How to play
Footy stays, the game switches.
With simple rules, touch instead of tackling, and more opportunities to get involved, players can pick up the game quickly and start playing with confidence from day one. Based on the core skills of Australian football, AFL Switch keeps the best parts of footy while making it easier for everyone to join in. Check out the rules below.
Learn it fast, play it your way
- When the ball goes out of bounds, a free kick is paid against the team who touched it last
- Nearest player takes the kick
- When it’s not clear who touched it last, the umpire will award a free kick to the defensive team
- Defensive team is determined by where the ball is within the field of play
- Tackle free - Tag / touch only
- No smothering, stealing, block, shepherd of body an opponent
- No kicking off the ground
- You can spoil the football
Three zones
- Defensive x two backs who can only enter the defensive and mid zone
- Midfield x three midfielders who can enter all zones
- Attacking x two forwards who can only enter the attacking and mid zone
- No ball ups or thrown ins
- Start quarters from the goal square via kick in
- Restart after a score from the goal square via a kick in
- Out of bounds turnover – last touch rule
- Play on if ball hits the ground
- Mark from a kick – minimum five metres
- Gain football from:
- Interceptions
- Receiving a handball
- A free kick or out of bounds turnover
- One bounce only after 15m
- Tackle free - Tag / touch only
- No prior – two second countdown (two, one, whistle)
- Prior – no two second countdown, holding the ball free kick paid
- During a no prior countdown, players cannot kick for goal – they must pass
The Responsible Play rule holds every player accountable for their on-field actions, requiring a duty of care and respect toward all participants. It's a proactive rule that keeps the game safe and enjoyable.
Responsible Play is a blanket approach to reinforce safe play, not a rule with technical parameters. It also covers anything against the spirit of the game – offensive, threatening or abusive language, time wasting, and continually questioning the umpire.
It’s split across two areas of conduct:
- Careless - A player acts carelessly when they create an unsafe situation without intending to do so, but a reasonable player in the same circumstances would have taken greater care
- Reckless - An action where a player disregards an obvious risk to the safety of another participant and proceeds in a manner likely to create a dangerous situation
- Goal = six points
- Behind = one point
- Umpire sole judge if kick for goal is successful
- Any player can score from anywhere on field
- Players can score at any time, except during a no prior opportunity countdown – they must dispose of the ball
Setting up AFL Switch
Setting up to play this new footy format has never been easier. Portable goal posts, markers, footies are all you need.