Summary of the Sport:
Rule: |
Description: |
Number of Players |
18 players per team on the field at any point of time. |
Object of the Game |
To score goals & behinds. There are 4 goalposts at each end of the field. The object of the game is to put the ball in your opponents goal. |
Time Limit |
Four 20-minute quarters, with a 15-minute half-time intermission after the second quarter. |
The Ball |
A prolate spheroid shaped football. The accepted international size is called the "size 5" and is approximately 27 cm long and 72 cm in circumference at its widest point and weighs around 1lb. The balls are red for day matches and yellow for night matches. |
Protective Gear |
. Only a mouthguard is required. |
Advancing the Ball |
Kicking the ball as a forward pass, Running with the ball, Passing the ball forward (only outside their attacking 50m line, and only 1 player within 10m in front of the passer), Passing the ball backward/laterally. |
Contact? |
Slide tackling is permitted. Rugby tackling, Shoulder-to-shoulder contact with the ball carrier & slapping the ball out of an opponent's hand are not permitted. |
Scoring Methods |
Goal (2-inside 50m line; 3-outside 50m line) Behind (1-inside 50m line; 2-outside 50m line) Penalty Goal (1-behind; 2-goal) |
Number of Referees |
3 to 6 referees plus booth review. |
Commonwealth Football Pitch:
- Length = 135-185m (148-202yds).
- Width = 110-155m (120-170yds).
- All Goalposts are 6.4m (7yds) apart.
- In-Goal Areas are 6.4m x 9.7m (7 x 11yds).
- The Center Square is 45m x 45m or 50m x 50m (49yds x 49yds or 55yds x 55yds).
- The Circle has a 3m (3.3yds) diameter.
- Circumference = 68-70cm (27-28").
- Weight = 410-450g (14-16oz).
- Inside Pressure = 8.7-16.1psi
- The team in possession of the ball has a shot clock consisting of 60 seconds to either advance to the next zone or score; The shot clock is also reset after all penalties, scrums, restarts, and turnovers.
- The shot clock doesn't start on ball-ups and kickoffs until one team manages to win possession of the ball.
- The ball is live under almost all circumstances during a legal play within bounds at any time during the game except for out of bounds plays.
- Receivers need both feet in bounds for a complete pass.
- Teams Swap ends each Quarter.
- Four 20-minute Quarters with a 15-minute Halftime, 5-minute breaks in between the 1/2 and 3/4 quarters, and a 10-minute OT.
- Each Team has 3 timeouts per half.
- The official time clock runs continuously unless stopped when a time out is called by a team, or the referee stops play to allow opposing teams to align properly after a play.
- A player can dribble the ball along the ground (i.e. maneuvering of a ball by a single player while moving in a given with the legs) similar to soccer for an unlimited amount of time.
- Kicking the ball as a forward/lateral/backward pass.
- Any player may catch the ball with their hands, but they cannot throw the ball and/or run with it
- 50/50 Rule = any player inside of their defensive 50m arc cannot kick the ball to any point inside the other 50m arc (similar to icing in ice hockey).
- If a player catches a kick that travels 15yds (13.72m) or more in any direction except backwards, they must mark the ball; The ball must travel in the air for entire distance for the mark to count and marks will not be paid for backwards kicks caught by a teammate. kicks that violate the 50/50 rule will also not count as a mark.
- Upon taking a mark, the referee will blow the whistle to signify the mark and a player is entitled to an unimpeded kick of the ball to either 1) advance his team towards their goalposts ("play on") or 2) score a goal. The nearest opposition player stands on the spot where the player marked the ball, which is also known as the mark, and becomes the man on the mark while the player who caught the ball must retreat at least 6 steps; If the player hasn't attempted a kick after 10 (defending zone) or 30 (attacking zone) seconds have passed, normal play will resume.
- The criterion for a mark is that it be caught cleanly, i.e. the player have complete control of the ball, for any length of time. As such, if the ball is caught in one grab, and then punched out from between the player's hands, a mark is paid, even if he has held it for only an instant. Similarly, if a ball is controlled, and then dislodged by another player or the ground, the mark will still be paid.
- If two players mark the ball simultaneously, the referee 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 the referee will award possession of the ball to the team that is next to receive the ball according to the held ball rules.
