Australian football, also calledAustralian rules football orAussie rules,[1] or more simplyfootball orfooty, is acontact sport played between two teams of 18 players on anoval field, often a modifiedcricket ground. Points are scored by kicking theovoid ball between the central goal posts (worth six points), or between a central and outer post (worth one point, otherwise known as a "behind").
During general play, players may position themselves anywhere on the field and use any part of their bodies to move the ball. The primary methods arekicking,handballing and running with the ball. There are rules on how the ball can be handled; for example, players running with the ball must intermittentlybounce or touch it on the ground. Throwing the ball is not allowed, and players must not get caughtholding the ball. A distinctive feature of the game is themark, where players anywhere on the field who catch the ball from a kick (with specific conditions) are awarded unimpededpossession.[2] Possession of the ball is in dispute at all times except when afree kick or mark is paid. Players cantackle using their hands or use their whole body toobstruct opponents. Dangerous physical contact (such aspushing an opponent in the back), interference when marking, and deliberately slowing the play are discouraged with free kicks,distance penalties, orsuspension for a certain number of matches depending on the severity of the infringement. The game features frequent physical contests,spectacular marking, fast movement of both players and the ball, and high scoring.
Australian football is known by several nicknames, including Australian rules football, Aussie rules, football and footy.[7] In some regions, where other codes of football are more popular, the sport is most often called AFL after theAustralian Football League, while the league itself also uses this name for local competitions in some areas.[8]
Statue next to theMelbourne Cricket Ground on the approximate site of the 1858 football match betweenMelbourne Grammar andScotch College.Tom Wills is depicted umpiring behind two young players contesting the ball. The plaque reads that Wills "did more than any other person – as a footballer and umpire, co-writer of the rules and promoter of the game – to develop Australian football during its first decade."[9]
Primitive forms of football were played sporadically in the Australian colonies in the first half of the 19th century. Compared tocricket andhorse racing, football was considered a mere "amusement" by colonists at the time, and while little is known about these early one-off games, evidence does not support a causal link with Australian football.[10] InMelbourne, in 1858, in a move that would help to shape Australian football in its formative years, private schools (then termed "public schools" in accordance with nomenclature in England) began organising football games inspired byprecedents at English public schools.[11] The earliest match, held on 15 June, was betweenMelbourne Grammar and St Kilda Grammar.[12]
On 10 July 1858, the Melbourne-basedBell's Life in Victoria and Sporting Chronicle published a letter byTom Wills, captain of theVictoria cricket team, calling for the formation of a "foot-ball club" with a "code of laws" to keep cricketers fit during winter.[13] Born in Australia, Wills played a nascent form ofrugby football while a pupil atRugby School in England, and returned to his homeland a star athlete and cricketer. Two weeks later, Wills' friend, cricketerJerry Bryant, posted an advertisement for ascratch match at theRichmond Paddock adjoining theMelbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).[14] This was the first of several "kickabouts" held that year involving members of theMelbourne Cricket Club, including Wills, Bryant,W. J. Hammersley andJ. B. Thompson. Trees were used as goalposts and play typically lasted an entire afternoon. Without an agreed-upon code of laws, some players were guided by rules they had learned in the British Isles, "others by no rules at all".[15] Another milestone in 1858 was a 40-a-side match played under experimental rules between Melbourne Grammar andScotch College, held at the Richmond Paddock. Umpired by Wills and teacherJohn Macadam, it began on 7 August and continued over two subsequent Saturdays, ending in a draw with each side kicking one goal.[16] It is commemorated with a statue outside the MCG, and the two schools have since competed annually in theCordner–Eggleston Cup, the world'soldest continuous football competition.[17]
Since the 1920s, it has been suggested that Australian football may have been derived from the Irish sport ofGaelic football.[18] However, there is no archival evidence in favour of a Gaelic influence, and the style of play shared between the two modern codes appeared in Australia long before the Irish game evolved in a similar direction.[19][20] Another theory, first proposed in 1983, posits that Wills, having grown up amongAboriginals in Victoria, may have seen or played the Aboriginal ball game ofMarn Grook, and incorporated some of its features into early Australian football. There is only circumstantial evidence that he knew of the game, and according to biographer Greg de Moore's research, Wills was "almost solely influenced by his experience at Rugby School".[21]
A loosely organised Melbourne side, captained by Wills, played against other football enthusiasts in the winter and spring of 1858.[22] The following year, on 14 May, theMelbourne Football Club was officially established, making it one of the world'soldest football clubs. Three days later, Wills, Hammersley, Thompson and teacherThomas H. Smith met near the MCG at the Parade Hotel, owned by Bryant, and drafted ten rules:"The Rules of the Melbourne Football Club". These are the laws from which Australian football evolved.[23] The club aimed to create a simple code suited to the hard playing surfaces around Melbourne, and to eliminate the roughest aspects of English school games—such as "hacking" (shin-kicking) in Rugby School football—to reduce the risk of injuries to working men.[24] In another significant departure from English public school football, the Melbourne rules omitted anyoffside law.[25] "The new code was as much a reaction against the school games as influenced by them", writes Mark Pennings.[26] The rules were distributed throughout the colony; Thompson in particular did much to promote the new code in his capacity as a journalist.[27]
