104-686: The Sherwood Magpies Australian Football Club is the senior Australian rules football club of the western suburbs of Brisbane which competes in Division One of the AFLQ State League . The club is based at McCarthy Homes Oval, 41 Chelmer st, Chelmer , at the same grounds as the Sherwood Junior Australian Football Club and fields a team in the AFLQ senior, reserve, under 18 and women's grade competitions. The club formed through
208-606: A dominion , leagues were also established in the major cities. This renewed popularity helped encourage the formation of the Australasian Football Council , which in 1908 in Melbourne staged the first national interstate competition, the Jubilee Australasian Football Carnival , with teams representing each state and New Zealand. The game was also established early on in the new territories. In
312-517: A century. State of Origin rules, introduced in 1977, stipulated that rather than representing the state of their adopted club, players would return to play for the state they were first recruited in. This instantly broke Victoria's stranglehold over state titles and Western Australia and South Australia began to win more of their games against Victoria. Both New South Wales and Tasmania scored surprise victories at home against Victoria in 1990. The term " Barassi Line ", named after VFL star Ron Barassi ,
416-485: A certain number of matches depending on the severity of the infringement. The game features frequent physical contests, spectacular marking , fast movement of both players and the ball, and high scoring. The sport's origins can be traced to football matches played in Melbourne , Victoria , in 1858, inspired by English public school football games . Seeking to develop a game more suited to adults and Australian conditions,
520-633: A close relationship that sees players transfer between the two clubs in order to play the best possible level of football. The two clubs' grounds are situated next to each other in Chelmer , with Kenmore playing out of the Queenscroft st grounds that were once those of the Western Districts Australian Football Club . In 2008 these grounds were closed for redevelopment, and Kenmore played their all of their home games for that season on
624-629: A coin toss with Southport (who had previously had the same colours and emblem) upon the entry of both clubs to the QAFL in 1983. This occurred after Sherwood managed to work their way up through the divisions, after winning eight first division flags in a row they earned their 1983 promotion into the QAFL . In 1991 Sherwood AFC merged with the Western Districts to form the West Brisbane Australian Football Club , which could be
728-528: A fun, friendly, family oriented hub for local football in the western suburbs. The Sherwood Magpies Australian Football Club and Sherwood Junior Australian Football Club are sponsored by Tradelink (major sponsor), Hog's Breath Cafe and Cleanway (secondary sponsors). Junior clubs that lie within its traditional area include Collingwood Park, Ferny Grove, Forest Lake, Kenmore, Jindalee, Moorooka, Sherwood, Southern Redbacks, Springfield Lakes, Wests Juniors and Yeronga. The Sherwood Magpies Australian Football Club
832-419: A game for either medical or tactical reasons. Players on the playing surface can be swapped with those on the interchange bench at any time. They must though pass through a designated "Interchange Area". In the event a player fails to pass through this area correctly, or if too many players from one team are found to be on the ground at a time, a free kick will be awarded to the opposing side. While there
936-596: A long drought of success, and following its exclusion from the competition in 1999, it struggled to remain competitive with the state's top clubs. As a result, the club's men's team currently competes in the second level below the QAFL, QFA Division 1, and the women's team competes in QFAW Division 2. They joined the Queensland Football League in 1925 and played in the top tier of Queensland football until 1999. After
1040-399: A mark is taken, a small protected zone is established on the field, extending 10 metres (11 yd) either side of "the mark" and the player who marked the ball, with a small protected corridor between "the mark" and the player. The opposition player is permitted to jump, but is not allowed to move from their position on "the mark". Any other movements result in a distance penalty (50 metres in
1144-814: A merger between the Western Districts AFC and the Sherwood AFC in 1991 but has roots back to 1920. A number of senior clubs have represented Brisbane's western suburbs for decades including the Taringa , Western Districts , Sherwood , and West Brisbane ) and competed in the highest division of local football. These clubs were all forced out of existence over time though the Sherwood Magpies AFC draws much of its culture, identity, heritage and following from them. The current club has been playing in Division Two of
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#17328917847741248-433: A player breaks a rule, a free kick is awarded to the opposing team, from the location that the misconduct occurred, or the ball's current location—whichever is closer to the team's scoring zone. As when a mark is taken, this location is called "the mark", and the same protections regarding the space apply. Mayne Australian Football Club Mayne Australian Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in
1352-514: A premiership in the 1996 season, comfortably defeating Mt Gravatt 17.10 (112) to 8.10 (58), with Corey Lambert claiming that year's Grogan Medal . Unfortunately, due to financial reasons West Brisbane were unable to compete in the following year's competition and had a few seasons out of the State competition before returning as the re-branded Western Magpies Australian Football Club in 2001. The West Brisbane Australian Football Club that disbanded at
