Laws of Australian rules football
The laws of Australian rules football were first defined by the Melbourne Football Club in 1859 and have been amended over the years as Australian rules football evolved into its modern form. The Australian Football Council was formed in 1905 and became responsible for the laws, although individual leagues retained a wide discretion to vary them. Following the restructure of the Victorian Football League as a national competition and the League's renaming to be the Australian Football League, since 1994, the rules for the game have been maintained by the AFL through its Commission and its Competition Committee.
Australian rules football is a contact sport played between two teams of eighteen players on an oval-shaped field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by kicking the oval-shaped ball between goal posts or between behind posts.
During general play, players may position themselves anywhere on the field and use any part of their bodies to move the ball. The primary methods are kicking, handballing and running with the ball. If a player marks the ball, they are awarded possession and allowed a free kick. There are rules on how the ball can be handled, including rules against running too far with the ball, throwing the ball and holding the ball. Players can tackle using their hands or use their whole body to obstruct opponents. Dangerous physical contact, interference when marking, and deliberately slowing the play are discouraged with free kicks, distance penalties or suspension for a certain number of matches, depending on the seriousness of the infringement.
History of the laws and law setting bodies
Melbourne Rules of 1859
These ten rules, instituted by the Melbourne Football Club, were originally known as "The rules of the Melbourne Football Club May 1859." The original rules were widely published and distributed by James Thompson in the 1859 edition of The Victorian Cricketer's Guide as the "Laws of the Melbourne Football Club as played at Richmond Paddock 1859".
1. The distance between the Goals and the Goal Posts shall be decided upon by the Captains of the sides playing.
2. The Captains on each side shall toss for choice of Goal; the side losing the toss has the kick off from the centre point between the Goals
3. A Goal must be kicked fairly between the posts, without touching either of them, or a portion of the person of any player on either side.
4. The game shall be played within a space of not more than wide, the same to be measured equally on each side of a line drawn through the centres of the two Goals; and two posts to be called the "kick off posts" shall be erected at a distance of on each side of the Goal posts at both ends, and in a straight line with them.
5. In case the ball is kicked "behind" Goal, any one of the side behind whose Goal it is kicked may bring it in front of any portion of the space between the "kick off" posts, and shall kick it as nearly as possible in line with the opposite Goal.
6. Any player catching the ball "directly" from the foot may call "mark". He then has a free kick; no player from the opposite side being allowed to come "inside" the spot marked.
7. Tripping and pushing are both allowed when any player is in rapid motion or in possession of the ball, except in the case provided for in Rule 6.
8. The ball may be taken in hand "only" when caught from the foot, or on the hop. In "no case" shall it be "lifted" from the ground.
9. When a ball goes out of bounds it shall be brought back to the point where it crossed the boundary-line, and thrown in at right angles with that line.
10. The ball, while in play, may under no circumstances be thrown.
Although not explicitly mentioned in the rules, each captain was to umpire the game, and each team consisted of 20 per side. In the early days there were no set rules to decide the winner of a game, however it was most commonly the first side to kick two goals. In some circumstances this meant that games could draw out for long periods of time.
The Victorian Football Rules of 1860
The first significant redrafting of the rules occurred in 1860 after St Kilda FC called for a meeting of all clubs to develop rules all games are played under. A meeting, facilitated by Melbourne FC was held by players at the Argus Hotel on 28 May 1860. Clubs represented were: Melbourne, St. Kilda, South Yarra, Richmond, Scotch College, University, Williamstown, Collingwood, and Boroondara. The current Melbourne rules were debated, there was an unsuccessful motion by South Yarra for a "push in the back rule". The rules adopted were printed and called "The Victorian Football Rules" which included all but one of the Melbourne rules. Geelong Football Club who could not attend the meeting was sent a copy of the rules for their approval.The 1860 rules were widely published and were included in J. B. Thompson's widely distributed The Victorian Cricketer's Guide as "The Victorian Football Rules". The first competition, the Challenge Cup stipulated that all competing clubs must adhere to these rules.
