Australian rules football in Australia is a popular spectator and team sport which originated in Melbourne and has become an important part of Australian culture. Image File history File linksMetadata Aboriginal_football. ... The Australian Football League (AFL), formerly known as the Victorian Football League, and sometimes known as the VFL/AFL, is the elite Australian national competition in the sport of Australian rules football. ... This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to City of Melbourne or Melbourne city centre. ... Motto: Peace and Prosperity Other Australian states and territories Capital Melbourne Governor HE Mr John Landy Premier Steve Bracks (ALP) Area 237,629 km² (6th)  - Land 227,416 km²  - Water 10,213 km² (4. ... The Australian Football League (AFL), formerly known as the Victorian Football League, and sometimes known as the VFL/AFL, is the elite Australian national competition in the sport of Australian rules football. ... The South Australian National Football League (SANFL) is the premier league and governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in the state of South Australia. ... For other uses, see VFL (disambiguation). ... The West Australian Football League (WAFL) (pronounced waffle) is the premier state based Australian rules football league in Western Australia. ... Queensland State League (QSL) is a semi-professional Australian rules football competition for clubs from South East Queensland. ... The NTFL is a 7 team Australian rules football semi-professional league operating in Darwin in the Northern Territory. ... The Northern Tasmanian Football League is an Australian rules football competition in northern Tasmania. ... The Ovens and Murray Football League, often locally referred to as simply the O&M, is an Australian Rules Football league based around ten clubs in the north-eastern Victoria, Australia and southern New South Wales, Australia, and is affiliated with the Victorian Country Football League. ... Two ruckmen contest the bounce in a Sydney AFL game between the East Coast Eagles AFC and Campbelltown Kangaroos AFC The Sydney AFL is an Australian rules football League, based in metropolitan Sydney, Australia. ... AFL Canberra is the governing body of Australian rules football in the Australian Capital Territory. ... The 1970 Australian Football League Grand Final was held on 26 September 1970 between Carlton and Collingwood. ... Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2005. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... High marking is a key skill and spectacular attribute of Australian rules football Precise field and goal kicking using the oval shaped ball is the key skill in Australian rules football Australian rules football, also known as Australian football, Aussie rules, or simply football or footy is a code of... This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to City of Melbourne or Melbourne city centre. ... The original culture of Australia can only be surmised: cultural patterns among the remote descendants of the first Australians cannot be assumed to be unchanged after 53,000 years of human habitation of the continent. ...

The sport is played in every state and territory of Australia and is particularly popular in Victoria, South Australia, Northern Territory, Western Australia and Tasmania.

In the states where it is not as popular as other winter sports, New South Wales and Queensland, it is rapidly growing.

Australia is currently the only nation in the world where Australian rules football is played professionally and while its participation is diverse, the sport is only played professionally by men.

Popularity

The sport has attracted more overall interest among Australians than any other winter sport for at least several years ^[2]. It is the most popular football code in Australia, and is second in public interest for all sports after cricket and before swimming ^[3]. It is particularly popular amongst indigenous Australian communities. Approximately 10% of all AFL players are of indigenous origin. Bowler Shaun Pollock bowls to batsman Michael Hussey. ... This article concentrates on human swimming. ... Australian Aborigines are the indigenous peoples of Australia. ...

Audience

Attendance

Football is the most highly attended spectator sport in Australia: government figures show that more than 2.5 million people (16.8% of the population) attended games in 1999.^[4] In 2005, a cumulative 6,283,788 people attended Australian Football League (AFL) premiership matches, a record for the competition.^[5] A further 307,181 attended NAB Cup pre-season matches and 117,552 attended Regional Challenge pre-season practice matches around the country^[6]. The Australian Football League (AFL), formerly known as the Victorian Football League, and sometimes known as the VFL/AFL, is the elite Australian national competition in the sport of Australian rules football. ... The NAB Cup is the pre-season/night series Australian rules football competition of the Australian Football League, sponsored by National Australia Bank. ...

As well as the AFL attendances, strong state competitions also drew crowds. Although crowds for local leagues have suffered in recent years, they continue to draw support, particularly for finals matches. The South Australian SANFL drew an attendance of 303,354 in 2005, the Western Australian WAFL drew an official attendance of 202,797 in 2004 and the Victorian VFL (including a Tasmanian side, the Devils) also drew strong crowds (but with no available attendance figures). The South Australian National Football League (SANFL) is the premier league and governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in the state of South Australia. ... The West Australian Football League (WAFL) (pronounced waffle) is the premier state based Australian rules football league in Western Australia. ... For other uses, see VFL (disambiguation). ... The Tasmanian Devils Football Club is an Australian rules football team, in the Victorian Football League in Australia. ...

