Rob Reacts to... Football Fan Reacts to the AFL's Best Marks of the Decade - 2010-2019

[@greeniemelb]

Health and safety? Of course there is, it's called a mouth guard.

[@RobReacts1]

haha a mouth guard seems the least of their worries :D

[@jmc7636]

Ffs....this comment is pure frickin gold.

[@eddiev1980]

This comment, for me today this wins the internet. Hey a mouth guard is it, or we can pull out socks up ?

[@dramoth64]

That's true. although the mouthguard isn't much of a safety device to a well directed punch to the mouth (Brayshaw a couple of years ago).

[@rexwhitehead8346]

The only time I've actually seen a VFL/AFL game stopped more than briefly was when a player was accidentally hit in the mouth and lost a lot of teeth. The stoppage was to allow the players, umpires, trainers and medics to search for the missing teeth so that they could be preserved and re-implanted by the dentists after the game. Dislocated fingers caused by the ball landing awkwardly when a player goes for a mark are quite common. Usually the player re-locates the finger himself and gets on with the game.

[@mives02]

Pulling off a specky is one of the greatest feelings ever. We were doing it on purpose as kids in school.

[@dramoth64]

I had a bully when I was in primary school. He decided he wanted to do a Jezza in the middle of my back without warning... on asphalt. So I turned around and laid him out with a right cross. I happily too 6 of the best from the penguins for that punch.

[@justinroberts2650]

We all practiced the speccy lol

[@dramoth64]

@@Puddy_Muddle That was only out in Footscray :D

[@PMVault]

Marks Up is a legendary Aussie school tradition

[@carolinejanssen9034]

It’s a very Athletic sport and they are paid the most in sport in Australia 🇦🇺. They have had head concussion and they need knee replacement. It’s the atmosphere. It’s not like US football. They have no shoulder pads. The field is long it’s biggish oval for support. We live all sport. 90,000 people go to the game. It’s started in Victoria then now each state has a team. Say bloody hell mate. Then you more Aussie.

[@TheMelbournelad]

1:20 that’s why Australian called the Italian soccer player a soook when took a drive at the World Cup

[@feefee88]

The ball is called a Sheridan ...it's sightly smaller than a rugby ball, but englongated in width and rounged at the ends ... It's handmade out of leather and is either red for day game or yellow for a night game.. and no not sticky if anything in wet wether it can get slippery and can get water loved so heavier

[@LokiLivewire]

Australia: you don't have to be crazy to live here, but it helps 🤣

[@RobReacts1]

haha! I would just like the amount of sun you get! :D

[@paulwilliams5208]

what are you talking about, just look at the crazy we live in, so it is not that it helps but you ARE!!! crazy...

[@helenpreisig6617]

Northern Australians call it ‘Aerial Pingpong!’ Don’t hurt me Aussie Rules fanatics! 😬🙄🥰

[@troydocking1474]

I’m Australian. Had some success. You never expect someone to be on your shoulders, you try your best to get the ball, if you don’t put your body in the line success in the game becomes difficult. However on the other end, being on someone’s shoulders is thrilling

[@RobReacts1]

I suppose its like we say in football, if you wimp out of a tackle you are more likely to get hurt!

[@archiemcdougall8658]

I'd say there is some expectation that people are going to smash into you from behind if the ball is in the air a long time.

[@fitzroy_spark3879]

I played a s a Defender (aka a springboard) - but the first time I took a spekky, I shit myself. Suddenly I was launched 3 metres in the air and thought - shit that's a long way falling to the ground lol

[@justinroberts2650]

There is nothing like going for the hangar and pulling it off, then the roar of the crowd and your mates ripping you up to your feet.

[@pauldobson2529]

@@RobReacts1 very much so. Just put your arm out to tackle, you’re likely to bugger your shoulder. A guy had his shoulder dislocated twice in last Friday’s game, although he is not a soft player. Out for12 weeks with a shoulder reconstruction. This probably belongs somewhere else, but do you realise there are a lot of AFL and regional Aussie Rules clubs which are older than every single UK soccer club. At a cricket ground where I umpire, there’s the Warrnambool Wolves Football Club, formerly known as a soccer club. Been here about 30 years. Warrnambool Aussie Rules club turns 160 this year. Geelong and Melbourne football clubs were founded in 1858.

