AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL
Created in 1857 by former Rugby School student, Tom Wills, and his cousin and friends, Australian Rules Football was initially designed to keep cricket players fit in the off-season. An off-shoot of rugby football, the sport is known almost ubiquitously as "Australian Rules" or "Aussie Rules" football though Australians know it simply as "football" or "footie", as it is far more prevalent Down Under than soccer. Footy is still played on an oval, with a spheroid ball  similar to a rugby ball.
Burley makes a good ball, though Sherrin supplies game balls for the professional Australian Football League. Each ball is assigned a number referring to the firmness of the ball; the higher the number, the firmer the ball. A Sherrin AFL game ball is a 5 but can be a 3 and should be inflated to about 10psi.
Footy is a fast-paced and violent game and can appear hectic to the uninformed spectator. Despite the full-contact nature of the sport, padding and equipment are minimal, though good footwear is a must. Cleats are necessary for playing on natural or field turf; either soccer cleats or football cleats will work and depend on personal preference. Be aware, though, that most football cleats have a toe spike which can be deemed illegal.
A mouthpiece is highly recommended to protect teeth and tongues and to prevent concussions.
In competition, each team has 18 players on the field at a time, there is no offsides rule and players are free to roam the field. Points are scored by kicking, punching, or otherwise advancing the ball through the opponents' set of four uprights, or posts. Kicking the ball through the middle 2 posts is a "goal" and results in six points for your team. Kicking the ball through the outer posts is a "behind" and results in one point. Behinds are also awarded for passing the ball through any of the opposing posts in any manner other than a kick on the fly. A ball can be touched, batted, punched, carried, or fumbled through the uprights. If a ball is kicked and hits any of the posts, a behind is awarded and the ball is brought back into play by the opposing team at the kickoff square, in front of the uprights.
The ball is advanced by running, hand-passing, or kicking the ball. When running, the ball must be bounced, or dribbled, every 15 meters (every 5 steps or so). To hand-pass, the ball is held in one hand and punched with the other; throwing the ball is not allowed and results in a turnover. Kicking the ball is the most effective way to advance the ball as it can covers the most distance while expending little energy. Also, kicking allows for "marks", or free kicks. For informational or training videos, check here.
| Related Products |
|
|
|
|
Show Your Support |
Get Official AFL gear |
Improve Your Game |
For the Young Fan |
|
login
/ register
Shopping Directory