1456-555: A proposed hybrid code of Australian football and rugby league , the predominant code of football in New South Wales and Queensland, was trialled without success. In Queensland, the state league went into recess for the duration of the war. VFL club University left the league and went into recess due to severe casualties. The WAFL lost two clubs and the SANFL was suspended for one year in 1916 due to heavy club losses. The Anzac Day match ,
1560-855: A pupil at Rugby School in England, and returned to his homeland a star athlete and cricketer. Two weeks later, Wills' friend, cricketer Jerry Bryant , posted an advertisement for a scratch match at the Richmond Paddock adjoining the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). This was the first of several "kickabouts" held that year involving members of the Melbourne Cricket Club , including Wills, Bryant, W. J. Hammersley and J. B. Thompson . Trees were used as goalposts and play typically lasted an entire afternoon. Without an agreed-upon code of laws, some players were guided by rules they had learned in
1664-502: A second-tier status. The VFA merged with the former VFL reserves competition in 1998, adopting the VFL name. State of Origin also declined in importance, especially after an increasing number of player withdrawals. The AFL turned its focus to the annual International Rules Series against Ireland in 1998 before abolishing State of Origin the following year. State and territorial leagues still contest interstate matches, as do AFL Women players. In
1768-506: A select few ways as defined by the Laws of Australian Football, published by the AFL. The ball can be propelled in any direction by way of a kick or a clenched fist (called a handball )—deemed a correct disposal. Failure to dispose of the ball in one of these two methods will result in a free kick to the opposing team. If the ball is not currently in a player's possession, it can be moved legally through
1872-603: A similar situation existing in Western Australia in the sport, the VFL pursued a more national competition. Two more non-Victorian clubs, West Coast and Brisbane , joined the league in 1987 generating more than $ 8 million in license revenue for the Victorian clubs and increasing broadcast revenues which helped the Victorian clubs survive. In their early years, the Sydney and Brisbane clubs struggled both on and off-field because
1976-533: A single footballing force in Brisbane 's western suburbs. Players of particular note for the Sherwood AFC include John Rantall , the 336 game South Melbourne , North Melbourne and Fitzroy VFL veteran who coached Sherwood in their debut season in the QAFL , and 1983 Grogan Medal winner, Bill Pierce, whom the Western Magpies best and fairest is named after. A merger between the Western Districts AFC and
2080-498: A slightly modified version of the Victorian game in 1879. The South Australian Football Association (SAFA), the sport's first governing body , formed on 30 April 1877, firmly establishing Victorian rules as the preferred code in that colony. The Victorian Football Association (VFA) formed the following month. Clubs began touring the colonies in the late 1870s, and in 1879 the first intercolonial match took place in Melbourne between Victoria and South Australia . To standardise
2184-406: A technique known shepherding when the ball is within 5 metres (5.5 yd) of an opposition player. Shepherding involves the use of a player's body to push, bump or otherwise block an opposition player, providing they do not have possession of the ball. If a player takes possession of the ball that has travelled more than 15 metres (16 yd) from another player's kick, by way of a catch within
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#17328917847742288-551: A thrilling final quarter to take out a nail biting decider, 16.8 (104) to 14.17 (101). The Magpies reserves went through the home and away season with only two losses, to Wilston Grange and Burleigh . This left the team on top of the ladder, one game clear of their closest rivals. The reserves won their way straight through to the grand final, where they were unable to make it four consecutive Division Two premierships, being soundly beaten by Aspley 10.8 (68) to 21.7 (133). The Western Magpies under 18 team won three of their matches curing
2392-427: A uniform code known as "Victorian rules". In 1866, the "first distinctively Victorian rule", the running bounce , was formalised at a meeting of club delegates chaired by H. C. A. Harrison , an influential pioneer who took up football in 1859 at the invitation of Wills, his cousin. The game around this time was defensive and low-scoring, played low to the ground in congested rugby-style scrimmages. The typical match
2496-533: A victory in the 2009 season, as seen in the table of results below; Queensland Australian Football League AFL Queensland State League – Division Two SEQAFL Division One - PHC Note: Prior to 1946, the Grogan Medal was titled the De Little Medal. Australian rules football Australian rules football , also called Australian football or Aussie rules , or more simply football or footy ,
2600-569: A western suburbs presence in the State League. In 2008 the club hired Anthony McDonald as Club Development Officer to assist in the progression up to the State League , and began interviewing potential players to bolster their playing list for the 2009 season. The club's existing young talent was bolstered by the signings of 2007 Tasmanian under 18 representative Matt Dillon and former St Kilda rookie and Western Magpie junior Ed McDonnell but overall
