Australian Football, also known as Aussie Rules or simply football in Australia, is a unique sport with its own format. Here are some key features of the game:
- Field: The game is played on an oval-shaped field, which is typically larger than a soccer or American football field.
- Teams: Two teams of 18 players (plus 4 interchange players) compete against each other.
- Scoring: The objective is to score points by kicking the ball through the opposing team’s goal posts. A goal, worth six points, is scored when the ball is kicked through the middle two posts. A behind, worth one point, is scored when the ball is kicked through a post on the outer side of the goal, or when the ball touches any part of the goal post.
- Ball Movement: Players can move the ball by kicking it or punching it with a closed fist (a skill known as handballing). They cannot throw the ball.
- Tackling: Players can tackle each other to try to dispossess the player with the ball. There are rules about how tackles can be made to ensure player safety.
- Possession Changes: When a player is tackled and unable to dispose of the ball, or when the ball goes out of bounds, possession changes to the other team. This is usually determined by a boundary umpire or a field umpire.
- Quarters: The game is divided into four quarters of about 20 minutes each, with breaks in between.
- Interchange: Teams can interchange players during the game to rest or replace players.
This is a basic overview of the format of Australian Football. The actual rules can be more complex and there are many strategic aspects to the game.