[@bettsy59]

As a 60+ year old, I remember during my primary school days the most famous big marker was named Alex Jesaulenko. If, at any time when walking around the school ground, you heard the shout "JEZZA!", you braced for the knee in the back.

[@ray.shoesmith]

JESAULENKOOOO! YOU BEAUTY!!

[@bettsy59]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pqaaqmCoj72VeJo

[@dramoth64]

Yup... except when you have a bully tormenting you... then you don't get any warning for two knees in the shoulders. But yeah... if you were going for a speccie when playing kick to kick, Jezza was the warning call.

[@justinroberts2650]

Jezza!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@robvegas9354]

when i was at school it was "Capper!!!" LOLs good times

[@thehauntedravenaj5668]

You can’t truly appreciate this game until you have seen it live... the crowds... you get swept up in it... even if you don’t understand the game, the whole atmosphere just draws you in and you can’t help yourself!!!!

[@raydeverson6158]

Hi Rob, the reason it's called a mark is that in the 1850's when the game first started, when the ball was caught the player "marked " the ground and the opposition stood on the mark. Also welcome to the greatest sport no one has heard of.

[@RobReacts1]

Haha thanks Ray

[@666Wizardsleeve]

Thanks Knackers, I did not know that.

[@markrene6108]

They use to place kick as well & it's recorded that a Saints player placed kicked a footy 90 +yards against the wind.

[@mudbloodandproud1996]

In the 2018 grand final, jeremy mcgovern of the west coast eagles played the game with cracked ribs, torn obliques and hip muscles, and the week before had sustained injuries causing him internal bleeding, and having to be on a morphine drip. he needed 6 pain injections the day of the grand final just to play, and in the game he had the other ribs cracked as well. But he pushed on and was pivotal in getting the eagles across the line. We breed em pretty tough down here.

[@lealand423]

Wow i did not know all that info, Im a Eagles fan and a brilliant game that was, think it took 5 years off my life.

[@emmckenzie4002]

My favourite rule is if someone goes to take a spectacular mark but misjudges and misses the ball, the umpire can blow the whistle for an “unrealistic attempt” 😂 this basically gives the other team a free kick

[@666Wizardsleeve]

And I have seen an unrealistic attempt paid against Eddie Betts. And I am a Doggie supporter so impartial, but how can anything Eddie attempts be “unrealistic”?

[@horaciolongbottom2556]

You’re taught as a defender to play in front. But you know at some stage a 100kg (200lb) forward will smash over your head at some stage. Also, remember the guys getting jumped on in the AFL are usually over 6’4” so when they get up it’s high.

[@tammyfinnemore]

The meaning of a mark is originally idea of marking the spot where its caught

[@paulcasey5204]

Pretty much. Originally the players wore caps on the field. After catching the ball, they would drop their cap down to mark the spot.

[@rexwhitehead8346]

The mark came from Rugby, which still has it in a very circumscribed form, If you caught the ball from the boot you dug your heel into the ground to make a mark and called "mark". That entitled you to a free, unimpeded, kick from "the mark", Very quickly it was left to the umpire to award the mark or not by whistling or calling "play on". In today's game faffing about making a mark and appealing for it would see the ball three handpasses up the field before you were ready to kick. Nowadays, that is since about 1860, Aussie Rules stipulates that you kick not from the mark but over it. An opposing player stands on the mark and tries to spoil your kick by whatever legal means he can think of. This means that the kick is actually taken from about 5 yards behind the mark. If you do not kick over the mark, try to run around the man on the mark. or otherwise break the spell, the umpire calls "play on" and you are no longer protected, and can be tackled (if you are still in possession of t he ball). That is why you see so many bounces as the player with the free kick decides to run around the mark. If he's tackled while the ball is not actually in his hands he gets another free kick.

[@fitzroy_spark3879]

I'm just here today waiting for the traditional 2021 ANZAC day match between Collingwood and Essendon. Lest we forget.

[@starlightshimmery]

I've been watching this all my life and am still amazed at how such big guys have the momentum to jump so high. It's wonderful to watch the grace of them in flight! This video reminds me of my childhood, all I would hear on a Saturday afternoon was "Beautiful MARK!!!"

[@jessovenden]

One thing about our game that I love very much is, the crowds are full of children, old women, whole families. And the crowds are completely mixed, fans of both sides sit together happily. Often you’ll see families wearing the jumpers or scarves of several different teams. I remember in Holland fans were segregated, almost all young men, and at one point only the home team’s fans could attend. And the Amsterdam and Rotterdam fans met up between the two cities for a brawl and one man was killed! I love our game. Hope you get here sometime and go to a few games. Also, you should barrack for (support) Essendon! The bombers, in red and black.

