Keen to play AFL 9s, but you need more info? You've come to the right place.
Scroll down to read answers to the following Frequently Asked Questions:
- Who can play AFL 9s?- Are there junior AFL 9s competitions?- Are there AFL 9s grades for AFL newbies or superstars?- How do I create a team?- How many players can my team have? - Can I play if I don't have a team?- Does my team need a uniform?- What footwear do I need to play AFL 9s?- How much does team registration cost?- When are AFL 9s seasons played?- How many weeks does an AFL 9s season last? - Are games cancelled if it's raining?- What if I get injured? - There are no AFL 9s competitions in my area. How can I get involved?- My question isn't listed. Who can I contact?
Who can play AFL 9s?
The non-contact and social emphases of AFL 9s make it the ideal Game for Everyone. In particular, AFL 9s has been developed as an alternative footy game that is suitable for:
- Children aged 9 to 17;- Adults aged 18 to 50;- Both males and females;- Individuals from multicultural backgrounds;- Regional communities that lack the capacity to field traditional AFL teams; - Time-poor individuals lacking the flexibility to participate in traditional AFL programs; and,- Those who have never played AFL before and are new to the game.
Adult mixed and men's competitions are commencing across Queensland during spring 2011. Adult competitions are generally suitable for participants of aged 15 and up. Women's and junior competitions will get underway during 2012. Check with your local Competition Manager for information about your local AFL 9s league.
Are there junior AFL 9s competitions?
Yes. AFL 9s will in-time become a junior match-play version of AFL in schools. Junior AFL 9s competitions will commence across Queensland during 2012. Check the Where To Play Page for junior locations as they launch.
Are there AFL 9s grades for AFL newbies or superstars?
During 2011, some of our Queensland AFL 9s competitions will trial a handicapping system. Team members are attributed points according to the highest level of footy that they've previously played, and the Competition Manager can set a cap on the total points that a team can field, to ensure that all teams share a similar skill level. This system will be progressively introduced as AFL 9s grows during 2012, so check back for more info. Your local Competition Manager can tell you if your local AFL 9s league uses handicapping.
How do I create a team?
Registering an AFL 9s team is easy. All you need to do is decide on a Team Name and competition you want to play in (Mixed/Mens, Senior/Junior etc.). The Team Name that you select will be unique. Teams can be transferred between owners and competitions between seasons, and their histories are recorded inside our online competition pages. In this respect, your team is much like a mini-club.
AFL 9s teams in Queensland must have a geographical or organisational Team Location in their name (e.g. a suburb, park, business or landmark). This helps us to build awareness of AFL 9s across the state and ensures that your team name is unique. If a Team Locaion is not provided at registration, the suburb of the “team captain” will automatically be applied.
To find out which weeknights and weekends our Mixed and Mens AFL 9s competitions run in Queensland, check out our Fixtures/Results Page. To register your team, visit our Where To Play/Register Page.
How many players can my team have?
The more the merrier! You can only field 9 players at any time, but your bench is unlimited. For mixed teams, three players of each gender need to be on the field at all times.
Can I play if I don't have a team?
Absolutely. Individuals without a team can register their interest in participating in a Queensland AFL 9s competition by clicking here. The local Competition Manger will be notified that you want to be placed with a team and will do their best to match you up. It's a great way to make some new friends while you're playing footy!
Does my team need a uniform?
Yes. Part of the fun of participating in team sport is proudly wearing your team colours, and all AFL 9s teams need to wear matching shirts showing the AFL 9s logo. We will soon launch an online AFL 9s Store that will allow your team to create bibs, t-shirts, polos and jerseys featuring your logo and colours that can be shipped directly to you. Store items will cater for all budgets, from basic bibs to custom guernseys. Once launched, the AFL 9s Store will appear in the navigation bar on this website.
Competition Managers have generic, double-sided AFL 9s bibs (in blue/red) on hand at games for teams that don't bring their own matching shirts with the AFL 9s logo. So don't worry if you don't have your team uniforms sorted when your team starts out.
If you want help creating a team logo, contact the Queensland AFL 9s coordinator.
What footwear do I need to play AFL 9s?
Running shoes (sneakers) are fine. You certainly don't need footy boots to play, but most AFL 9s competitions will allow either style of footwear for games. Your Competition Manager will notify you if footy boots are not suitable due to field conditions.
How much does team registration cost?
Typically, registering an AFL 9s team for a season costs $800. This cost is paid by the Team Captain, and needs to be paid online by Week 2 of your AFL 9s competition. Team Captains then organise payments from individual team members. There is no set cost per player - it usually depends upon how many players there are in your squad. Whether your team has 9 or 15 friends turning out, you'll still pay the same. This makes AFL 9s even better value when you get some extra friends along!
Individual competitions can offer discounts for teams that register early, and for teams that re-register for subsequent seasons. Contact your local Competition Manager for specific information about registration discounts.
When are AFL 9s seasons played?
Year-round, usually on weeknights and sometimes on weekend afternoons. AFL 9s seasons will typically follow these dates for 2011/12:
Spring 2011 – October 10 to December 9 Summer 2012 – January 30 to March 30Autumn 2012 – April 30 to June 28Winter 2012 – July 16 to September 15Spring 2012 – October 8 to December 7
That said, some of our university competitions align with the academic semesters, and club competitions may not run during Autumn & Winter. Check the Where To Play Page for AFL 9s competitions presently running.
How many weeks does an AFL 9s season last?
Usually 8 or 9 weeks. Most competitions start with a 'Come and Try' night on week one, and others last for slightly longer. Each competition has a week or two up its sleeve to enable games to be rescheduled if inclement weather stops you having a kick.
Are games cancelled if it's raining?
Queensland weather can be very unpredictable, and washouts are not uncommon. If AFL 9s games are going to be cancelled, we will announce it via our Facebook and Twitter accounts. You can also contact your local Competition Manager for updates.
We will try our best to reschedule games that are cancelled due to wet weather.
What if I get injured?
Nearly all AFL 9s competitions in Queensland use the 'touch' or 'tag' rules, making them very safe for players of any skill level. Unfortunately, injuries sometimes occur, and your team registration fee includes injury insurance coverage for each of your registered players.
There is no AFL 9s competition in my area. How can I get involved?
We'd love to have AFL 9s competitons in every region of the Sunshine State. Typically, competitions are started by enthusiastic individuals who want to give Competition Managing a try. If there's no local AFL 9s competition in your part of Queensland but you'd like to start one up or be informed when one gets going, please contact our friendly staff. Hopefully we can get you kicking in no time!
My question isn't listed. Who can I contact?
No question is too small or silly. Our friendly staff are happy to answer any queries you may have about AFL 9s or Queensland footy in general. Follow this link to Contact Us, and don't forget to Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter!