99-529: The Leongatha Football Club , nicknamed the Parrots , is an Australian rules football and netball club based in the town of Leongatha , Victoria . The club teams currently compete in the Gippsland League . Founded in 1894, the club has participated in various Gippsland football leagues over the last 100 plus years where the club has won a very credible 26 senior football premierships. In 1903
198-638: 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
297-432: A career an average of around eight marks per game. A 2003 AFL match, between St Kilda and Port Adelaide , set a record of 303 marks in a single game. Upon taking a mark, the umpire will blow the whistle to signify the mark and a player is entitled to an unimpeded kick of the ball. The nearest opposition player stands on the spot where the player marked the ball, which is also known as 'the mark' and he becomes 'the man on
396-517: 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 ,
495-490: 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,
594-419: 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
693-494: A kicked ball which earns the catching player a free kick. The catch must be cleanly taken, or deemed by the umpire to have involved control of the ball for sufficient time. A tipped ball, or one that has touched the ground cannot be marked. Since 2002, in most Australian competitions, the minimum distance for a mark is 15 metres (16 yards or 49 feet). Marking is one of the most important skills in Australian football. Aiming for
792-399: 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
891-489: A marking contest which was agreed to by its member leagues including Victoria. It was adopted by the newly formed VFL in 1897. While the rule encouraged high marking, players marking from behind were still often penalised. In 1907 the AFC introduced the concept of unintentional interference in a marking contest. Spectacular marks subsequently became more common. In Australian football, marks are often described in combination of
990-400: A marking contest, if they are not simultaneously attempting to mark or spoil the ball. Also, no high contact is allowed unless such contact is incidental to attempting to mark or spoil the ball. Deliberately taking, hacking or chopping the arms is an infringement committed by players which will result in a free kick . The arm interference free kick was introduced as a specific free kick in
1089-462: 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. Mark (Australian football) A mark in Australian rules football is the catch of
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#17327800670511188-566: 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 ,
1287-888: 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
1386-505: 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
1485-513: 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
1584-620: 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
1683-498: 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
1782-755: A teammate who can mark their kick is the primary focus of any kicking player not kicking for goal. Marking can also be one of the most spectacular and distinctive aspects of the game, and the best mark of the AFL season is awarded with the Mark of the Year , with similar competitions running across smaller leagues. The four most prolific markers in the history of the Australian Football League – Nick Riewoldt (2,944), Gary Dempsey (2,906), Stewart Loewe (2,503) and Matthew Richardson (2,270) – also standout for each achieving
1881-406: 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
1980-427: 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
2079-414: 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
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#17327800670512178-490: Is also punishable by 50-metre penalty. The combination of kick and mark as the primary means for advancing the ball has been a distinctive feature of Australian football ever since the first rules were created in 1859. The original rules of the game, which were published in The Footballer newspaper in 1859, included the phrase "A mark shall be considered to be a clean catch of the ball, on the full, without it touching
2277-405: 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
2376-481: 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,
2475-460: 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
2574-470: 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
2673-493: 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
2772-563: 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,
2871-783: 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
2970-480: The AFL and its affiliates in 2005, although it was paid as a blocking, striking or holding free kick previously. The free kick was designed predominately to make it easier for forwards to take contested marks by not allowing defending player to punch or pull a marking player's outstretched arms in a marking contest. The rule was introduced by the AFL amidst on-going calls from fans and commentators to take action against
3069-600: 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 ,
Leongatha Football Club - Misplaced Pages Continue
3168-407: 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)
3267-706: The 1929 grand final. In 1931 Leongatha Imperials moved across to the Woorayl Football Association. In 1934, the town of Leongatha boasted three football teams, with a team called Nerrena / South Leongatha entering the Woorayl FA in 1934 and 1935, with the "senior" team playing in the Central Gippsland FA. The “Imperials” won the 1934 Woorayl FA premiership defeating Mt. Eccles in the Grand Final. In 1936, Imperials joined
3366-612: 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
3465-464: 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
3564-472: 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
3663-641: 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
3762-539: 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
3861-755: The Central Gippsland Football League s Reserves competition. In 1954, Leongatha FC entered two teams in the South Gippsland Football League, Leongatha Green and Leongatha Gold, with Leongatha Green winning the 1954 premiership! In 1929, the Leongatha Imperials Football Club was formed and initially played in the Bass Valley Football Association. Leongatha Imperials were runner-up to Poowong in
3960-583: 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
