So, what is Aussie Rules Football anyway?

Aussie Rules is Australia’s own version of football. It is unlike any game you might have seen before. It is fast and exciting. It is a full-body contact sport with tackles and bumps and more.

The game itself began in Melbourne in the 1850s and has evolved into the game you see today. Haven’t seen Aussie rules? Head onto YouTube and search for the AFL channel, you can find heaps of content there about the game as well as game highlights.

The AFL (Australian Football LeaAussie Rules is Australia’s own version of football. It is unlike any game you might have seen before. It is fast and exciting. It is a full-body contact sport with tackles and bumps, and more.
The game began in Melbourne in the 1850s and has evolved into the game you see today. Haven’t you seen Aussie rules? Then, head onto YouTube and search for the AFL channel. You can find heaps of content there about the game and game highlights.

The AFL (Australian Football League) is the national league of Aussie Rules footy.gue) is the national league of Aussie Rules footy.

Number of players

Aussie Rules is played on a cricket oval (it is said the game was initially played to keep cricketers fit during winter). It has 18 players on the field – six forwards, six midfielders, and six defenders. There are also four players on the bench (substitutions). However, one is considered a medical sub that must replace an injured player. The other three players usually rotate through the whole team to rest players during the game (but there are limits on the number of rotations per game).

Moving the ball

Players can move the ball by kicki

Players can move the ball in various ways, but rules around each.

The primary way to move the ball is, as the name suggests (i.e. football), kick the ball, but there are other ways to move the ball. You cannot throw the call, but you can handball it. This is where you punch the ball with your fist as you hold it in the palm of your other hand. You can also run with the ball, but you have to bounce it every 15 metres; otherwise, it is a free kick for the other team. When someone sees this for the first time, they will be amazed at how easily players can bounce a rugby-shaped ball on the run. But Aussies that grow up playing the sport do that from a young age so they can do it naturally (that is my experience anyway). Otherwise, you’ll also see the ball move forward (or in any direction) by a closed fist, knocked or punched on. When the game gets tight and gritty, players may resort to punching or taping the ball to a teammate just to make progress.

For example, when you kick the ball, and another player (on either team) catches it, it is a Mark. That player then gets a ‘free kick’.
One aspect of the game that people love is the Marking as a player may jump on an opponent’s back to get the ball.

ng, handballing, or by running with the ball. There are rules around each of these. When you kick the ball and another player (on either team) catches it, it is a Mark. That player then gets a ‘free kick’.

One aspect of the game that people love is the Marking as a player may jump on an opponent’s back to get the ball.

via Gfycat

Scoring

There are two scores a team can get: a Goal worth 6 points and a Behind worth 1 point.

Goals

At each end of the field, there are four posts. Two taller goalposts in the middle and two smaller behind posts, one on either side. If a player kicks the ball between the middle goal posts, the team gets a ‘goal’ worth 6 points.

Behinds

When a player kicks the ball between one of the behind posts and goals posts, the team gets a ‘behind’ which is worth 1 point. Likewise, suppose an opposition team touches the ball before it goes through the goalpost or sends it through either post or the ball hits the goalpost. In that case, these are also ‘behind’ and receive one point.A score is all the goals (x 6 points) plus all the behinds. The team with the highest score wins the game!

So, if a team scores 15 goals and 12 behinds for a game, they have a total score of 102.

If the other team scores 13 goals and 25 behinds, they get 103 points and would win the game even though they kicked fewer goals.

Total Score

A score is all the goals (x 6 points) plus all the behinds. The team with the highest score wins the game!
So, if a team scores 15 goals and 12 behinds for a game, they have a total score of 102.

If the other team scores 13 goals and 25 behinds, they get 103 points and would win the game even though they kicked fewer goals. score is all the goals (x 6 points) plus all the behinds. The team with the highest score wins the game!

So, if a team scores 15 goals and 12 behinds for a game they have a total score of 102.

If the other team scores 13 goals and 25 behinds they get 103 points and would win the game even though they kicked less goals.

Tackling and bumps

Another exciting feature of the game is bumps and tackles. Although, in recent years (and rightly so, as science backs it up), the game has been modified to protect players from severe head injuries. However, you will still see some hard-hitting bumps and tackles and even the occasional all-in-fight (just not as much as in the 1980s).

via Gfycat

It’s not rugby

Finally, I should say, IT’S NOT RUGBY and is nothing like it.

Learn more

Here is a good video to check out if you want to learn more:

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