The complete guide to Australian rules football. How it works, how it's played, and why millions love it.
Australian rules football is the oldest codified football game in the world, first played in Melbourne in 1858, three years before the first recorded game of association football in England. Played on an oval-shaped ground with an oval-shaped ball, it is a fast, high-scoring, full-contact sport unlike any other football code on earth. At the elite level, the Australian Football League (AFL) draws the largest average crowds of any domestic sporting competition in the southern hemisphere and is the most-attended professional league in Australia. In Melbourne, Adelaide and parts of regional Australia, it is less a sport than a religion. But the game stretches far beyond the AFL. From the VFL, SANFL and WAFL to country leagues, school football and the growing international game.
Australian rules football, known as "footy" across most of Australia, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on a large oval ground. The objective is straightforward: score more points than your opponent by kicking the ball between the goalposts at either end of the ground.
Unlike rugby or American football, there is no offside rule and no set positions on the field. Players are free to roam the entire ground, making it one of the most fluid and dynamic team sports in existence. The ball can be advanced by kicking it, handballing it (punching the ball from the palm of one hand with the closed fist of the other), or running with it, though a player must bounce the ball every 15 metres while running.
The game rewards a unique combination of athleticism: the endurance to cover 12 to 15 kilometres per match, the aerial ability to leap and take contested marks (catches), the foot skills to deliver the ball accurately by either foot, and the physical toughness to compete in a sport where tackling, bumping, and shepherding are core elements of play.
Australian rules football is played on an oval-shaped ground, typically a cricket oval during the summer months. AFL grounds vary in size. The MCG in Melbourne is 171 metres long and 146 metres wide, while the Gabba in Brisbane measures 156 by 138 metres. This size variation is part of what gives different venues their character, and teams that play well on their home deck often exploit its dimensions.
The ground is divided into three broad zones: the forward line, the midfield and the back line. There are no rigid lines on the field separating them. The key markings are the centre circle (where bounces occur), the centre square (where only four players from each team can stand at a centre bounce), the 50-metre arcs (which mark the scoring zone around each set of goalposts), and the goal square (a small rectangle directly in front of the goals).
At each end of the ground stand four posts. The two tall centre posts are the goal posts; the two shorter outer posts are the behind posts.
A goal (worth 6 points) is scored when the ball is kicked by an attacking player between the two tall goal posts without being touched by another player on its way through. A behind (worth 1 point) is scored when the ball passes between a goal post and a behind post, or hits a post, or is carried or handballed through the goals, or is touched before crossing the goal line.
Scores are written in a distinctive format: goals, behinds, then total points. For example, 12.8 (80) means 12 goals and 8 behinds for a total of 80 points (12 × 6 + 8 = 80). A team that kicks straight and converts its chances into goals rather than behinds holds an enormous advantage. Accuracy in front of goal is one of the most analysed statistics in the modern game.
A match consists of four quarters, each 20 minutes of playing time (plus time-on for stoppages, meaning each quarter usually runs to around 30 minutes of real time). The two teams swap ends at the end of each quarter. After the final siren, the team with the higher score wins. Draws are allowed during the home-and-away season, though elimination finals are played to a result through extra time if needed.
The game begins with a centre bounce. The umpire bounces the ball in the centre circle and the two ruckmen compete to tap it to their teammates. Centre bounces also restart play after each goal. When the ball goes out of bounds, it is thrown back in by the boundary umpire, and play continues immediately.
The ball itself is distinctive: an oval-shaped, red leather Sherrin, larger than a rugby ball and designed for kicking. Players wear sleeveless guernseys, shorts and long socks in their club colours, with no pads or helmets. The lack of protective equipment is one of the first things newcomers notice. It is a tough game played in minimal gear.
The VFL/AFL premiership has been contested since 1897. These clubs have won the most flags across more than a century of finals football.
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