An Explanation of AFL Part 4

Part 3 | Part 5

The teams

The AFL currently has 16 professional teams.

These are:

Adelaide Crows
Brisbane Lions
Carlton Blues *
Collingwood Magpies *
Essendon Bombers *
Fremantle Dockers
Geelong Cats *
Hawthorn Hawks *
Melbourne Demons *
North Melbourne Kangaroos *
Port Adelaide Power
Richmond Tigers *
St Kilda Saints *
Sydney Swans
Western Bulldogs *
West Coast Eagles

The teams with asterixes are based in Victoria. Geelong is the only team of those not based in Melbourne. This is because Aussie Rules as a sport began in Victoria. Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia all have a semi-professional competition as well.

There is no promotion or relegation in AFL, but the make-up of teams has changed with the acceptance of new clubs and a merger here and there. Gold Coast and Western Sydney are tipped to have new teams around 2011/2012.

The make-up of each team

Each match-day, 25 players are selected. 18 to start, 4 on the interchange bench, and 3 emergencies in case players are hurt or sick in the lead-up to the game.

Each team has a squad of about 40 players. They can also contract 3 rookies every season, which are paid below the AFL minimum wage and are not allowed to play senior AFL games. The purpose of these positions is to develop potential juniors, and when they are ready to play AFL they are elevated to the senior list.