2704-414: Is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field , often a modified cricket ground . Points are scored by kicking the oval ball between the central goal posts (worth six points), or between a central and outer post (worth one point, otherwise known as a "behind"). During general play, players may position themselves anywhere on the field and use any part of their bodies to move
2808-405: Is analogous to a basketball center and as such rucks are typically the tallest player on the team. Lifting teammates is not allowed so the ruck may only jump to reach the ball. If the ruck does not take possession of the football, it must must be tapped or fisted, which is known as a hit-out. An effective hit-out that passes the ball to a teammate is known as a hit-out to advantage. In the event
2912-476: Is known about these early one-off games, evidence does not support a causal link with Australian football. In Melbourne , in 1858, in a move that would help to shape Australian football in its formative years, private schools (then termed " public schools " in accordance with nomenclature in England) began organising football games inspired by precedents at English public schools . The earliest match, held on 15 June,
3016-455: Is known as the Goal Line. Around the perimeter of the field, two white lines are drawn between the set of behind posts in an arc-shape, marking the field of play. Other field markings include: The 50m arcs, centre square, centre circle and goal square are used at the beginning of each quarter or after each goal. With each team permitted a maximum of six players in each 50m arc, with one in
3120-470: Is no set uniform, the basic equipment for Australian football consists of a guernsey, shorts, socks and boots, with additional pieces of apparel such as headbands and gloves additionally being permitted. Players may wear certain pieces of protective equipment, such as helmets or arm guards, if approved by the relevant controlling body. Mouthguards are strongly recommended for all players. Players are not permitted to wear jewellery, or other materials which
3224-493: Is officiated by at least five match officials, known as an umpire . These match officials are placed into three categories based upon their roles and responsibilities, with varying minimum numbers of Umpires required depending on position: At AFL level, a video score review system is utilised. Only umpires are permitted to request a review, and only scoring shots and potential scoring shots are permitted to be reviewed. An Australian rules football may only be propelled forward in
Sherwood Districts Australian Football Club - Misplaced Pages Continue
3328-549: Is the second-highest-attended club championship event in the world . The sport is also played at amateur level in many countries and in several variations . Its rules are governed by the AFL Commission with the advice of the AFL's Laws of the Game Committee. Australian rules football is known by several nicknames, including Aussie rules, football and footy. In some regions, where other codes of football are more popular,
3432-783: Is used. The ball must be inflated to a pressure of 69 kilopascals (10.0 pounds per square inch). There are no defined laws regarding what material a ball must be made from, but standard AFL match-used balls are produced by Sherrin using cowhide leather. While there is no standard colour of the ball, red and yellow are most common and the only colours used at AFL level. Yellow is used for games beginning after 3 pm or in an enclosed stadium, due to its greater visibility, and to assist score reviews. Unlike other forms of football which are played on rectangular fields, Australian rules football playing fields are oval-shaped, and are between 135 and 185 metres (148 and 202 yd) long and 110 and 155 metres (120 and 170 yd) wide. At either end of
3536-549: The AFL Queensland State League since 2004, but is being promoted into Division One from the commencement of the 2009 season under the guidance of President Brian Knight, Senior Coach Paul Grentell and Club Development Manager Anthony McDonald. The club aims to provide a pathway into the AFL for players from local junior clubs, develop the network of surrounding senior and junior Australian rules football clubs, and provide
3640-526: The Brisbane suburb of Enoggera . The club colours are black and gold and they are nicknamed the Tigers . It is the most successful club in the history of the Queensland Australian Football League , Queensland's highest level of competition, with 15 premierships from the 1920s to the 1980s. The clubs most recent premiership was in 1982, with a Grand Final appearance in 1985. However, after
3744-701: The Brisbane Bears , and still coaches at the Western Magpies) all went on to play in the VFL/AFL . The Sherwood Australian Football Club developed out of the Sherwood Junior Australian Football Club , which was formed in 1956. As the junior club grew in size, there was a desire to have a direct senior team for the Sherwood JAFC , which saw the Sherwood AFC formed to compete in the Metropolitan Division of
3848-647: The Bulldogs , who topped the league goal kicking in 1977, played over 300 games for the club, including the 1977 and 1978 premierships, and had a short stint with the Fitzroy Football Club . Ray Hughson topped the league goal kicking while playing for Western Districts a remarkable six times (1958, 1959, 1962–65), while Gavin Crosisca (over 250 AFL games for Collingwood ), Ray Smith (over 100 VFL games for Essendon and Melbourne ), and Gary Shaw ( Collingwood and
3952-650: The Melbourne Football Club published the first laws of Australian football in May 1859. Australian football has the highest spectator attendance and television viewership of all sports in Australia, while the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's only fully professional competition, is the nation's wealthiest sporting body. The AFL Grand Final , held annually at the Melbourne Cricket Ground ,
