AFL

Australian Rules Football returns once again to the Kia Oval as Port Adelaide take on the Western Bulldogs in the European Challenge on November 3rd.

Gates open at 12.30pm for a curtain raiser at 1pm AFL Europe Allstars game – Islands v Continents.

The main event will kick off at 3.30pm.

All match bookings incur a booking fee of £1.75 per seat.

Please note that blocks 8, 9 and 10 in the OCS lower and also both the Lock stand and Peter May are situated behind the goals.

Aussie Rules…A Beginner’s Guide

The event is always a popular occasion amongst Australian ex-pats, with over 18,000 people attending in 2005 – but Brits can be put off by the seemingly complicated rules and difficulty following the scoring system.

However, Aussie Rules is actually deceptively simple – as this easy to follow video should explain. Many thanks to the United States Australian Football League for producing it and the mighty Aussie rock titans AC/DC for sound tracking it:

Each team has eighteen players on the field at all times – six forwards, six midfielders and six backmen – with four interchange players on the bench that can come and go as they please.

GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS

Handball – Players are not allowed to throw the ball – but must instead pass using a ‘handball’ – an action similar to a volleyball serve involving punching the ball away from the palm of your hand.

Kicking ­– The other way to pass the ball – and the only way to score. Players can kick the ball out of hand in any direction and at any time.

Running - A player can run with the ball but it must be bounced every fifteen metres or a free kick is given.

Mark – If a player catches a ball that has been kicked longer than 15m when off the ground. The catching player cannot be tackled and has a short amount of free time to play the ball. If this is particularly eye catching it is known as a ‘Specky’.

Goal – When the ball passes through the two tallest posts in the middle of the goal area the team scores six points. One point is scored should the ball pass between a tall post and the short post on either side.

Tackle – As in rugby, this is allowed – and there is plenty of it!

Small Fracas – What in most other sports in the world would be described as a massive brawl!

What You Can’t You Do

• Throw the ball
• Tackle above the shoulder
• Push another player in the back
• Trip Someone
• Elbow someone in the face (below shoulder height is allowed)
• Punch someone

Free Kicks are awarded if any of this happens but players are never booked or sent off. No matter what they do, each team still finishes the match with eighteen men on the field and players are reported after the match for offences.

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Click here to buy tickets for the AFL European Challenge Cup at the Kia Oval on Saturday November 3rd (KO 3.30pm)