Players

 

Anybody can enjoy playing the game, at any level, at any weight scale and at any size. Elite champions in the AFL can be anywhere from 160cm to 210cm (5'3 to 6'10). The trick is in getting the balance right as you need tall and short players at every contest. The tall players contest loose and high balls, the shorts look for balls running free. Speed is important, but so is durability and strength.

The ideal player in the modern era is one who is about 188cm (6'2) tall, is strong, can run all day and is fast enough to be competitive over the 100 metres dash. Some player.

 

Player Positions

Full-Forward

AFL footballers are so versatile that full-forward is about the only position on the ground in which a player may play exclusively and still carve out a successful career.

Full-forwards are football’s heroes. They must be able to take great marks both overhead and on the lead, kick accurately (particularly under pressure) and be able to cope with the constant attention of the full-backs.

Their success or otherwise rests solely on their capacity to kick goals, with the great full-forwards in history averaging more than four goals per game.

 

Full-Back

The full-back is the team’s last line of defence. Players in this position don’t give the opposition a moment’s rest. They will stand beside a full-forward, harass him, punch the ball away when it comes near him and generally attempt to spoil his day on the football field.

Full-backs generally enjoy running straight at the football, have good pace and are strong. Above all, full-backs are fearless.

A rare but exciting event in Australian Football is when a full-back runs to the other end of the ground to kick a goal.

 

Ruck

The style and requirements of the ruck position have evolved over the years. The newest style of ruck play to emerge is the mobile ruckman, who is not overly tall, but endowed with a good leap, great running power and the capacity to move forward of the action to create mismatches in the scoring zone. These ruckmen are capable of kicking 30 to 40 goals in a season.

The older style of rucking, which is still employed by some players, is to play a kick behind the play using strength and intimidating qualities to mark strongly and give off the football by handballing to running teammates.

Ruckmen are also required to contest at centre bounces, at around the ground ball-ups and at boundary throw-ins either palming the ball to teammates or punching the ball to the team’s advantage.

Many ruckman change off the bench and it is generally considered they need a few years to peak.

 

Midfielder

These players were once known as centremen, rovers or ruck rovers, but are now more commonly referred to as midfielders.

Such is the expectation of constant running that is placed on midfielders that many clubs rotate a group of up to eight players through the midfield to maintain the intensity through that part of the ground.

Great midfielders have great endurance, fantastic disposal, pace and are capable of coping with very close attention from the opposition. Games can be won or lost according to a team’s capacity to outgun the opposition in the midfield.

Statistics show that sides capable of winning the ball in the midfield and thus moving it forward more often than the opposition have a high success rate.

Midfielders are expected to run deep into defence to flood or crowd the opposition’s forward line to narrow the options for the team bringing the ball into its forward line.

 

Centre Half-Forward

In football, there is a mantra: you can’t win a premiership without a centre half-forward. Centre half-forward is generally acknowledged as the most difficult position in football.

Contesting for the football in the area forward of the centre circle and just in front of the ‘hot spot’ (an area 30 metres directly in front of goal) is no easy feat.

There are different methods of playing centre half-forward. Kangaroos champion Wayne Carey is renowned for his capacity to take a contested mark and use his strength to absorb opposition attention, allowing teammates to gather a loose ball. He also kicked 80 goals in 1998 playing at centre half-forward.

Essendon’s James Hird uses his fantastic endurance and speed to run his opponent ragged and always provides an option for teammates looking upfield. Hird also possesses courage - a must for a centre half-forward - in huge doses.

 

Centre Half-Back

Centre half-back is a defensive role, but good players in this position do have the capacity to control a game. Theoretically easier to play than centre half-forward because the player can run straight at the ball to clear from defence, centre half-backs often need to play on the opposition’s best player.

Centre half-backs have good pace, mark well, are never intimidated and possess great strength.

 

Half-Back Flank

Once a position for solid dependable types, half-back flank is now a position for speedy types with the confidence to run with the ball and take on the opposition. Coaches will often give their half-back flankers the licence to attack out of defence in an attempt to catch out the opposition with a quick counter attack. Half-back flankers need good pace and great kicking skills.

If a team makes a turnover around half-back, often the opposition will be caught out as players have run forward anticipating the ball continuing to move in their direction.

 

Half-Forward Flank / Forward Pockets

Smaller pacy forward line players don’t play in set positions as they once did. Most clubs like to have crumbing type players at the fall of the ball when the centre half-forward or full-forward is contesting marks.

Players such as the Kangaroos’ Winston Abraham and Melbourne’s Jeff Farmer fall into this category.

The other type of half-forward is the mobile, smart player who marks well for his size and kicks accurately. They are strong players who keep their feet well and are capable of kicking multiple goals.

Players in these roles are extremely dangerous around goal and opponents need to be diligent when they are assigned the task of keeping them quiet. Half-forwards and forward pocket players can make the most of limited opportunities.

 

AFL All-Australian Team

A brief history

The first All-Australian team was selected in 1950 and comprised the best-performed players at the Australian Football Carnival in Brisbane. This practice continued after each subsequent series until the 1988 Bicentenary Carnival. All-Australian teams were selected in 1950, 1953, 1956, 1958, 1961, 1966, 1969, 1972, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988.

In 1982, the first AFL Team of the Year was chosen by the Victorian selectors. With the development of the national competition, the concept was changed slightly and, in 1991, the first AFL All-Australian team was selected. It is now an annual event.

All-Australian teams are also selected following the AFL Under-16 and Under-18 National Championships.

Selection

Selection in the All-Australian team is considered one of football’s highest honors. Players selected are recognised as being the elite in their position for that particular season. To be selected more than once in the All-Australian team means you are considered one of the superstars of the competition.

The AFL All-Australian team is selected, in position, at the end of the season by a committee appointed by the AFL. Selection used to be a symbolic, though significant achievement. However now, All-Australian players are automatically selected to represent Australia in the International Rules Series played between Australia and Ireland in October.

The premiership coach automatically becomes the All-Australian coach and is invited to assist the Australian coach in the International Rules Series. An All-Australian umpire is also selected.

 

Team of the Century

Perhaps the greatest honour is to be named in the Team of the Century. You have to be the very best of the best to get a spot in this team.

Backs: Bernie Smith (Geelong), Stephen Silvagni (Carlton), John Nicholls (Carlton)
Half-backs: Bruce Doull (Carlton), Ted Whitten (Footscray), Kevin Murray (Fitzroy)
Centres: Keith Greig (North Melbourne), Ian Stewart (St Kilda, Richmond), Francis Bourke (Richmond)
Half-forwards: Alex Jesaulenko (Carlton, St Kilda), Royce Hart (Richmond), Dick Reynolds (Essendon)
Forwards: Leigh Matthews (Hawthorn), John Coleman (Essendon), Haydn Bunton (Fitzroy)
Followers: Graham Farmer (Geelong), Ron Barassi (Melbourne, Carlton)
Rover: Bob Skilton (South Melbourne)
Interchange: Gary Ablett (Hawthorn, Geelong), Jack Dyer (Richmond), Greg Williams (Geelong, Sydney, Carlton)

• Top