4056-592: The Noosa Tigers in the 2006 decider, before losing to the Palm Beach Currumbin Lions in the final game of 2007. Despite losing the 2007 grand final, it was announced at the end of that year that the Western Magpies would be returning to Division One of the State League in 2009. The Magpies rebounded from their 2007 loss to Palm Beach to end the Lions 38-game winning streak at their Chelmer home ground during
4160-519: The Palm Beach Currumbin Lions before the commencement of the finals series. The Magpies's only losses were against Palm Beach Currumbin (Round 1), Coolangatta Tweed Head (Round 2) and Burleigh (Round 16), and one of the most memorable victories came in Round 14, when the Magpies defeated the Palm Beach Currumbin Lions 18.8 (116) to 5.16 (46) to end the Lions's 34-game winning streak. The Western Magpies and
4264-461: The Palm Beach Currumbin Lions both made it through the finals series into the 2008 AFL Queensland State League grand final for a rematch of the previous year's grand final. The two clubs fought out a tough contest, which saw the Lions lead throughout the first three quarters of the game. The Magpies lifted during the third quarter to close in on the minor premiers, and managed to kick six goals to two in
Sherwood Districts Australian Football Club - Misplaced Pages Continue
4368-399: The QAFL . The club was based at Chelmer Oval, 41 Chelmer st, Chelmer , directly next to the Queenscroft st ground of the Western Districts , which is the current home of the Western Magpies. The club took on the black and white stripes of their junior club as well as the emblem of the magpie , both of which are still thoroughly attached to the club to the current day thanks to the winning of
4472-483: The Sherwood AFC in 1991 saw a single senior force in the western suburbs formed in the form of the West Brisbane Australian Football Club . The merged club adopted the maroon and white colours of [Western Districts Australian Football Club] with the jersey design of the Port Adelaide Magpies football club, played out of Chelmer Oval, Chelmer and were nicknamed The Warriors . The club was successful in winning
4576-491: The Taringa Football Club changed its name to incorporate the whole of Brisbane 's western suburbs. Western Districts kept the emblem (the bulldog ) and colours (maroon and white) of Taringa and were originally based at Oakman Park, Toowong but moved to Chelmer Oval, Queenscroft st, Chelmer in 1971. The club continued to grow steadily, finishing in third place in 1951, and losing to Mayne by merely one point in
4680-461: The West Brisbane Australian Football Club . The Western Districts Australian Football Club had a number of very successful players in their midst throughout their existence. Doug Pittard won two Grogan Medals during his time at the club to go with his De Little Medal he won with Taringa , and played a handful of games for the Footscray reserves. Owen Backwell was also a dual Grogan Medalist for
4784-407: The field umpire has deemed to be either potentially dangerous or increase the risk of injury to other players. Australian rules football is played with an ellipsoid ball, between 72 and 73 cm (28 and 29 in) in long circumference, and 54.5 and 55.5 cm (21.5 and 21.9 in) in short circumference. For women's competitions, a smaller ball size of 69 and 53 cm (27 and 21 in)
4888-762: The 1952 grand final. The club learned from their narrow loss, defeating Windsor and Sandgate respectively in the 1953 and 1954 grand finals to secure their first and second premierships. Western Districts were unable to qualify for the finals between the years of 1956 and 1962, before suffering consecutive grand final losses at the hands of Mayne in 1966 and 1967. The club's next, and last ever, grand final appearances came consecutively in 1977, 1978 and 1979. The Bulldogs narrowly won premierships by 5 points against Wilston Grange in 1977, and by 4 points against Windsor/Zillmere in 1978, before losing what would be their last grand final appearance to Sandgate in 1979. Western Districts eventually merged with Sherwood in 1991 to form
4992-598: The 1999 season the club was actually excluded from the competition, whereupon it entered into a legal battle with the AFL which ended up in the Federal Court. Ultimately, Mayne was successful - a unique achievement for such a comparatively small club - and the 2001 season found it reinstated, with damages, the league was renamed the Queensland State League . Mayne struggled in the four years winning only 5 of 72 games and finishing last in all four years. It moved into
5096-465: The 2008 home and away season, and followed this up by defeating the Lions again in a thrilling grand final. This capped the club's time in Division Two off nicely, leaving them with two premierships (2006 & 2008) and three grand final appearances (2006–2008) from their four years in lower division. During this four-year period, the reserves team played in the Division Two grand final (each year 2005–2008), winning premierships in 2005, 2006 and 2007, while
5200-596: The 2010s, the AFL signalled further attempts at expanding into markets outside Australian football's traditional heartlands by hosting home-and-away matches in New Zealand, followed by China. After several failed bids since the early 1990s for a Tasmania-based AFL team, the Tasmania Football Club secured the 19th AFL license in 2023, and is set to compete by 2028. In a standard match, a team may consist of anywhere between 14 and 18 players who may be permitted on
5304-461: The AFL). The player who was awarded the mark may then choose to either dispose of the ball over "the mark" or may choose to attempt disposal via a different method, in which case the field umpire will call "play on"—a verbal instruction to continue play. "Play on" may also be called if the umpire deems the player awarded the mark to be taking an unreasonable amount of time to dispose of the football. Once
