Encyclopedia > Comparison of Australian rules football and Gaelic football
A Comparison of Australian rules football and Gaelic football is possible due to the games similarities and the presence of International Rules Football, a hybrid code developed to allow players from both codes to participate in tests. Australian football under lights at AAMI Stadium in Adelaide. ...
This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...
Official tournament logo International rules football is a hybrid code of football which was developed to facilitate international representative matches between Australian rules footballers and Gaelic footballers. ...
Origins
- See also: History of Australian rules football
- See also: Gaelic football
Due to the similarities of the game, the origins of both codes have been subject to substantial study and debate. Links between their origins, however, are limited to circumstantial evidence and it is more likely that the games similarities are the result of something similar to convergent evolution. The history of Australian rules football began in Melbourne in 1858, with a call by Tom Wills to develop a local code of football and the formation of the Melbourne Football Club. ...
This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...
Circumstantial evidence is indirect evidence. ...
It has been suggested that Morphological convergence be merged into this article or section. ...
While Gaelic football is thought to originate from the ancient Irish game of caid, Australian rules football has definite origins in rugby football and debated influences of the indigenous game of Marn Grook. Rugby football, often just referred to as rugby, refers to sports descended from a common form of football developed at Rugby School in England. ...
Marn Grook (also spelt marngrook) is an Australian Aboriginal ball game, which is claimed to have had an influence on the modern game of Australian rules football, most notably in the spectacular jumping and high marking exhibited by the players of both games. ...
The Australian game was codified first by the Melbourne Football Club in 1859, whereas Gaelic Football was codified later by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1887. The Melbourne Football Club (MFC), nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League, based in Melbourne, Victoria. ...
A stylised Celtic cross serves as the traditional logo of the GAA. The Gaelic Athletic Association (The GAA) (Irish: Cumann Lúthchleas Gael) is an organisation which is mostly focussed on promoting gaelic games: that is, Irish sports, such as hurling and camogie, Gaelic football and handball, and rounders. ...
Gaelic football was not organised in Australia until 1956 (Australian rules football was not played in Ireland until 2000) and the first compromise rule tests in Ireland did not occur until 1967. Any influences or interelations between the two codes before this time are not known.
Both games are immensely popular in their country of origin and International Rules test between the two peak bodies of Australia and Ireland are popular and relatively evenly contested.
The field
 Australian rules football field. Both codes use grassed fields of similar length, however Australian rules football fields are oval shaped, slightly longer and wider. Another key difference is the score posts. Australian rules consists of four posts without a crossbar or net, whereas Gaelic football consists of two posts with crossbar and net. Image File history File links Footyground. ...
Image File history File links Footyground. ...
The Gaelic football pitch is rectangular, stretching 130–145 metres long and 80–90 metres wide. There are H-shaped goalposts at each end with a net on the bottom section. Lines are marked at distances of 13m, 20m and 45m from each end-line.
An Australian rules football playing field, is oval shaped, and may be 135-185m long and 110-155m wide. It has a centre circle, centre square to control player positioning at start of play, and superficial markings including the 50 metre lines and goal squares.
Equipment
The Ball The obvious difference is the ball used.
Australian rules uses an oval ball, similar to a rugby ball. This effects the variety of kicking. Whereas Australian rules is capable of producing a diverse range of kicking styles, the drop punt is most commonly used. Argentina-France Rugby Union match Rugby football refers to sports descended from a common form of football developed at Rugby School. ...
A drop punt is a kicking technique used in Australian Rules Football in which the ball spins end over end. ...
Gaelic football uses a round ball similar to a soccer or volleyball. The round ball in Gaelic football has the tendency for its flight to curve while in the air. Football is a ball game played between two teams of eleven players, each attempting to win by scoring more goals than their opponent. ...
Volleyball game Volleyball is an Olympic sport in which two teams separated by a high net use their hands, arms, or (rarely) other parts of their bodies to hit a ball back and forth over the net. ...
