Australian Rules Football: How To Play, Scoring, Variations

Australian Rules Football: American Football and English Football are arguably the two most popular sports on this planet. What would happen if we could combine the best of both these worlds? Well, a game like that does exist, called Australian Football. But how to play Aussie rules football? Before that, let’s learn about the insight of this game.  

Introducing Australian Rules football or Aussie Rules football- a unique, power-packed, high-octane game that combines the best elements of soccer and football, offering a thrilling experience like no other. Birthed in 1841, this game quickly caught all sports lovers’ attention and is now a really popular sport worldwide. Today, we shall learn about this exciting game in detail and better understand how to play with the rules of Australian Football.

How To Play Australian Rules Football?

The fact that Australian Football is the perfect blend of soccer and football is enough for sports enthusiasts to grasp the basics of this game. In Australian football, players can use both their hands and legs, similar to Rugby or American Football. The game is all about teamwork, with players striving to outscore their opponents, who will be defending, tackling, and preventing them from scoring. The only way to score in Australian football is by kicking the ball through the goalposts on either end of the field. Simple right? But that is the essence of the gameplay. Let’s delve deeper to understand the intricacies and get into it!

Objective

Both teams engaged in fierce competition, aiming to outplay their opponent and win the game. However, winning an Australian football involves two key aspects: defending against the opponent’s attacks and launching successful attacks to score more goals before time runs out. It’s a game of strategy, skill, and determination. Now that you have learned how to play Aussie football let’s learn about the Aussie rules of the game.

Australian Rules Football

Since Australian Football takes after American Football quite a bit, there is always a risk factor involved. To regulate the game and prevent players and teams from resorting to unfair means, some Aussie rules have been instated. As a matter of fact, these rules make the game of Australian football even more thrilling. Let’s discover what these Australian rules football are:

• The umpires/the referees have the last call. Their decision is final.
• A complete game of Australian football lasts about 80 minutes. Each game consists of four quarters, each 20 minutes long.
• The game begins with a ‘ruck’. In a ruck, the umpire throws the ball high into the air, and one player from each team tries to direct/tap the ball towards their team. Once a goal is scored, games restart with ‘rucks.’ 
• Each team has 22 players (total), of whom 18 can be on the field. Each player and position has a definitive role and tactics. All of these players can move freely around the pitch.
• Both teams can have 3 rolling substitutes, i.e., each team can have 3 players who can be substituted in and out of the active field of play as many times as needed.
• The different positions in Australian Football are Full Back, Half Back, Centre Line, Half Forward, and Full Forward.
• As per the Aussie rules football, a total of 7 umpires govern and oversee the gameplay and different aspects of it.
• A typical Australian Football field is considered one of the largest playing fields in all sports.

Field Of Play – Measurement, Boundaries, & Lines

Before we get started with the “how to’s,” let’s better understand the field of play, the markings, and the lines. This is important because these lines are quintessential to play Australian football properly:

• Australian Football is played on an oval-shaped field, much like Cricket. An ideal field for Aussie Rules is one that measures 185 m X 155 m or 135 X 110 m.
• The boundary is marked with a white line all around the grounds, a few meters off the edge.
• The field consists of two sets of goalposts situated on either end of the field. 
• The inner set of posts consists of the goal, and these posts are 6.4 m apart. These poles are at least 6 m tall.
• The two behind posts are set up on either side of the goalposts. Each is 6.4 m apart (on the side) from the goalposts and must be at least 3 m tall.
• All poles have to be padded up to 2 m.
• The Goal Square extends 9 m out into the field from the goalposts, and the box is 6.4 m wide. 
• The 50-meter line, also commonly called the range finder, is a white radius drawn 50 m from the goal on either side of the field.
• The center circle, 3 m in diameter, is marked in the middle of the field. A 2 m line extends on either side of the diameter.
• The center square also has its center right in the middle and extends 45 m on either side. 

The Ball

The ball used in Australian Football is an oval-shaped, leather-coated ball. For day matches, a tanned version of this ball is used, whereas for night matches, a bright yellow ball is used. It is slightly larger than the American ball or the Canadian ball, solely for the reason that it was never meant to be thrown.

