A Complete Guide to the Aussie Rules Football Rules

by Will Brown, March 11, 2025

Since it was created more than 160 years ago, Aussie Rules Football has become one of the most popular sports in Australia. The unique game is fast-paced, unpredictable, and physical, with team rivalries inspiring intense followings and loyalties among its many fans. While it may seem foreign at first, the Aussie Rules Football rules are quite simple and easy to learn. In this guide, we’ve provided an overview of elements such as the point-scoring system, player positions, and the season structure.

Intro to the Australian Rules Football Rules

Before launching into this guide to the rules of Australian Rules Football, we’ve provided the history of AFL football and how the sport evolved in its hometown of Melbourne. We’ve then shared a basic overview of the sport, before discussing the point-scoring system.

Other explored topics include the player positions, movement, and ball-handling rules, as well as the common tactics and strategies employed to win. To round out the guide, we’ve discussed the referees and penalties as well as the structure of the regular season and finals.

• The History of AFL
• The Basics of AFL
• The Point Scoring System
• Player Positions, Movements, and Handling
• Tactics and Strategiesr
• Referees and Penalties
• Regular Season and Finals Structure

The History of AFL

So what is AFL football? Australian Rules Football, or Aussie Rules, was founded in Melbourne in the late 1850s as a matter of necessity. The year previous, a local cricketer pushed for a new football game that would help keep cricketers fit during the off-season, which led to the creation of the Melbourne Football Club in 1859.

The early Aussie Rules Football rules were inspired by games such as soccer and Gaelic football, but with adaptations to suit the weather and conditions of Melbourne. The sport quickly gained popularity across the state of Victoria and the other colonies of pre-federation Australia. As the colonies played against each other, the rules were further refined and formalized.

The Victorian Football League (VFL), established in 1896, emerged to become the premier competition, and its remained so until 1990. Then, as the sport’s appeal evolved well beyond the state, it was renamed to the Australian Football League (AFL). Today, AFL games attract the largest attendance and viewership of all sports in the nation.

A Basic Overview of AFL

Australian Rules Football can best be described as a mix between rugby, soccer, and basketball. The game is played on an oval field that measures between 135 to 185 meters in length and 110 to 155 meters in width. This makes it the largest field in any mainstream global sport.

The game is played over four 20-minute quarters, with “time on” added at the end of each quarter to account for stoppages. Matches are played against two teams of 18 players, with four interchange players added as substitutes. The aim is to score more points than the opponents by kicking the ball through the opponent’s goal posts at the end of each field.

The scoring zone includes four posts: two taller goal posts in the center and two shorter behind posts on either side of those. Similar to basketball dribbling, players can run with the ball but it must be bounced every 15 meters. Physical contact is allowed in Australian Rules Football rules, resulting in an intense game.

Scoring in Aussie Rules Football

With several unconventional rules in regards to scoring in Aussie Rules football, it’s essential to know how points work before wagering at online sportsbooks with Aussie rules betting. To score a goal, players must kick the ball between the larger inner goalposts. It cannot be touched by another player before entering these posts. A goal is worth six points.

Players can also score a behind, which is worth one point, in one of several ways. Firstly, a behind is scored if the ball is kicked between an inner goal post and an outer behind post. It can also be scored if the ball hits any goal post, if it’s touched by any player before passing through the goals posts, or if a team’s defender carries or kicks the ball across their own goal line.

The inclusion of behinds creates a more dynamic game, with teams able to win despite having fewer goals than their opponents. It does, though, create scores that may appear confusing. For example, a scorecard of 65-59 could represent one team having 10 goals and five behinds against an opponent with nine goals and five behinds.

Player Positions, Movement, and Ball Handling

Like with any international football game, teams usually require players to fill one of several positions. The defense includes two back pockets in each wing and one full-back who is essentially the key defender in the back line. The full-back is essentially the last line of defense.

Further up the field are two half-back flankers, who play a similar role to the back pockets, playing a crucial role in defense but also instrumental in offense during turnovers. They are aided by a center half back. There are two wingers in the center field as well as the highly important central midfielder.

There is also a ruckman, who is the tallest player on the team. Their goal is to beat their opponents in the ruck contest to direct the ball back to their midfielders. They are aided by a ruck-rover and rover, who typically follow the ball around the whole ground. Mirroring the half backline, the frontline contains two half forwards in the wings and a central forward. There are also three full forwards closer to the opponent’s goal.

In modern Aussie Rules Football rules, players may rotate through multiple positions during games. Teams can also make unlimited interchanges with their four bench players. Now that you know the positions, how about the flow of the game?

To commence a round or quarter, the field referee or “umpire” bounces the ball in the center circle. The two ruckmen leap to tap the ball back to their midfielders, and play commences. Players must direct the ball to their teammates up the field to score points. If the ball is directed out of bounds by one team, it is kicked or handballed in by the opposition.

To pass, the ball can be kicked or handballed, which involves holding the ball in one hand and hitting it with the fist of the other. If a player catches, or “marks” a ball that has been kicked more than 15 meters without interference, they receive a free kick.

Design, Tactics, and Tackling

Over the history of AFL football, several common strategies have emerged to win against opponents. The first is to create a marking chain, whereby players kick the ball upfield long distances to create multiple marks. Tackling is permitted only between the shoulders and knees, and players cannot be tackled during free kicks.

If a player is tackled, they must handball or kick the ball away or the tackler wins a free kick. One strategy that prevents opponents from scoring in Aussie Rules football is flooding, which sees a team move players back into the defensive half to outnumber the opposition.

Running the ball involves running the ball through defense through handballs and short kicks toward the attacking half, while strong centre square setups involve positioning midfielders in the center to prevent opponents from possessing the ball. Teams can also either zone defend or tag, which either sees players defend a zone of the field or individual players stick to one opposition player to cover.

Referees and Penalties

Australian Rules football rules are enforced by three field umpires, two boundary umpires, and two goal umpires. Field umpires can award free kicks for the breaking of Aussie Rules football rules such as failing to dispose of a ball when tackled, contact above the shoulders, pushing opponents in the back, tackling a player who doesn’t have the ball, or incorrect disposal.

Serious infractions can result in a 50-meter penalty, whereby the mark is moved to 50 meters from the offender’s goal line. This can be for abusing umpires, wasting time, encroaching on an exclusion zone while a player takes a mark, and late contact after a mark. The goal umpires are responsible for judging scores.

Season Structure and Finals

With the question, “what is Australian football?” answered, now to the schedule. A regular AFL season consists of 23 rounds, with each team playing 22 matches and having one by round. Winning teams win four points, draws award two points, and losses award no points. At the end of the season, the eight-scoring top AFL teams qualify for the finals season.

The first week sees the top four teams compete in a qualifying final, with the lower half competing in an elimination final, The following week sees the qualifying losers compete against the elimination winners, while the next week sees the qualifying final winners compete against the previous week’s winners.

The fourth week is the Grand Final. This game sees the top two teams compete for the Premiership Trophy. Held on the last Saturday in September, the Friday before is a holiday in Melbourne. The game attracts crowds of over 100,000 people, making it the biggest event on Australia’s sporting calendar.