[@jessovenden]

Also, yes it’s influenced by Irish football, but it’s also adapted from a game that certain aboriginal groups played. Many top players are indigenous aussies. I think roughly 10% of AFL players in the top league are indigenous, compared to something like 2 or 3% of the population. Cheers mate.

[@ryanvilo8563]

The ball's roughly the same size as a rugby ball but its made of really smooth leather so in the wet it's like a bar of soap trying to mark it

[@MartinInBC]

16:15 "And he was probably the smallest one there" ... Brendan Goddard is 6-foot-4.

[@RobReacts1]

Christ! Not very small :D

[@zhukie]

@@RobReacts1 The largest players are over 7ft

[@lindsaymitchell4534]

The great Jack Dyer of Richmond fame in the 1940's loved to tell tall tales of his prowess. One was when he soared for a mark just as the 3/4 time siren was sounding. He says he "hung in the air" so long that a trainer had to toss an orange up to him.

[@Takastie]

I think it is called a mark because when you catch it, the umpire "Marks" the place on the field where you caught it for your free kick.

[@sandgroperwookiee65]

Aussie Rules footy has been played for 160yrs..so before Soccer & American football started. Even as a kid in primary school..6yo & upwards,you practice taking 'screamers'(jumping on shoulders to take a mark). It's part of the game & is just one of the reasons Aussie Rules is so enthralling to play..& watch👍

[@RobReacts1]

Im amazed at how old it is!

[@Humandog19]

It was invented in the1850’s and originated from someone who’d been to Rugby

[@frankharcourt7523]

Some say that the indigenous people had a game that involved kicking and catching for thousands of years and was integrated into Australian rules football. No doubt that the indigenous men have a natural ability to star in this game. They are way over represented especially at the elite level. You almost never see an Australian black man playing cricket. I can't think of a single on that ever played for Australia.

[@pigpokingmonkeyslap292]

@@frankharcourt7523 Jason Gillespie

[@sugarnads]

@@frankharcourt7523 the FIRST australian cricket team to tour England was an all indigenous team.

[@philipsmith5088]

I played from the age of 7 until I was 34. My experience being the stepladder (on more occasions than I can remember), was that I was never seriously hurt. The worst I can remember was a couple of stitches to a cut head. Generally, the guy taking the mark is at greater risk, as they have a tendency to fall pretty hard .

[@troyonplanet]

If you get a chance look up video of Alex Jesaulenko's mark from the 1970 Grand Final - it's considered one of the most iconic marks ever in Aussie Rules. His nickname was "Jezza" and as kids if you pulled off a high mark someone might call out "Jezza" to applaud your efforts

[@Ducatirati]

The 1970 GF , Biggest crowd 121,496. ,Biggest Highmark ,on Graham "jerka Jenkins , and looking at it on film robs it of when he took it the turning tide greatest come back after trailing by 44 points at half time , had every thing that makes foory great in that GF , GO BLUES RARARA

[@garyradley5694]

What is the real surprise is the size of some of these players. Nic Naitanui, the player in yellow at the 4.45m mark of this video is 201 cm tall and weighs 110kg.

[@RobReacts1]

Yea some players are so tall but also very thin

[@espoton]

You have to be able to run nowadays so excess weight has to go. There are no rugby union style front rowers in this game anymore. Which means you can be short or tall thin and run.

[@KT-ki2nv]

Worst situations are usually from player collisions when they converge from opposite directions but the more common debilitating injuries are knee tendon and ligament damage from twists and turns.

[@Valheru4]

An interesting fact about the Aussie Rules players stamina ... average player runs just over 10kms per game ... Mid-field players cover closer to 14/15kms per game (highest recorded via tracker was 18.9kms). They do all these accurate kicks, marks, tackles/hits & goals doing that. Man I miss playing it!

[@RobReacts1]

I think its similar to a football player. I do that when i referee football. You have the bigger pitch but more players to cover the ground.

[@stennlake]

@@RobReacts1 the midfielders cover that distance mostly running flat out. They are expected to run hard for around 7 or 8 minutes then they are taken off the ground for a few minutes rest and then sent out to do it all over again. The amount of rotation of players per game per side is 75. The midfielders do the most running and tend to have a shorter playing life (unless they can play either in attack or defense once they're too old/slow for the midfield).

