Decoding the Game: A Guide to Popular AFL Slang

In the heart of Australian sports, the Australian Football League (AFL) stands as a towering figure, a blend of athleticism, strategy, and cultural heritage that captivates fans nationwide. Integral to the fabric of AFL is its unique language, a collection of slang and jargon that enriches the game's narrative, connecting players, fans, and the community in a shared dialect. This guide dives into the lexicon of AFL, decoding the slang that colours commentary, crowds, and casual conversations, making the sport not just a spectacle but a rich cultural experience.

AFL slang is more than mere words; it's a testament to the game's evolution, history, and the characters that have graced the oval. From the euphoria of a "big dance" to the adrenaline rush of a "speccie," each term carries weight, emotion, and story, encapsulating moments of triumph, tension, and tenacity. This section explores how AFL slang serves as a bridge between past and present, a living archive of the game's legacy.

Advantage: This occurs when the umpire decides not to stop the game for a free-kick if the team entitled to the free-kick retains possession without being at a disadvantage.

After the Siren: Describes the crucial kick that determines the match's outcome as the game clock hits zero, a moment frozen in time where heroes emerge.

Assist: When a player hand-passes or kicks the ball to a teammate resulting in a goal.

Bag: Refers to when a player kicks several goals in a game. E.g. “Riewoldt kicked another bag today”.

Ball on a string: When a player is in good form, kicking accurately and creating attacking opportunities, they are said to have the “ball on a string”.

Ball Magnet: Describes a player who seems to attract the football naturally, demonstrating remarkable skill and instinct.

Ball-up: The game's reset button, a "ball-up" is the restart of play, a moment where anticipation meets strategy.

Banana: More than just a fruit, in AFL, a "banana" is a kick that bends around the body, crucial in tight angles.

Barrack: To "barrack" is to cheer, a testament to the passionate support that fuels teams.

Big Dance: Slang for the Grand Final.

Blue: Indicates a significant error or conflict during the game.

Bomb: long kick of the ball.

Brownlow: highest individual honour a player can win. Named for long-time Geelong Football Club servant Charles Brownlow (1862-1924). Equivalent to MVP in the other sports.

Centre square: a fifty-meter (55 yards) square drawn around the centre of the field. Only two players from each team are permitted to stand on each corner of the square during centre bounces which start the game, each quarter and after a goal is kicked.

Checkside kick: same as a banana kick.

Chicken wing tackle: Not a menu item, but an illegal move, showcasing the game's physical limits and the fans' fervour for fairness.

Clanger: Not just a minor mishap, a "clanger" is a significant error, a reminder that even stars falter.

Clearance: when the ball is cleared from a stoppage in play, such as a ball-up by the umpire, a boundary throw-in or one player clearing the ball from a pack of players who have run in to try and gain possession. An effective clearance occurs when the player first to the ball clears it to a teammate.

Coathanger: an illegal around-the-neck tackle. Also refers to the Sydney Harbor Bridge.

Down the guts: The centre corridor of the ground.

Fifty-meter penalty: penalty awarded to the opposition for an egregious infraction during play, which allows the ball to be moved closer to the goal. This penalty can be awarded to the infringed team for improperly returning the ball after a free kick has been called, an opposition player encroaching on the player who has been awarded a mark (catch of the ball), and umpire abuse.

Free kick: kick awarded to a player after a mark or for minor infractions.

Granny: Grand Final.

Guernsey: playing jersey.

Handpass or handball: fisting the ball to another player (the ball must be fisted, it cannot be thrown). The technique is similar to an underhanded volleyball serve.

Hip and shoulder: A legal bump of a player by an opponent who uses his hip and shoulder to bump his opponent side on, can be used in an attempt to dispossess an opponent of the ball, to prevent an opponent from gaining possession of a ball loose on the ground; the last must be done within approximately 4 yards of the ball.

Home and away: the regular season as opposed to preseason games or the finals. At one time, all teams played each other once at home and once away. With the unbalanced schedule now, this does not always happen.

Hospital handpass: when a player handpasses the ball to a teammate who is under pressure with an opponent closing in on him.

Kicking in danger: when a player kicks the ball or attempts to kick the ball with opposition players' heads, hands or legs close; it can cause serious injury.

Ladder: the standings or table.

Leather poisoning: a player who gets the ball a lot during the match is said to be risking leather poisoning. Similar to a ball magnet or having the ball on a string.

Lower colours: to be beaten by a direct opponent in a game. Originates from old naval sailing times when a defeated ship or flagship of a fleet would lower its country's flag from the mast to signal surrender.

Mark: When a player catches the ball from a kick.

Norm Smith Medal: The medal awarded to the player judged best on the ground in the Grand Final.

Not 15: Umpire's call indicating a kick did not meet the minimum distance requirement, leading to a continuation of play.

On The Pine: Slang for being benched during a match.

Pill: the football. Some commentators will also refer to the ball as the "nut".

Premiers: the champions, the team who wins the Grand Final, the championship game each year.

Rounds: weekly games of the home and away season.

Ruck: (also as a verb, to ruck) the tall player who contests centre bounces, ball ups, and throw-ins.

Screamer: A great mark.

Shepherd: blocking opponents from getting the ball or tackling a teammate who has the ball, also sometimes done by players near the goal line when a teammate kicks a long goal, to prevent an opposition defender from trying to get close enough to touch the ball to force a point.

Speccie: (also spekkie) when a player leaps high in the air to catch the ball, i.e. a spectacular mark. Also known as a screamer.

Spray: A stern reprimand, typically from the coach towards a player or the team, aiming to correct or motivate.

Torpedo: A type of kick characterized by a spiral rotation, allowing for longer distances. Often just referred to as a ‘torp’.

Whinge: Expressing dissatisfaction or complaining, often regarding decisions or play outcomes.

Wingman: A player positioned on the outer sections of the field, valued for their speed and agility.

Wooden Spoon: A tongue-in-cheek 'award' for the team that finishes last in the standings, a nod to traditional British school awards.

These terms are more than just vocabulary; they're chapters in the ongoing story of AFL, each game a narrative is woven with the threads of these expressions. The language of AFL is a living, breathing entity, evolving with each season, each match, and each player who leaves their mark on the game.

In conclusion, AFL slang is the fabric of a culture that spans generations, a shared dialect that binds fans, players, and coaches. It’s a lexicon that captures the essence of the game, from the raw physicality of a "coathanger" to the strategic acumen of a "checkside kick". Understanding this slang is akin to gaining insight into the soul of AFL, offering a deeper appreciation of the sport's beauty, brutality, and brotherhood.

Through this exploration, we've decoded the game's jargon, uncovering the heart and spirit of AFL. Each term is a key to unlocking the rich narrative of Australian Football, a story of triumph, heartbreak, and undying passion for the game. So next time you're watching a match, listen closely to the language of AFL. It’s more than just words; it’s the heartbeat of a sport that captivates a nation.