The first organised game of competitive wheelchair Australian rules football was played at the RAAF base in Adelaide, South Australia on 8 November 2015. The game involved a team of wounded Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel undergoing rehabilitation at Darwin's soldier Recovery Centre and a Disability Sports Australia (DSA) team made up of players from South Australia. The game was organized by the ADF, Australian Football League and DSA. The final score was: DSA team 16.8.104 defeated the ADF team 14.5.89.
In April 2015, Prince Harry whilst visiting Darwin, Northern Territory raised the profile of this new sport by participating in a game of wheelchair AFL. The game involved wounded Australian soldiers.
In November 2015, there were plans to create a national league.
Rules
Rules of the game have some similarity to AFL rules for Australian rules football and include:
- Game is started by throwing up the ball in the centre of the field.
- Six points for a goal, and one point for a behind.
- Kicks are replaced with handballs, and handballs replaced with underarm throws.
- A red Sherrin football is used, with the game split into four quarters.
- Game is played on a basketball court with plastic posts at each end of the court.
- Only five players from each team can be on the field at any given time.
- Team is divided in backs, centres and forwards but only forwards can score.
See also
References
- Hartigan, Brian (8 November 2015). "First officially organised wheelchair Aussie Rules". Contact - Air, Land and Sea. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
- ^ "Wheelchair Aussie rules makes official debut in match between diggers and locals at Adelaide RAAF base". ABC News. 8 November 2015. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
- ^ Martin, Lisa (19 April 2015). "Prince Harry plays wheelchair AFL". The Australian. Retrieved 9 November 2015.