115-479: 2015(W - AFLQ) 2016(W - AFLQ) 2018(M - AFLO) 2019(M - AFLO) The Ottawa Swans are an Australian rules football club based in Ottawa , Ontario , Canada. The club is notable as being the first and currently only Australian rules football club to represent the city of Ottawa. The Ottawa Swans Australian Football Club played 3 exhibition games in 2007 before becoming a not-for-profit society in 2008. It entered
230-534: A Hamilton cable television channel. In July 1995, the Hamilton Wildcats played a Canadian All-Star team in front of 21,000 fans during the half-time break at a Canadian Football League ( gridiron ) match. In 1999, the first USA v Canada game was played ( 49th Parallel Cup , named after the 49th parallel north ). The Revolution narrowly defeated Team Canada (Northwind). Later matches enforced strict rules based on player origins. The 49th Parallel Cup
345-638: A dominion , leagues were also established in the major cities. This renewed popularity helped encourage the formation of the Australasian Football Council , which in 1908 in Melbourne staged the first national interstate competition, the Jubilee Australasian Football Carnival , with teams representing each state and New Zealand. The game was also established early on in the new territories. In
460-517: A century. State of Origin rules, introduced in 1977, stipulated that rather than representing the state of their adopted club, players would return to play for the state they were first recruited in. This instantly broke Victoria's stranglehold over state titles and Western Australia and South Australia began to win more of their games against Victoria. Both New South Wales and Tasmania scored surprise victories at home against Victoria in 1990. The term " Barassi Line ", named after VFL star Ron Barassi ,
575-490: A certain number of matches depending on the severity of the infringement. The game features frequent physical contests, spectacular marking , fast movement of both players and the ball, and high scoring. The sport's origins can be traced to football matches played in Melbourne , Victoria , in 1858, inspired by English public school football games . Seeking to develop a game more suited to adults and Australian conditions,
690-574: A full page welcoming in The Argus . However they faced a stern lack of support from Victorian football authorities, the cadets who had trained to play in the home of football, instead competed and lost in other sports including lacrosse at the Melbourne Cricket Ground . A rare exception was during the visit to Newport a local amateur team agreed to play an unsanctioned match and were completely shocked to have been soundly beaten by
805-419: A game for either medical or tactical reasons. Players on the playing surface can be swapped with those on the interchange bench at any time. They must though pass through a designated "Interchange Area". In the event a player fails to pass through this area correctly, or if too many players from one team are found to be on the ground at a time, a free kick will be awarded to the opposing side. While there
920-399: A mark is taken, a small protected zone is established on the field, extending 10 metres (11 yd) either side of "the mark" and the player who marked the ball, with a small protected corridor between "the mark" and the player. The opposition player is permitted to jump, but is not allowed to move from their position on "the mark". Any other movements result in a distance penalty (50 metres in
1035-539: A number of junior and women's clubs across Canada. The sport was first introduced in 1905 in Vancouver, and despite tours involving American and Australian sides in 1912 and 1913, the sport went into permanent recess before World War I as a result of Australia's refusal to recognise Canada as a playing nation. Three-quarters of a century later, the then VFL (now Australian Football League ), having briefly gained then lost lucrative North American television broadcasts in
1150-744: A planned visit to Australia. The students were from the Vancouver School Board district and included the Vancouver High School Cadet Corps and King Edward High School among others. Davy wrote to Australia for assistance. However by 1906 the game's newly formed governing body, the Australasian Football Council (AFC) led by the VFL resolved not to support the game being played outside Australasia and declined any support. West Australian Football League secretary John J Simons however pledged his support through
1265-569: A player breaks a rule, a free kick is awarded to the opposing team, from the location that the misconduct occurred, or the ball's current location—whichever is closer to the team's scoring zone. As when a mark is taken, this location is called "the mark", and the same protections regarding the space apply. Australian rules football in Canada Australian rules football in Canada (commonly known as "Aussie Rules" or simply "footy")
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#17327977859591380-566: A proposed hybrid code of Australian football and rugby league , the predominant code of football in New South Wales and Queensland, was trialled without success. In Queensland, the state league went into recess for the duration of the war. VFL club University left the league and went into recess due to severe casualties. The WAFL lost two clubs and the SANFL was suspended for one year in 1916 due to heavy club losses. The Anzac Day match ,
1495-812: A pupil at Rugby School in England, and returned to his homeland a star athlete and cricketer. Two weeks later, Wills' friend, cricketer Jerry Bryant , posted an advertisement for a scratch match at the Richmond Paddock adjoining the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). This was the first of several "kickabouts" held that year involving members of the Melbourne Cricket Club , including Wills, Bryant, W. J. Hammersley and J. B. Thompson . Trees were used as goalposts and play typically lasted an entire afternoon. Without an agreed-upon code of laws, some players were guided by rules they had learned in
1610-505: A second-tier status. The VFA merged with the former VFL reserves competition in 1998, adopting the VFL name. State of Origin also declined in importance, especially after an increasing number of player withdrawals. The AFL turned its focus to the annual International Rules Series against Ireland in 1998 before abolishing State of Origin the following year. State and territorial leagues still contest interstate matches, as do AFL Women players. In