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#17328917847745408-468: The AFLW using 17 minutes per quarter. For any given match, two timekeepers are appointed to officiate the duration. The timekeepers record all relevant statistics for the match, such as total quarter duration and score by each team. Additionally timekeepers are required to sound a siren prior to and at the conclusion of each quarter until such time they are acknowledged by the field umpires. To stop and recommence
5512-624: The ANFC, and later the Australian Football Championships (AFC) ran a night series , which invited clubs and representative sides from around the country to participate in a knock-out tournament parallel to the premiership seasons, which Victorian sides still dominated. With the lack of international competition, state representative matches were regarded with great importance. Due in part to the VFL poaching talent from other states, Victoria dominated interstate matches for three-quarters of
5616-524: The British Isles, "others by no rules at all". Another milestone in 1858 was a 40-a-side match played under experimental rules between Melbourne Grammar and Scotch College , held at the Richmond Paddock. Umpired by Wills and teacher John Macadam , it began on 7 August and continued over two subsequent Saturdays, ending in a draw with each side kicking one goal. It is commemorated with a statue outside
5720-568: The Irish game evolved in a similar direction. Another theory, first proposed in 1983, posits that Wills, having grown up among Aboriginals in Victoria, may have seen or played the Aboriginal ball game of Marn Grook , and incorporated some of its features into early Australian football. There is only circumstantial evidence that he knew of the game, and according to biographer Greg de Moore's research, Wills
5824-727: The MCG at the Parade Hotel, owned by Bryant, and drafted ten rules: "The Rules of the Melbourne Football Club" . These are the laws from which Australian football evolved. The club aimed to create a simple code suited to the hard playing surfaces around Melbourne, and to eliminate the roughest aspects of English school games—such as "hacking" (shin-kicking) in Rugby School football—to reduce the risk of injuries to working men. In another significant departure from English public school football,
5928-503: The MCG, and the two schools have since competed annually in the Cordner–Eggleston Cup , the world's oldest continuous football competition . Since the 1920s, it has been suggested that Australian football may have been derived from the Irish sport of Gaelic football . However, there is no archival evidence in favour of a Gaelic influence, and the style of play shared between the two modern codes appeared in Australia long before
6032-499: The Magpies failed to recruit many top level players. The Western Magpies senior squad were put through a tough pre-season program before hosting the Redland Bombers in round one of the season. The Magpies seniors team were unable to get a victory in their first match in the AFL Queensland State League , losing by 48 points in a match that has so far set the tone for their season. The Western Magpies seniors are currently yet to record
6136-576: The Melbourne rules omitted any offside law . "The new code was as much a reaction against the school games as influenced by them", writes Mark Pennings. The rules were distributed throughout the colony; Thompson in particular did much to promote the new code in his capacity as a journalist. Following Melbourne's lead, Geelong and Melbourne University also formed football clubs in 1859. While many early Victorian teams participated in one-off matches, most had not yet formed clubs for regular competition. A South Yarra club devised its own rules. To ensure
6240-617: The Pineapple Hotel Cup competition in 2005 and managed to play in an Elimination final. Since then the club has struggled, finishing last in 2007, 2010 and 2011. Starting in 2014 Mayne compete in the QFA North competition. To be noted Mayne Tigers were undefeated in 2014, 18–0 in the regular season and winning the Major Semi-final and Grand Final against Noosa Football club. This was followed by another successful campaign in 2015 with
6344-409: The SANFL's Port Adelaide (1997), the only pre-existing club outside Victoria to join the league. In 2011 and 2012, respectively, two new non-Victorian clubs were added to the competition: Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney . The AFL, currently with 18 member clubs, is the sport's elite competition and most powerful body. Following the emergence of the AFL, state leagues were quickly relegated to
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#17328917847746448-587: The Sherwood juniors into the senior club. The Sherwood Junior AFC' s aim is to produce quality players to graduate into football with the Western Magpies, and eventually to the AFL . The official website of the Sherwood Junior AFC is located at www.sherwoodafc.com . The Kenmore Australian Football Club are a separate club who play in the QFA South competition . The Kenmore Bears and the Western Magpies enjoy
6552-513: The Tigers finishing the season with a 16–2 regular season record followed by straight wins in the semi-final and Grand Final to beat the Maroochydore Roos in what came down to a nail biting 4th quarter. Mayne continued this terrific record going back-to-back-to-back with a third successive Seniors and Reserves premiership. The 2016 premiership was won over the Maroochydore Roos for the second year in
6656-524: The Western Magpies as the pathway into the AFL for young players in the western suburbs. In a similar way, the club also relates closely with the surrounding senior clubs, as they also provide a pathway for players to play at a standard of football that best suits their ability. In particular, the Western Magpies work closely with the Sherwood Junior Australian Football Club and the Kenmore Australian Football Club . The junior clubs within
