Aussie Rules Football Rules: Everything You Need to Know

by Amelia Walker, September 29, 2023

• Scoring in Aussie Rules Football: An Introduction
• The History of the AFL
• Understanding Basic Rules
• Advanced Rules: Breaking Them Down
• Tactics and Strategies: Winning the Game
• Penalties: Rule Violations

Aussie rules football is a sport known for its fast-paced action and unique gameplay. It’s one of the most popular sports in Australia, and it’s also starting to gain fans in other countries, too. Whether you’re a newcomer to the game or a seasoned fan looking to deepen your understanding of Aussie rules football rules, this guide is designed to give you a comprehensive overview of the ins and outs of the game.

Scoring in Aussie Rules Football: An Introduction

Aussie rules football, or simply “footy”, is a sport that combines elements of rugby and American football, with a few unique twists. The game is played on an oval field, with two teams of 18 players each. The objective is to score more points than the opposition by kicking the ball between goal posts. Scoring in Aussie rules football is what it’s all about – like most sports!

The sport has a rich history, dating back to the mid-19th century, and in the next section of this guide we’ll be taking a closer look at the history of AFL. While this blog focuses on the rules of the game, our site also reviews tons of online sportsbooks with Aussie rules betting options to find the best ones for our readers. Feel free to check them out if you fancy a wager on the AFL.

The History of AFL

Australian rules football, or as it’s better known, Aussie rules, has origins dating back to the 1850s in and around Melbourne, Australia. Amateur clubs playing informal matches of the sport, known as Victorian rules football, began popping up in the late 1850s. The sport quickly became popular in Victoria, but, back then, different clubs often used varying rules – making it pretty confusing when teams played one another! To rectify this, the Victorian Football Association (VFA) was formed in 1877 to create a standard set of rules.

As the sport continued gaining popularity, intercolonial matches between teams from different states started to be played. However, again, rules were inconsistent – despite the previous measures – and to address this, representatives of the VFA, the South Australian National Football League, and stakeholders had a meeting in 1896.

Together, they agreed to form the Australasian Football Council, which later became known as the Australian Football League (AFL). Their main goal was to create a uniform set of rules for the sport across the whole of Australia. They also wanted to establish an annual national club championship.

The first official matches under AFL rules were played in 1897, marking the true beginnings of modern Australian Rules football. Now that the rules of AFL football were centralized – and, most importantly, agreed upon by all teams – more than 20 clubs came together in the early years to compete against one another.

Understanding Basic Rules

At its core, Australian rules football features two teams. Each team has a total of 18 players. They work together to try and score points, done by kicking an oval-shaped ball between the opponent’s goal posts. The playing field is oval-shaped, often 130-170 meters long, with goal posts at each end.

Teams attempt to advance the ball down the field and kick it through the goals to score. Each goal is worth six points. Kicking the ball between a goal and behind post, called a behind, scores 1 point. Games consist of 4 quarters, each lasting around 20-25 minutes. Players may get rid of the ball using their hand or feet.

However, players can only run with the ball for a maximum of 15 meters. To continue longer than this, they need to bounce the ball; failing to do so will incur a penalty.

When it comes to the rules of tackling, you’d be surprised at how specific they are. Players can be tackled when they are in possession of the ball, but no tackling above the shoulders or below the knees is allowed. There are no set player positions, and the game is unique in that unlimited substitutions are allowed.

The team with the higher score at the end of the match is declared the winner, and, as you’d expect, if the scores are tied, the match results in a draw.

Advanced Rules: Breaking Them Down

Beyond the basics, Australian rules football rules can look complex, and it’s true that they can, for many, appear to be pretty advanced. However, we’re going to break some of them down below into bite size chunks to give you an introduction to them and how they work. This isn’t an Aussie rules football glossary, but we’ll do our best to give context and explanations where necessary.

Firstly, there’s the out of play rule. Every time the ball goes out of bounds – or a goal is scored – the ball is bounced in the center of the field to restart play. This move allows both teams to contest possession, often resulting in lengthy rucks for the ball.

One of the rules of AFL football that many new fans struggle to understand is the marking rules. These reward players who catch a kicked ball directly from another player with an uncontested possession. Strategic kicking to open teammates to make a mark is a very important part of the game, and it’s something teams spend a lot of time training.

Another slightly more complex rule for beginners to get their heads around is the action a player must take when tackled. If a player has current possession of the ball, and is tackled, they must make a legal disposal of the ball, either by kicking, throwing, or handballing the ball. Failure to properly do so will result in an immediate turnover. This is a fast-paced rule, so many newbies struggle to keep up at first.

The final rule we’ll cover in this section has to do with the boundary lines, center circles, goal squares, and others. These restrict player positioning at stoppages like ball-ups, throw-ins, or kick-ins after the ball goes out. These contests require tactics like blocking opponents’ running paths. They can be hard to get the hang of at first, but spend time watching the games and you’ll pick it up soon enough.

Tactics and Strategies: Winning the Game

Aussie rules football is not just about physical abilities and skill; it’s also a game of strategy and tactics. Coaches and players have to learn the game’s inner workings down to a tee in order to be able to outsmart their opponents. Here are some common tactics used in the game:

Flooding: This defensive strategy involves moving players back into the defensive half of the ground to outnumber the opposition near their goal. This makes it harder for the opposition to score but can leave the team vulnerable if the opposition regains possession.

Zone defense: Instead of each player marking an opponent, in a zone defense, players are responsible for an area of the ground. This strategy can disrupt the opposition’s forward moves and create turnovers.

Running the ball: This offensive strategy involves players running the ball out of defense with a series of handballs and short kicks. This maintains possession and can quickly transition the game into the attacking half.

Centre square setups: The way a team sets up for a center bounce can influence the game’s flow. Teams can position their midfielders to best win the ball or to prevent the opposition from winning a clean possession.

Tagging: A player may be assigned to “tag” an opposition player, always staying with them to limit their influence on the game. This can be particularly effective against key playmakers.

Here’s a table summarizing these tactics:

Penalties: Rule Violations

Australian rules football employs several penalties to regulate play and enforce its rules, and these are, when appropriate, handed out by referees. One of the most common is known as holding the ball, and this occurs when a player doesn’t properly get rid of the ball after being tackled, resulting in a free kick. Tripping, pushing or illegally tackling opponents is another common penalty offense, and, again, it awards a free kick to the opposition.

Another penalty offense, charging, involves aggressively bumping or ramming into an opponent when they aren’t in possession of the ball. This falls under the “rough conduct” rule, which covers all forceful collisions that could lead to serious injury.

Dangerous tackles above the shoulders are always penalized, as is the case in most sports today. Slightly less serious offenses like blocking, time wasting, or abusive language tend to result in downfield free kicks, which are basically a milder form of penalty. Players who commit particularly bad fouls may be suspended, or, at the least, receive a 50-meter penalty.