Attire Australian rules has evolved to have sleeveless jumpers, whereas Gaelic footballers wear short sleeved outfits.
Duration Australian rules matches typically go for 120 minutes consisting of four 20 minute quarters (plus added time on) .
Gaelic football matches go for 70 minutes consisting of two halfs.
Advancing the ball Both games begin with the ball in the air, whereas Australian rules has a bounce down and allows only two players to contest the bounce.
Both Gaelic football and Australian rules football are open contested and free flowing games.
In both games, players must disposing of the ball correctly, the ball must not be thrown. Gaelic football deems the open hand tap to be legitimate disposal, whereas Australian rules enforces the handpass or disposal with a clenched fist. Sydney AFL league East Coast Eagles AFC player uses a handball pass to dispose of the ball before he is tackled by a Campbelltown Kangaroos AFC opponent. ...
Unlike other forms of football, both games are notably distinct due to the absence of an offside rule. An offside (formerly off-side) rule is a part of many field sports, including most versions of football and ice hockey. ...
The main difference is the awarding of a mark for any clean catch of over 15 metres in Australian rules, which results in a free kick or possession of the ball.
In Australian rules, when a ball is kicked out of bounds on the full, it is a free kick to the opposite team to the player who kicked the ball.
Australian rules allows picking the ball up directly off the ground whereas Gaelic football does not.
In both games, a player must bounce (or Solo in Gaelic) the ball while running.
Possession may change in different ways in both games:-
- When an umpire/referee awards a free kick to an opposition player
- Following an unsuccesful kick at goal. for a number of reasons
- When an opposing player intercepts a pass.
- When the player in possession drops the ball and it is recovered by an opposition player.
- When the ball is wrested from a player's possession
In both codes, tactical kicking is an important aspect of play. In Canadian or American football, an interception occurs when a quarterbacks pass is caught by a player on the opposing team. ...
Tackles and blocks - See also tackle (football move)
Another key difference is that in Australian rules, tackling is allowed to either dispossess a player or cause the player to be caught holding the ball which results in a free kick. A tackle in Australian rules football Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. ...
A tackle in Australian rules football Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. ...
Gaelic football strictly does not allow tackling.
Send off Rule Australian rules does not usually have a send off rule.
Gaelic football has a similar send off rule similar to soccer. Football is a ball game played between two teams of eleven players, each attempting to win by scoring more goals than their opponent. ...
Scoring In both codes goals can be kicked by foot or shin. Gaelic football does not enforce this, however and goals may also be scored by other parts of the body.
A goal is worth 3 points in Gaelic football and 6 points in Australian rules football.
In both games, a point may be awarded for missing the goal. In Gaelic football, this is scored above the crossbar (called an behind). In Australian rules, this is scored between the shorter post and the goal post (known as a behind)
There are usually many more goals scored in Australian rules, as there is no goalkeeper position and the scoring area larger. A football goalkeeper leaves the ground to parry a shot on goal In many team ever known sports, a goalkeeper (termed goaltender, or goalie in some sports) is a designated player that is charged with directly preventing the opposite team from scoring by defending the goal. ...
Players - See also: Laws of Australian football
- See also: Gaelic football and Hurling positions
Many of the positions have similar names and are very similar. There is no ruckman in Gaelic football and there is no goalkeeper in Australian rules, instead there is a fullback. Australian Football at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. ...
The following are the positions in Gaelic Football and Hurling . ...
A maximum of 15 players can play Gaelic football on the field at any one time whereas Australian rules permits 18 players.
See also Australian football under lights at AAMI Stadium in Adelaide. ...
This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...
Official tournament logo International rules football is a hybrid code of football which was developed to facilitate international representative matches between Australian rules footballers and Gaelic footballers. ...
In the past, many football players have converted between codes or come across from other sports. ...
External links | 
Feeds |
Contact