[@MrBrettley]

The ones that seem to just stay in the air are called 'hangers'. So: "....took an almighty hangar"

[@greeniemelb]

Perhaps you could react to the difference between AFL players and soccer players video, it's totally embarrassing watching even the greats of soccer rolling around on the ground in agony when they haven't even been touched. If an AFL player did that he would booed off the ground by everyone including his teams supporters and team mates.

[@RobReacts1]

If you watch the video i put up yesterday called Aussie Rules, Rugby and Football Big hits...you will enjoy that :D a bit of comedy on the football side

[@AndyViant]

@@RobReacts1 There's some good stuff in that. We like a bit of claret...

[@bettsy59]

I used to play soccer as a kid and went to the MCG to watch an Olympic match. The international soccer players looked so confused each time they took a dive and the crowed booed them. Even soccer fans in Australia are aware of how tough AFL is.

[@chloereed1998]

One of the toughest sports physically. My nephew plays afl and he has had very definite boot print bruises on his back .... it was pretty impressive, he wasn't even mad lol

[@RobReacts1]

@@chloereed1998 haha! What team does he play for?!

[@mikeoshea3714]

Rob. I worked with some Australians, all ages, they said that during 'rest' periods on the farm they would clear a patch of the larger rocks and play 'footy'. Not the jumpers for goalposts game i envisaged but AFL. The farmer had to ban them playing due to mounting injuries landing on rocks the size of a melon or the baked Hard ground. They also said that players not tough enough for AFL then go play rugby league, NRL.

[@RobReacts1]

It looks bloody insane. Thats why in the video i ask about injuries!

[@magpiegirl3783]

These highlights concentrate on the high marks. It's impressive when you watch a man-on-man contest where one player just holds his ground and takes the mark against another player or players body-on-body. These are some impressive athletes. Injuries are mostly to knees and legs. Shoulders are an issue. Big issue at the moment is concussion with players having head clashes or hitting their head on the ground - it's always been part of the game (big guys running at one another to stop each other) - but the effects of concussion are now getting major attention with the death of players (including a female player to suicide whose brain showed concussion injuries).

[@lexaharpell5196]

What always amazes me is their agility for their weight/size - not lightweight ballerinas flying in the air. Yet they make it look very easy to lift themselves so high onto someone's shoulders/back. Incredible athletes.

[@RobReacts1]

Yea thats the thing, a lot of them look out of place playing if that makes sense.

[@mrboogang]

Well Naitanui (Eagles) is about 120kg and can still jump and stretch over 3m in the air to mark a ball. That is pure athleticism. No other sport comes close to Aussie Rules. And, no padding, just a mouthguard. Sensational lol.

[@miniveedub]

@@mrboogang even at that weight Natanui has a bit of a head start at reaching 3m when he is starting at 2m tall. He is so spectacular to watch soaring up into the air with seemingly no fear whatsoever but sometimes I have to close my eyes when he lands hard for fear I’ll see him injured.

[@elizabethscott7660]

Watching a full game at this level is an adrenaline rush you don't get with any other sport.

[@jordybotts4302]

In a game these are usually unexpected however players actually train to jump on each other. There are bags called speckie bags and they are basically large foam backpacks that players practice this on.

[@goldboy150]

You don’t expect it - you expect that someone will jump from behind you but it’s probably 1/100 that they get up on your shoulders. The feeling when it happens to you is strange but i think embarrassment is the best descriptor.

[@RobReacts1]

haha!

[@felicRed]

It’s like getting dunked on in basket ball

[@jonlatham7963]

Yeah it feels like an unconsensual piggyback

[@goldboy150]

Jon Latham ha! That’s a great description.

[@ray.shoesmith]

It all depends on who it is and if it's in a pack or not. I'm 194cm, and I've had speckies taken over me where I've barely even felt their knees on my shoulders. The worst is when you cop a knee in the back of the head though

[@paultandy8229]

Blue from Aus. Born in Melb 1960 we played a game called end to end which was nothing but kicking to a mob each end to try and do this.