Players & Positions 

In Aussie Rules football, 18 players are allowed on the pitch per team at any given time. However, each team gets three substitutes. Let’s learn about the players and their positioning in detail:

• Full Forwards – Left Forward Pocket, Full Forward, Right Forward Pocket
• Half Forwards – Left Half Forward, Center Half Forward, Right Half Forward
• Center Line – Left Wing, Center, Right Wing
• Half Backs – Left Half Back, Center Half Back. Right Half Back
• Full Backs – Left Back Pocket, Full Back, Right Back Pocket
• The remaining three players are assigned to the ball. They are called ‘followers.’
• The positions of the ‘followers’ are called Rover, Ruckman, and Ruck-Rover.
• Although each player has their roles and positions defined, all the players can play anywhere on the pitch.
• One thing to note here is that there is no ‘goalie’ in Aussie Rules.

Ball-Up

Ball-up is also called the ‘ruck,’ the phenomenon that starts the game. Let’s understand how to start the game the right way:

• Both teams elect one player from each team who tries to tap the ball into the direction of their team (to gain possession).
• The referee bounces the ball in the Center Circle, and the team that wins the ball-up gets the first opportunity to score. 
• Ball-ups or Rucks are the only way to start a game. They are repeated after a goal is scored, much like in the NFL or Soccer.

Defending

Defending goals is an essential part of Australian football. Scoring is important, but stopping the opposition from catching up or equalizing is a strategy that pays off well. Here are the rules concerning defending goals in Australian football:

• All 18 players on each team can defend and attempt to stop the opposing team from scoring goals.
• Defenders can resort to several maneuvers to try and steal the ball away from you to score themselves. 
• Defenders can block kicks, intercept balls and passes, push you off the field (out of bounds), tackle you, and drag you to the ground (they are only allowed to tackle below the shoulders).
• If a defender can successfully perform a tackle, then they get a ‘free kick’ from the spot where they tackled the other player.

Attacking

Attacking is, perhaps, the most critical part of the game. The idea behind the game is to outscore your opponent, and to do that, teams need to ensure that they attack relentlessly and strategically to maximize goals. Here are the rules pertaining to attacks in Australian football:

• The first and perhaps the most important thing to remember when attacking is that if you carry the ball or have the ball, opponents will try to tackle you or block you.
• Attackers must strive to pass the ball and move it upfield as quickly as possible.
• Attackers can move the ball upfield by kicking the ball in any direction (within the boundary), running with the ball, or passing it to a teammate. 
• If you are running with the ball, you must bounce it on the ground (like in basketball) for every 15 m you cover. 
• Passing in Australian football is called handballing. In handballing, players punch the ball with a clenched fist to pass it to an opponent.
• Throwing the ball is absolutely not allowed and will result in your team losing a ‘free kick’ to the other team. 

Important Terms

The above information can be considered an initiation of sorts. We need to get into the details to know everything about Australian football. Crucial terms associated with this thrilling game give it a lot more meaning and make it more enjoyable. They are as follows:

The Mark

The mark is a saving grace for each team, allowing them to cover more ground easily. If a player kicks a ball in the air over 15 m and a teammate catches the ball without letting it drop or touch the ground first, it is called ‘Mark’ or ‘marking the ball.’ 

• If players can mark the ball, they are awarded a free kick from the same spot where they caught it. 
• During a ‘mark,’ opponents cannot touch the free-kick-taking player for 10 seconds.
• If you ‘mark’ within your team’s forward 50 m mark, then you get 30 seconds to take the free kick where the opponents cannot touch you.
• Once the stipulated freekick time expires (10 seconds or 30 seconds) and you haven’t made the kick, the referee can call it a ‘play-on.’

Play-On

A Play-On is a signal from the referee that allows the opponents to try and take the ball off you during or after a free kick. If the freekick-taking player fails to kick the ball within the stipulated time, the referee can call a Play-On to prevent teams from wasting time. If the referee calls a ‘play-on,’ the opponents are free to try and take the ball away from you, regardless of whether you got a free kick.

Speckie

Speckie is the short form for spectacular marks. It is a maneuver where a player jumps in the air and defies gravity to secure the ball for a ‘spectacular mark.’ Players cannot push other players from the back during a mark. However, if there is a marking contest and the opponent is in front of you, you can use their back as leverage to gain height and catch the ball. 

Interchange

It is just like substituting players in soccer or American football. Each team is allowed to interchange 3 players. These 3 players must wait in a designated area till they are interchanged. They have designated areas through which they can enter or exit. In a single match, the maximum number of interchanges allowed is 120. 

