Ruqayyah Snyder
Australian rules football, also known as Aussie rules, is a distinctive Australian sport with a strong following in its country of origin. It is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, with points scored by kicking the oval ball between the central goal posts. The game was invented in Melbourne, Victoria, in the late 1850s, and was initially known as Melbourne, or Victorian, rules football. It is believed to have been influenced by an Aboriginal game called marngrook, Gaelic football played in Ireland, and the football played in English public schools. The rules were formalised in 1859, and the game has since evolved with new rules introduced to speed up play and make it more appealing to spectators.
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What You'll Learn
Australian rules football is a uniquely Australian game
Australian rules football, or Aussie rules, is a distinctive and uniquely Australian game. It is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. The game was invented in Melbourne, Victoria, in the late 1850s, and was initially known as Melbourne, or Victorian, rules football. It is the first football sport to create an official code of play, with rules that were formalised in 1859.
The game was influenced by various football rules used in English public schools, as well as an Aboriginal game called marngrook and Gaelic football played in Ireland. The unique features of Australian rules football began to emerge early on. For example, players who caught or "marked" a ball cleanly in the air were allowed a free kick, and there was no offside rule, meaning players could position themselves anywhere on the field.
The game is played with an oval ball that weighs between 450 and 480 grams, and Australian football is one of the few field sports that does not use a uniform-sized ground. The field can vary in width and length, and the goalposts are flanked by two shorter "behind" posts. The rules of the game have evolved over time, with new rules introduced to speed up play and make it more appealing to spectators.
Today, Australian rules football is the most popular sport in Australia in terms of spectator attendance, and the Australian Football League (AFL) is the nation's wealthiest sporting body. The game has also gained a following outside of Australia, with amateur clubs and leagues in North America, Europe, and Asia. The unique nature of the game, combined with the dedication of fans and players worldwide, has contributed to its growing international popularity.
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The game was invented in Melbourne in the 1850s
Australian rules football, or Aussie rules, was invented in Melbourne in the 1850s. It evolved from an Aboriginal game known as marngrook and Gaelic football, played in Ireland, but the game was largely based on football played in English public schools.
In the winter of 1858, students from Scotch College and Melbourne Grammar played against each other in several football games. These matches are believed to be the first organised games of Australian rules football. The following year, a set of rules was drawn up by Thomas Wills and six other members of the Melbourne Cricket Club, and regular games became a feature in the parks around Melbourne. These rules were updated over the next 10 years.
The Melbourne and Geelong football clubs were established in 1858 and 1859, respectively, and are two of the oldest football clubs in the world. The rules agreed to by the committee on 17 May 1859 were a compromise between those of several English public schools, notably Winchester, Harrow, and Rugby. Players were allowed to handle the ball but not run farther than necessary to kick it.
By the 1870s, the uniquely Australian game was attracting crowds of up to 10,000 people to the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Today, the game is a national sport, with elite players competing in the Australian Football League (AFL), which is the country's most popular sports competition in terms of attendance and television viewing. The AFL Grand Final, held annually at the 100,000-capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground, is the highest-attended club championship event of any football code.
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It was influenced by Gaelic football and an Aboriginal game called marngrook
Australian rules football, or Aussie rules, is a distinctive football sport that originated in Melbourne, Australia, in the late 1850s. It was initially known as Melbourne, or Victorian, rules football and was influenced by a variety of football rules in use at English public schools.
However, the game was also influenced by Gaelic football, played in Ireland, and an Aboriginal game called marngrook. The rules of Australian football were formalised by a committee appointed by the Melbourne Cricket Club, which included Thomas Wills, who is credited with suggesting the creation of the sport. The rules agreed upon in 1859 were a compromise between those of several English public schools, including Harrow, Winchester, and Rugby.
Gaelic football and marngrook provided inspiration for certain aspects of Australian rules football, but the game was primarily shaped by the vast open spaces of Melbourne's parklands and the men who played it. The game evolved over time, with new rules introduced to speed up play and reduce the likelihood of draws, and address concerns about player safety on hard Australian grounds.
