What are the rules of the AFL?

Answer 1

well, as an Australian who loves her AFL, i feel obliged to answer...but i don't think i can list ALL the rules. I can, however, give you the basics.

there are umpires who run the length of the field and referee the game, awarding free kicks and throwing the ball in from the boundary back into play if the ball is kicked out of bounds. There are also goal umpires who stand between the posts to determine whether or not an attempt at goal was successfull.

the aim of the game (assuming you don't know, sorry if you do) is to kick an oval-like shaped ball through the posts to score goals. The goals are the rwo middle posts out of four posts in a line at each end of the ground facing the field. As if from one end of the line of posts, there are a small one, then 2 tall ones in the middle (the main target), then another small one. a ball kicked between a small and a tall post is only worth a behind, or 1 point. a ball kicked between the 2 middle taller posts is called "a goal" and is worth 6 points. the ball must be kicked through the posts without touching anyone after foot cantact is made with the ball. If it is thrown, punched or touched on its way through any of the posts, it is worth only 1 point. The ball can only be carried for a maximum of about fifteen steps before it must then be bounced on the ground or given off to another player either by a kick or a handball (basically the ball is punched out of a players hand and into anothers). if a player fails to give off the ball in the maximum time, that player is 'pinned' or caught holding the ball and the opposing team is awarded a free kick. if a player drops the ball or throws the ball, a free kick is also awarded to the opposing team. if the ball is kicked anything over 15 metres and is caught by another player, that is called a mark. if a mark is taken the player that caught the ball cannot be tackled or have the ball taken from him. however is he has the ball in his possession for over 30 seconds, the umpire calls play on and that player can be tackled by an opposing player and must release the ball or run with the ball before that can occur. when a player is taking a mark, an opposing player can stop him by punching the ball away from the marking players fists or attempt to mark the ball himself. a player moving to take a mark CANNOT be pushed in the back by an opposing player. if he is, he is awarded a free kick. a player may leap onto another players back or shoulders in order to take a hanger or a 'specky' which is a mark in mid air, well off the ground. if a player tackles another player and hits him above the shoulder, a free kick is awarded to the player that was 'hit high'. There is also no tripping allowed or holding another player back by the arms. if a player is running with the ball and is legitimately tackled and taken to ground, the player is 'pinned' with the ball and the player who did the tackeling is awarded the ball. The only protective gear to be worn by an AFL player apart from a football boot which goes without saying is a mouth guard. there are no helmets or padding involved despite the fast pace and pretty hard tackles.

these are the basic rules. but if you are after technical rules and all that, i would suggest going down to your local library or read on the internet a book called 100 Years of AFL which will have ALL the information you need. it came out in 2005.

hope this LONG message/answer helped! :)