As of 2005 the AFL is one of only five professional sports leagues in the world with an average attendance above thirty thousand (the others are NFL and Major League Baseball in the United States, and the top division soccer leagues in Germany, and England). (See also: Sports attendances.) // This article lists the attendances at many sports competitions around the world. ... NFL logo For other uses of the abbreviation NFL, see NFL (disambiguation). ... MLB and Major Leagues redirect here. ... For the Scottish equivalent see Scottish Premier League The FA Premier League (often referred to as the Barclays Premiership in England and the Barclays English Premier League or just simply The EPL internationally) is a league competition for football clubs located at the top of the English football league system... // This article lists the attendances at many sports competitions around the world. ...

Television

According to OzTAM, in recent years, the AFL Grand Final has reached the top five programs across the five biggest cities in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006. Australian rules football has achieved a #1 rating in the sports category in both 2004 and 2005. OzTAM is an Australian television ratings research firm that collects and markets television viewership data. ... The following is a list of Australian television ratings for the year 2002. ... The following is a list of Australian television ratings for the year 2003. ... The following is a list of Australian television ratings for the year 2004. ... The following is a list of Australian television ratings for the year 2005. ... The following is a list of Australian television ratings for the year 2006 (Metro Areas). ... The following is a list of Australian television ratings for the year 2004. ... The following is a list of Australian television ratings for the year 2005. ...

Some of the more popular regional leagues have the "match of the week" televised locally and free-to-air on ABC Television's state networks. In Victoria (ABV) and Tasmania (ABT) both show the VFL, in Western Australia (ABW) it is the WAFL, in South Australia (ABS) it is the SANFL and in the Northern Territory (ABD) it is both the NTFL and the SANFL (in the NTFL off-season). ABC Television is a service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation which began in 1956. ... ABV is a television station in Melbourne, Victoria owned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ... ABT is a television station in Hobart, Tasmania. ... ABW is a television station in Perth, Western Australia, owned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ... ABS is a television station in Adelaide, South Australia, owned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ... ABD-6 is a television station in Darwin, Northern Territory. ...

Some regional leagues also attract a national audience through free-to-air broadcasting on television networks such as ABC2, which includes the VFL, SANFL, WAFL, NTFL and Tiwi Islands Football League (Grand Final only). OzTAM began measuring these audiences in 2006. This article is about the Australian television channel. ... The Tiwi Islands Football League is an Australian rules football competition in the Tiwi Islands, Northern Territory, Australia. ...

Structure and competitions

An Australian Football League match at Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast. Adelaide's Matthew Clarke and Melbourne's Mark Jamar contest a centre bounce. The man in the green shirt is a central field umpire.

The most powerful organisation and competition within the game is the elite professional Australian Football League (AFL). The AFL is recognised by the Australian Sports Commission as being the National Sporting Organisation for Australian rules football. There are also seven state/territory-based organisations in Australia, most of which are either owned by or affiliated to the AFL. Most of these hold annual semi-professional club competitions while the others oversee more than one league. Local semi-professional or amateur organizations and competitions are affiliated to their state leagues. Image File history File linksMetadata Aussie_rules_game. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Aussie_rules_game. ... Carrara Stadium or Carrara Sports Complex is a sporting venue on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, located in the suburb of Carrara. ... Gold Coast is a city and local government area in the southeast corner of Queensland, Australia. ... The Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed the Crows, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League, based in Adelaide, South Australia. ... Matthew Clarke is a newsreader on Pirate FM in Cornwall. ... Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League, based in Melbourne, Victoria. ... Mark Jamar (born August 9, 1983) is an Australian Rules footballer for the Melbourne Demons. ... Professional sports are sports in which the participants receive payment for playing, as opposed to amateur sports where they are not. ... The Australian Football League (AFL), formerly known as the Victorian Football League, and sometimes known as the VFL/AFL, is the elite Australian national competition in the sport of Australian rules football. ... Front of the AIS, Sports Visitor Centre on the left, AIS arena at the back right The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) is the Australian Government body that coordinates the Australian Government’s commitment and contribution to sport. ...

