Australian rules football

Australian rules football

Sport
Australian rules football Cricket Golf Tennis Surfing Swimming Horse racing Motor racing
Adventure activities
Adventure flights Ballooning Skydiving Scenic cruises Fishing Snow activities Four wheel driving Cycling Horse riding Walking Rail trails Rock climbing Fossicking
Nature & wildlife
National & state parks Metropolitan parks Coastal & marine parks Lakes & reservoirs Rivers Waterfalls Caves Flowers & gardens Wildlife Animal sanctuaries
Driving routes
Around the bay Goldfields history Great Alpine Road Great Ocean Road Melbourne to Lake Eildon Murray River South Gippsland coast
Art & culture
Art galleries Art festivals Performing arts Aboriginal culture Cultural festivals
History & heritage
Museums Living history museums Historic homes Historic streetscapes Lighthouses Heritage railways Big things Folklore legends
Food & wine
Restaurants Wine regions Wineries & tours Breweries Food & wine festivals Cooking schools
Entertainment
Amusement & theme parks Circuses Cinemas Live music Music festivals Nightclubs
Shopping
Shopping centres Shopping precincts Markets Farmers markets
Accommodation
Farm stays Unique stays Million dollar views Golf resorts Houseboats Snowfields Beach holidays Camping Dog friendly
Health & wellbeing
Natural hot springs Day spas Health retreats

Australian rules football is a sport that is rich in tradition and has been a very important part of Australian culture for many years. The first game of Australian rules football was played in Melbourne in 1858, with the first set of rules being drawn up the following year.

Australian rules football is the most highly attended spectator sport in Australia.

Australian Football League (AFL)

The AFL is the top professional mens competition for Australian rules football. It has 18 teams in five states, with 10 of those teams based in Victoria. The AFL season traditionally commences in mid-March and ends with a grand final on the last Saturday in September or first Saturday in October. Games are generally played across the weekend though there are also some mid-week games.

AdelaideAdelaide
BrisbaneBrisbane
CarltonCarlton
CollingwoodCollingwood
EssendonEssendon
FremantleFremantle
GeelongGeelong
Gold CoastGold Coast
Greater Western SydneyGreater Western Sydney
HawthornHawthorn
MelbourneMelbourne
North MelbourneNorth Melbourne
Port AdelaidePort Adelaide
RichmondRichmond
St KildaSt Kilda
SydneySydney
West CoastWest Coast
Western BulldogsWestern Bulldogs

AFL matches are hosted at a number of sports stadiums around Australia. In Victoria, there are three venues which are regularly used. With large crowds in attendance, the atmosphere at an AFL game is an experience not to be missed.

GMHBA Stadium
GMHBA Stadium

GMHBA Stadium is located within Kardinia Park and is the home ground of the Geelong Football Club. Seating over 28,000 spectators, it hosts football, soccer, rugby and cricket matches. It is also used as a concert and function venue.

Location: Geelong

www.kardiniapark.vic.gov.au
Marvel Stadium
Marvel Stadium

Marvel Stadium is a sporting and entertainment venue that is located in the heart of Docklands. It hosts football, soccer and rugby matches, plus concerts and functions. The stadium has a fully retractable roof and can seat over 53,000 spectators.

Location: Docklands

www.marvelstadium.com.au
Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)
Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)

Located in Yarra Park, the MCG is Melbourne's favourite premier sporting ground. It hosts football, rugby, soccer and cricket matches, and was also the main stadium for the 1956 Olympic Games and 2006 Commonwealth Games. The venue can seat around 100,000 fans and behind the scenes guided tours of this iconic stadium are available.

Location: East Melbourne

www.mcg.org.au

Other leagues

As well as the national AFL competition, there are many other leagues throughout Victoria.

The AFLW (AFL Womens) league began playing in 2017 and is comprised only of female players. It has 18 teams which are the same as in the men's league - 10 Victorian and 8 interstate teams. The annual playing season usually starts in early September. Matches are played at smaller suburban or regional sporting grounds.

The VFL (Victorian Football League) is a football league that was originally Victorian based but in 2021 expanded from 16 local clubs to include three each from New South Wales and Queensland. Most VFL clubs have an affiliate team in the AFL.

Many country towns have an Aussie rules club and their followers are just as passionate about their team as AFL fans. Most games are played on Saturdays and it's not too difficult to find a game to watch somewhere in the state.