1725-513: A select few ways as defined by the Laws of Australian Football, published by the AFL. The ball can be propelled in any direction by way of a kick or a clenched fist (called a handball )—deemed a correct disposal. Failure to dispose of the ball in one of these two methods will result in a free kick to the opposing team. If the ball is not currently in a player's possession, it can be moved legally through
1840-620: A similar situation existing in Western Australia in the sport, the VFL pursued a more national competition. Two more non-Victorian clubs, West Coast and Brisbane , joined the league in 1987 generating more than $ 8 million in license revenue for the Victorian clubs and increasing broadcast revenues which helped the Victorian clubs survive. In their early years, the Sydney and Brisbane clubs struggled both on and off-field because
1955-498: A slightly modified version of the Victorian game in 1879. The South Australian Football Association (SAFA), the sport's first governing body , formed on 30 April 1877, firmly establishing Victorian rules as the preferred code in that colony. The Victorian Football Association (VFA) formed the following month. Clubs began touring the colonies in the late 1870s, and in 1879 the first intercolonial match took place in Melbourne between Victoria and South Australia . To standardise
2070-406: A technique known shepherding when the ball is within 5 metres (5.5 yd) of an opposition player. Shepherding involves the use of a player's body to push, bump or otherwise block an opposition player, providing they do not have possession of the ball. If a player takes possession of the ball that has travelled more than 15 metres (16 yd) from another player's kick, by way of a catch within
2185-522: A total of 484, an increase of 25% from 2005. By the end of 2007, this figure had increased to a total of 825 players in organised competitions across 21 clubs, of which 525 were senior and 300 were junior, an increase of over 70% from 2006, and a total of 95% increase over 2 years. Canada boasts 9 women's football clubs nationwide. Youth girls development programs operate in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec. The national team, formed in 2007,
2300-427: A uniform code known as "Victorian rules". In 1866, the "first distinctively Victorian rule", the running bounce , was formalised at a meeting of club delegates chaired by H. C. A. Harrison , an influential pioneer who took up football in 1859 at the invitation of Wills, his cousin. The game around this time was defensive and low-scoring, played low to the ground in congested rugby-style scrimmages. The typical match
2415-458: A victory lap with the Canadian flag. Pyke has inspired others to follow and in 2016, Canadians featured prominently in AFL and AFL Women's recruitment with Andrew McGrath being taken as the top pick in the 2016 AFL draft and rugby convert Kendra Heil being picked in the 2016 AFL Women's draft . Canada's best international results were posted in the 2014 International Cup with men's team,
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#17327977859592530-565: Is AFL Canada . Team Canada for men is known as the Northwind . Team Canada for women is known as the Northern Lights. In 2019, there were a total of 875 registered senior players in organised competitions across 41 clubs with more than 20,000 junior registrations. Participation has more than doubled since 2006, when there were over 420 senior (approximately 250 Canadian national) Australian rules football players in Canada out of
2645-414: Is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field , often a modified cricket ground . Points are scored by kicking the oval ball between the central goal posts (worth six points), or between a central and outer post (worth one point, otherwise known as a "behind"). During general play, players may position themselves anywhere on the field and use any part of their bodies to move
2760-405: Is analogous to a basketball center and as such rucks are typically the tallest player on the team. Lifting teammates is not allowed so the ruck may only jump to reach the ball. If the ruck does not take possession of the football, it must must be tapped or fisted, which is known as a hit-out. An effective hit-out that passes the ball to a teammate is known as a hit-out to advantage. In the event
2875-468: Is held every two years. In 2002, Canada participated in the inaugural Australian Football International Cup , with Canada represented by the Northwind team consisting purely of Canadian-born players. The Canadian national team has competed in every International Cup since its inception and now competes with its national women's team named the Northern Lights. In 2003, the first junior league in Canada,
2990-481: Is known about these early one-off games, evidence does not support a causal link with Australian football. In Melbourne , in 1858, in a move that would help to shape Australian football in its formative years, private schools (then termed " public schools " in accordance with nomenclature in England) began organising football games inspired by precedents at English public schools . The earliest match, held on 15 June,
3105-633: Is known as the "Northern Lights". They were formerly known as the "Eagles". They played in the first women's international footy matches during 2007, when they lost twice to the USA Freedom. In 2011 the national women's team competed in the inaugural women's division of the Australian Football International Cup, where they came second to Ireland. In 2014 the Northern lights became world champions when they defeated
3220-460: Is known as the Goal Line. Around the perimeter of the field, two white lines are drawn between the set of behind posts in an arc-shape, marking the field of play. Other field markings include: The 50m arcs, centre square, centre circle and goal square are used at the beginning of each quarter or after each goal. With each team permitted a maximum of six players in each 50m arc, with one in
3335-470: Is no set uniform, the basic equipment for Australian football consists of a guernsey, shorts, socks and boots, with additional pieces of apparel such as headbands and gloves additionally being permitted. Players may wear certain pieces of protective equipment, such as helmets or arm guards, if approved by the relevant controlling body. Mouthguards are strongly recommended for all players. Players are not permitted to wear jewellery, or other materials which