50-m Penalty

Penalties, or in this case, 50-m Penalties, are fouls that are punished with a free kick at the 50-m line of the penalized team. A 50-m penalty can be awarded to the opponent team if any of the following happens:

• Unnecessary rough playing against a player who won the mark.
• Running through a mark.
• Tackling the player who is taking the mark.
• Arguing with the umpires, not listening to them or abusing them.
• If the player takes the mark, he moves forward from the marked spot while taking the mark.
• Wasting time by kicking the ball after the team has conceded a free kick (deliberate or not).
• Failing to return the ball to the player who has been awarded a free kick (deliberately).
• Defending players enter the protected zone (the space extending 5 m).
• Penalties arising from interchange infringement or owing to fouls in formations and line-ups will be reprimanded with an additional 50 m penalty and free kick.
• Any and all free kick infringements against the defensive team when a free kick or a mark is to be taken by the opponent.

50-m Penalties can be deadly because too many of these penalties can change the entire course of the game. Players should avoid committing the above fouls so the opponent doesn’t get 50-m penalties.

Kicks After The Siren

If a player marks the ball and the game-ending siren is sounded, the play doesn’t stop there. The play will be carried out after the mark, and that play (whether it ends in a goal, behind, or nothing) will be considered while deciding the game results. 

Scoring

There are two ways to score in Australian Football. The first way to score is by a ‘Goal.’ The other way to score is by ‘Behind.’ So, what is the difference between these two? We will explain.

Goal 

In Australian football, players kick the ball hard and high so that it passes through the two posts (poles) in the middle, thereby scoring a goal. A successful goal (the ball goes through the two poles in the middle) earns the team 6 points. However, one thing needs to be kept in mind. There cannot be any deflection for a shot to be declared a goal. 

Behind

The other way of scoring points in Australian football is called ‘behind.’ Primarily, it is the same as a goal, the only difference being that a goal is a clean ball entry between the two middle poles without any deflection, whereas a behind is a goal entry with a deflection of some sort. A goal will be dubbed a behind if any of the following happens:

• If the ball hits one of the goalposts before going in
• If another player deflects the ball through the goalpost
• If you kick the ball and it goes through one of the middle goal posts and one of the short behind goal posts

A ‘Behind’ is worth only 1 point but is crucial to the game’s overall score.

Winning

Winning is as simple as it sounds. The team that scores the most goals and behinds wins the game. 

Tips & Strategies

Australian football might sound simple, but the competition level has just increased in recent years. Although the game comprises elements from different sports like football, American football, and even basketball (to some extent), the way to improve in this game is unlike all of the rest. Here are some valuable tips and strategies to help you get better at Australian Rules football:

• Using both limbs – Learn to kick the ball with both feet. Also, learn to handle the ball with both hands. This will give you added advantages in terms of kicking and moving forward. Bouncing the ball with both hands will give you more control of the ball in context with yourself. 
• Leg through leg maneuver – Sometimes, especially when marking the ball, you are faced with a bigger and stronger opponent. Trying to push them away using force might not give you favorable results. Instead, use the leg through leg tactic. Keep your core tight and straight, and position your lead leg between the opponent’s legs. Then, use your body and shoulders to push them. This will remove your opposition easily as his center of balance is disrupted. 
• Under-armpit push—This tip also works well when faced with a stronger and bigger opponent. If you cannot push black and they are pushing you with their arms, place your hands under their armpit and push up to disbalance them. It will be easier for you to push them off.
• Lose the ball quickly—In Aussie rules football, it is imperative to have a great deal of field awareness. This will help you strategize your kicks and passes ahead of time. You should do that because you will only have a little time once you get possession of the ball. Avoid being tackled by losing the ball while also passing accurately to increase goal-scoring opportunities. 
• Feints – Running with the ball is an excellent option because, quite frankly, that is the most assured way of covering grounds without any possession loss. However, to do that, you need to be light on your feet and need to have the ‘feinting’ techniques down right. Feinting will send your opponents flying to the ground everywhere around you, and they will be left in your dust. However, it is a difficult technique to master. 

Did You Know?

• Australian Football, or Aussie Rules or Australian Rules Football, is almost exclusively played in Australia. 
• The AFL (Australian Football League) is the only official governing body for this sport, and it is based in Australia. 
• The game was first invented back in 1841. 
• Melbourne Football Club was the first AFL club and was established in 1858.
• The losing team (in tournaments) is awarded a wooden spoon. It is a fascinating practice in this sport, mainly because it is an imaginary award.

FAQs

Conclusion

As exciting as it sounds, Aussie Rules or Australian Football or Australian Rules Football requires much stamina, strength, and endurance. The field is nearly bigger than the field in most sports, meaning players have much more ground to cover. The game is definitely a lot of fun to play, but it is far from being an easy sport. However, now that you know the game’s rules, you can start working on preparing yourself for this game. 

Think you know enough? Get, set, and Roll! Keep coming back to Play With Rules for more such impactful learning on sports around the world.