Australian Football

The Australian football is a collective Sport opposing two trainings of 18 players on a large oval ground, generally of Cricket. As its name indicates it, this sport is originating in Australia. The Australian season goes from March to September, during the Australian winter.

Historical reference marks

November 18th 1850. With Melbourne, first match of what could become Australian football, 12 players per team.
1857 . Tom Wills (one of the founding members of Australian Football) imports of England Rugby School rules i.e the Rugby football, then conceives a new handset with his cousin H.A.C. Harrison, W.J. Hammersley and J.B. Thompson
August 7th 1858. Foundation of Melbourne Football Club
May 8th 1866. The first coding of Australian football at the end of a meeting held in Melbourne.
1870 . Melbourne gains the first championship of Australian football organized in the State of Victoria.
1879 . First match inter-States of Australian football: Victoria beats the South Australia by 7-0 front 10.000 spectators.

Principles of the play

Australian football is practiced on a large oval ground from 135 to 185 meters length on 110 to 155 of width. This sport generally uses the grounds of Cricket during the truce of the southern winter. The play is practiced with a round ball called Footy that the players can be transmitted by kick or punch in the ball. This play authorizes obviously the port of the ball with the hands, but the player cannot make races ball in hands of more than one about fifteen meters. He must then pass his ball or make a dribble on the ground. The goals make up of four posts to each end of the ground. A ball which passes between the two central posts following a kick brings back six points; only one point if the ball passes between the side posts (behind) or if it touches one of the central posts or if it is sent between the central posts to the hand. A goal marked against its camp gives in all the cases one point to the opposing team.

Position of the players This traditional position is not the subject of rules (different experimental positions are sometimes used)

the full-forward (1) is opposed to the unfavourable full-back (10)
both forward pockets (2) are opposed to the unfavourable back pockets (12)
the center half-forward (3) is opposed to the unfavourable center half-back (9)
both half-forward flanks (4) are opposed to the half-back flanks (11)
both wings (5), the ruckman (6) the ruck rover (7) and both rovers (8) are opposed to their unfavourable counterparts.

Australian Football League

The AFL , Australian major competition, joins together 16 clubs. This test installation in 1897 under the name of Victoria Football League (1897 - 1989) is held from March to September. The Grande Finale finishes the season. This decisive part disputes traditionally with Melbourne.

detailed Article: Australian Football League

The export of Australian football

Australian football remained confined a long time on the island-continent. For a few years, this spectacular sport has been exported: the the United States, the Japan, the Germany, the England, the Canada, the Ireland, the New Zealand and the South Africa have structured competitions and the level of play increases.

In France, this sport benefitted from a small televisual cover with the diffusion of a score of matches between the middle of the years 1980 and the beginning of the year 1990. This shy person media exposure allowed the starting of this Sport in France, attempt remained unfruitful during many years.

Since 2003, Australian football makes new great strides in France. Teams were born a little everywhere in France, mainly with Strasbourg, Paris, Senlis, Cergy and Perpignan. A national team even took part in the last Cut of Europe which was held with London.

See too

Internal bonds

External bonds

Australian French-speaking Football
Site on Australian football
Intro to Australian Football

Simple: Australian Rules Football

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