3450-493: Is officiated by at least five match officials, known as an umpire . These match officials are placed into three categories based upon their roles and responsibilities, with varying minimum numbers of Umpires required depending on position: At AFL level, a video score review system is utilised. Only umpires are permitted to request a review, and only scoring shots and potential scoring shots are permitted to be reviewed. An Australian rules football may only be propelled forward in
3565-511: Is played in seven provinces – Ontario, Alberta, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec , British Columbia and Saskatchewan. The Ontario league , centred on Toronto is a nine-team league, including sides from cities as far afield as Guelph , Hamilton and Ottawa . In western Canada, there are clubs in Edmonton , Calgary and a six-team league in the Vancouver area. There is also
Ottawa Swans - Misplaced Pages Continue
3680-563: Is the second-highest-attended club championship event in the world . The sport is also played at amateur level in many countries and in several variations . Its rules are governed by the AFL Commission with the advice of the AFL's Laws of the Game Committee. Australian rules football is known by several nicknames, including Aussie rules, football and footy. In some regions, where other codes of football are more popular,
3795-783: Is used. The ball must be inflated to a pressure of 69 kilopascals (10.0 pounds per square inch). There are no defined laws regarding what material a ball must be made from, but standard AFL match-used balls are produced by Sherrin using cowhide leather. While there is no standard colour of the ball, red and yellow are most common and the only colours used at AFL level. Yellow is used for games beginning after 3 pm or in an enclosed stadium, due to its greater visibility, and to assist score reviews. Unlike other forms of football which are played on rectangular fields, Australian rules football playing fields are oval-shaped, and are between 135 and 185 metres (148 and 202 yd) long and 110 and 155 metres (120 and 170 yd) wide. At either end of
3910-887: The AFL Ontario (OAFL) as a member team in 2008, playing home games on a pitch built in the infield of the Rideau Carleton Raceway in Ottawa's south end. The inaugural team of the Ottawa Swans Australian Football Club was led on the field by captain Steve Spurrell and coached by Richard Keane, who also played in the majority of games. The Swans' first victory (as part of the Ontario Australian Football League ) occurred on 11 July 2009 in
4025-708: The Broadbeach Cats semi-professional club in the AFL Queensland State League at 17 years of age. Later the same year, former Canadian rugby union international Mike Pyke was signed by the Sydney Swans AFL team as an international rookie at 24 years of age. Andrew McGrath , who was born in Canada, was drafted first overall in the 2016 AFL draft by Essendon . Kendra Heil signed with Collingwood of AFL Women's in 2017. The governing body for Aussie Rules in Canada
4140-679: The Melbourne Football Club published the first laws of Australian football in May 1859. Australian football has the highest spectator attendance and television viewership of all sports in Australia, while the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's only fully professional competition, is the nation's wealthiest sporting body. The AFL Grand Final , held annually at the Melbourne Cricket Ground ,
4255-542: The Young Australia League and began assisting to plan a series of tours between the two countries. Canadian Schools had been practicing inter-school competition for around 6 years before the arrival of a touring party from the United States including Sydney schoolboy Eric Cullen-Ward, and San Francisco's Columban Park Boys' School in 1912 (who had successfully started Australian rules football in
4370-407: The field umpire has deemed to be either potentially dangerous or increase the risk of injury to other players. Australian rules football is played with an ellipsoid ball, between 72 and 73 cm (28 and 29 in) in long circumference, and 54.5 and 55.5 cm (21.5 and 21.9 in) in short circumference. For women's competitions, a smaller ball size of 69 and 53 cm (27 and 21 in)
4485-484: The 1980s, attempted to rebuild its audience with a series of exhibition matches between 1987 and 1989. These matches generated significant interest and Canada retains the attendance record for the sport outside of Australia, 32,789 set in 1987 at B.C. Place , Vancouver. As a result of the interest generated the sport was established at the grassroots in 1989 with a competition in Toronto that has continued and expanded to
4600-612: The 2010s, the AFL signalled further attempts at expanding into markets outside Australian football's traditional heartlands by hosting home-and-away matches in New Zealand, followed by China. After several failed bids since the early 1990s for a Tasmania-based AFL team, the Tasmania Football Club secured the 19th AFL license in 2023, and is set to compete by 2028. In a standard match, a team may consist of anywhere between 14 and 18 players who may be permitted on
4715-651: The 2024 Transatlantic Cup in Toronto. It is home to the only dedicated Australian rules football ground in North America, the Humber College Oval at Colonel Samuel Smith Park in Toronto. Canadians are increasingly being sought after to play the sport professionally in Australia which has helped to increase overall interest in Canada. Mike Pyke (who successfully switched from international rugby in 2008) featured prominently in red and white during his successful 2012 AFL Grand Final appearance, performing
Ottawa Swans - Misplaced Pages Continue
4830-666: The 3rd annual Canada Day Cup. The Swans defeated the Guelph Gargoyles 13.8.86 to 3.7.25 at the Rideau Carleton Raceway. It took the Swans 20 games to get their first win (13 losses in the first season and 6 in the second). The Swans posted their first away victory in round 10 of the 2009 season against the High Park Demons at Humber College North. The final score was 12.6.78 to 3.7.25 . 2012 saw