Engraving of a football match at theRichmond Paddock, 1866. The MCG and its first pavilion are visible in the background, as are kick-off posts, the forerunner of today's behind posts.[28]
Following Melbourne's lead,Geelong andMelbourne University also formed football clubs in 1859.[29] While many early Victorian teams participated in one-off matches, most had not yet formed clubs for regular competition. ASouth Yarra club devised its own rules.[30] To ensure the supremacy of the Melbourne rules, the first club-level competition in Australia, the Caledonian Society'sChallenge Cup (1861–64), stipulated that only the Melbourne rules were to be used.[31] This law was reinforced by the Athletic Sports Committee (ASC), which ran a variation of the Challenge Cup in 1865–66.[32] With input from other clubs, the rules underwent several minor revisions, establishing a uniform code known as "Victorian rules".[33] In 1866, the "first distinctively Victorian rule", therunning bounce, was formalised at a meeting of club delegates chaired byH. C. A. Harrison,[34] an influential pioneer who took up football in 1859 at the invitation of Wills, his cousin.[35]
The game around this time was defensive and low-scoring, played low to the ground in congested rugby-style scrimmages. The typical match was a 20-per-side affair, played with a ball that was roughly spherical, and lasted until a team scored two goals.[25] The shape of the playing field was not standardised; matches often took place in rough, tree-spotted public parks, most notably the Richmond Paddock (Yarra Park), known colloquially as the Melbourne Football Ground.[36] Wills argued that the turf of cricket fields would benefit from being trampled upon by footballers in winter,[37] and, as early as 1859, football was allowed on the MCG.[38] However, cricket authorities frequently prohibited football on their grounds until the 1870s, when they saw an opportunity to capitalise on the sport's growing popularity. Football gradually adapted to an oval-shaped field, and most grounds in Victoria expanded to accommodate the dual purpose—a situation that continues to this day.[38]
Engraving of the first intercolonial football match between Victoria and South Australia,East Melbourne Cricket Ground, 1879
Football became organised inSouth Australia in 1860 with the formation of theAdelaide Football Club, the oldest football club in Australia outside Victoria.[39] It devised its own rules, and, along with otherAdelaide-based clubs, played a variety of codes until 1876, when they uniformly adopted most of the Victorian rules, with South Australian football pioneerCharles Kingston noting their similarity to "the old Adelaide rules".[40] Similarly,Tasmanian clubs quarrelled over different rules until they adopted a slightly modified version of the Victorian game in 1879.[41] TheSouth Australian Football Association (SAFA), the sport's firstgoverning body, formed on 30 April 1877, firmly establishing Victorian rules as the preferred code in that colony.[42] TheVictorian Football Association (VFA) formed the following month.
George Coulthard, one of the first players to attain Australia-wide celebrity
Clubs began touring the colonies in the late 1870s, and in 1879 the firstintercolonial match took place in Melbourne betweenVictoria andSouth Australia.[43] In 1883, delegates representing the football associations of South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria andQueensland met to standardise the code across Australia.[41] New rules such asholding the ball led to a "golden era" of fast, long-kicking andhigh-marking football in the 1880s, a time which also saw players such asGeorge Coulthard achieve superstardom, as well as the rise ofprofessionalism, particularly in Victoria andWestern Australia, where the code took hold duringa series of gold rushes.[44] Likewise, whenNew Zealand experienceda gold rush, the sport arrived with a rapid influx of Australian miners. Now known as Australian rules or Australasian rules, the sport became the first football code to develop mass spectator appeal,[43] attracting world record attendances for sports viewing and gaining a reputation as "the people's game".[44]
Australian rules football reached Queensland andNew South Wales as early as 1866;[45] the sport experienced a period of dominance in the former,[46] and in the latter, several regions remain strongholds of Australian rules, such as theRiverina. However, by the late 1880s,rugby football had become the dominant code in both colonies, as well as in New Zealand. This shift was largely due to rugby's spread with British migration,regional rivalries and the lack of strong local governing bodies. In the case ofSydney, denial of access to grounds, the influence of university headmasters from Britain who favoured rugby, and the loss of players to other codes inhibited the game's growth.[47]
In 1896, delegates from six of the wealthiest VFA clubs—Carlton,Essendon,Fitzroy, Geelong, Melbourne andSouth Melbourne—met to discuss the formation of a breakaway professional competition.[48] Later joined byCollingwood andSt Kilda, the clubs formed theVictorian Football League (VFL), which heldits inaugural season in 1897. The VFL's popularity grew rapidly as it made several innovations, such as instituting a finals system, reducing teams from 20 to 18 players, and introducing thebehind as a score.[49]Richmond and University joined the VFL in 1908, and by 1925, with the addition ofHawthorn,Footscray andNorth Melbourne, it had become the preeminent league in the country and would take a leading role in many aspects of the sport.