[@athlonen]

Why they call it a mark. The mark is actually the spot on the ground where the catch was taken. The player taking the mark can either play on, or step back and take a unimpeded kick. The player standing on the mark can not cross that mark unless the umpire calls "play on" if the player did, they would be penalized, and the person taking the mark would be awarded a 50 meter penalty (they can advance 50 meters further down the ground, and that spot becomes the mark). I don't know if you've reacted to it yet, but definitely react to "What is AFL: Aussie Rules explained" from the official AFL channel. You shouldn't get any copyright issues from that.

[@RobReacts1]

thank you for explaining!

[@philipandrew1626]

In the old days players used to scuff the turf to *mark* the spot where they caught the ball. They no longer do that as it causes too much damage to the grass.

[@daved4626]

I remember seeing a doco many years ago of the early days. The players used to wear knee-length trousers and caps on their heads (similar to ones from cricket). When a player caught the ball, the spot where he caught it is 'marked' by the player's cap. I guess he picked it up after he kicked the ball. Play wasn't as fast back then and the handball was, if not yet invented, rarely used.

[@osocool1too]

The method of play is one reason we have over 100,000 people at the MCG grand final...and big crowds at ordinary games. The players are superbly fit athletes and generally can take what's coming. PS The game has evolved since the 1860s..

[@inconvenienttruth1528]

In the formative years of the game the player’s historically wore caps When they would catch the ball they would throw their cap on the ground to Mark the spot where they caught the ball so not to concede ground. This became known as a Mark.

[@sarahtaylor2488]

The TV does the game no justice....you have to see it live, up close and personal!! Amazing!!!

[@RobReacts1]

I will make sure I go to a live AFL game if I ever come to Australia

[@stuartmcivor2276]

Once you've watched a bit of Aussie Rules try the International Rules games on You Tube, these are games between Ireland and Australia using a hybrid of Gaelic Football and Aussie Rules. It can get a bit tasty.

[@RobReacts1]

Yea I will do that!

[@666t]

Soccer, Rugby, Cricket, Aussie Rules and American Football were all played and had their rules developed at Rugby School. Tom Willis was cricket secretary at Rugby and thought a modified game would be good to keep cricketers fit during the winter, The grounds in Australia were large and rough so tackling was undesirable. It was referred to as Victorian Football so was not as accepted in New South Wales and Queensland. The ball is made by Sherrin and is similar to a League ball. Injuries are numerous and hilarious.

[@off1k]

Cricket? ah no. Cricket was around long before and developed before Rugby and the Rugby School of Grammar had nothing to do with the rules, same with Soccer. Aussie Football main roots come from Rugby but were not developed at the Rugby School of Grammar, Australian Football was codified before any other football code in 1859. Before 1863 Soccer, Rugby and Gaelic Football were just a mishmash of each other and there were many different versions (probably hundreds) of these sports all around the world including in Australia before they were codified.

[@RobReacts1]

Im watching and thinking there must be a lot of injuries!

[@off1k]

@@RobReacts1 I would say the AFL would have easily the most injuries (per capita) of any sporting code, just my opinion. Years ago (2015 I think) I researched into concussions in the AFL and NFL for comparison. I came to the conclusion that both the AFL and NFL were at approximately 0.7 concussions per game during their regular seasons. EDIT - I do think the NFL on average were more severe because the players on average were about 40-50lbs heavier and helmets act as weapons, many players were leading with the helmet. I do think that AFL collisions on average are more dangerous though as in type of collisions.

[@bens8648]

The exterior of the ball is made from Kangaroo leather - so it has a slick finish (i.e. there’s no synthetic grip to it). It becomes very slippery in the wet! It’s a similar size to a rugby ball, not quite as ‘fat’.

[@RobReacts1]

Ah ok. Its funny because american football balls are small, pointy and sticky. No wonder why their catches look easy

[@greeniemelb]

@@RobReacts1 Also they wear gloves to aid in the catch.

[@aussie-c10-68]

Very much like a cricket ball without the lacquer, natural leather

[@andrewstrongman305]

@@RobReacts1 The Aussie Rules ball has rounded ends to make it more controllable on the ground.

[@AndyViant]

@@RobReacts1 American balls are textured to help with grip and most players wear gloves. Americans think we're weak because we don't let people run around with guns. Instead of shooting our neighbors who piss us off we just rough them up with a bit of kick to kick. Out on the road. On asphalt.