4945-785: The AFC refused to recognise the touring party which was not affiliated to it and officially declined participation from Australia's two most powerful leagues, the Victorian Football League and the South Australian Football Association . Like the American tour, it was supported only by Western Australia's Young Australia League and the New South Wales Football Association (NSWAFA). A. E. Nash president of
5060-479: The AFC's exhibition match move backfired and the Queensland vs New South Wales rugby match being played that week dominated Sydney's media attention. The Canadian tour, swept up in anti-VFL sentiment, was afforded the barest of mentions by the media. Canadian tour manager E.R McTaggart made an advanced visit to promote the match only to have the matches postponed due to Australian organisers difficulties scheduling
5175-777: The AFL Ontario season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic . [1] In 2024, the Pony Platter, a preseason exhibition tournament, expanded further to include the New York Magpies, Boston Demons, High Park Demons, and Edmonton AFC in addition to the Quebec Saints and Nova Scotia Pirates. This expansion also led to the introduction of a second playing field. The Swans introduced a new Indigenous jersey in collaboration with Kanyen’keha Artist Kory Parkin, which
5290-464: The AFL). The player who was awarded the mark may then choose to either dispose of the ball over "the mark" or may choose to attempt disposal via a different method, in which case the field umpire will call "play on"—a verbal instruction to continue play. "Play on" may also be called if the umpire deems the player awarded the mark to be taking an unreasonable amount of time to dispose of the football. Once
5405-667: The AFLO. They took the battle to the Roos in the Grand Final, but lost. In 2019, the Ottawa Swans Men's team continued to find success, winning all their regular season games and final matches en route to hard-fought victory against the Hamilton Wildcats to claim back to back Premierships. The Women's team put together an impressive regular season with only one loss but were not able to replicate their finals magic. In 2020/2021,
5520-472: The AFLW using 17 minutes per quarter. For any given match, two timekeepers are appointed to officiate the duration. The timekeepers record all relevant statistics for the match, such as total quarter duration and score by each team. Additionally timekeepers are required to sound a siren prior to and at the conclusion of each quarter until such time they are acknowledged by the field umpires. To stop and recommence
5635-641: The ANFC, and later the Australian Football Championships (AFC) ran a night series , which invited clubs and representative sides from around the country to participate in a knock-out tournament parallel to the premiership seasons, which Victorian sides still dominated. With the lack of international competition, state representative matches were regarded with great importance. Due in part to the VFL poaching talent from other states, Victoria dominated interstate matches for three-quarters of
5750-539: The British Isles, "others by no rules at all". Another milestone in 1858 was a 40-a-side match played under experimental rules between Melbourne Grammar and Scotch College , held at the Richmond Paddock. Umpired by Wills and teacher John Macadam , it began on 7 August and continued over two subsequent Saturdays, ending in a draw with each side kicking one goal. It is commemorated with a statue outside
5865-653: The Broadview Hawks. The Brampton Wolverines, the league's seventh team, were formed in 1993. The Scarborough Rebels relocated and became the Lawrence Park Rebels. In 1993, a Canadian representative team, known as the Northwind , beat a British ( BARFL ) representative team. In 1994 and 1995, the Canadians again defeated the British at home. In 1995, several local CAFA games were broadcast on
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#17327977859595980-742: The Calgary Bears also formed and the Westcoast challenge commenced. In early 2007, the Ottawa Swans formed, and affiliated with the OAFL, and the Demons relocated from Mississauga to High Park in Toronto. In late 2007, AFL Canada hosted the Ironbark challenge, including the 49th Parallel Cup between Canada vs United States, including historic first women's and junior (under 17) tests between
6095-583: The Irish game evolved in a similar direction. Another theory, first proposed in 1983, posits that Wills, having grown up among Aboriginals in Victoria, may have seen or played the Aboriginal ball game of Marn Grook , and incorporated some of its features into early Australian football. There is only circumstantial evidence that he knew of the game, and according to biographer Greg de Moore's research, Wills
6210-752: The MCG at the Parade Hotel, owned by Bryant, and drafted ten rules: "The Rules of the Melbourne Football Club" . These are the laws from which Australian football evolved. The club aimed to create a simple code suited to the hard playing surfaces around Melbourne, and to eliminate the roughest aspects of English school games—such as "hacking" (shin-kicking) in Rugby School football—to reduce the risk of injuries to working men. In another significant departure from English public school football,
6325-440: The MCG, and the two schools have since competed annually in the Cordner–Eggleston Cup , the world's oldest continuous football competition . Since the 1920s, it has been suggested that Australian football may have been derived from the Irish sport of Gaelic football . However, there is no archival evidence in favour of a Gaelic influence, and the style of play shared between the two modern codes appeared in Australia long before
6440-576: The Melbourne rules omitted any offside law . "The new code was as much a reaction against the school games as influenced by them", writes Mark Pennings. The rules were distributed throughout the colony; Thompson in particular did much to promote the new code in his capacity as a journalist. Following Melbourne's lead, Geelong and Melbourne University also formed football clubs in 1859. While many early Victorian teams participated in one-off matches, most had not yet formed clubs for regular competition. A South Yarra club devised its own rules. To ensure
6555-416: The NSWAFA saw it as an opportunity to promote the idea that the game was spreading abroad. This was something that the NSWAFA in particular believed was important to appeal to the Sydney public which had gained enormous interest in representative rugby. The NSWAFA had invested heavily in a thriving schoolboys competition and sending Sydney schoolboy Eric Cullen-Ward to North America had successfully kick-started