The game was also established early on in the new territories. In the new national capitalCanberra both soccer and rugby had a head start, but following the first matches in 1911,Australian rules football in the Australian Capital Territory became a major participation sport. By 1981 it had become much neglected and quickly lagged behind the other football codes.Australian rules football in the Northern Territory began shortly after the outbreak of the war in 1916 with the first match inDarwin. The game went on to become the most popular sport in the Territory and build the highest participation rate for the sport nationally.
Australia's firstrecruitment poster, published in 1915, questions the public's commitment to Australian football rather thanthe war.
BothWorld War I andWorld War II had a devastating effect on Australian football and on Australian sport in general. While scratch matches were played by Australian "diggers" in remote locations around the world, the game lost many of its great players to wartime service. Some clubs and competitions never fully recovered. Between 1914 and 1915,a proposed hybrid code of Australian football andrugby league, the predominant code of football in New South Wales and Queensland, was trialled without success.[51][52] In Queensland, the state league went into recess for the duration of the war. VFL club University left the league and went into recess due to severe casualties. TheWest Australian Football League (WAFL) lost two clubs and the SANFL was suspended for one year in 1916 due to heavy club losses. TheAnzac Day match, the annual game between Essendon and Collingwood on Anzac Day, is one example of how the war continues to be remembered in the football community.
The role of theAustralian National Football Council (ANFC) was primarily to govern the game at a national level and to facilitate interstate representative and club competition. In 1968, the ANFC revived theChampionship of Australia, a competition first held in 1888 between the premiers of the VFA and SAFA. Although clubs from other states were at times invited, the final was almost always between the premiers from the two strongest state competitions of the time—South Australia and Victoria—with Adelaide hosting most of the matches at the request of the SAFA/SANFL. The last match took place in 1976, withNorth Adelaide being the last non-Victorian winner in 1972. Between 1976 and 1987, the ANFC, and later the Australian Football Championships (AFC) ran anight series, which invited clubs and representative sides from around the country to participate in a knock-out tournament parallel to the premiership seasons, which Victorian sides still dominated.
With the lack of international competition, state representative matches were regarded with great importance. Due in part to the VFL poaching talent from other states, Victoria dominated interstate matches for three-quarters of a century.State of Origin rules, introduced in 1977, stipulated that rather than representing the state of their adopted club, players would return to play for the state they were first recruited in. This instantly broke Victoria's stranglehold over state titles and Western Australia and South Australia began to win more of their games against Victoria. Both New South Wales and Tasmania scored surprise victories at home against Victoria in 1990.
Hall of Fame LegendRon Barassi was a leading advocate of a national club-based competition.[53]
The term "Barassi Line", named after VFL starRon Barassi, was coined by scholarIan Turner in 1978 to describe the "fictitious geographical barrier" separating the rugby-following parts of New South Wales and Queensland from the rest of the country, where Australian football reigned.[54] It became a reference point for the expansion of Australian football and for establishing a national league.[55]
The way the game was played had changed dramatically due to innovative coaching tactics, with the phasing out of many of the game's kicking styles and the increasing use of handball; while presentation was influenced by television.[56]
In 1982, in a move that heralded big changes within the sport, one of the original VFL clubs, South Melbourne, relocated to Sydney and became known as theSydney Swans. In the late 1980s, due to the poor financial standing of many of the Victorian clubs, and a similar situation existing in Western Australia in the sport, the VFL pursued a more national competition. Two more non-Victorian clubs,West Coast andBrisbane, joined the league in 1987 generating more than $8 million in license revenue for the Victorian clubs and increasing broadcast revenues which helped the Victorian clubs survive.[57] In their early years, the Sydney and Brisbane clubs struggled both on and off-field because the substantial TV revenues they generated by playing on a Sunday went to the VFL.[citation needed] To protect these revenues the VFL granted significant draft concessions and financial aid to keep the expansion clubs competitive.