- Spoiling the mark:
a) Spoiling is the technique typically employed by opposition defenders to legally stop a player from catching the ball. Spoiling is performed by hand or fist (as a punching action) either before or shortly after the player has caught the ball in their hands. - The rules are quite strict on defensive spoiling methods. Players are not allowed to 1) push other players out of marking contests, 2) make any front on contact with an opponent in a marking contest if they are not simultaneously attempting to mark or spoil the ball, or 3) make high contact is allowed unless such contact is incidental to attempting to mark or spoil the ball and/or if the contact is made on a neutral-vertical plane.
- The maximum amount of consecutive marks per possession is 6; anymore marks will result in a free kick/throw to the opposition.
- If the offense misses a Goal/Behind and the defense recovers the ball.
- If the defense intercepts a pass.
- Following an unsuccessful kick at goal; If the kick at goal misses and goes dead, play is restarted with a scrum awarded to the defense at the center of the 50m line.
- When the ball-carrier loses control of the ball while dribbling and the defense recovers the ball.
- When the offense runs out of time on the shot clock, an automatic handover takes place.
- If a one-on-one slide tackle is attempted, the tackler can legally strip the ball from the ball-carrier.
- If the ball goes out of play, the defense is awarded a throw-in; The defense is awarded a line out if the offense kicks the ball out of play and they haven't been awarded a penalty before the kick.
- If a player on the offense commits an illegal play, the defense is automatically awarded possession.
- The Back Line = stay inside the defensive 50m arc
The Half Back Line = stay inside either the defensive 50m arc & the center zone
The Center Line = stay inside the center zone
The Half Forward Line = stay inside either the attacking 50m arc & the center zone
The Forward Line = stay inside either the attacking 50m arc
The Followers = stay inside the center zone
- Ball-ups occur at the beginning of each quarter and after each try; All ball-ups occur at the center circle.
- The umpire bounces the ball up into the air and a max of two players from each team may attempt to retrieve it.
- Only four players from each team are allowed within the center square at every center bounce, which occurs at the commencement of each quarter, and to restart the game after a try is scored.
- Kickoffs occur at each team's 50m line and after each goal, behind, or safety/force; All kickoffs must travel at least 20m and either team may attempt to retrieve the ball. All players must line up on each 50m line.
- 18-a-side; 28-man total roster.
- Positions:
The Back Line = 2 back pockets, 1 fullback
The Half Back Line = 2 half-back flanks, 1 center half-back
The Center Line = 2 wings, 1 center
The Half Forward Line = 2 half-forward flanks, 1 centre half-forward,
The Forward Line = 2 forward pockets, 1 full-forward,
The Followers = 1 ruckman, 1 ruck rover, & 1 rover. - Uniform # System - Back Line (0,00, 1-14), Half Back Line (15-31), The Center Line (32-47), Followers (48-63), Half Forward Line (64-79), Forward Line (80-99).
- A max of 10 players may be substituted per quarter unless a player is injured; If that is the case, the substitution doesn't count towards the allowed number of substitutions.
- Unlimited substitutions can be made during the halftime & quarter breaks.
- Substitutions only at stoppages in play but not used to hold up play.
- Goal (inside posts) (2-inside 50m line; 3-outside 50m line); On a goal/behind attempt, the ball may fly through "on the full" (without touching the ground) or bounce through, but must not have been touched, on the way, by any player from either team.
- Behind (outside posts) (1-inside 50m line; 2-outside 50m line); A behind is also scored when either 1) the ball hits a goal post, or 2) the ball touches any part of any player before passing between the goal posts.
- All goals and behinds can be scored by kicking the ball through the posts.
- The goal umpire signals a goal with two hands pointed forward at elbow height, or a behind with one hand. The umpire then confirms the signal with the other goal umpire by waving flags above their heads.
- Penalty Goal (1-behind/ 2-goal); All penalty goals must be taken within 60 seconds of committing a penalty, and by the player who was fouled; The ball must be place-kicked or punted anywhere on the closest 50m line as close as possible to where the penalty occurred.
- Similar to other forms of rugby, both teams must wear their dark color uniforms during games unless either 1) the teams share similar colors or 2) if someone is colorblind; If that is the case, the designated home team will wear their dark color uniforms and the away team will wear either 1) their lighter color uniforms or 2) an alternative darker color uniform.
- Required = AFL jersey, shorts, socks, cleats and mouthguard.
- Optional padding (but required if suffered a serious injury, and is only required for the afflicted area) = IRB-Approved Headgear, shoulder pads, and shin guards.