[@richardhayes722]

The game is truly a spectacle to watch. Most players are 6 foot plus, between 85 - 100kg ea, running on the biggest playing surfaces in the world, being watched by the biggest weekly crowd sizes in the world. Then you have moments like these that light up the arenas, the hairs on the back of your neck stand up because you get to see something very special. It's a team game but an individual can produce something amazing that has a real impact on there team and supporters. Best game in the world.

[@RobReacts1]

I loved watching the sydney derby on saturday

[@Shnordy]

We have a saying in AFL: Some days your the bug, some your the windshield.

[@RobReacts1]

OH that is brilliant!

[@Deydor74]

no one has ever said this lmfao

[@Shnordy]

@@Deydor74 how would u know? It was a common phrase at the club I played for.

[@L3onOfKings]

@@Shnordy It's one thing to say it's what you hear at your local footy club, it's another to say that people say it in the AFL as though it's a common phrase. I've been watching VFL/AFL for 40 years, I've never heard that.

[@goldboy150]

Leon yeah have to agree. Have been watching AFL for 28 years, played for clubs and school - never heard it before.

[@andrewhazlewood4569]

In the marks where someone is on another player’s shoulders, The player momentum is pretty slight because they mostly make contact at the top of their leap. Not always though

[@mathewkelly9968]

Imagine big packs of high school boys with a couple outside kicking it to the square lol

[@RobReacts1]

just bloody mental! :D

[@shannoncampbell6075]

Yep it was called Kick to Kick at school and the aim was to kick the ball high and everyone attempt to mark it. When the oval was out of bounds due to too wetland muddy it was played on the ashfelt basketball courts.

[@universityassignment5212]

Was called Jack of the Pack at my school, if you marked it, it was then your turn to kick to the pack.

[@jimr4354]

So good to see you appreciate Australia's great game. Players suffer relatively few injuries in these marking contests. It's mainly just bruising which is more prevalent in general fast play where there more head on contact or sandwiching players. This is where concussions generally occur (only a few in high marks as generally backs take the impact at least initially. Soreness due to bruising is the main 'injury' with ice baths the resultant treatment (oh what fun short term for players!). A new rule was set in place this year with concussions resulting in a 12 day break from playing. Missing 1 round which was the usual case before but now mandatory. Generally Doctors will recommend players retire or at least refrain from completing seasons after 3 or 4 concussions especially if serious. The worst concussions in marking contests occur in players running in the same direction as the ball and crashing into packs. A few you see here (without serious injury). The worst injury in football is ruptures of ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in knees.Generally players will either change direction quickly twisting the knee or land in a marking contest and the knee buckles under the body weight. One in the womans grand final on Saturday. Adelaide vs Brisbane AFLW highlights. Hamstring and calf strains are next (generally 2 to 4 weeks). Tears (not ruptures take months to heal). Broken angles and legs are relatively rare though sprained ankles do occur (iced initially do reduce bleeding/bruising) then many weeks for ligaments to heal). Ligaments and tendons have less blood supply so take longer to heal than muscles. Achilles tendon (largest tendon connecting calf muscle to the heel) tears do occur.rarely and are slow to heal. Ruptures require surgery and like ACL ruptures take a year to heal and a player to gain full fitness again. Achilles tendon injuries occur more in older players though not always. Often a career ending injury. Finger or shoulder dislocations occur but players can return,especially the former,after resetting (fun..not!). The ball is more oval,heavier and bigger than a gridiron ball. Really good for high marking but need high skill for fast low passes.

[@RobReacts1]

I have been told the biggest injury is to their ego when they get a full grown man jump on their shoulders haha

[@jimr4354]

@@RobReacts1 For sure! Every one here just knows it’s part of the game. A boot in the back. A knee in the head. All part of the fun.

[@iamfabled8171]

They keep saying it could be Mark of the year because there's literally a voted award at the end of the season for the mark of the year

[@mikakamppi4826]

It's called a mark because where the player catches the ball the referee marks that spot (or near enough) which then means the player who caught the ball can play on or take an unimpeded kick.

[@therad3608]

Young Jeremy Howe was something else in the air

[@RyanLye1975]

After you "Mark" the ball, you go "back on your Mark, and the opposition player takes up position facing you, on your Mark ( but must not go over or forward of your Mark till the Marking player has kicked or disposed of the ball by handball.)