The following represents the approximate tiers (in terms of playing standards and levels of professionalism) of Australian Rules Football: Capital Canberra Government Constitutional monarchy Administrator none Chief Minister Jon Stanhope (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 2  - Senate seats 2 Gross Territorial Product (2006)  - Product ($m)  $19,167 (6th)  - Product per capita  $57,303/person (1st) Population (End of November 2006)  - Population  333,667 (7th)  - Density  137. ... Australian Rules football is a popular team and spectator sport played in the Australian state of the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. ... AFL NSW/ACT is the governing body for the sport of Australian Rules Football in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. ... AFL Canberra is the governing body of Australian rules football in the Australian Capital Territory. ... Slogan or Nickname: First State, Premier State Motto(s): Orta Recens Quam Pura Nites (Newly Risen, How Brightly You Shine) Other Australian states and territories Capital Sydney Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Professor Marie Bashir Premier Morris Iemma (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 50  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004... Australian rules football in New South Wales has been played since the 1870s, however it has a troubled history in the state, suffering heavily from sporting politics and currently lags in popularity behind rugby league, rugby union and soccer. ... AFL NSW/ACT is the governing body for the sport of Australian Rules Football in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. ... Two ruckmen contest the bounce in a Sydney AFL game between the East Coast Eagles AFC and Campbelltown Kangaroos AFC The Sydney AFL is an Australian rules football League, based in metropolitan Sydney, Australia. ... Slogan or Nickname: The Territory, The NT, The Top End Motto(s): none Other Australian states and territories Capital Darwin Government Constitutional monarchy Administrator Ted Egan Chief Minister Clare Martin (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 2  - Senate seats 2 Gross Territorial Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $10,418 (8th)  - Product... Editing Australian rules football in the Northern Territory has a history dating back to the 1910s and is the most popular sport in the state. ... AFL Northern Territory is the governing body for Australian rules football in the Northern Territory, Australia. ... The NTFL is a 7 team Australian rules football semi-professional league operating in Darwin in the Northern Territory. ... The Top End Australian Football Association (TEAFA) is an amateur Australian rules football competition in the Northern Territory, Australia. ... Capital Brisbane Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Quentin Bryce Premier Peter Beattie (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 28  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $158,506 (3rd)  - Product per capita  $40,170/person (6th) Population (End of November 2006)  - Population  4,164,590 (3rd)  - Density  2. ... Australian rules football in Queensland has a history which dates back to the 1860s. ... AFL Queensland (AFLQ) is the governing body of Australian rules football in the state of Queensland. ... Queensland State League (QSL) is a semi-professional Australian rules football competition for clubs from South East Queensland. ... AFLQ State Association (formerly AFL South Queensland) is an Australian Rules Football that includes clubs from the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Gold Coast, Queensland and Brisbane, Queensland. ... Capital Adelaide Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Marjorie Jackson-Nelson Premier Mike Rann (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 11  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $59,819 (5th)  - Product per capita  $38,838/person (7th) Population (End of September 2006)  - Population  1,558,200 (5th)  - Density  1. ... South Australia State of Origin guernsey. ... The South Australian National Football League (SANFL) is the premier league and governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in the state of South Australia. ... The South Australian National Football League (SANFL) is the premier league and governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in the state of South Australia. ... The South Australian Amateur Football League is an amateur Australian rules football competition based in Adelaide, South Australia. ... Slogan or Nickname: The Apple Isle; Holiday Isle Motto(s): Ubertas et Fidelitas (Fertility and Faithfulness) Other Australian states and territories Capital Hobart Government Constitutional monarchy Governor William Cox Premier Paul Lennon (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 5  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $16,114... Tasmanian State of Origin guernsey. ... AFL Tasmania is the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in Tasmania, Australia. ... The Northern Tasmanian Football League is an Australian rules football competition in northern Tasmania. ... Motto: Peace and Prosperity Other Australian states and territories Capital Melbourne Governor HE Mr John Landy Premier Steve Bracks (ALP) Area 237,629 km² (6th)  - Land 227,416 km²  - Water 10,213 km² (4. ... Australian rules football in Victoria dates back to the origins of both the sport and the colony in the 1850s. ... AFL Victoria (formally Football Victoria) is the state-level sport governing body for Australian rules football in the state of Victoria, Australia. ... For other uses, see VFL (disambiguation). ... The Victorian Amateur Football Association is an Australian rules football league in Victoria, Australia consisting purely of amateur players. ... Slogan or Nickname: Wildflower State or the Golden State Other Australian states and territories Capital Perth Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Ken Michael Premier Alan Carpenter (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 15  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $100,900 (4th)  - Product per capita  $50,355/person... West Australian State of Origin guernsey. ... The West Australian Football Commission is the governing body of Australian rules football in the state of Western Australia. ... The West Australian Football League (WAFL) (pronounced waffle) is the premier state based Australian rules football league in Western Australia. ... The West Australian Amateur Football League is the largest fully amateur Australian rules football competition in West Australia. ...