4059-670: The Korumburra Lang Lang Football Association and lost the grand final to Lang Lang by three points. In March, 1937, the Leongatha FC & the Leongatha Imperials FC decided to run both clubs under the one Leongatha FC committee. Leongatha Imperials Football Club won the 1937 Korumburra Football Association premiership, when they defeated Nyora in the grand final. The following list notes VFL/AFL footballers who played with
Leongatha Football Club - Misplaced Pages Continue
4158-406: The Leongatha FC prior to their VFL / AFL debut or were drafted to an AFL club. The following footballers played senior VFL / AFL football prior to playing / coaching at Leongatha FC. The year indicates the player's first season at Leongatha FC. Australian rules football Australian rules football , also called Australian football or Aussie rules , or more simply football or footy ,
4257-752: 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,
4356-503: 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
4455-576: 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
4554-409: 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
4653-581: 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
4752-415: The award of the free kick, which also allows the defenders to tackle as normal. A mark must be caught cleanly, with the player having complete control of the ball, even if only for a short time. As such, if the ball is punched out from between the player's hands after it is caught, or the ball is dislodged upon hitting the ground, a mark is still paid, even if the ball was held for only an instant. Although
4851-473: 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
4950-412: The ball must travel for a mark to be awarded is 15 metres in any direction; a cleanly caught ball which travels a shorter distance is called 'play on'. This has been the case since 2002; for more than a century before that, the minimum distance was ten metres or ten yards. There are very few ground markings on an Australian rules football field which could be used to measure this distance precisely, leaving
5049-406: The ball or played on; prior to this, the man on the mark was free to leave the mark or move laterally, provided he did not move over the mark towards the kicker. Breaking this rule is punishable by a 50-metre penalty. If the team chooses not to put a man on the mark, then players may defend the kick from five metres behind the mark; these players are allowed to move. There is a protected area around
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#17327800670515148-413: 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
5247-442: 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 ,
5346-435: 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
5445-546: The club was reformed with George F. Michael as President. In 1910, Leongatha Junior FC (11.12 - 78) won the premiership, defeating Outtrim Junior FC (4.3 - 27). In 1911, Leongatha FC joined the Leongatha and District Football Association, along with the South Leongatha FC. In 1913, Leongatha finish second on the ladder with seven wins and their second semi final against Korumburra had to be played twice, after
5544-504: 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
5643-490: 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;
5742-410: The decision on distance up to the best judgement of the umpire; a kick which is too short will typically be met with shouts of 'play on' or 'not fifteen' by the umpire. Played without written rules through to 1858, the first – short – list of 10 rules for the game were written in 1859; these rules did not include a specific kick distance for a mark, and the player who caught
5841-880: The defensive tactic of flooding . The rule does directly limit the effectiveness of defenders, but the AFL has never stated whether or not flooding was the reason for the change. Marking can cause injuries to hands and fingers, including hyperextension, joint and tendon damage, dislocation and fractures. Over a long period of time and with re-injury there can be long-term effects such as chronic injury and debilitating arthritis. To overcome these injuries, some players will strap problem fingers together, whole hands, wear splints or gloves. Some of these injuries require surgery and extended recovery, threatening professional careers. AFL players whose careers were threatened by such injuries include Robert Campbell , Fraser Gehrig , Brett Backwell and Daniel Chick . Some players, such as Backwell and Chick, have opted for amputation of digits in
5940-409: 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
6039-413: 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
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#17327800670516138-457: The first game was drawn. Korumburra won the replay by one goal. In 1915, the club colours were a blue guernsey, red sash with red and black stockings. In July, 1915, the club's committee instructed club delegate's to terminate the football season due to the fact that eight Leongatha footballers are already at the front and seven more have enlisted in the Army. Leongatha FC continued on and played out
6237-627: 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,
6336-409: The following ways. While the Mark of the Year competition has identified many famous marks, other marks include: In the 1970 Grand Final before a record crowd of 121,696, Carlton full forward, and giant of the game, Alex Jesaulenko , took one of the most inspirational marks in the history of 'the Australian game.' Leaping high for a specky over Collingwood 's Graeme Jenkin just before half time,
6435-536: 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
6534-445: The game's best features and an effective way for teams to clear scrimmages; and considered by detractors as too difficult to accurately adjudicate and sometimes exploited by crafty players who would disguise a hand-off as a little mark. The minimum distance for a mark changed many times over the early years: until 1877, no minimum; in 1877, 6 yards (5.5 m); in 1886, 5 yards (4.6 m); in 1887, 2 yards (1.8 m), though, by
6633-435: 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
6732-645: The ground". This rule was included in the Victorian Football Association's rules in 1866, and was included in the Australian National Football Council's rules in 1897. Other forms of football descended from English public school football games of the 19th century have featured a fair catch , with similar rules to the mark. It was abolished early in the development of soccer and is only used occasionally in rugby union and American football . The mark
