As a sports fan, I used to engage with different sports, including cricket, soccer, rugby union, but as I got to see AFL, my interest in other sports died down. Nothing quite matched the passion for the Australian Football League. Played among 18 teams for over 23 weeks, here is a sport that defines Aussies and their combative nature.
The AFL season offers an excellent experience for locals as well as foreigners to understand the sporting culture of the country. Known as football or "footy" the sport is quite popular in Australia. Many sports clubs are providing a great offer of betting options related to this sport, and BlueBet has been an exceptional platform for AFL with some exclusive betting options, thus contributing to AFL growth. If you are intrigued by the sport, then I will list the basics of the Australian Football League right here.
AFL Rules Explained
A typical AFL game is played on an oval-shaped field with goalposts with dimensions ranging from 135 to One hundred eighty-five meters in length and 110 to 155 meters in width. The ball used in the league is made from leather and is oval. They are coloured red in day matches and yellow during night matches.
Each team consists of 22 players. Only 18 make their way out on the field for the actual game. The typical AFL season game consists of four quarters divided equally with a timeframe of 20 minutes each. The period includes no timeouts. Four goalposts are located at each end – two tall posts and two short posts. Three primary umpires oversee all the decisions on the field, two-line judges see if the ball goes out of play, and the last two umpires are goal umpires who signal if a goal has been scored successfully or not.
The game can be moved in any direction, whether forward, backward and all 360 degrees of the field. Teams score points by kicking football either between the goalposts located behind them or scored between the posts on the opposite side.
Players have the freedom to kick a goal from 50 meters, and with massive strength, some players even pop one through from 70 meters. The best goal is officially crowned as the Goal of the Year each year by AFL.
A player is awarded six points if he manages to kick the ball between two middle posts. Any other version of the goal is worth one point. A player can run with the ball, and bounce it as he keeps running or touching the ground for every 15 meters.
Players don’t wear any protective gear, other than the optional mouth guard. A player can mark the ball on catching it in the air, having travelled 15 meters. Players can tackle opponents to retain the ball while defending it from shoulder height and below.
Players cannot push opponents from their backs, during tackles, or while running towards the goalposts. A free-kick is a kind of penalty awarded by the field umpire to the opponent player if a player has infringed on the play on his opponents. The techniques of ball movement involve a combination of strong kicking, deft handballing, and swift running. Failing to execute handball correctly would result in a free-kick to an opposition player nearby.
Bumping, pushing, or blocking is permitted within five meters of the ball to keep the opponent away from the ball. If the opposition player contacts the player forcefully in the back, he will be penalized for the same.
Betting culture
Compared to other sports in Australia, the AFL attracts the highest number of spectators, and due to its fast-paced nature, adored by millions. It is quite popular in the betting community too. Betting on Australian Football League by proper knowledge can even bring you rewards. You need to learn some of the basics, and if you are lucky on the given day, you might also earn a bounty.