6670-456: The North American tour from and to Australia, the AFC demanded that the West Australian Football Association stop all of its financial subsidies of international football, which it did in 1913. There were reports that despite the failed tour the sport continued to be played in the high schools at least until the war though the Vancouver Board began increasingly playing rugby after the successful 1912 Vancouver rugby tour against Stanford Rugby in
6785-416: The North Delta Junior Australian Football League, was formed. AFL Canada was formed as governing body on 30 July 2004, when the Canadian Australian Football League changed its official name. The move corresponded with funding from the Australian Football League , and a junior participation program was put in place. The clubs were split into two regional leagues, the Ontario Australian Football League and
6900-456: The North West Pacific Football League. The remaining Alberta -based clubs participate in AFL Canada organised regional conferences such as the British Columbia Cup. In 2005, the Northwind participated in the 2005 International Cup. In early 2006, AFL Canada sent a small delegation to the AFL exhibition match in Los Angeles. London and Windsor folded due to distance but the new OAFL club, the Central Blues, formed and began competing. In Alberta,
7015-427: The Northwind, reaching 5th and the women's team, the Northern Lights, being crowned international champions. A request for copies of the Laws of Australian Football by parties from Canada was noted in the Sydney Referee newspaper in 1904. A 1906 report of Australian Football's growth internationally made mention of a Canadian Railway Commissioner early in the century who, while working in Victoria, fell in love with
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#17327977859597130-491: The Ottawa Swans Men's team win their maiden premiership. This was due to the leadership of "Rocket" Frank, Nathan Strom and Matt Powell who were instrumental in building a competitive culture and recruiting Canadian players. After a perfect season having won all 12 regular season games, the Swans won all three finals including the Grand Final over the 2017 premiers the Toronto Eagles at Humber College South 10.10 70 - 6.5 41. The Women's side fought hard all season in their return to
7245-409: The SANFL's Port Adelaide (1997), the only pre-existing club outside Victoria to join the league. In 2011 and 2012, respectively, two new non-Victorian clubs were added to the competition: Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney . The AFL, currently with 18 member clubs, is the sport's elite competition and most powerful body. Following the emergence of the AFL, state leagues were quickly relegated to
7360-446: The Swans women's squad won the first premiership in the club's history, defeating the Hamilton Wildcats in the Grand Final 7.9.51 to 2.2.14. For the 2015 season the Women's team joined AFL Quebec , a 9-a-side competition, and split their team in two, competing as the Carleton Warriors and Rideau Shamrocks. The Men's team remained in AFL Ontario. The Carleton Warriors went on the win back to back Premierships in 2015 & 2016. 2018 saw
7475-428: The Sydney public placed the blame on the Australasian Football Council and the visiting Canadians. Despite the NSWAFA's "apology" the Government of New South Wales offered a formal apology and refunded the expenses while visiting the state. Officials from Newcastle and Goulburn made a concerted effort to atone for Sydney's hostile reception for the scheduled visits however the matches were abandoned due to state of
7590-400: The United States as "field ball" in American schools in 1910). The Americans had come to Vancouver to help prepare Davy's cadets to compete against a touring Young Australia League from Perth scheduled to arrive that year and ultimately to tour Australia as Canada's first national team. They played the first international match between the two countries in 1912 though few if any details of
7705-401: The United States. A proposal was debated by the Australasian Football Council in 1915 of a tour to Canada, with a decision deferred until after the war. Canada was never granted membership to the council and the game appears to have died out there during World War I . In the late 1980s, TSN broadcasts in Canada showed highlights of the Victorian Football League from Australia. However
7820-412: The West Australians were determined instead that Australian rules be played. The result was that the AFC, led by the VFL withdrew all support for the tour, vowing to ensure that it was not a success. Following the Young Australian tour the Canadian Cadets team prepared a reciprocal tour of Australia to Sydney, Perth, Fremantle, Kalgoorlie, Adelaide, Ballarat, Tasmania and Melbourne. $ 11,000 was raised for
7935-401: The abuse was so bad that at one point the touring party, mostly self-funded, considered returning home. Captain Davy commented that "the people of Canada won't understand this treatment. They will wonder if there is any thing wrong with the boys or with me. We treated the Australian boys who visited us in a very different fashion". Adding insult to injury the NSWAFA public statement on behalf of
8050-429: The annual game between Essendon and Collingwood on Anzac Day, is one example of how the war continues to be remembered in the football community. The role of the Australian National Football Council (ANFC) was primarily to govern the game at a national level and to facilitate interstate representative and club competition. In 1968, the ANFC revived the Championship of Australia , a competition first held in 1888 between
8165-473: The ball from a kick (with specific conditions) are awarded unimpeded possession . Possession of the ball is in dispute at all times except when a free kick or mark is paid. Players can tackle using their hands or use their whole body to obstruct opponents. Dangerous physical contact (such as pushing an opponent in the back ), interference when marking, and deliberately slowing the play are discouraged with free kicks, distance penalties , or suspension for