The VFL changed its name to theAustralian Football League (AFL) for the1990 season, and over the next decade, three non-Victorian clubs gained entry:Adelaide (1991),Fremantle (1995) and the SANFL'sPort Adelaide (1997), the only pre-existing club outside Victoria to join the league.[57] In 2011 and 2012, respectively, two new non-Victorian clubs were added to the competition:Gold Coast andGreater Western Sydney.[58] The AFL, currently with 18 member clubs, is the sport's elite competition and most powerful body. Following the emergence of the AFL, state leagues were quickly relegated to a second-tier status. The VFA merged with the former VFL reserves competition in 1998, adopting the VFL name. State of Origin also declined in importance, especially after an increasing number of player withdrawals. The AFL turned its focus to the annualInternational Rules Series against Ireland in 1998 before abolishing State of Origin the following year. State and territorial leagues still contest interstate matches, as do AFL Women players.[59]
In the 2010s, the AFL signalled further attempts at expanding into markets outside Australian football's traditional heartlands by hosting home-and-away matches in New Zealand,[60] followed by China.[61] Afterseveral failed bids since the early 1990s for a Tasmania-based AFL team, theTasmania Football Club secured the 19th AFL license in 2023, and is set to compete by 2028.[62]
A uniform consists of aguernsey, shorts, socks and boots.
In a standard match, a team may consist of anywhere between 14 and 18 players who may be permitted on the playing surface at any given time. Each team may have up to fourinterchange (reserve) players who may be swapped for those on the field at any time during the game,[63] although some leagues in less populated areas may use as few as 12 players.[64] In addition, some leagues notably including the AFL, have each team designate one additional player as a substitute who can be used to make a single permanent exchange of players during a game for either medical or tactical reasons.[65]
Players on the playing surface can be swapped with those on the interchange bench at any time. They must though pass through a designated "Interchange Area".[66] In the event a player fails to pass through this area correctly, or if too many players from one team are found to be on the ground at a time, afree kick will be awarded to the opposing side.[66][67]
While there is no set uniform, the basic equipment for Australian football consists of a guernsey, shorts, socks andfootball boots (though specialised boots are more often used which have a curved toe for punting and metal studs are officially banned[68]), with additional pieces of apparel such as headbands and gloves additionally being permitted.[69] Players may wear certain pieces of protective equipment, such as helmets or arm guards, if approved by the relevant controlling body.[70]Mouthguards are strongly recommended for all players.[71][72]
Players are not permitted to wear jewellery, or other materials which thefield umpire has deemed to be either potentially dangerous or increase the risk of injury to other players.[70]
Australian rules football is played with an ellipsoid ball, between 72 and 73 cm (28 and 29 in) in long circumference, and 54.5 and 55.5 cm (21.5 and 21.9 in) in short circumference.[74] For women's competitions, a smaller ball size of 69 and 53 cm (27 and 21 in) is used.[75] The ball must be inflated to a pressure of 69 kilopascals (10.0 pounds per square inch).[74] There are no defined laws regarding what material a ball must be made from, but standard AFL match-used balls are produced bySherrin using cowhide leather.[76]
While there is no standard colour of the ball, red and yellow are most common and the only colours used at AFL level. Yellow is used for games beginning after 3 pm or in an enclosed stadium, due to its greater visibility, and to assist score reviews.[77][74]
Unlike other forms of football which are played on rectangular fields, Australian rules football playing fields are oval-shaped, and are between 135 and 185 metres (148 and 202 yd) long and 110 and 155 metres (120 and 170 yd) wide.[78]
At either end of the field, two sets of posts are erected in a straight line to indicate the scoring areas on the field, each with two kinds of posts, named the goal posts and the behind posts respectively. The goal posts are placed first, located 6.4 metres (7.0 yd) apart from each other, with a behind post being placed a further 6.4 metres to the side of each goal post. The name for the field line between two goal posts is known as the Goal Line.[78]
Around the perimeter of the field, two white lines are drawn between the set of behind posts in an arc-shape, marking the field of play.[78]
An arc drawn 50 metres (55 yd) from either end of the playing surface, known as the fifty metre arc.
A 50 by 50 metres (55 yd × 55 yd) square located in the centre of the playing surface, known as the centre square.
A 10 by 10 metres (11 yd × 11 yd) circle located in the centre of the playing surface, known as the centre circle
A rectangle drawn at either end of the ground, measuring 9 metres (9.8 yd) out from each pair of goal posts. This is known as the goal square.
