Wide World of Sports (rules)

[dgan]

OK, I'll get it started with Australian rules football. What is the difference (if any) between this and rugby? And how do you spell scrum, shkrum, scrumpf...whatever it is?

[Margim]

Here we go - I won't try and explain everything in one post... I'll try and answer questions as we go along.

Firstly - Aside from soccer, there are three major football codes in Australia - Rugby League, Rugby Union, and Australian Rules football.

Rugby League and Rugby Union are similar games, and are most popular in the North East of the country (the states of New South Wales and Queensland) - they are played in other countries of the world - New Zealand, England, and South Africa most notably. They are played on a rectangle field, like grid iron, and you score through 'tries' in much the same way as touchdowns are scored in gridiron, although the ball must be placed onto the ground (not dropped) once the attacking player is over the line. In both codes of rugby, the ball can only be passed backwards. The main thing that seperates the two types of rugby are tackles. In rugby league, each attacking side is limited to six tackles - once they've been held up six times, the ball changes sides. In Union, there is no tackle limit. 'Scrums' are used in both games.

That's about the extent to which I can explain Rugby. My specialty, coming form Victoria (state in the south east of Australia), is Australian Rules football, which is about the only football game in the world played on an oval shaped playing field (like cricket), and an oval ball similar to a rugby ball is used.

At each end of the oval are sets of goal posts. There are four goal posts at each end - two tall ones in the middle, with shorter ones on the outside - something like this i I I i. To score a goal, an attacking player must kick the ball between the two large posts - six points.
If the ball comes off a defending player, or comes off a different part of the attackers (ie, the hand), only 1 point is scored. If the ball hits the posts, or goes between a large post and a small post, only one point is scored.

So simply, you kick the ball between the posts, and depending on where it goes, you get one point, or six points if you are accurate.

The ball is allowed to be carried, but must be bounced roughly every ten metres. To dispose of a ball, a player can either kick the ball (a drop punt) or handball, which means punching the ball with one hand out of the other.

Throwing the ball gives the other team a free kick. Running too far with the ball gives the other team a free kick. Being tackled with the ball, if you have had 'prior oppurtunity' to get rid of the ball, gives the other team a free kick.

You may only tackle a player with the ball, between the shoulders and the knees. Below that is a trip, and above that is too high. You may not tackle a player from directly behind... doing so is called 'in the back', and results in a free kick. However, shepherding (blocking or bumping) with your body (torso) against ANY player within five metres of the ball is allowed, as long as the contact is below the shoulders.

As far as specific rules are concerned, the only other thing of note is called 'the mark'. A ball that has been kicked, providing it is caught on the full (ie, not hit the ground or touched another player), is called a mark. A mark essentially gives the marking player a free kick - they are allowed to kcik without the pressure of being tackled. They can either pass it off, or have a shot at goal if they are close enough.


Each team has eighteen players on the field at once, and may rotate through the four substitutions on the interchange bench (thus any given side will use 22 players).

On the field, the brakdown of players is usually this
6 Defenders consisting of two back pockets, a full back, a centre half back, and two back flankers
3 Centres consisting of two wingmen and a centre
6 Fowards consisting of two foward pockets, a full foward, a centre half foward, and two foward flankers.
3 On ballers consisting of the Ruck, the Rover, and the Ruck Rovers (these guys just run anywhere they like).

The Ruck is usually the tallest player in the side, whose job is to win the 'tap outs' at stoppages in the game - the beginning of a quarter, to resume play after a goal, and when the ball is thrown in by the umpire if it has bounced out of play.

Ok, confused? Post questions below
Also, is there any way to post pictures here?

[dgan]

oooh...this is interesting!

As far as pictures, I know you can but you'd have to check with someone more knowledgeable than myself. Try the Forum Help threads or PM Twyrch or Dred.

I'm amazed how similar the rules are based on soccer (or visa-versa). I was unaware of the different codes, but now at least I know that australian rules is indeed what I watch.

1. So, in australian rules, a handball can or cannot be forward?
2. And am I understanding that australian rules does not use the scrum technique - that is rugby only?
3. How much time in a game, and what situations cause the clock to stop?

[Margim]

1) In Aussie rules, a handball can be any direction... there is no set direction of play.
2) Thats right, no scrum in Aussie rules. You do see packs form around the ball, but there is no particular rhyme or reason for it - everyone wants a touch of the footy
3) There are four quarters in a game. A quarter goes for 20 minutes officially, but there are plenty of stoppages - whenever the ball goes out of bounds, after a goal is scored, when an injury takes place, and whenever else the umpire might chose to call 'time on' (usually to break up a fight, send someone off who has blood on them, to make a report on a player, or when a player is having a set shot for goal. As a result of stoppages, quarters generally go for 30 minutes each... with short breaks for quarter time and a half hour break at half time.

As for similarities, you could say that stylistically there are similarities - passing goes in any direction etc. The main differences are the shape of the field and ball, the fact that carrying the ball is a prominent part of the game (thus using hands), and that an umpire throws in the ball when it goes out of bounds - unless it is kicked 'on the full' (without bouncing at least once or being touched with another part of the body), or deliberately put out of bounds - Then it is a free kick.

