Glossary of Australian rules football

0–9

• 1–2: an action where a player handpasses to a teammate, who immediately handpasses back.
• 6–6–6 rule: a rule introduced in the AFL from 2019 to reduce flooding that says that at centre bounces each team must have six players in their forward-50 arc, six players in their defensive-50 arc, and six players between the arcs.
• 12–10 rule: formerly a rule in the VFL concerning the selection of AFL-listed players in teams with an AFL affiliate team. When a team that was affiliated with an AFL team played against a team which was not affiliated with an AFL team, the affiliated team must have played at least 12 VFL-listed players and no more than 10 AFL-listed players. The 12–10 rule did not apply when two AFL-affiliated teams were playing each other; and, in those games, teams were able to play as many AFL-listed players as they wished. This rule has since been abolished.
• 19th man: at a time in the game before the substitute bench was introduced in 1930, one reserve player was named in addition to the 18 players who started the game on the ground. These players could enter the game only if one of the original 18 left the field and did not return. This was also extended to the 20th man when a second reserve was introduced in 1946. Free interchange of the 19th and 20th players has been allowed in the VFL/AFL since 1978. This can also refer to the philosophy of the South Australian crowd being the 19th man for the Adelaide Crows, who have retired the number 19 guernsey, and sell sporting merchandise with the number 19 on it.
• 50-metre arc: an arc marked at each end of the ground indicating that the distance from the goal line is 50 metres. In lower level competitions, the arc is often marked at 40 metres, depending on the size of the ground.
• 50-metre penalty: advances the attacking team forward by 50 metres after an opposition player has committed an infraction, such as pushing their opponent in the back after a mark has been paid, or time wasting.

  A

• Advantage: umpiring decision in which play is allowed to continue after an infringement if the team with the ball is infringed upon and earns a free kick, but would more benefit by play continuing rather than having play stopped to take the free kick.
• Aerial ping-pong: usually derogatory slang term for the sport in general, specifically used to refer to a game in which teams exchange long-distance kicks, like table tennis players batting the ball back-and-forth. Most often used in a negative way by fans of the more ground-based rugby football in New South Wales and Queensland.
• AFL: Australian Football League. This acronym is used colloquially as an alternative name for the sport when distinguishing it from other football codes, particularly in Queensland and New South Wales.
• After the siren: a set shot for goal taken after the final siren for a quarter or game has sounded, which is only possible if a player has taken a mark or received a free kick just before the siren.
• All-Australian: a player who has been chosen in the best team of the AFL competition each year, the All-Australian team; or, prior to the nationalisation of the competition or in lower age groups where the game is not nationalised, the best composite team from all states based on performances at an interstate carnival.
• And the Big Men Fly: a 1963 play about a fictional Australian rules football team, the Crows, and their star recruit Achilles Jones. It was also filmed and broadcast as a telemovie in 1963, and adapted into a mini-series in 1974. The play remained popular throughout the later part of the twentieth century. The title was a common term used by commentators in that era.
• Angle: the geometric angle formed by an imaginary line between a player taking a set shot and the centre of the goals, and another imaginary line perpendicular to the goal line. So, a player with "no angle" is taking a kick from directly in front; a player on a "wide angle" is taking a shot from near a boundary line.
• Anzac Day match: a game played between Collingwood and Essendon on Anzac Day each year since 1995; it is regarded as one of the biggest games of the season regardless of the ladder position of the two clubs.
• ARC : a video review system established by the AFL to allow instantaneous review of scores and selected other umpiring decisions.
• Arc: see fifty metre arc.
• Arena: the playing surface, or the playing surface and grand stands.
• Around-the-corner : a kicking style that has gained increasing popularity since the 2000s where the player kicks the ball across their body in a hooking style rather than using a traditional drop punt, in particular when taking a set shot on goal.
• Assist: to kick or handpass to a player who then scores either a goal or a behind. The term is common across many world sports.
• Australian football: name officially used by the AFL for the sport.
• Axed: see dropped.