The 50m arcs, centre square, centre circle and goal square are used at the beginning of each quarter or after each goal. Each team is permitted a maximum of six players in each 50m arc, with one in the goal square and four players in the centre square with one in the centre circle. If this is breached, a free kick is awarded.[79]
A game lasts for 80 minutes, split into four quarters consisting of 20 minutes playing time, with the clock being stopped for stoppages in play such as scores, or at theumpire's discretion, e.g. for serious injury.[80] Leagues may choose to employ shorter quarters of play at their discretion, such as the AFLW using 17 minutes per quarter.[81]
For any given match, two timekeepers are appointed to officiate the duration. The timekeepers record all relevant statistics for the match, such as total quarter duration and score by each team. Additionally timekeepers are required to sound a siren prior to and at the conclusion of each quarter until such time they are acknowledged by the field umpires. To stop and recommence the clock, the field umpires are required to signal to the timekeepers to indicate when the clock should be stopped or restarted.[80]
Between each quarter, a break is observed to allow players a rest period. Two six-minute breaks are observed between the first and second quarters, and the third and fourth quarters. A longer 20-minute break is observed between the second and third quarter, commonly known ashalf-time.[80][82]
Each game is officiated by at least five match officials, known as anumpire.[83] These match officials are placed into three categories based upon their roles and responsibilities, with varying minimum numbers of Umpires required depending on position:
Field umpire: Field umpires are positioned within the playing area contained within the Boundary Lines, and are the primary match officials.[83] A minimum of one field umpire is required to officiate the match, though it is common practice to employ more to reduce physical demand on individual umpires, and improve officiation quality.[83][84]
Boundary umpires: Boundary umpires are positioned along the two boundary lines upon either side of the field. Their primary duties include determining when the football is deemed to be outside of the field of play, and to throw the football back into play when directed. A minimum of two boundary umpires are required for a match.[83]
Goal umpires: Goal umpires are positioned at either end of the ground, with one stationed at either set of goal posts on the field. Their primary duties include judging what scores made by players, signalling scores, and recording scores made by each team during a match. A minimum of two goal umpires are required for a match.[83]
At AFL level, a video score review system is utilised. Only umpires are permitted to request a review, and only scoring shots and potential scoring shots are permitted to be reviewed.[85]
An Australian rules football may only be propelled forward in a select few ways as defined by the Laws of Australian Football, published by the AFL. The ball can be propelled in any direction by way of a kick or a clenched fist (called ahandball)—deemed a correct disposal.[86] Failure to dispose of the ball in one of these two methods will result in afree kick to the opposing team.[87] If the ball is not currently in a player's possession, it can be moved legally through the usage of other means, such as punching.[86] While in possession of the ball, players may run with the ball, but are required to eitherbounce or touch the ball on the ground at least once every 15 metres (16 yd).[87]
Tackling is a technique employed by players used to force opposition players to dispose of the ball when they are in possession. Failure to dispose of the ball when legally tackled may see the player penalised for 'holding the ball', except if the umpire deems there was a lack of prior opportunity to do so.[88]
The ball carrier may only be tackled between the shoulders and knees from the front or side.[86] If the player forcefully contacts the opposing in the back while performing a tackle, the opposition player will be penalised for apush in the back. If the opposition tackles the player with possession below the knees (alow tackle or atrip) or above the shoulders (ahigh tackle), the team with possession of the football gets a free kick.[89] Furthermore, tackles deemed to be dangerous by the umpire and those conducted from front-on while an opposition player has their head over the football are deemed to be prohibited contact, and will incur a free kick against the offending player.[89][90]
Additionally, players may perform a technique knownshepherding when the ball is within 5 metres (5.5 yd) of an opposition player. Shepherding involves the use of a player's body to push, bump or otherwise block an opposition player, providing they do not have possession of the ball.[86]
