Sometimes known as aerial ping – pong, AFL is the 3rd most popular boys sport after soccer and swimming. It claims to be the biggest spectator sport in the country with seven million supporters each year, almost half are women. These guys seem to really appreciate the grass root concept of sport from the outstanding build up and entertainment that is the AFL Grand Final through to the local league and sports clinics with Auskick. Not surprisingly their support base continues to grow.

Kid prerequisites: tall, athletic, hand – ball co-ordination, no inhibitions about wearing tight shorts. Knee reconstruction is probably the worst that could happen during Johnny’s AFL career.

AFL essential info:

• 18 players playing 4 X 20 quarters.
• Players are split threefold. Forwards – are the goal scorers; Backs are the defenders and Mid-fielders are the runners who feed the ball to the forwards.
• Aim of the game: Get the ball to the forwards so they can kick goals.
• Umpires. Unlike any other sport there are 3 on field umpires, supported with 4 boundary umpires and 2 goal umpires.
• The ball is a symmetrical oval shape – much lighter than other codes.
• A goal goes between to the 2 largest posts (6 m high) earning a healthy 6 points and a behind, delivers just one point when the ball heads through either of the 2 outer posts.(3 m high)
• There’s no off-side.
• Players catching a ball on the full, call ‘mark.’ Here he can play on or take his time and take a kick.
• Players must pass or kick the ball once tackled.
• Tackles can only be between the shoulders and the knees.
• The opposition gets the ball if the other side kick the ball out on the full.
• Play is fairly continuous.

Need more? email dads@dadsclub.com.au