AUSTRALIAN Football, or better known as “footy” in Australia, was first played in 1858. This first match was held in Melbourne, and was the result of a collaboration between students from Melbourne Grammar School and Scotch College.
The game was inspired by various forms of football that were popular in England at the time. It soon developed into a unique sport with its own set of rules.
In 1897, the Victorian Football League (VFL) was formed, which became the forerunner of the Australian Football League (AFL) as it is known today. The AFL is currently the main professional league in Australia with 18 teams spread across the country.
Basics of Australian Football
- Each team usually has 22 players with 18 of them on the field at any one time.
- The game is played on an oval-shaped field with goalposts at each end. Points are scored by kicking the oval-shaped ball between the taller center goalposts (worth six points) or through the outer goalposts (worth one point).
- Players can kick, hand pass or tap the ball, tackle and chase other players, and kick the ball to score goals from anywhere on the oval field.
- An AFL match consists of four halves. Each half lasts approximately 20 minutes, plus any additional time given when the referee calls a time-out.
- The game (or match) is won by the team with the highest score when the final whistle blows.
Australian Football is played on a large oval field about 135-185 meters long and 110-155 meters wide. Each team consists of 18 players on the field and 4 substitutes.
The main objective of the game is to score points by kicking the ball through the opponent’s goal posts. There are two main posts and two small posts at each end of the field. A kick that passes through the main post (goal) is worth 6 points, while one that passes between the main post and the small post (behind) is worth 1 point.
The game lasts for 4 quarters, each lasting 20 minutes. Players can move the ball by kicking, carrying, or hitting the ball towards a teammate (handball). Tackling or bringing down an opponent who is carrying the ball is also an important part of the strategy of this game.
Also read: Getting to Know the Most Popular Football Sport in the World
For those of you who are interested in trying this game, Jakarta Bintang Australian Football League Indonesia holds regular Australian football training at the Gelora Bung Karno field.
Jakarta Bintang is preparing for the Asian Champs event, as explained by Alvina Gracia, AFL captain on July 20, 2024. “This event will be held in Thailand, precisely in Pattaya. Usually it is held in Bangkok, but this time in Pattaya. The Asian Champs will be held on August 31,” she said.
AFL coach said the toughest opponents in the Asian Champs to be held in August are China and Pakistan. They have a solid defense and that is a challenge for Indonesian AFL players. For the women’s AFL, the toughest opponent is Cambodia. (Z-3)
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