If a player takes possession of the ball that has travelled more than 15 metres (16 yd) from another player's kick, by way of a catch within the field of play, it is deemed as amark.[91] To be awarded a mark, it must be deemed that the player sufficiently controlled the ball and took possession prior to it being touched, touching the ground, or in the case of a contest, being spoiled by an opponent.[92] Upon a mark being taken, one opposition player may choose to stand on the point on the field where the mark was taken, known as "the mark". When a mark is taken, a small protected zone is established on the field, extending 10 metres (11 yd) either side of "the mark" and the player who marked the ball, with a small protected corridor between "the mark" and the player. The opposition player is permitted to jump, but is not allowed to move from their position on "the mark". Any other movements result in a distance penalty (50 metres in the AFL).[93] The player who was awarded the mark may then choose to either dispose of the ball over "the mark" or may choose to attempt disposal via a different method, in which case the field umpire will call "play on"—a verbal instruction to continue play.[93][86] "Play on" may also be called if the umpire deems the player awarded the mark to be taking an unreasonable amount of time to dispose of the football.[93]
Once the player has disposed of the ball, or "play on" is called, normal play resumes.[93]
Rucking is the only specialist skill and is performed by a ruck, the term for designated players from each side to which the umpire sends the ball to commence play.[94] Only a nominated ruck may contest ball-ups and throw-ins.[95] They are the only player allowed within the 10 metre circle at a centre bounce. Functionally the role is analogous to abasketball center and as such rucks are typically the tallest player on the team. Lifting teammates is not allowed[96] so the ruck may only jump to reach the ball. If the ruck does not take possession of the football, it must be tapped or fisted, which is known as a hit-out. An effective hit-out that passes the ball to a teammate is known as a hit-out to advantage.[97]
In the event a player breaks a rule, a free kick is awarded to the opposing team, from the location that the misconduct occurred, or the ball's current location—whichever is closer to the team's scoring zone.[98] As when a mark is taken, this location is called "the mark", and the same protections regarding the space apply.[93]
In the event a player engages in unsportsmanlike conduct after a free kick has been awarded or a mark has been paid to the opposing team, the umpire may instead award a 50-metre penalty. When imposed, the field umpire will advance "the mark" an additional 50 metres (55 yd) down the field or to the goal line, whichever is closer. Additional 50-metre penalties may be awarded if the behaviour continues after the initial penalty.[99]
The laws of the game allow umpires to send off players for egregious foul play, although this law does not apply to the AFL and is largely only used at the local level.[100]
The two tall central posts are the goal posts, and the two shorter outer posts are the behind posts.
There are two types of scoring shots in Australian football: goals and behinds. Agoal is worth six points, and is scored when the football is propelled between the goal posts and across the goal line at any height by way of a kick from the attacking team. It may touch the ground, but must not have been touched by any player from either team or a goalpost prior to crossing the goal line.[101]
Abehind is worth one point and is scored when:[101]
The ball passes between a goal post and a behind post at any height.
The ball hits a goal post.
Any player sends the ball across the goal or behind line by touching it with any part of the body other than a foot or lower leg.
A behind is also awarded to the team if the ball touches any part of an opposition player, including a foot, before passing across their goal or behind line.[101] A free kick is awarded against any player who is deemed to have deliberately rushed a behind.[102][103]
The team that has scored the most points at the end of play wins the game. If the scores are level on points at the end of play, then the game is a draw; extra time applies only during finals matches in some competitions.[104][105]
As an example of a score report, consider a match between Sydney and Geelong with the former as the home team. Sydney's score of 17 goals and 5 behinds equates to 107 points. Geelong's score of 10 goals and 17 behinds equates to a 77-point tally. Sydney wins the match by a margin of 30 points. Such a result would be written as:
"Sydney 17.5 (107) defeated Geelong 10.17 (77)".
And spoken as:
"Sydney, seventeen-five, one hundred and seven, defeated Geelong, ten-seventeen, seventy-seven".
Additionally, it can be said that:
"Sydney defeated Geelong by 30 points".
The home team is typically listed first and the visiting side is listed second.