• Top Tier - AFL
  • Second Tier - SANFL, VFL, WAFL
    • Third Tier - Queensland State League, Sydney AFL, AFL Canberra, Northern Territory Football League, Ovens & Murray League
      • Fourth Tier - Northern Tasmanian Football League, Southern Tasmanian Football League, Southern Football League (Victoria)

At the higher end at least, these are evidenced by professionalism and the respective competition salary caps. This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

In terms of pathways and the AFL National Draft, these leagues represent opportunities for AFL rookie draftees. Most AFL players are recruited at junior level and sourced from the TAC Cup competition or national and state Under 18 representative championships. The AFL Draft is the annual draft of young talent by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League. ... The TAC Cup is an Australian rules football competition. ...

History of Australian clubs and competitions

Players contest a mark at the 1933 Australian Football Carnival, at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The teams are Victoria and an unknown state (possibly Tasmania). (Photographer: Sam Hood.)

In 1877, the game's first league, the Victorian Football Association (VFA) was formed. Gradually the game – known at first as "Melbourne Rules", "Victorian Rules" or sometimes as "Australasian Rules" – began to spread from Victoria into other Australian colonies in the 1860s, beginning with Tasmania (1864), Queensland (1866) and South Australia (1873). The game began to be played in New South Wales in 1877, in Western Australia in 1881 and the Australian Capital Territory in 1911. By 1916, the game was first played in the Northern Territory, establishing a permanent presence in all Australian states and mainland territories. In Newcastle, New South Wales the Black Diamond league was founded by Victorian goldminers and the Black Diamond Challenge Cup remains Australia's oldest sporting trophy. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Australian rules football matches between teams representing Australian colonies/states and territories have been held since 1879. ... The Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) (, ) is a cricket stadium in Sydney. ... See also Australian Football League. ... Tasmanian State of Origin guernsey. ... 1864 (MDCCCLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Australian rules football in Queensland has a history which dates back to the 1860s. ... 1866 (MDCCCLXVI) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... South Australia State of Origin guernsey. ... 1873 (MDCCCLXXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Australian rules football in New South Wales has been played since the 1870s, however it has a troubled history in the state, suffering heavily from sporting politics and currently lags in popularity behind rugby league, rugby union and soccer. ... 1877 (MDCCCLXXVII) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... West Australian State of Origin guernsey. ... Year 1881 (MDCCCLXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... Australian Rules football is a popular team and spectator sport played in the Australian state of the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. ... Year 1911 (MCMXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... Editing Australian rules football in the Northern Territory has a history dating back to the 1910s and is the most popular sport in the state. ... The Australian States and Territories comprise the Commonwealth of Australia under a federal system of government. ... Disambiguation: This article is about the metropolitan area in Australia. ... Few realise that Australian Football was played in Newcastle way back in 1883 and owes its origins, in part, to the Duguid Brothers: Jim, John and George, former gold miners from the large mines of Ballarat in Victoria. ...

The precursors of the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) and the West Australian Football League (WAFL) were strong, separate competitions by the 1890s. However, factors such as interstate rivalry and the denial of access to grounds in Sydney caused the code to struggle in New South Wales and Queensland. A rift in the VFA led to the formation of the Victorian Football League (VFL), which commenced play in 1897 as an eight-team breakaway of the stronger clubs in the VFA competition. By 1925, the VFL consisted of 12 teams, and had become the most prominent league in the game. The South Australian National Football League (SANFL) is the premier league and governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in the state of South Australia. ... The West Australian Football League (WAFL) (pronounced waffle) is the premier state based Australian rules football league in Western Australia. ... VFL/AFL is the term used to refer to the competition established in 1897, which was originally known as the Victorian Football League. ...