[@jacknelson4857]

Would love to see you react to some big hits. I'd recommend "Best of the Decade: 2010-2019 | Brutal bumps and tackles | AFL"

[@RobReacts1]

It is on the list! Only problem, which is the same as this one is that its copyrighted which means i cant monitized. So need to figure that out

[@AndyViant]

@@RobReacts1 there's probably some other compilations out there. But, you could check out the European AFL matches and make your own footage. Covid permitting there is going to be the European cup in Amsterdam later this year.

[@lpg8l]

Hi Robbo, when I was a kid in the 1960s and 70s they used to have footy boots with cork stops to reduce slipping on the ground. The cork would wear off leaving a tack sticking out on the worn stop. Some mean bastards used to rip your legs deliberately with these worn stops when they would go up for a mark.

[@RobReacts1]

Christ! thats bloody insane!

[@TheJaviba]

You need to watch the 2018 AFL Grandfinal Collingwood v WestCoast. Best game for many a year, even for neutral supporters.

[@danielforrest3232]

I played footy from the age of 5 until my late 20's. If you are backing in to a marking contest or get caught standing under a high ball, you always expect contact from behind, most likely a knee or boot in the back. You don't really expect to have someone stand on your shoulders because it doesnt happen all that often but you know it's a possibility. Generally it doesn't hurt too much unless a player is trying to hurt you. We used to practice it in the school yard. You'd take turns with your mate going for the hanger/speccie and being the 'stepladder'.

[@alanfisher2493]

They took all the best bits out every football code around the world & put them together and formed it into australian rules football.

[@RobReacts1]

haha Just finished watching the Sydney game and it was awesome!

[@rossmcintyre3228]

No it’s rules of play pre date Grid Iron, and Soccer.... it’s a complete invention from 1850

[@alanfisher2493]

@@rossmcintyre3228 that is true.

[@AndyViant]

Except it's the oldest established football code in the world. So either those ideas were already around and you lot didn't get your shit organised, or we made it and you copied us. Either way it doesn't look good for the rest of the world. Are you lazy or copycats? You decide.

[@mattcernjavic9999]

Wrong! Aussie rules came first. All other football codes came after.

[@lachieowen4069]

1. The Sherrin AFL football is made from cowhide leather. At a regional level, balls are reused and can have more grip the older they are, but in the AFL, the brand new balls are slippery and rely on the player’s grip to grasp the ball. The ball is slightly smaller than a Steeden Rugby Ball, and is made from slipperier material. In junior football, a synthetic rubber ball is used (more grip, and smaller depending on age). 2. The most common injuries in the AFL are: Hamstring strains (from running, kicking, quick turns); ACL Injuries (from tackles, bumps, running, contests); Shoulder strains and dislocations (from bumps, tackles, and yes, awkward landings after big marks); and concussions (from bumps and tackles). Additionally: A catch is referred to as a mark in the AFL, the same way American Football sometimes refers to a kick as a punt. It’s just the name for the statistic. Commentators in the AFL are very vocal, exaggerative and exciting. When they see a big mark, they get excited and call it the Mark of the Year. There is actually an award at the end of each season given to the best Goal and Mark over the course of the year, which is presented at the Brownlow Medal night (the AFL’s Player of the Year, as voted by a panel of judges). The big, leaping mark - or ‘speccy’ - is about as common in the AFL as a bicycle kick goal in football (roughly). It’s a well known part of the game, but it’s still rare enough to get a whole stadium on their feet and the commentators excited. As a defender, your aim is to spoil the ball and get it out of your defensive 50, so when a player rises up and takes a mark on your shoulders, it’s never expected. Players have been taking marks like this for many, many years. The Mark of the Year award was spawned in 1970, when Carlton’s Alex Jesaulenko took a grab so spectacular that they had to give him an award. Since then, the award - along with the Goal of the Year - has been handed out at the end of the season. I hope you keep enjoying this wonderful league we have here.

[@RobReacts1]

cheers man

[@lachieowen4069]

@@RobReacts1 love your content, keep it up bro

[@Alpha_7227]

It is a gutsy game, when you are running backwards with the flight of the ball, to mark or catch the ball, knowing you are just going to get cleaned up by your opponent.