A draw would be written as:
"Greater Western Sydney 10.8 (68) drew with Geelong 10.8 (68)".[106]
The football season proper is from March to August (early autumn to late winter in Australia) with finals being held in September and October.[107] In the tropics, the game is sometimes played in thewet season (October to March).[108]
The AFL is recognised by theAustralian Sports Commission as being the National Sporting Organisation for Australian football.[109] There are also seven state/territory-based organisations in Australia, all of which are affiliated with the AFL.[110] These state leagues hold annual semi-professional club competitions, with some also overseeing more than one league. Local semi-professional or amateur organisations and competitions are often affiliated to their state organisations.[111]
For almost all Australian football club competitions, the aim is to win the premiership, which is typically decided by a finals series. The teams that occupy the highest positions on the ladder after the home-and-away season play-off in a "semi-knockout" finals series, culminating in a singleGrand Final match to determine the premiers. Between four and eight teams contest a finals series, typically using theAFL final eight system[113] or a variation of theMcIntyre system.[114][115] The team which finishes first on the ladder after the home-and-away season is referred to as a "minor premier", but this usually holds little stand-alone significance, other than receiving a better draw in the finals.[116]
Some metropolitan leagues have several tiered divisions, withpromotion of the lower division premiers andrelegation of the upper division's last placed team at the end of each year.[117]
The high level of interest shown by women in Australian football is considered unique among the world's football codes.[118] It was the case in the 19th century, as it is in modern times, that women made up approximately half of total attendances at Australian football matches—a far greater proportion than, for example, the estimated 10 per cent of women that comprise British soccer crowds.[119] This has been attributed in part to theegalitarian character of Australian football's early years in public parks where women could mingle freely and support the game in various ways.[120]
In terms of participation, there are occasional 19th-century references to women playing the sport, but it was not until the 1910s that the first organised women's teams and competitions appeared.[121] Women's state leagues emerged in the 1980s,[122] and in 2013, the AFL announced plans to establish a national semi-professional women's competition.[123] Amidst a surge in viewing interest and participation in women's football, the AFL pushed the founding date of the competition, namedAFL Women's (AFLW), to 2017.[124] Eight AFL clubs won licences to field sides inits inaugural season.[125] By2022, all 18 clubs fielded an AFLW side.[126]
Many related games have emerged from Australian football, mainly with variations of contact to encourage greater participation. These includeAuskick (played by children aged between 5 and 12),kick-to-kick (and its variantsend-to-end footy andmarks up),rec footy,9-a-side footy,masters Australian football, handball and longest-kick competitions. Players outside Australia sometimes engage in related games adapted to available fields, likemetro footy (played on gridiron fields) andSamoa rules (played on rugby fields). One such prominent example in use since 2018 isAFLX, a shortened variation of the game with seven players a side, played on a soccer-sized pitch.[127]
The similarities between Australian football and the Irish sport ofGaelic football have allowed for the creation of ahybrid code known asinternational rules football. The first international rules matches were contested in Ireland during the 1967Australian Football World Tour. Since then, various sets of compromise rules have been trialed, and in 1984 theInternational Rules Series commenced with national representative sides selected by Australia's state leagues (later by the AFL) and theGaelic Athletic Association (GAA). The competition became an annual event in 1998, but was postponed indefinitely in 2007 when the GAA pulled out due to Australia's severe and aggressive style of play.[128] It resumed in Australia in 2008 under new rules to protect the player with the ball.
During the colonial period, Australian rules was sometimes referred to as Australasian rules, reflecting its popularity inNew Zealand. The game was played outside Australasia as early as 1888 when Australians studying atEdinburgh University andLondon University formed teams and competed in London.[129] Further international exposure came that same year, when thefirst British rugby side to tour the Southern Hemisphere played Australian rules matches in both Australia and New Zealand.[130] By the early 20th century, it had spread with theAustralian diaspora toSouth Africa, theUnited States and other parts of the Anglosphere; however this growth went into rapid decline during and after World War I, leading also to a decades long hiatus in New Zealand. After World War II, it experienced growth in the Pacific region, particularly inPapua New Guinea andNauru, where it is now thenational sport.[131]
Today, the sport is played at an amateur level invarious countries throughout the world. Twenty-three countries have participated in theInternational Cup, which was held triennially in Australia from 2002 to 2017. International competition resumed in 2024 with three regional tournaments: theTransatlantic Cup,Asia Cup, andPacific Cup.[132] Nine countries have also participated in theAFL Europe Championship. In 2013, participation across AFL Europe's 21 member nations was more than 5,000 players, the majority of which are European nationals rather than Australian expats.[133] The sport also has a growing presence in India.[134] Over 20 countries have either affiliation or working agreements with the AFL.[135]
Although Australian rules football is not an Olympic sport, it wasshowcased at the MCG as part of the1956 Summer Olympics, held in Melbourne. In addition, when Brisbane hosted the1982 Commonwealth Games, an exhibition match between Richmond and Carlton was held at the Gabba.[138]
Australian football is popular among Indigenous communities.
Australian football has attracted more overall interest among Australians than any other football code.[139]
The2024 AFL season saw an average attendance of 38,344 fans per match, making the AFL Australia's, and one of the world's best-attended sports leagues.[140] Also that year, data indicated 1,319,687 people, or 1 in 20 Australians, are members of an AFL club.[141] The most-visited sports website in Australia in 2023 was the AFL's, attracting 1.89 billion total visits.[142]
Approximately 40% of Australians aged 14+ watch AFL matches on TV either occasionally or regularly.[143] The2024 AFL Grand Final was that year's highest-rating free-to-air television broadcast in Australia, with an in-home audience of 4 million watchingSeven's coverage;[144] overall TV viewership reached at least 7,569,000.[143] The AFL's current TV broadcasting rights deal with Seven and Foxtel is worth an Australian record $4.5 billion.[145]
In terms of participation, there were at least 581,000 registered players in Australia in 2024. This figure encompasses community football at junior, youth, and senior levels, as well as programs such asFooty 9s.[146] Among Australian children aged 0–14, it is the fifth most common sporting activity, behind swimming, soccer, basketball and gymnastics.[147] Women and girls account for 20% of all community football registrations.[146][148]
South Melbourne's ruck combination of the 1920s, left to right:Mark Tandy,Fred Fleiter andRoy Cazaly. Fleiter coined the phrase "Up there, Cazaly!" as a signal for Cazaly to leap for the ball. It entered popular idiom as a phrase of encouragement, and was used as abattle cry by Australian soldiers during World War II. It remains well known throughMike Brady's 1979 Australian football anthemof the same name.
