Right, here are a few questions on things that are unclear to me so far :
Q1 - There are 18 teams in the league and they play 22 games over 23 rounds in the regular season. After a bit of looking around, it seems each team has a bye and also plays 5 teams twice over that season. How are those 5 teams determined ? Is it a random draw every year ? For instance, Geelong will play Richmond twice this year. Could that still be the case next year, or do those 5 teams rotate from a year to the next ? how important is this particular doubling of those games on the overall season ?
Q2 - Looking at the table/ladder over the last few years, there always seems to be some very drastic changes from one year to the next. e.g. one team can very well finish 16th one year, 4the next and back to the bottom again after. Why such a disparity from year to year ? Recruitment/transfers, drafts ?
Q3 - I am in general clear on the goals and behinds from foot kicks. If the ball is pushed between goal posts by hand or hits the goal post, the goal is reduced to a behind. What happens is the ball is kicked for a behind but hits one of the post on the way in ? Is the behind cancelled or remains as is ?
Q4 - I am not not clear on the referee's decision making when the ball is contested in bundles on the ground after a tackle or kerfuffle of that type ? any guidance please ? Sometimes it goes to one of the teams, sometimes it is a vertical throw by the referee. I gathered there were case of "holding the ball" (like not releasing it in the ruck in rugby union) but beyond it is very muddled.
Q5 - Likewise, I am not clear on the decision making when the ball gets out of boundary. I have not sussed out why in some instances it goes to one of the teams or it goes to the referee to throw. Any guidance please ?
Q6 - When a mark is granted to a player, why is the onus to move back on the player that did the mark and not on the "loser" of the mark, thereby losing some territory to the team that won the mark ?
Q7 - In which case is the onus to move back on the defender, i.e. I saw an example of a (50m?) penalty against a player that hadn't moved back (10 or 15m minimum ?) quickly enough but I don't remember the instance ?
Q8 - Has a referee ever knocked himself in the face after a bounce up ? have to ask
Q9 - I read it is illegal to push a player in the back. Is that only the case if that player doesn't hold the ball? If a player holds the ball, can you push him, under the assumption you are attempting a tackle or just to destabilise him? There seems to be cases where the referee let some go.
Q10 - Like in rugby, You are not allowed, rightly, to do a high tackle (above the shoulders) but it seems you are allowed to "climb" up the back and up on the shoulders of an opponent to win a mark ?
Q11 - Is there a system of yellow/red cards for violent conducts/tackles. I watched a video on YT of such violent conducts and there were mentions of reporting the player (I assume like citing the player in rugby union?). Does the player committing such infringement leave the game immediately or is that dealt with after the game?
I think that's it for now. Thank you for any clarifications coming.
I am off to the AFL glossary to sort out my bumps, my shepherds and my grubbers
