Sports are a big part of our social life and Australia is no different. Many fans turn their attention to the Australian Football League (AFL) during winter for an exciting series of over 200 games. The season runs from March to September, and includes 198 regular-season matches and nine exhilarating finals games. Over 70 million people watch AFL games annually and about four million tune in just for the Grand Final. If you want to be a part of the excitement and understand the main details about the AFL, then this guide is for you.

What is the AFL?

Australian Football League (AFL) is a professional competition in which the highest level of Australian Rules Football is played. The AFL season has 23 rounds in the regular home-and-away phase. The top eight teams on the ladder (leader board) advance to the finals after these rounds. The finals include different stages of qualification and elimination, which lead up to the AFL Grand Final in early October. The last two teams compete for the championship in the finals.

There are 18 AFL teams in Australia. Here's the full list:

  • Adelaide Crows
  • Brisbane Lions
  • Carlton
  • Collingwood
  • Essendon
  • Fremantle
  • Geelong
  • Gold Coast SUNS
  • GWS Giants
  • Hawthorn
  • Melbourne
  • North Melbourne
  • Port Adelaide
  • Richmond
  • St Kilda
  • Sydney Swans
  • West Coast Eagles
  • Western Bulldogs

These teams represent states across Australia: 10 in Victoria and two in Western Australia, New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland.

Rules of the AFL

Two teams of 22 players make up the squad but only 18 players from each team take to the field at any one time. The extra four players are available to replace injured players or keep the team fresh throughout the game.ย 

The field and gameplay

The game is played on an oval field that's a maximum of 185 metres long and 155 metres wide. This is by far one of the largest fields of any team sport, so you would expect the players to be really fit to cover this much ground.

The field features goal squares, a centre square, a centre circle and two 50-metre lines arched around the goal posts at each end. These lines are important for gameplay. The game starts with a ball-up in the centre square and the objective is for your team to score more points than the opposing team. At the senior level, the game is played in four 20-minute quarters, totalling 80 minutes.

How to score

A player must kick the ball through the middle two goal posts to score. This is called a goal and is worth six points if the player is successful. But if the ball hits one of the goal posts or is deflected by another player through the posts, it is called a behind, and scores one point. The team with the highest combined points from goals and behinds at the end of the game wins.

Progression and interceptionย 

It might look easy to kick a ball through goalposts for 80 minutes but there are 18 opponents who want to take the ball away. They can block kicks or intercept the ball during play. They can even push players off the field or tackle below the shoulders and pull them to the ground. They are awarded a free kick from the point of the tackle if any is successful.

Players need to be quick and dispose of the ball before an opponent tackles in order to move the ball up the field. There are three main ways to move the ball in any direction. Players can kick it in any direction, run with it (but they have to bounce it every 15 metres) or strike the ball to a teammate using a clenched fist. Players cannot throw the ball or the opponent will be awarded a free kick.ย 

One of the key elements of the game is the mark. When players kick the ball in the air 15 metres or more and a teammate catches it without the ball bouncing, this is called โ€˜marking the ball'. The player is then awarded a free kick from that spot and cannot be touched by any opponent for 10 seconds. If the mark is made within your team's forward 50-metre arc, players are given 30 seconds to take your free kick. If the time expires without making the kick, the umpire will call โ€˜play-on', and opponents can try to take the ball.

A โ€˜speckie' is Australian slang for a โ€˜spectacular mark'. While players are not allowed to push anyone in the back, they can use an opponent's back for support in a marking contest, which can result in gravity-defying plays.

Teams are allowed to interchange up to three players per game, with a maximum of 120 interchanges. Players must wait in the interchange area and enter or exit at the designated spot.

A 50-metre penalty is awarded if a player commits certain infractions, such as delaying the game or disrespecting the umpire. This penalty gives the opposing team a significant advantage, as they gain possession 50 metres closer to their goal.

Another unique rule is the โ€˜kick after the siren'. If a player marks the ball and the siren sounds to end the quarter or game, the player is allowed to take the kick. Any points scored from this kick count, and games have been won or lost based on these kicks.

How to bet on the AFL

It's pretty simple to bet on AFL and there are several options to choose from. Bettors can use Time2play to find the Australian betting sites that suit their preferences. There are available markets for new games when the season begins, or off-season bets like Premiership winners or player awards. Common bet types include head-to-head (predict the winner) and totals. There are also unique options like player props or first goalscorer. Most of these options add to the excitement. You can also bet on quarter/half results or specific player performances, such as most goals or disposals.ย 

Where to watch

There's really nothing like a live game, is there? You can also jump on the AFL website to purchase tickets for the game you want to attend if you are in Australia. Games are played in every state across the country.ย 

There is also the option to watch AFL matches on Channel Seven, or stream matches via the AFL Live app if you'd rather watch from home. Fans can also use Kayo Sports and Foxtel Now. International fans outside the country can choose from these options:

  • Fox Sports (website or app)
  • Watch AFL
  • Fubo
  • DirecTV stream
  • YouTube TV
  • Sling TV
  • Hulu
  • Live TV