For the centenary of the VFL/AFL in 1996, the Australian Football Hall of Fame was established. That year, 136 significant figures across the various competitions were inducted into the Hall of Fame. Each years since the creation of the Hall of Fame, a panel selects a small group of players they deem worthy for this prestigious honour, resulting in a total number of more than 300 inductees as of 2024.
In addition to the Hall of Fame, select members are chosen to receive the eliteLegend status. Due to restrictions limiting the number of Legend status players to 10% of the total number of Hall of Fame inductees, there are currently only 32 players with the status in the Hall of Fame as of 2024.[164][165][166]
^Collins, Tony (2011). "Chapter 1: National Myths, Imperial Pasts and the Origins of Australian Rules Football". In Wagg, Stephen (ed.).Myths and Milestones in the History of Sport. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 14.ISBN978-0-230-24125-1.
^Pill, Shane; Frost, Lionel (17 January 2016). "R.E.N. Twopeny and the Establishment of Australian Football in Adelaide".The International Journal of the History of Sport.33 (8):797–812.doi:10.1080/09523367.2016.1173033.S2CID147807924.
^"A False Dawn". AustralianFootball.com. 20 August 1908.Archived from the original on 14 July 2015. Retrieved19 February 2010.
^"Football in Australia".Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 122. New Zealand. 19 November 1914. p. 8.Archived from the original on 1 April 2012. Retrieved3 December 2009.
^"Football amalgamation".Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27. New Zealand. 2 February 1915. p. 8.Archived from the original on 1 April 2012. Retrieved3 December 2009.
^Browne, Ashley (2008). "For Women, Too". In Weston, James.The Australian Game of Football: Since 1858. Geoff Slattery Publishing. pp. 253–259.ISBN978-0-9803466-6-4.
^Greenberg, Tony (4 April 2018)."When the Tigers won Games gold".RichmondFC.com.au. Richmond Football Club.Archived from the original on 31 July 2022. Retrieved31 July 2022.
Coventry, James (2015).Time and Space: The Tactics That Shaped Australian Rules and the Players and Coaches Who Mastered Them. HarperCollins.ISBN978-0-7333-3369-9.
de Moore, Greg (2011).Tom Wills: First Wild Man of Australian Sport. Allen & Unwin.ISBN978-1-74237-598-4.
de Moore, Greg; Hess, Rob; Nicholson, Matthew; Stewart, Bob (2021).Australia's Game: The History of Australian Football. Hardie Grant Books.ISBN9781-74379-657-3.
Hess, Rob (2008).A National Game: The History of Australian Rules Football. Viking.ISBN978-0-670-07089-3.
Hess, Rob; Lenkic, Brunette (2016).Play On! The Hidden History of Women's Australian Rules Football. Bonnier Zaffre.ISBN9781760063160.
Hibbins, Gillian (2008). "Men of Purpose". In Weston, James (ed.).The Australian Game of Football: Since 1858. Geoff Slattery Publishing. pp. 31–45.ISBN978-0-9803466-6-4.
Hibbins, Gillian (2013). "The Cambridge Connection: The English Origins of Australian Football". In Mangan, J. A. (ed.).The Cultural Bond: Sport, Empire, Society. Routledge. pp. 108–127.ISBN9781135024376.
Nauright, John; Parrish, Charles (2012).Sports Around the World: History, Culture, and Practice. ABC-CLIO.ISBN9781598843002.
Pennings, Mark (2012).Origins of Australian Football: Victoria's Early History: Volume 1: Amateur Heroes and the Rise of Clubs, 1858 to 1876. Connor Court Publishing Pty Ltd.ISBN9781921421471.
Williamson, John (2003). Bucknell, Mar (ed.).Football's Forgotten Tour: The Story of the British Australian Rules Venture of 1888. Applegate.ISBN9780958101806.
-Official_Programme.jpeg)
.jpg)