6760-567: The Western Magpies field. The official website of the Kenmore Bears is located at www.kenmore.aflq.com.au . The Western Magpies Australian Football Club competed in the Pineapple Hotel Cup in 2008, the Division Two competition of the AFL Queensland State League . The president for 2008 was Matthew Vowles, who entered the position in 2007, and the captain Chris Mihalopolous, a junior of the Sherwood Junior AFC . Paul Grentell, who took over
6864-427: The Western Magpies were relegated to the newly created Division Two. Paul Grentell was appointed the club's senior coach, and the Magpies set about strengthening every aspect of the football club in the hopes of returning to Division One. The senior team narrowly missed out on a place in the 2005 Division Two grand final, but were successful in reaching the grand final in 2006, 2007 and 2008. The Western Magpies defeated
6968-429: The annual game between Essendon and Collingwood on Anzac Day, is one example of how the war continues to be remembered in the football community. The role of the Australian National Football Council (ANFC) was primarily to govern the game at a national level and to facilitate interstate representative and club competition. In 1968, the ANFC revived the Championship of Australia , a competition first held in 1888 between
7072-473: The ball from a kick (with specific conditions) are awarded unimpeded possession . Possession of the ball is in dispute at all times except when a free kick or mark is paid. Players can tackle using their hands or use their whole body to obstruct opponents. Dangerous physical contact (such as pushing an opponent in the back ), interference when marking, and deliberately slowing the play are discouraged with free kicks, distance penalties , or suspension for
7176-413: The ball. The primary methods are kicking , handballing and running with the ball. There are rules on how the ball can be handled; for example, players running with the ball must intermittently bounce or touch it on the ground . Throwing the ball is not allowed, and players must not get caught holding the ball . A distinctive feature of the game is the mark , where players anywhere on the field who catch
7280-442: The case of Sydney , denial of access to grounds, the influence of university headmasters from Britain who favoured rugby, and the loss of players to other codes inhibited the game's growth. In 1896, delegates from six of the wealthiest VFA clubs— Carlton , Essendon , Fitzroy , Geelong, Melbourne and South Melbourne —met to discuss the formation of a breakaway professional competition. Later joined by Collingwood and St Kilda ,
7384-435: The clock, the field umpires are required to signal to the timekeepers to indicate when the clock should be stopped or restarted. Between each quarter, a break is observed to allow players a rest period. Two six-minute breaks are observed between the first and second quarters, and the third and fourth quarters. A longer 20-minute break is observed between the second and third quarter, commonly known as half-time . Each game
7488-493: The clubs formed the Victorian Football League (VFL), which held its inaugural season in 1897 . The VFL's popularity grew rapidly as it made several innovations, such as instituting a finals system, reducing teams from 20 to 18 players, and introducing the behind as a score. Richmond and University joined the VFL in 1908, and by 1925, with the addition of Hawthorn , Footscray and North Melbourne , it had become
7592-490: The code took hold during a series of gold rushes . Likewise, when New Zealand experienced a gold rush , the sport arrived with a rapid influx of Australian miners. Now known as Australian rules or Australasian rules, the sport became the first football code to develop mass spectator appeal, attracting world record attendances for sports viewing and gaining a reputation as "the people's game". Australian rules football reached Queensland and New South Wales as early as 1866;
7696-512: The end of 1997 reformed in 1999 under the name of the Western Magpies Australian Football Club and in 2001 re-entered the QAFL which had merged with its Gold Coast equivalent to become the AFL Queensland State League . After four years of mediocre on-field performances and financial struggles, when the AFLQ decided to undertake a major re-shuffling of the leagues in 2004 to create a two tier State League competition
7800-409: The field of play, it is deemed as a mark . To be awarded a mark, it must be deemed that the player sufficiently controlled the ball and took possession prior to it being touched, touching the ground, or in the case of a contest, being spoiled by an opponent. Upon a mark being taken, one opposition player may choose to stand on the point on the field where the mark was taken, known as "the mark". When
7904-413: The field, two sets of posts are erected in a straight line to indicate the scoring areas on the field, each with two kinds of posts, named the goal posts and the behind posts respectively. The goal posts are placed first, located 6.4 metres (7.0 yd) apart from each other, with a behind post being placed a further 6.4 metres to the side of each goal post. The name for the field line between two goal posts
8008-618: The first match in Darwin . The game went on to become the most popular sport in the Territory and build the highest participation rate for the sport nationally. Both World War I and World War II had a devastating effect on Australian football and on Australian sport in general. While scratch matches were played by Australian " diggers " in remote locations around the world, the game lost many of its great players to wartime service. Some clubs and competitions never fully recovered. Between 1914 and 1915,