The influence of Gaelic football on Australian rules football continued into the modern era, with many Gaelic footballers leaving amateur competitions to play Australian rules professionally since the 1980s. This trend has also extended to the women's game, with 36 Irish players competing in the AFLW in 2024, up from just one in the debut season in 2017.
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The rules were formalised in 1859
The rules of Australian rules football were formalised in 1859, a year after the game's first organised matches were played by students from Scotch College and Melbourne Grammar in 1858. The game was invented in Melbourne, the capital of the state of Victoria, and was initially known as Melbourne, or Victorian, rules football. It was an amalgamation of various football rules in use at English public schools.
In May 1859, Thomas Wills and six other members of the Melbourne Cricket Club wrote a set of football rules. These rules stated that a player could hold and kick the ball at any time, but they could not throw the ball, and they had to kick it through the goal rather than carry it through to score. The rules were updated over the next 10 years, with H.C.A. Harrison, a cousin of Wills, rewriting them in 1866.
The rules agreed upon by the committee on 17 May 1859 were a compromise between those of several English public schools, notably Winchester, Harrow, and Rugby. Players were allowed to handle the ball but not to run farther than necessary to kick it. The game evolved in Melbourne in the mid-19th century, with some citing an Aboriginal game known as marngrook and Gaelic football, played in Ireland, as inspiration. However, the game was primarily based on football played in English public schools.
The game spread beyond Victoria in the 1880s, becoming known as Australian Rules football in Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania. Rugby union and league prevailed in New South Wales and Queensland. In 1896, the eight strongest clubs in Victoria formed the Victorian Football League (VFL), which later became the Australian Football League (AFL) in 1990. Today, Australian rules football is a national sport, with elite players competing in the AFL and AFLW.
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It is now the country's most popular sport
Australian rules football, or Aussie rules, is the country's most popular sport in terms of attendance and television viewing. The sport is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. The game was invented in Melbourne, Victoria, in the late 1850s, and was initially known as Melbourne, or Victorian, rules football. It is distinctive for its lack of an offside rule, allowing players to position themselves anywhere on the field.
The sport's only fully professional competition, the Australian Football League (AFL), is the nation's wealthiest sporting body. The AFL Grand Final, held annually at the 100,000-capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground, is the highest-attended club championship event of any football code. The AFL has 18 teams and, although the sport is not well known internationally, it has one of the most popular domestic sports competitions in the world.
The game's rules were formalised in 1859, and regular games became a feature in the parks around Melbourne. By the 1870s, crowds of 10,000 people were attending games at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to watch this uniquely Australian game. The rules were an amalgam of various football rules in use at English public (independent) schools, though the game has also been influenced by Gaelic football and an Aboriginal game known as marngrook.
The sport's popularity continued to grow, and in 1896 the eight strongest clubs formed the Victorian Football League (VFL), which later became the AFL. The VFL focused on making the game faster and more fun to watch, and also made money from selling tickets to spectators. Over time, more clubs joined the VFL, and in 1990 the league changed its name to the AFL to acknowledge the national expansion of Australian Rules.
The game has spread internationally, with the oldest amateur clubs and leagues based in North America, Europe, and Asia. In the 1980s, the sport developed a cult following in the United States when matches were broadcast on ESPN. Exhibition matches, players switching between football codes, and Australia's multicultural makeup have all contributed to growing international interest.
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Frequently asked questions
Australian rules football was invented in Melbourne, Victoria, in the late 1850s.
The sport was mainly inspired by the football played in English public schools, as well as an Aboriginal game called marngrook and Gaelic football played in Ireland.
Australian rules football is played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field. Points are scored by kicking the oval ball between the central goalposts or between a central and outer post. Players can use any part of their bodies to move the ball, with kicking, handballing, and running being the primary methods.
Australian rules football has several unique features, including the absence of an offside rule, allowing players to position themselves anywhere on the field. Additionally, players who catch the ball from a kick are awarded unimpeded possession, known as a "mark". The game also has unique goalposts, with two large goalposts flanked by two shorter "behind" posts.
While Australian rules football is predominantly played professionally in Australia, it has gained a cult following in other countries, particularly in the United States after matches were broadcast on ESPN in the 1980s. The sport has also grown internationally through exhibition matches and players switching between football codes.
