How Aussie rules scoring works
Australian rules football has two ways to score and writes both into the scoreline, with the total last. Reading 10.12 (72) takes a second; adding it up from scratch on the boundary every time takes longer, which is what the buttons are for.
Goals
A goal is worth six points. It is scored when the ball is kicked by a player of the attacking team between the two goal posts without being touched by any other player and without hitting a post.
Behinds
A behind is worth one point. It is scored when the ball passes between a goal post and a behind post, hits a goal post, or crosses between the goal posts after being touched or without being kicked by an attacker. A rushed behind, when a defender puts the ball through, is still one point to the attacking team.
Reading the scoreline
Goals, behinds, total: 12.9 (81) is twelve goals and nine behinds. Inaccuracy is expensive, which is why scorelines show it: 9.20 (74) is twenty-nine scoring shots and still loses to 13.5 (83).
Quarters and time-on
An AFL game is four quarters of 20 minutes of playing time. The timekeepers stop the clock (time-on) for stoppages such as a goal, an injury or the ball going out of play when the umpire signals, so a quarter takes about 30 minutes. AFLW quarters are 17 minutes with limited time-on, and junior and community quarters run anywhere from 10 to 25 minutes.
Draws and extra time
A drawn home-and-away game stands. A drawn final goes to extra time: two halves of three minutes plus time-on, and if it is still level, another two halves, until somebody wins. The old golden score was dropped after 2019.
The super goal
From 2003 to 2017 the AFL pre-season awarded nine points for a goal kicked from outside 50 m, and scorelines carried a third number for super goals. It never applied to premiership matches. Score All offers it as a house rule.
What Score All does with these rules
Goals, behinds and the scoreline
A goal, kicked between the two tall goal posts, is worth 6. A behind is worth 1: the ball passing between a goal post and a behind post, hitting a goal post, or touched or rushed through. Scores are written goals.behinds (total), so 10.12 (72) is ten goals and twelve behinds. Score All keeps all three and shows them on every screen.
Quarters and time-on
The AFL plays four 20-minute quarters of stopped clock: the timekeepers stop it for time-on, so a quarter runs closer to 30 minutes of real time. AFLW plays four 17-minute quarters, and juniors 12 or 15. The clock counts up and runs on the server; pause it for time-on and end the quarter when it reaches the full length.
Draws and finals extra time
A drawn home-and-away game stays a draw. A drawn final goes to extra time: two 3-minute halves, and if it is still level, two more, until somebody wins. Turn on extra time (or use the AFL finals preset) and the console takes you through it.
Super goals (house rule)
From 2003 to 2017 the AFL pre-season gave nine points for a goal from outside 50 m. It is a house rule here: switch it on and the scoreline reads super goals.goals.behinds, like 1.10.12 (81).
Aussie rules scoring FAQ
How is an AFL score worked out?
Goals times six plus behinds: 14 goals and 10 behinds is 84 + 10 = 94, written 14.10 (94).
Is a rushed behind worth a point?
Yes, one point to the attacking team, the same as any other behind.
What does time-on mean?
Time added while the clock is stopped for a stoppage. The 20 minutes of an AFL quarter are playing time, so the quarter runs longer in real time.
How do you read an AFL score like 10.12 (72)?
Goals, then behinds, then the total: ten goals at six points and twelve behinds at one point make 72. The total decides the game, so 9.20 (74) beats 11.5 (71).
How many points is a behind worth?
One. A goal is six. A behind is scored when the ball passes between a goal post and a behind post, hits a goal post, or is touched or rushed through between the goal posts.
How long is an AFL game?
Four 20-minute quarters plus time-on in the AFL, four 17-minute quarters in the AFLW, and shorter quarters for juniors (often 12 minutes for under 9s and 10s and 15 for under 11s and 12s).
What happens if an AFL final is a draw?
Extra time: two 3-minute halves, then more extra time until one team is ahead. A home-and-away draw stands.
Does the clock count up or down?
Up, like an AFL scoreboard, by default, and you can switch it to count down. Either way it runs on the server, so it keeps time while your phone is asleep.