8112-526: The formation of the Adelaide Football Club , the oldest football club in Australia outside Victoria. It devised its own rules, and, along with other Adelaide -based clubs, played a variety of codes until 1876, when they uniformly adopted most of the Victorian rules, with South Australian football pioneer Charles Kingston noting their similarity to "the old Adelaide rules". Similarly, Tasmanian clubs quarrelled over different rules until they adopted
8216-435: The goal square and four players in the centre square with one in the centre circle. If this is breached, a free kick is awarded. A game lasts for 80 minutes, split into four-quarters consisting of 20 minutes playing time, with the clock being stopped for stoppages in play such as scores, or at the umpire 's discretion, e.g. for serious injury. Leagues may choose to employ shorter quarters of play at their discretion, such as
8320-424: The knees (a low tackle or a trip ) or above the shoulders (a high tackle ), the team with possession of the football gets a free kick. Furthermore, tackles deemed to be dangerous by the umpire and those conducted from front-on while an opposition player has their head over the football are deemed to be prohibited contact, and will incur a free kick against the offending player. Additionally, players may perform
8424-548: The new national capital Canberra both soccer and rugby had a head start, but following the first matches in 1911, Australian rules football in the Australian Capital Territory became a major participation sport. By 1981 it had become much neglected and quickly lagged behind the other football codes. Australian rules football in the Northern Territory began shortly after the outbreak of the war in 1916 with
8528-455: The phasing out of many of the game's kicking styles and the increasing use of handball; while presentation was influenced by television. In 1982, in a move that heralded big changes within the sport, one of the original VFL clubs, South Melbourne, relocated to Sydney and became known as the Sydney Swans . In the late 1980s, due to the poor financial standing of many of the Victorian clubs, and
8632-407: The player has disposed of the ball, or "play on" is called, normal play resumes. Rucking is the only specialist skill and is performed by a ruck, the term for designated players from each side to which umpire sends the ball to commence play. Only a nominated ruck may contest ball-ups and throw-ins. They are the only player allowed within the 10 metre circle at a centre bounce. Functionally the role
8736-429: The player penalised for ' holding the ball ', except if the umpire deems there was a lack of prior opportunity to do so. The ball carrier may only be tackled between the shoulders and knees from the front or side. If the player forcefully contacts the opposing in the back while performing a tackle, the opposition player will be penalised for a push in the back . If the opposition tackles the player with possession below
8840-436: The playing surface at any given time. Each team may have up to four interchange (reserve) players who may be swapped for those on the field at any time during the game. Although some leagues in less populated areas may use as few as 12 players. In addition, some leagues notably including the AFL, have each team designate one additional player as a substitute who can be used to make a single permanent exchange of players during
8944-541: The position as senior coach in 2004, was to coach the senior team in 2008, assisted by Peter McClennan (reserves coach), Hadyn Dowley, Quentin Johnson and Brian Millar. After being defeated by the Palm Beach Currumbin Australian Football Club in the 2007 grand final, the Western Magpies went through the 2008 home and away season with fifteen wins out of eighteen games to sit second on the ladder to
9048-554: The preeminent league in the country and would take a leading role in many aspects of the sport. The time around the federation of the Australian colonies in 1901 saw Australian rules undergo a revival in New South Wales, New Zealand and Queensland. In 1903, both the Queensland Australian Football League and the NSW Australian Football Association were established, and in New Zealand, as it moved towards becoming
9152-521: The premiers of the VFA and SAFA. Although clubs from other states were at times invited, the final was almost always between the premiers from the two strongest state competitions of the time—South Australia and Victoria—with Adelaide hosting most of the matches at the request of the SAFA/SANFL. The last match took place in 1976, with North Adelaide being the last non-Victorian winner in 1972. Between 1976 and 1987,
9256-427: The season, and were unable to secure a place in the finals. The following awards were presented at the Western Magpies Australian Football Club presentation night on 18 October. It was announced at the end of 2007 that the Western Magpies would be returning to Division One of the AFL Queensland State League from 2009. After achieving successful results, it was felt that the Magpies had made enough progress to warrant
9360-467: The sport across Australia, delegates representing the football associations of South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Queensland met in 1883 and updated the code. New rules such as holding the ball led to a "golden era" of fast, long-kicking and high-marking football in the 1880s, a time which also saw players such as George Coulthard achieve superstardom, as well as the rise of professionalism , particularly in Victoria and Western Australia , where