8280-413: The ball. The primary methods are kicking , handballing and running with the ball. There are rules on how the ball can be handled; for example, players running with the ball must intermittently bounce or touch it on the ground . Throwing the ball is not allowed, and players must not get caught holding the ball . A distinctive feature of the game is the mark , where players anywhere on the field who catch
8395-442: The case of Sydney , denial of access to grounds, the influence of university headmasters from Britain who favoured rugby, and the loss of players to other codes inhibited the game's growth. In 1896, delegates from six of the wealthiest VFA clubs— Carlton , Essendon , Fitzroy , Geelong, Melbourne and South Melbourne —met to discuss the formation of a breakaway professional competition. Later joined by Collingwood and St Kilda ,
8510-435: The clock, the field umpires are required to signal to the timekeepers to indicate when the clock should be stopped or restarted. Between each quarter, a break is observed to allow players a rest period. Two six-minute breaks are observed between the first and second quarters, and the third and fourth quarters. A longer 20-minute break is observed between the second and third quarter, commonly known as half-time . Each game
8625-426: The clubs formed the Victorian Football League (VFL), which held its inaugural season in 1897 . The VFL's popularity grew rapidly as it made several innovations, such as instituting a finals system, reducing teams from 20 to 18 players, and introducing the behind as a score. Richmond and University joined the VFL in 1908, and by 1925, with the addition of Hawthorn , Footscray and North Melbourne , it had become
8740-559: The code beyond the league's expectations. The AFC led by the VFL however were convinced that the key to converting Sydneysiders was through its promotion of national competition and as a truly national football code featuring its VFL clubs. Much to the chagrin of the touring Canadians and the NSWAFA, the AFC and VFL scheduled a clashing fixture, featuring the Geelong Football Club against the New South Wales state team. However
8855-490: The code took hold during a series of gold rushes . Likewise, when New Zealand experienced a gold rush , the sport arrived with a rapid influx of Australian miners. Now known as Australian rules or Australasian rules, the sport became the first football code to develop mass spectator appeal, attracting world record attendances for sports viewing and gaining a reputation as "the people's game". Australian rules football reached Queensland and New South Wales as early as 1866;
8970-409: The field of play, it is deemed as a mark . To be awarded a mark, it must be deemed that the player sufficiently controlled the ball and took possession prior to it being touched, touching the ground, or in the case of a contest, being spoiled by an opponent. Upon a mark being taken, one opposition player may choose to stand on the point on the field where the mark was taken, known as "the mark". When
9085-413: The field, two sets of posts are erected in a straight line to indicate the scoring areas on the field, each with two kinds of posts, named the goal posts and the behind posts respectively. The goal posts are placed first, located 6.4 metres (7.0 yd) apart from each other, with a behind post being placed a further 6.4 metres to the side of each goal post. The name for the field line between two goal posts
9200-627: The first match in Darwin . The game went on to become the most popular sport in the Territory and build the highest participation rate for the sport nationally. Both World War I and World War II had a devastating effect on Australian football and on Australian sport in general. While scratch matches were played by Australian " diggers " in remote locations around the world, the game lost many of its great players to wartime service. Some clubs and competitions never fully recovered. Between 1914 and 1915,
9315-477: The football grounds. The Sydney matches themselves were low key events, and were rescheduled several times during and there was much difficulty securing grounds to play from rugby authorities. Reportedly skills, particularly bouncing the ball, let the touring side down, though they were competitive against the Australians. In contrast to the New South Wales tour, the cadets received a parade in Melbourne and
9430-536: The formation of the Adelaide Football Club , the oldest football club in Australia outside Victoria. It devised its own rules, and, along with other Adelaide -based clubs, played a variety of codes until 1876, when they uniformly adopted most of the Victorian rules, with South Australian football pioneer Charles Kingston noting their similarity to "the old Adelaide rules". Similarly, Tasmanian clubs quarrelled over different rules until they adopted
9545-435: The goal square and four players in the centre square with one in the centre circle. If this is breached, a free kick is awarded. A game lasts for 80 minutes, split into four-quarters consisting of 20 minutes playing time, with the clock being stopped for stoppages in play such as scores, or at the umpire 's discretion, e.g. for serious injury. Leagues may choose to employ shorter quarters of play at their discretion, such as
9660-581: The introduction of the women's team, finishing a very successful inaugural season in 2nd spot after the home and away season and 3rd overall after being defeated by the Hamilton Wildcats in the second week of finals. The Swans' Men's first finals (post-season) berth occurred in season 2013 after finishing the season in 5th spot. They were defeated in the first round Elimination Final by the Toronto Rebels 5.10-40 to 1.9-15 In season 2014,
9775-424: The knees (a low tackle or a trip ) or above the shoulders (a high tackle ), the team with possession of the football gets a free kick. Furthermore, tackles deemed to be dangerous by the umpire and those conducted from front-on while an opposition player has their head over the football are deemed to be prohibited contact, and will incur a free kick against the offending player. Additionally, players may perform
9890-471: The largest attendances of the Australian tour. Upon returning to Vancouver, the game continued be played with the Vancouver School Board thanking the hospitality of the local leagues in Western Australia, but critical of the Australasian Football Council who had refused support it, and just prior to World War I extending an invitation for another tour from the Young Australia League . Following
