Australian football is a sports game usually played by two teams of 18 players. Points are scored either for kicking the oval ball into the central goal post, which is six points, or for kicking the ball into the central outer post, which gives a single point. Scoring the ball between the central outer post is called “behind.”
You can have a look at Aussie rules future matches to have fun. Anyway, first it’s better to learn more about the features and the main rules of the sport.
Some Basic Features of Australian Football
The main objective of this game is for either of the two teams to win by scoring the most points. Players can play with any part of their body. Generally, the primary methods are running with the ball, handballing, and kicking. During general play, players may position themselves anywhere on the field to start a match.
The aim is to kick the ball between any of the four goalposts. The points depend on which of the goalposts the ball goes between. The ball can be played in a series of fashions, and the team with the highest point wins the game.
The game is played on an oval pitch with the dimension of a length ranging from 135 to 185 metres and a width ranging from 110 to 155 metres. The four posts are placed at either end of the pitch. They are about six metres tall, and they are the scoring zones. The post placed in the front is the main scoring area, while the remaining two behind posts are the secondary scoring areas.
Each team has about three substitutes for the entire match. This means that players can come on and off during the game. There are seven umpires that officiate an Australian rule football game. Three of them are called filled umpires. They enforce the game’s rules and are equally in charge of timekeeping. The other two are the line judges who check if the ball is out. Then the last two umpires are the goal umpires, and they are there to determine if a goal has been scored or not.
Usually, the game starts with a ruck; the umpire throws the ball in the air, and players from each team try to tap the ball to their teammates. This process is repeated when a team scores to start the game.
Basic Rules of Aussie Game
In an Aussie Rule game, the umpires make decisions, and their call is final. Below are some of the underlying rules that influence their decisions:
- The only way to pass the ball is to hand it. That is, the ball must be in the palm of one hand, and the player stuck the ball with the butt of the other hand clenched into a fist. If done otherwise, it is a foul. You cannot throw or slap the ball to pass;
- Players can only mark the ball in three ways; they can catch the ball without it bouncing, catch the ball after it has travelled a few metres, or catch the ball before it has been touched in the air;
- Once a player is marked, he cannot be tackled. If a tackle occurs or the other player steps over the mark, then a foul will be called;
- If a tackled player refuses to let go of the ball, the umpire will call a foul, and the possession of the ball will be turned over;
The rules of the games are not limited to the ones listed above.
Conclusion
Australian Rules football is being played in various competitions, but the most popular is the Australian Football League (AFL). AFL is the only fully professional league, and the league is played by both male and female teams.