The first intercolonial match had been played between Victoria and South Australia in 1879. For most of the 20th century, the absence of a national club competition – and the inability of players to compete internationally – meant that matches between state representative teams were regarded with great importance. Because VFL clubs increasingly recruited the best players in other states, Victoria dominated these games. The introduction of State of Origin rules were introduced in 1977 saw Western Australia and South Australia begin to win many of their games against Victoria. Australian rules football matches between teams representing Australian colonies/states and territories have been held since 1879. ... State of Origin is the name used in Australia for sporting events or other competitions which involve teams from different States or Territories. ...

In 1982, in a move which heralded big changes within the sport, one of the original VFL clubs, South Melbourne Football Club, relocated to the rugby league stronghold of Sydney and became known as the Sydney Swans. In the late 1980s, strong interstate interest in the VFL led to a more national competition; two more non-Victorian clubs, the West Coast Eagles and the Brisbane Bears began playing in 1987. The league changed its name to the Australian Football League (AFL) following the 1989 season. In 1991, it gained its first South Australian team, Adelaide. In the next five years, two more non-Victorian teams joined the league. The AFL, currently with 16 member clubs, is the sport's elite competition and the most powerful body in the world of Australian rules football. Wally Lewis passing the ball in Rugby League State of Origin. ... The Sydney Opera House on Sydney Harbour Sydney (pronounced ) is the most populous city in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of approximately 4. ... Sydney Swans is an Australian Football League (AFL) club based in Sydney, New South Wales. ... West Coast Eagles Football Club is an Australian rules football club competing in the Australian Football League. ... The Brisbane Bears Football Club was the first Queensland-based club in the Victorian Football League. ... The Australian Football League (AFL), formerly known as the Victorian Football League, and sometimes known as the VFL/AFL, is the elite Australian national competition in the sport of Australian rules football. ... The Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed the Crows, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League, based in Adelaide, South Australia. ...

Following the emergence of the Australian Football League, the SANFL, WAFL and other state leagues rapidly declined to a secondary status. Apart from these there are many semi-professional and amateur leagues around Australia, where they play a very important role in the community, and particularly so in rural areas. The VFA, still in existence a century after the original schism, merged with the former VFL reserves competition in 1998. The new entity adopted the VFL name and remained a primarily state based competition. State of origin games declined in importance, especially after an increasing number of withdrawals by AFL players, and Australian football State of Origin matches ceased in 1999. The second-tier state and territorial leagues still contest interstate matches.

Participation

With more than 450,000 participants aged 15 years and over, football is the 4th most-played team sport in Australia, behind netball, soccer and cricket. ^[7]

A total of 615,549 registered participants are playing Australian football in 2007. Participation rose 5.97% between 2006-07 and 7.84% between 2005-06. 6.7 per cent of all participants are from non-English speaking origin. The Australian Sports Commission statistics show a 42% increase in the total number of participants over the 4 year period between 2001-2005.^[8] Front of the AIS, Sports Visitor Centre on the left, AIS arena at the back right The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) is the Australian Government body that coordinates the Australian Government’s commitment and contribution to sport. ...

Victoria has the largest number of participants over 15 years of age (205,000 participants or 5.2% of the Victorian population). The Tiwi Islands is said to have the highest participation rate in Australia (35%).^[9] Landsat 7 imagery of the Tiwi Islands. ...

Amongst children aged 5 to 14 years, football is the third most popular organised sport for children to participate in (beyond soccer and swimming). An estimated 284,200 children aged 5 to 14 participated in football in the 12 months prior to interview in 2003 (13.6% of all children). ^[10]

Footy in Australian popular culture

Main article: Australian rules football in popular Australian culture

For many years, the game of Australian rules football captured the imagination of Australian film, music and literature. Australian rules football in popular Australian culture has captured the imagination of Australian film, music, television and literature. ...

Many songs inspired by the game have become anthems of the game, none more so than the 1979 hit Up There Cazaly, by Mike Brady. Up There Cazaly is a song recorded and composed by Mike Brady. ... Mike Brady (born 28 February 1947 -) is an Australian musician most commonly associated with the Australian rules football anthems Up There Cazaly, referring to 1920s and 30s St Kilda player Roy Cazaly and One Day in September. Up There Cazaly topped the Australian singles charts in September 1979 and was...

Notes and references

See also

• Australian Football League
• Australian Institute of Sport
• List of Australian rules football clubs in Australia