARDBALL GET

A disputed ball at ground level under direct physical pressure or out of a ruck contest, resulting in an opportunity to effect a legal disposal.

LOOSEBALL GET

A disputed ball at ground level not under direct physical pressure that results in an opportunity to record a legal disposal.

GROUND BALL GET

Contested possessions won at ground level, excluding free kicks. Groundball gets can either be hardball gets or looseball gets.

GATHER

Possessions that were a result of a teammate deliberately directing the ball in the player's direction, via a hit-out, disposal or knock-on, excluding marks and handball receives. Gathers from a hit-out are contested possessions the rest are uncontested.

RECEIVE HANDBALL

An uncontested possession that is the result of a teammate's handball.

FIRST POSSESSION

The initial possession that follows a stoppage, including a looseball-get, hardball-get, intended ball-get (gather), free kick or ground kick.

CRUMB

A type of groundball-get that is won by a player at ground level after a marking contest. The player must not be involved in the original contest. Crumbing Possessions can be either hardball or looseball-gets.

UNCONTESTED GATHER

Winning possession of the ball uncontested at ground level.

GATHER FROM HIT-OUT

A possession gained from a teammate's hit-out to advantage. Counted as a contested possession.

Marking

MARK

When a player cleanly catches (is deemed to have controlled the ball for sufficient time) a kicked ball that has travelled more than 15 metres without anyone else touching it or the ball hitting the ground.

CONTESTED MARK

When a player takes a mark under physical pressure of an opponent or in a pack.

UNCONTESTED MARK

Marks taken under no physical pressure from an opponent. Includes marks taken on a lead and from opposition kicks.

MARK ON LEAD

An uncontested mark taken after outsprinting an opponent.

MARK FUMBLED

Mark Fumbled

MARK PLAY ON

Playing on immediately without retreating behind the mark.

Ruck

HIT-OUT

Knocking the ball out of a ruck contest following a stoppage with clear control, regardless of which side wins the following contest at ground level.

HIT-OUT TO ADVANTAGE

A hit-out that reaches an intended teammate.

HIT-OUT SHARK

Winning clear possession of the ball from the opposition ruck's hit-out.

HIT-OUT SHARKED

A hit-out that directly results in an opponent's possession.

RUCK HARDBALL GET

Taking possession of the ball directly out of the ruck.

HOLD

Holding the ball in when the umpire calls for a ball up.

Inside Play

INSIDE 50

Moving the ball from the midfield into the forward zone. Excludes multiple entries within the same chain of possession.

INSIDE 50 TARGET

Recorded when a player inside the forward 50 is clearly the sole target of a teammate's kick into the forward 50. The inside 50 target player will be recorded regardless of the outcome of the kick.

KICK INSIDE 50

When a player records an inside 50 for his team by kicking the ball from the midfield zone into the forward line.

REBOUND 50

Moving the ball from the defensive zone into the midfield.

CLEARANCE

Credited to the player who has the first effective disposal in a chain that clears the stoppage area, or an ineffective kick or clanger kick that clears the stoppage area.

Defensive

TACKLE

Using physical contact to prevent an opponent in possession of the ball from getting an effective disposal.

MISSED TACKLES

Attempted tackles that are missed, allowing the ball carrier to break into space.

BROKEN TACKLE

Evading a tackle attempt by an opponent and legally disposing of the ball in space.

SPOIL

Knocking the ball away from a marking contest preventing an opponent from taking a mark.

SPOIL GAINING POSSESSION

Spoils directed straight to a teammate.

SPOIL INEFFECTIVE

Spoils directed straight to an opposition player.

SMOTHER

Suppressing an opposition disposal by either changing the trajectory of the ball immediately after the disposal or by blocking the disposal altogether.

BLOCK

Effectively shepherding an opponent out of a contest to the benefit of a teammate.

FREE AGAINST

When an infringement occurs resulting in the opposition receiving a free kick from the umpires.

ONE ON ONE CONTEST DEFENDER

Being isolated in a one-on-one contest as the defender.

Movement

BAULK

Using deception as the ball carrier to beat an opponent, by sidestepping or feigning disposal.

RUNNING BOUNCE

Touching the ball to the ground, either directly or via a bounce, to allow a player to avoid being penalised for running too far.

KNOCK ON

When a player uses his hand to knock the ball to a teammate's advantage rather than attempting to take possession within his team's chain of play.

CONTESTED KNOCK ON

Using the hand to knock the ball to a teammate's advantage rather than attempting to take possession from a contested situation.

GROUND KICK

A deliberate kick without taking possession that gains either significant distance from the point of contact or an uncontested possession for a teammate.

KICK-IN

When a player kicks the ball back into play after an opposition behind. Kick-ins are regarded as a function of the team and do not count as kicks, although they are similarly graded for quality.

KICK LONG ADVANTAGE

A long kick that results in an uncontested possession by a teammate. If an error is made by the player 'receiving' the kick, a 'kick long to advantage' is still recorded for the player kicking the ball.

LONG KICK

A kick of more than 40 metres to a 50/50 contest or better for the team.

SHORT KICK

A kick of less than 40 metres that results in the intended target retaining possession. Does not include kicks that are spoiled by the opposition.

Other

ONE ON ONE CONTEST TARGET

Being isolated in a one-on-one contest as the target of the kick.

UNCONTESTED GATHER

Winning possession of the ball uncontested at ground level.

FREE FOR

When a player is interfered with and is awarded a free kick by the umpires.