AFL: The Australian Football League
The AFL, or the Australian Football League, is the highest level of professional Australian rules football in Australia. The league consists of 18 teams from across the country, who compete in a 23-round regular season and a four-week finals series to determine the premiers.
Australian rules football is a fast-paced and physical sport that combines elements of rugby, soccer and basketball. The game is played on an oval-shaped field with four goal posts at each end. The aim is to score more points than the opposition by kicking the ball between the posts or by handballing it to teammates.
The AFL is one of the most popular and attended sports leagues in the world, with an average attendance of over 35,000 per game in 2022. The league also has a strong fan base overseas, especially in New Zealand, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The AFL was founded in 1897 as the Victorian Football League (VFL), and expanded nationally in the 1980s and 1990s. The current teams are Adelaide Crows, Brisbane Lions, Carlton Blues, Collingwood Magpies, Essendon Bombers, Fremantle Dockers, Geelong Cats, Gold Coast Suns, Greater Western Sydney Giants, Hawthorn Hawks, Melbourne Demons, North Melbourne Kangaroos, Port Adelaide Power, Richmond Tigers, St Kilda Saints, Sydney Swans, West Coast Eagles and Western Bulldogs.
The AFL season runs from March to September, with each team playing 22 games plus one bye. The top eight teams at the end of the regular season qualify for the finals series, which culminates in the AFL Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The Grand Final is one of the biggest sporting events in Australia, attracting over 100,000 spectators and millions of viewers worldwide.
The most successful team in AFL history is Essendon, with 16 premierships. The current premiers are St Kilda, who won their second flag in 2022 by defeating Essendon by six points in a thrilling Grand Final.
If you want to learn more about the AFL, you can visit their official website at https://www.afl.com.au/, where you can find news, videos, fixtures, scores and results. You can also follow your favourite team and players on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The AFL is a great way to enjoy Australian culture and sport. Whether you are a die-hard fan or a curious newcomer, you will find something to love about this exciting and unique game.
One of the most distinctive features of the AFL is the Brownlow Medal, which is awarded to the best and fairest player in the league each year. The medal is voted by the umpires after each game, and is considered the most prestigious individual honour in the sport. The current holder of the Brownlow Medal is Jack Steele from St Kilda, who polled 28 votes in 2022.
Another highlight of the AFL season is the Anzac Day clash between Collingwood and Essendon, which commemorates the Australian and New Zealand soldiers who fought in World War I. The game is played on April 25th at the MCG, and draws a huge crowd and a solemn atmosphere. The game is preceded by a ceremony that includes the Last Post, a minute of silence and the national anthems. The winner of the game receives the Anzac Day Medal, which is awarded to the best player on the ground. The most recent winner was Jordan De Goey from Collingwood, who kicked six goals in 2022.
The AFL also has a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion, with programs and initiatives that support women, Indigenous Australians, multicultural communities and people with disabilities. The AFL Women’s (AFLW) is the female counterpart of the AFL, which was launched in 2017 and features 14 teams. The AFLW season runs from February to April, and has attracted a large and passionate fan base. The current premiers are Adelaide Crows, who won their third title in 2022 by defeating Brisbane Lions by 18 points.
The AFL also celebrates Indigenous culture and history through the Sir Doug Nicholls Round, which honours the former player and activist who was the first Aboriginal person to be knighted. The round features special guernseys designed by Indigenous artists, cultural performances and ceremonies, and awards such as the Dreamtime Medal and the Yiooken Award. The round also showcases some of the best Indigenous talent in the league, such as Lance Franklin, Eddie Betts and Charlie Cameron.