10005-459: The league's once lucrative North American broadcast rights dried up and in response it initiated a series of exhibition matches between 1987 and 1989 in an attempt to rebuild its audience. The first major exhibition matches in Canada attracted three of the largest crowds for the sport in the world, along with much interest. The 1987 game holds the record for a VFL/AFL match held outside Australia. The Canadian Australian Football Association
10120-499: The match survive. A Young Australia League touring party left for Canada from the United States in January 1912. Though the majority of the trip was funded from Western Australia, the Australasian Football Council pledged £240, with president of the time the VFL 's Con Hickey making funding conditional on tour organisers promoting Universal football believing it would have a better chance of catching on in North America. However
10235-568: The new national capital Canberra both soccer and rugby had a head start, but following the first matches in 1911, Australian rules football in the Australian Capital Territory became a major participation sport. By 1981 it had become much neglected and quickly lagged behind the other football codes. Australian rules football in the Northern Territory began shortly after the outbreak of the war in 1916 with
10350-461: The phasing out of many of the game's kicking styles and the increasing use of handball; while presentation was influenced by television. In 1982, in a move that heralded big changes within the sport, one of the original VFL clubs, South Melbourne, relocated to Sydney and became known as the Sydney Swans . In the late 1980s, due to the poor financial standing of many of the Victorian clubs, and
10465-407: The player has disposed of the ball, or "play on" is called, normal play resumes. Rucking is the only specialist skill and is performed by a ruck, the term for designated players from each side to which umpire sends the ball to commence play. Only a nominated ruck may contest ball-ups and throw-ins. They are the only player allowed within the 10 metre circle at a centre bounce. Functionally the role
10580-429: The player penalised for ' holding the ball ', except if the umpire deems there was a lack of prior opportunity to do so. The ball carrier may only be tackled between the shoulders and knees from the front or side. If the player forcefully contacts the opposing in the back while performing a tackle, the opposition player will be penalised for a push in the back . If the opposition tackles the player with possession below
10695-436: The playing surface at any given time. Each team may have up to four interchange (reserve) players who may be swapped for those on the field at any time during the game. Although some leagues in less populated areas may use as few as 12 players. In addition, some leagues notably including the AFL, have each team designate one additional player as a substitute who can be used to make a single permanent exchange of players during
10810-609: The preeminent league in the country and would take a leading role in many aspects of the sport. The time around the federation of the Australian colonies in 1901 saw Australian rules undergo a revival in New South Wales, New Zealand and Queensland. In 1903, both the Queensland Australian Football League and the NSW Australian Football Association were established, and in New Zealand, as it moved towards becoming
10925-530: The premiers of the VFA and SAFA. Although clubs from other states were at times invited, the final was almost always between the premiers from the two strongest state competitions of the time—South Australia and Victoria—with Adelaide hosting most of the matches at the request of the SAFA/SANFL. The last match took place in 1976, with North Adelaide being the last non-Victorian winner in 1972. Between 1976 and 1987,
11040-582: The present. Competition spread from Ontario to other provinces culminating in the establishment of a national governing body, AFL Canada , in 2004. The world governing body, the AFL Commission has recently made great efforts to differentiate it from rugby, producing educational videos such as "What is AFL?" aimed at a North American audience ( Video on YouTube ). Canada has hosted the 49th Parallel Cup in 2000 and 2004 (in Toronto), 2007 (Vancouver), 2010 (Toronto), 2013 (Edomonton) and 2022 (Toronto) as well as
11155-746: The season with an undefeated record, the first in the AFLO comp since 2015. The Swans would defeat the Hamilton Wildcats in the Grand Final. [2] (Men's) OAFL Grand Final Best and Fairest Grand Final Best and Fairest Best and Fairest Leading Goalkicker Canadian Best and Fairest Most Improved Player Rookie Of The Year Coach Of The Year (Men's) OAFL All-Star Team (Men's) OAFL Canadian All-Ontario Team (Women's+) OAFL/AFLQ All-Star Team Northwind (National Canadian Team) Players Northern Lights (National Canadian Team) Players Australian rules football Australian rules football , also called Australian football or Aussie rules , or more simply football or footy ,
11270-467: The sport across Australia, delegates representing the football associations of South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Queensland met in 1883 and updated the code. New rules such as holding the ball led to a "golden era" of fast, long-kicking and high-marking football in the 1880s, a time which also saw players such as George Coulthard achieve superstardom, as well as the rise of professionalism , particularly in Victoria and Western Australia , where
11385-494: The sport and upon returning to Canada began agitating for it to be played there. He was said to have made several subsequent requests to parties in Australia for support introducing the game. The game is believed to have been first introduced to British Columbia in 1905, when Canadian-born Captain Robert Nelson Davy of the 6th Regiment began training students of the 101st Canadian Cadet corps in preparation for
11500-472: The sport experienced a period of dominance in the former, and in the latter, several regions remain strongholds of Australian rules, such as the Riverina . However, by the late 1880s, rugby football had become the dominant code in both colonies, as well as in New Zealand. This shift was largely due to rugby's spread with British migration, regional rivalries and the lack of strong local governing bodies. In