  B

• Back-to-back: to win two premierships in a row.
• Bag: colloquialism for five or more goals scored by one player.
• Ball!: usually yelled by spectators when an opposition player is tackled in possession of the ball. Short for "holding the ball".
• Ball burster: colloquialism for a massive kick, usually a torpedo punt which travels over 70 metres.
• Ball magnet: a player who accrues a particularly large number or possessions or disposals in a game, particularly if done on a regular basis.
• Ball-up: the act of a field umpire putting the ball back into play, either by throwing it vertically upwards into the air, or by bouncing the ball in such a way that it mimics the throwing action. See bounce-down. A ball-up is required at the start of each quarter, after a goal is scored, or to restart the game from neutral situations in the field of play.
• Banana: an alternative name for a checkside kick, particularly used in Victoria, as the ball moves in its flight in the shape of a banana. See checkside.
• Bandwagon supporter: a supporter that only shows any interest in their team when the team is experiencing success, or who starts supporting a team solely due to their current success. Also known as a 'bandwagoner'.
• Banner: a large crêpe paper and sticky-tape banner that players run through prior to a match.
• Barrack: to support or cheer for a team. A fan is known as a "barracker", while to ask someone who they barrack for is to ask which team they support.
• Barrel: see torpedo.
• Baulk: a manoeuvre where a player holds the ball out to the side in one hand, then runs in the other direction to evade a defender.
• Basketball background: used by commentators to highlight a player's past experience in basketball, often implying it explains their agility or skills.
• Behind: a score worth one point, earned by putting the ball between a goal post and a behind post, or by the ball hitting a goal post, or by the ball being touched prior to passing between the goalposts.
• Behind posts: two shorter vertical posts 19.2m apart on the goal line at each end of the ground, centred about the taller goal posts.
• Bench: the interchange area. The "bench" refers to the seat used by the players in this area.
• Benched: colloquial term for being taken off the ground under orders of the coach due to poor form or errors. See also dragged.
• Best on ground: player judged the best player taking part in any game. Often referred to as 'best on' or BOG, pronounced "bee-oh-gee".
• Big dance: colloquial term for a grand final.
• Big men: colloquial term for key position player.
• Blaze away: to kick the ball quickly and without much precision, often under pressure. It is typically a long, hopeful kick forward, rather than a well-directed one to a teammate.
• Blinder: an exceptional performance by a player or team.
• Blind turn: when a player with the ball spins their body 360° to try to avoid or break a tackle. So called as the player does not know what they will see when they complete the spin.
• Block: to impede an opposition player's attack on the ball, in particular their contesting of a mark or hitout. May be deemed an illegal move and warrant a free kick against.
• Bomb: a long high kick, particularly into the forward line, that hopes to score a goal or find a teammate rather than being specifically directed at them. As a verb, it means to perform such a kick, e.g., 'bombing to the goal square'.
• Bounce-down: the act of a field umpire putting the ball back into play by bouncing the ball in such a way that it mimics a vertical throw. See ball-up.
• Boundary line: the line drawn on the ground to delimit the field of play.
• Boundary throw-in: the act of throwing the ball back into play by the boundary umpire. The boundary umpire stands facing away from the field and throws the ball backwards over their head. This is used to restart play from neutral situations whenever the ball goes out of bounds.
• Boundary umpire: an official who patrols the boundary line, indicating when the ball has fully crossed that line, and who may then execute a boundary throw-in to return the ball to play. There are typically two of these umpires per game, one on each side of the oval, but there will be four in top grade games.
• Break: short for "break in play"; e.g. quarter-time, half-time, or three-quarter-time.
• Break a line: teams often set up in defensive lines across the ground which can be hard for an opposition to get through; to 'break a line' is to find a way through such a defensive line, e.g., by run-and-carry rather than kicking.
• Brownlow Medal: the Brownlow is awarded to the player judged to be the fairest and best player in the Australian Football League for the season. This is based on accumulated votes awarded by the field umpires at the conclusion of each home and away match during the season. Lower level competitions typically also award a best and fairest award which will have their own name, but which are often colloquially referred to as the Brownlow.
• Bump: a contact between players using the hip and/or shoulder.