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Aussie Rules

by Mike250 on May 6th, 2008 in Family, Football

Aussie Rules is a sport (short for Australian Rules Football): not a statement. Though it does have a pretty good argument if used as a statement. Aussie Rules. Onwards.

I’ve noticed that amateur sport is extremely organized in Australia. I guess I remember this from my teenage years but it’s different looking on as a parent. Everything is so detailed and professional. And I mean EVERYTHING.

The boys joined a club and play a 16 game season against about 10 teams from around the region. We have a home ground, club house and age divisions from Under 6 through Adult. Some games are an hours drive away! For $75 a season they get club socks, football, football shorts, backpack, water bottle, training DVD and play in actual jerseys each game. There’s training once a week. There’s a canteen to buy food and drinks and a breakfast BBQ every week.It’s not like Little League back in the States where you pay and show up to watch a parent try to coach them through half a dozen games with cheap screen printed shirts. You actually join a club and grow with them through the age divisions. It’s really well done and I’m pretty happy about it.

Nevan has excelled and has been ready to join the Under 9’s for a time now, but we’ve taken the safe route and left him in the younger bracket since the sport is still so new to him. Liam is the surprise package. He doesn’t have the raw ability or the motor skills that Nevan possesses but, he has an attention span and incredible listening skills. He doesn’t pull off any great plays but everything I’ve seen him do is textbook. It’s been great fun to watch.

In it’s simplest, Aussie Rules is a kicking game played on an oval shaped field between teams consisting of 18 on-field players. The primary aim of the game is to score goals by kicking the ball between the middle two posts of the opposing goal. There are extra, smaller posts on the outside of the larger middle posts to total 4 posts: small post, large post, large post, small post. Kicking the ball between the two large middle posts is a 6-point goal. Kicking the ball between a small and large post is a 1-point behind.

You move the ball up and down the field by kicking the ball to a team mate, who attempts to mark the ball (catch it). A fair catch allows the player to stop, compose himself and kick to another player without hindrance from an opposing player. He can choose to not stop and play-on, but he is fair game to be tackled if so. You are allowed to run with the ball but the player must bounce the ball (or touch the ball to the ground) every 15 meters, a unique and difficult skill with an oval football.

Professional games have final scores resembling basketball; a score of 100-90 is not uncommon. I liken the sport to a combination of Rugby, Soccer, Basketball (and/or Netball). It’s uniquely Australian and a great spectator sport.

Highlights video via YouTube to give you a rough idea of the game.
Learn more about Australian Rules Football via Wikipedia.

Listening to Down Poison by 3 Doors Down on The Better Life [?]