11615-406: The sport is most often called AFL after the Australian Football League , while the league itself also uses this name for local competitions in some areas. Primitive forms of football were played sporadically in the Australian colonies in the first half of the 19th century. Compared to cricket and horse racing , football was considered a mere "amusement" by colonists at the time, and while little
11730-414: The substantial TV revenues they generated by playing on a Sunday went to the VFL. To protect these revenues the VFL granted significant draft concessions and financial aid to keep the expansion clubs competitive. The VFL changed its name to the Australian Football League (AFL) for the 1990 season , and over the next decade, three non-Victorian clubs gained entry: Adelaide (1991), Fremantle (1995) and
11845-613: The supremacy of the Melbourne rules, the first-club level competition in Australia, the Caledonian Society's Challenge Cup (1861–64), stipulated that only the Melbourne rules were to be used. This law was reinforced by the Athletic Sports Committee (ASC), which ran a variation of the Challenge Cup in 1865–66. With input from other clubs, the rules underwent several minor revisions, establishing
11960-457: The tour with a contingent of 60 cadets aged 18 to 20. The Canadians left from Vancouver on July 10, 1912. The Canadian Cadets tour was plagued with trouble from the start. Captain Davy had hoped that Australia would extend a similar reception to the one offered the 1909 American Schoolboys team and had intended to play numerous matches across Australia. However, the team was left in the lurch when
12075-415: The tour. The Cadets arrived on HMS Zealandia in Sydney on August 4. The Canadians expressed disappointment from the notably cold reception in Sydney, described as "a freezer" and complained to the Sydney papers claiming that they were booed by the Sydney public and had even been discriminated against and abused on public transport purely on the basis of their chosen football code. Organisers claimed that
12190-468: The two countries. Canada defeated the United States for the first time at both senior and junior level, but were soundly defeated in the women's match. The tournament also included a touring Japanese team and attracted a record attendance of 2,500 at Thunderbird Stadium in Vancouver. Several professional and international players have strong connections to Canada. In early 2008, junior Northwind representative Scott Fleming moved to Australia to play with
12305-412: The usage of other means, such as punching. While in possession of the ball, players may run with the ball, but are required to either bounce or touch the ball on the ground at least once every 15 metres (16 yd). Tackling is a technique employed by players used to force opposition players to dispose of the ball when they are in possession. Failure to dispose of the ball when legally tackled may see
12420-800: The visitors. The Canadians went on to Western Australia where they were greeted with much fanfare and were hosted by the WAFL (who had sponsored the Young Australia League) where they would play several matches and with the experience gathered on the tour, displayed much improved performance. In Perth, the West Australian Football League organised a match featuring the Young Australia League Matches in West Australia drew by far
12535-429: Was "almost solely influenced by his experience at Rugby School". A loosely organised Melbourne side, captained by Wills, played against other football enthusiasts in the winter and spring of 1858. The following year, on 14 May, the Melbourne Football Club was officially established, making it one of the world's oldest football clubs . Three days later, Wills, Hammersley, Thompson and teacher Thomas H. Smith met near
12650-556: Was a 20-per-side affair, played with a ball that was roughly spherical, and lasted until a team scored two goals. The shape of the playing field was not standardised; matches often took place in rough, tree-spotted public parks, most notably the Richmond Paddock ( Yarra Park ), known colloquially as the Melbourne Football Ground. Wills argued that the turf of cricket fields would benefit from being trampled upon by footballers in winter, and, as early as 1859, football
12765-485: Was allowed on the MCG. However, cricket authorities frequently prohibited football on their grounds until the 1870s, when they saw an opportunity to capitalise on the sport's growing popularity. Football gradually adapted to an oval-shaped field, and most grounds in Victoria expanded to accommodate the dual purpose—a situation that continues to this day. Football became organised in South Australia in 1860 with
12880-528: Was between Melbourne Grammar and St Kilda Grammar. On 10 July 1858, the Melbourne-based Bell's Life in Victoria and Sporting Chronicle published a letter by Tom Wills , captain of the Victoria cricket team , calling for the formation of a "foot-ball club" with a "code of laws" to keep cricketers fit during winter. Born in Australia, Wills played a nascent form of rugby football while
12995-435: Was coined by scholar Ian Turner in 1978 to describe the "fictitious geographical barrier" separating the rugby-following parts of New South Wales and Queensland from the rest of the country, where Australian football reigned. It became a reference point for the expansion of Australian football and for establishing a national league. The way the game was played had changed dramatically due to innovative coaching tactics, with
13110-812: Was established in May 1989 when two clubs, the Mississauga Mustangs and the Toronto Panthers were formed and played in the inaugural Conacher Cup game in Toronto, Ontario. Since then, the game of Australian football in Canada has expanded considerably nationwide. In 1990, the Scarborough Rebels, the North York Hawks and the Hamilton Wildcats joined, with the Balmy Beach Saints coming on board in 1992. The North York Hawks later relocated and became known as
13225-488: Was unveiled at their Home Opener on June 8, 2024, during their designated Indigenous Round. A Pre-Game ceremony was held with a land acknowledgement and song from Mr. Greg Meekis, an Ojibway Cree from Sandy Lake First Nation, Knowledge Keeper and Cultural Resource Coordinator with the Odawa Native Friendship Centre, following by Anishinabe Hoop dancer Mekhena performing. The Women's+ side finished
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