9464-467: The sport experienced a period of dominance in the former, and in the latter, several regions remain strongholds of Australian rules, such as the Riverina . However, by the late 1880s, rugby football had become the dominant code in both colonies, as well as in New Zealand. This shift was largely due to rugby's spread with British migration, regional rivalries and the lack of strong local governing bodies. In
9568-406: The sport is most often called AFL after the Australian Football League , while the league itself also uses this name for local competitions in some areas. Primitive forms of football were played sporadically in the Australian colonies in the first half of the 19th century. Compared to cricket and horse racing , football was considered a mere "amusement" by colonists at the time, and while little
9672-414: The substantial TV revenues they generated by playing on a Sunday went to the VFL. To protect these revenues the VFL granted significant draft concessions and financial aid to keep the expansion clubs competitive. The VFL changed its name to the Australian Football League (AFL) for the 1990 season , and over the next decade, three non-Victorian clubs gained entry: Adelaide (1991), Fremantle (1995) and
9776-587: The supremacy of the Melbourne rules, the first-club level competition in Australia, the Caledonian Society's Challenge Cup (1861–64), stipulated that only the Melbourne rules were to be used. This law was reinforced by the Athletic Sports Committee (ASC), which ran a variation of the Challenge Cup in 1865–66. With input from other clubs, the rules underwent several minor revisions, establishing
9880-528: The under 18 and women's teams both continued to participate in Division One of their competitions. As of the beginning of Season 2020 in the Queensland Australian Football League The Western Magpies enjoy close relationships with all of the junior and senior clubs within Brisbane 's western suburbs in their role as the focal point for football ball in the area. All junior clubs within the area are encouraged to promote
9984-412: The usage of other means, such as punching. While in possession of the ball, players may run with the ball, but are required to either bounce or touch the ball on the ground at least once every 15 metres (16 yd). Tackling is a technique employed by players used to force opposition players to dispose of the ball when they are in possession. Failure to dispose of the ball when legally tackled may see
10088-561: The western suburbs that the Western Magpies work with include; The senior Western Magpies club is based out of the same grounds and facilities as the Sherwood Junior AFC. The Sherwood Junior AFC was founded in 1956. It is also now known as the Magpies. Both are affiliated with the Sherwood Football social club, and Sherwood Junior AFC acts as one of the many local feeder clubs to the Western Magpies, with many juniors moving up from
10192-429: Was "almost solely influenced by his experience at Rugby School". A loosely organised Melbourne side, captained by Wills, played against other football enthusiasts in the winter and spring of 1858. The following year, on 14 May, the Melbourne Football Club was officially established, making it one of the world's oldest football clubs . Three days later, Wills, Hammersley, Thompson and teacher Thomas H. Smith met near
10296-545: Was a 20-per-side affair, played with a ball that was roughly spherical, and lasted until a team scored two goals. The shape of the playing field was not standardised; matches often took place in rough, tree-spotted public parks, most notably the Richmond Paddock ( Yarra Park ), known colloquially as the Melbourne Football Ground. Wills argued that the turf of cricket fields would benefit from being trampled upon by footballers in winter, and, as early as 1859, football
10400-478: Was allowed on the MCG. However, cricket authorities frequently prohibited football on their grounds until the 1870s, when they saw an opportunity to capitalise on the sport's growing popularity. Football gradually adapted to an oval-shaped field, and most grounds in Victoria expanded to accommodate the dual purpose—a situation that continues to this day. Football became organised in South Australia in 1860 with
10504-514: Was between Melbourne Grammar and St Kilda Grammar. On 10 July 1858, the Melbourne-based Bell's Life in Victoria and Sporting Chronicle published a letter by Tom Wills , captain of the Victoria cricket team , calling for the formation of a "foot-ball club" with a "code of laws" to keep cricketers fit during winter. Born in Australia, Wills played a nascent form of rugby football while
10608-435: Was coined by scholar Ian Turner in 1978 to describe the "fictitious geographical barrier" separating the rugby-following parts of New South Wales and Queensland from the rest of the country, where Australian football reigned. It became a reference point for the expansion of Australian football and for establishing a national league. The way the game was played had changed dramatically due to innovative coaching tactics, with
10712-493: Was formed as the State League representative of Brisbane 's western suburbs, incorporating the history of the previous clubs to compete in the AFL Queensland State League . A Taringa Football Club competed in the QFL (an early form of the AFL Queensland State League ) in the 1920 season. The club only appeared in the State competition for that single season, but resurfaced by entering the newly titled QANFL in 1931. The club's emblem
10816-486: Was the bulldog , and the club colours were maroon and white. Despite making it to five grand finals Taringa was unable to secure a premiership, but it produced three De Little Medalists in Bill Nunn (1936), C.K. 'Pat' Vidgen (1939) and Doug Pittard (1940). Taringa changed its name to the Western Districts Australian Football Club in 1946. The Western Districts Australian Football Club came into existence in 1946 when
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