Aussie rules is closely related to Irish Gaelic Football, which is sort of a 'missing link' between soccer and Aussie rules. They all have different histories, of course, but Gaelic and Aussie rules are similar enough to actually have a hybrid match (with rules too confusing to explain here) where a representative side from each country play each other.

The official website of the Australian Football League (Australian Rules equivalent of NFL) is www.afl.com.au if you are interested.

[dgan]

Heh. Here in America, AFL stands for Arena Football League - which is basically American football cut in half....nevermind.

Anyway, thanks for the explanation. I think I have a good idea of what I'm watching and it should be much more enjoyable now!

Now, if someone could just help me understand gwyddbwyll......

[Margim]

Well, time for me to fire a couple of questions back about American football
1) Does the entire team swap over for offensive and defensive plays?
2) How many plays are allowed?
3) What are the rules about blocking?

[dgan]

You got it. I'll try, as you did, to give you the abridged explanation.

1. These days, yes. Originally, quality players were so scarce and pay was so little that most players were two-way, meaning they played both offense and defense. In modern times, however, 99.9% of players have a specialty - they just play offense or defense, and usually have one single position they specialize at. NFL (National Football League - which is the only "real" professional league, and the one that would be known in other countries) teams are allowed to have 43 players on the roster. Each team has 11 players on the field for each play, and substitutions are made without limit between plays.

2. "Plays" is a broad term, so I'm not entirely sure what your meaning is. In the NFL, a play would be defined as beginning when the ball is "snapped" (the Center leaning over the ball passes between his legs to another player, most often the Quarterback) and ends when any number of things happen:

a. When the offensive player carrying the ball is brought to the ground by a defensive player (tackled)
b. When the offensive player scores a Touchdown (crossing the goal line at the end of the field with the ball)
c. When the offensive player goes "out of bounds" with the ball for any reason
d. If the ball is passed (thrown) forward and hits the ground before being caught

There is no limit to the number of plays made in a game - basically, you continue until the there is no time left in the game. A game is 60 minutes long, and is stopped often for several reasons. Now, a "play" designed by the offense is extremely complicated. In fact, each NFL team's offensive playbook can contain thousands of plays. Of course, most are similar in nature, but when you have 11 players all doing different things, the possibilities are endless. The 3 basic plays are:

a. the running play, where the ball is handed off (it can also be thrown backwards and still be considered a running play), usually from the Quarterback to the Running back (who usually stands behind the quarterback to begin the play), although anyone can legally run with the ball
b. the passing play, where the Quarterback can pass forward to any Running back or Receiver (their are 5 designated "blockers" who cannot legally catch a ball thrown forward)
c. a kicking play, where the ball is either kicked for a Field Goal (worth 3 points) or "punted" to be caught by the other team

3. Blocking is quite simple to define, but difficult to officiate. Blocking is basically pushing a defensive player, but their are restrictions:

a. you cannot hold or grab the other player
b. you cannot push the other player in the back
c. you cannot trip the other player and cannot block another player below the knees in certain situations

American Football is unique in it's complexity, which is also it's allure. The intellectual side of the game is so intriguing, yet it is played by some of the fastest, strongest (unfortunately illegally performance enhanced, as well) men in the world. Chess-like strategy with bone-jarring collisions...wooh! I can't wait 'til next season!

That's a start - although, it probably brings more questions than answers

[Dred]

margim said:

Ok, confused? Post questions below
Also, is there any way to post pictures here?

If you would like to have some pictures posted, you need to have them hosted. I can do so if you like. Or you can open a photobucket account and then host them yourself.

Let me know if you have any questions or would like me to host the pics for you.

[Margim]

dgan said:

That's a start - although, it probably brings more questions than answers

Actually, its all very helpful... its all coming together. Helpful to know about the blockers not being able to accept foward passes.

Its amazaing, actually, the little things you can pick up from hollywood - Remember the Titans and the Longest Yard have been quite helpful in my education.

Oh, just a little aside; you know that a couple of Aussies have actually transferred from AFL to the NFL? Our full backs become your punters...first Darren Bennet and now Ben Graham. Both had long AFL careers before going to the states.

See this article
jscms.jrn.columbia.edu/cns/2005-04-19/dekretser-jetspunter

[dgan]

Yeah, there are several players who's bio contains a career in soccer, rugby, or Australian Football...although, our American commentators are usually vague on if/which professional organization they came from. Punter and kickers usually - but I know there have been kick returners and running backs as well.

The movies? Usually they focus more on the impact of football on elements of society. In fact, sometimes the strategies are just plain ridiculous and even the rules are represented incorrectly. But I'm sure the basic premise is communicated. Remember the Titans is awesome - one of the few movies I am proud to own.

[Margim]

Sorry to bump an old thread... but as part of my sharing Aussie rules with the rest of the world, thought I'd let you know the Grand Final... Australian version of the superbowl, I guess... is on this week. Sydney vs West Coast Eagles (Perth). Probably no one cares... but its big news in this part of the world...