The following changes were made:
- Rule 3: Added the provision "In case of the ball being forced between the goal posts in a scrimmage, a goal shall be awarded."
- Rule 7: Added that "'Pushing with the body' is allowed but do not push when opposition has possession of the ball."
- Rule 8: Added that "It shall not be run with in any case."
In practice, Rule 8 was rarely enforced, umpires would commonly allow players to carry the ball a sufficient distance for which to execute an effective kick. Disputes involving this interpretation led to trials of the running bounce in 1862 and its eventual incorporation into the rules.
Victorian Rules of 1866
's committee redrafted the laws of the game in 1866 at the Freemasons' Hotel in Melbourne, on Tuesday, 8 May 1866. The committee consisted of Henry Harrison and Richard Wilson Wardill, George O'Mullane and Hugh Murray, J.E. Clarke and Chadwick and Ben James. The twelve new laws that were widely published in early May were:
1. The distance between the goals shall not be more than 200 yards; and the width of playing place, to be measured equally on each side of a line drawn through the centre of the goals, not more than 150 yards. The goal-posts shall be seven yards apart, of unlimited height.
2. The captains on each side shall toss for choice of goal; the side losing the toss, or a goal, has the kick off from the centre point between the goals. After a goal is kicked the sides shall change ends.
3. A goal must be kicked fairly between the posts without touching either of them, or any portion of the person of one of the opposite side. In case of the ball being forced between the goal-posts in a scrummage a goal shall be awarded.
4. Two posts, to be called the "kick-off" posts, shall be erected at a distance of twenty yards on each side of the goal posts, and in a straight line with them.
5. In case the ball is kicked behind goal, any one of the sides behind whose goal it is kicked may bring it twenty yards in front of any portion of the space between the "kick-off" posts, and shall kick it towards the opposite goal.
6. Any player catching the ball directly from the foot or leg may call "mark;" he then has a free kick from any spot in a line with his mark and the centre of his opponents goal-posts; no player being allowed to come inside the spot marked, or
within five yards in any other direction.
7. Tripping and hacking are strictly prohibited. Pushing with the hands or body is allowed; when any player is in rapid motion. Holding is only allowed while a player has the ball in hand, except in the case provided in rule 6.
8. The ball may be taken in hand at any time, but not carried further than is necessary for a kick ; and no player shall run with the ball unless he strikes it against the ground in every five or six yards.
9. When a ball goes out of bounds it shall be brought back to the point where it crossed the boundary-line, and thrown in at right angles with that line.
10. The ball while in play may under no circumstances be thrown.
11. In case of deliberate infringement of any of the above rules, the captain of the opposite side may claim that any one of his party may have a free kick from the place where the breach of rule was made.
12. Before the commencement of a match each side shall appoint an umpire, and they shall be the sole judges of goals and breaches of rules. The nearest umpire shall be appealed to in every case of dispute.
The major changes at this time were:
- Players must bounce the ball every when carrying it
- Games must be officiated by umpires. Not one but two umpires must control the match. The closest umpire to the play adjudicated all aspects of the game, including scoring and free kicks.
- Time limit established for matches
- Behind posts used for first time
Though the shape of the ball is not specified in the rules, the game during this time was primarily played with a round ball, unlike the prolate spheroid which was later widely adopted. Tom Wills had advocated for use of the rugby ball during the game's formative years arguing that it was more aerodynamic. The first documented use of a rugby ball was by the Richmond Football Club against the Melbourne Football Club in 1860 however its early use was unpopular and did not become customary until the 1870s.
The laws were subsequently agreed upon by the major clubs playing the sport and widely adopted by several major leagues in Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales and New Zealand and with a slightly modified and played within a rectangular field. The colonies of South Australia and Tasmania would continue to resist adoption of these rules until the late 1870s. At some stage during the early 1870s, possibly 1874, it was also introduced to the South-West region of Ireland to become what is now Gaelic football.
In 1869, a time limit 100 minutes was introduced to the game for the first time.
In 1872, the Ball-up was first introduced to the rules; prior to this, a scrimmage would be allowed to continue until the ball was won.