6831-461: The kick was responsible for calling out "mark", as umpires were not yet included in the game. In the early decades of Australian rules football, the minimum distance was substantially shorter, resulting in a type of play called a "little mark", in which a team could earn a mark by kicking the ball a short distance into the hands of a team-mate standing almost immediately adjacent. Little marks were polarising: they were considered by supporters as one of
6930-403: The kicker, which is a corridor which extends ten metres either side of the line between the man on the mark and the kicker, five metres behind the kicker, and five metres behind the mark. Opposing players may not enter the protected area unless following their direct opponent within two metres; and player who find themselves within the area need to make best endeavours to leave it. Breaking the rule
7029-424: 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
7128-574: The mark inspired a Carlton side that was behind by 44 points at the half. It was retroactively classified as the Mark of the Year. Sydney 's Leo Barry leapt into history with his match-saving mark in the final seconds of the 2005 grand final against the West Coast Eagles to seal the game. His contested overhead mark was taken in a congested pack of three teammates and three opposition players. Shaun Smith 's and Gary Ablett 's marks share
7227-424: The mark.' When awarded the free kick, the player can choose to forego their kick to play-on and run into space, with the defending players then allowed to tackle as normal. The player has 10 seconds to move the ball on after a mark unless they are taking a shot on goal in which case they have 30 seconds to take their kick. If the player takes too long to complete their free kick, the umpire will call play-on, rescinding
7326-568: 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
7425-461: 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
7524-407: 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
7623-429: 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
7722-436: 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
7821-609: 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
7920-530: 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,
8019-567: The rules make no provision for two players marking the ball simultaneously, by convention the umpire will award the mark to the man in front , i.e. the player who has the front position in the marking contest. If he cannot determine which player is in front, then a ball-up will result. The mark has been included in the compromise rules used in the International Rules Football series between teams from Australia and Ireland since 1984. The current minimum distance
8118-497: The season. Leongatha Juniors (1.4 - 10) were defeated in the 1922 grand final against Ruby (3.4 - 22). In 1924, Footscray, VFA premiers, visited Leongatha in October and played a game that was marred by heavy rain squalls throughout the day. Leongatha (6.7 - 43) got up against Footscray (4.14 - 38) in a low scoring game. In 1934, Leongatha FC boasted 1200 members on their books! In 1948, Leongatha Second 18 commenced playing in
8217-467: 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
8316-472: 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
8415-406: 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
8514-420: The start of the 1890s, it was reported that most umpires would pay little marks for as little as a few inches. The little mark was abolished in 1897, with the introduction of the 10 yards (9.1 m) minimum distance. Only one player may stand the mark; this restriction was introduced in 1924. Since 2021, a player standing the mark must remain stationary upon taking up the mark until the kicker has disposed of
8613-414: 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
8712-613: 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
8811-438: The term "catching the ball" was more commonly used throughout the early 20th century. The term "mark" only became widely used in the 1940s, and used by players and commentators alike by the 1950s. Early forms of Australian football were characterised by low, short kicks and scrimmages. Marks were taken on the chest as all other marks were seen as dangerous or risky. One of the first players to attempt an overhead mark and high mark
8910-660: The title of Mark of the Century . St Kilda / South Melbourne player Roy Cazaly was renowned for his high marks, giving rise to the catchphrase and song " Up There Cazaly ". Spoiling is the technique typically employed by opposition defenders to legally stop a player from catching the ball. It is performed as a punching action by hand or fist just before the opposing player has caught the ball in their hands. The rules are quite strict on defensive spoiling methods. Players are not allowed to push other players out of marking contests or make forceful front on contact with an opponent in
9009-534: The uniform was used to show where the fair catch was taken. Another source of the term may have been from the traditional Aboriginal game of Marn Grook , which is said to have influenced founder Tom Wills' development of the early forms of Australian football. It is claimed that in Marn Grook, jumping to catch the ball, called " mumarki ", an Aboriginal word meaning "to catch", results in a free kick. These early influences may be limited in their relevance, as
9108-412: 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
9207-429: 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
9306-400: Was Jack Kerley in 1883. Jack Worrall popularised the high mark between 1885 and 1887 and others followed, ushering in a new era of overhead marking in the sport. However players who leapt for the ball could be pushed in mid air, risking immediate dispossession, if not injury. At a meeting of the Australasian Football Council (AFC) in 1890 a motion was passed banning pushing in the back in
9405-556: 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
9504-485: 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
9603-528: 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
9702-435: 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
9801-510: Was part of the game in Gaelic football in the 1800s and was re-introduced to the game by the GAA in 2017. The origin of the term has a few possible sources. In rugby and the early days of soccer, a player would shout 'mark' and mark the ground with their foot. It was formerly a requirement in the Australian game to make such a mark but this is no longer the case. Sometimes a cap which formed part of
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