Australian rules football formations and positions.
Australian rules football is played eighteen a side on an oval ground of about 165 by 135 metres, one of the largest playing areas in team sport. A match is four quarters of 20 minutes plus time on. A goal, kicked between the two tall posts, is worth six points; a behind, between a tall post and a short post, is worth one. The AFL Laws of Australian Football apply, with AFL England running the game domestically.
Australian rules football positions.
| Code | Position | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| BPL | Left Back Pocket | Backs |
| FB | Full-back | Backs |
| BPR | Right Back Pocket | Backs |
| HBL | Left Half-back Flank | Half-backs |
| CHB | Centre Half-back | Half-backs |
| HBR | Right Half-back Flank | Half-backs |
| WL | Left Wing | Centre line |
| C | Centre | Centre line |
| WR | Right Wing | Centre line |
| HFL | Left Half-forward Flank | Half-forwards |
| CHF | Centre Half-forward | Half-forwards |
| HFR | Right Half-forward Flank | Half-forwards |
| FPL | Left Forward Pocket | Forwards |
| FF | Full-forward | Forwards |
| FPR | Right Forward Pocket | Forwards |
| RK | Ruck | Followers |
| RR | Ruck-rover | Followers |
| RO | Rover | Followers |
- Size
- 165 m by 135 m, oval
- Match
- 4 quarters of 20 minutes
- Squad
- 18 on the field per side, up to 22 in a matchday squad, rolling substitutes
- Scoring
- A score is a point; the result is in points.
- Rules
- AFL Laws of Australian Football 2026
Australian rules football formations (2).
AFL 9s formations (1).
AFL 9s: 2 halves of 20 minutes, 9 on the field per side, rolling substitutes, on a 100 m by 50 m pitch.
Positions: Left Back Pocket (BPL), Full-back (FB), Right Back Pocket (BPR), Left Half-back Flank (HBL), Centre Half-back (CHB), Right Half-back Flank (HBR), Left Wing (WL), Centre (C), Right Wing (WR), Left Half-forward Flank (HFL), Centre Half-forward (CHF), Right Half-forward Flank (HFR), Left Forward Pocket (FPL), Full-forward (FF), Right Forward Pocket (FPR), Ruck (RK), Ruck-rover (RR), Rover (RO).
Pick the shape, drag your players onto it and share the team sheet with parents before the game. The Vanta Club app is free.