[@Lnch4ALion]

It's a mark because the position that you catch the ball "marks" the point where you take your free kick ( the kick is actually taken about 10 meters back of the mark)The opposition player stands on the *mark" and can't move until the free kick has been taken or the player "plays on"

[@RobReacts1]

Thanks Steven

[@bernadettelanders7306]

Hey Rob. Clicked on this by mistake. Girlfriend popped in I’ve known since I was 4 yrs old. Wanted to show her a new one of yours after other vids we’ve watched and talked through. Well you had us both laughing as you were watching the catches and your dialogue was so funny and we were talking back to you, when u said This is so Australian , or mental etc lol. Her father was born in the Uk, left from South Hampton pier I think to Melbourne. Came to Aus in the 30s. He has/had the most Aussie accent I’ve ever heard. Our fathers were friends as teenagers, found each other again by accident as we lived across the road from each other in the 50s. We are 5 generations of friends 👍. She said , bye Rob when she left lol. Yes I talk as much as I write 😂. We had a great afternoon together, then you popped into my lounge on the big screen. She’s been to UK. Her and her husband wanted to walk across the Uk lol, as they walk heaps here, they ran out of holiday time . They Loved all the architecture and countryside in the UK. Had a great day with my buddy. Well enough of my usual waffling. ‘Ava good one’

[@markchmielewski4309]

Gday Rob This brilliant game is all about courage, stamina and team. It is aggressive where opponents intimidate each other but you never back out when it’s your turn to commit to a contest. These guys are demonstrating eyes on the ball and going hard at it. Also being on the bottom sucks as does getting elbows and knees in all parts of your body but players never back out of the contest. You get as good as you give and it’s an accepted part of the game that at some stage someone will be standing on your heard. Cop it sweet mate and never back out

[@RobReacts1]

Sounds similar to rugby in that sense! Brave but humble

[@Aliclare_]

Mark of the year is a genuine award, nominations come through official channels, and then the winner is fan voted, same as goal of the year

[@Gorilla_warfare]

High marking is the greatest feature of our game, closely followed by amazing goals. The crowd rises as one regardless of which team takes the mark. It’s simply exhilarating and there’s nothing else like it! To answer a few of your questions; - Surprisingly, players aren’t really injured that often in marking contest, aside from the occasional ones where you cop and need to the back of the head. Otherwise no arm injuries generally. - the ball is a bit smaller than a rugby ball but made from kangaroo hide. New footballs that they play with are actually really smooth which can make it hard to catch. - the best marks are usually judged on the height of your jump. A shorter player leaping over a taller player is more impressive than vice versa. For the player on top we say that they “had the sit” when the player was in front of them to jump over. - other marks are impressive due to the courage shown. We take note of a player running “back with the flight” of the ball. Running one way into the pack, but his eyes / vision are still fixed on the ball. These type of contests can really hurt, much more than a high mark.

[@RobReacts1]

I love how I still get comments from this video and the What is AFL video. Considering I have now been to the Swans vs Pies Semi final and then the Grand final a couple of weekends ago! :) Go to my vlog channel to watch :)

[@goldboy150]

If the ball is kicked by any player, travels at least 15 metres and is caught on the full by any player - that is a “mark”. The player who catches the ball is then entitled to take an unimpeded (free) kick. The basic individual stats an AFL player collects during a game are kicks, handballs, marks, tackles, goals, behinds.

[@tacofry4768]

Used to play in HS. The ones that hurt are when you aren't expecting it, bit if you're boxing them out and you feel contact before the kick then all you can do is brace for it. Usually the attacking team is behind you because you're trying to get them out of position, so you'll find 80% of great marks are from the attacking teams. The defensive marks are something different all together, so much harder to do

[@RobReacts1]

I think its the 360 aspect of the tackling and the leaping!

[@chloereed1998]

Concussion is one of the major injuries, but that seems to be common in nfl and rugby aswell. Dislocating fingers is pretty common with species like these, with the marking but also the landing. The ball is smooth leather. Not sticky at all.

[@RobReacts1]

So that's why they had the weather forecast mid game in the Sydney derby. The game would be affected play wise

[@barryschwarz]

To answer your question, I played as a kid and only took a few speccies and had a few done over me. You're not trying to hurt anyone, you're trying to get height, and the best way to do it is to get your shin on a human ledge. If the shin lands on the top part of the shoulder it's only the weight that's a problem. If it clips your head it can be a solid knock and pretty rough (or just a bump), or if it goes square into your back pushing you forward that can hyperflex your chest and/or knock the wind out of you. Suddenly your shoulders are nearly touching behind you. If the mark-taker's weight is on you as you fall that's ok, but if you're knocked down and they land on you from height that can be a bit savage. If you're unlucky you can catch sprigs into your back. If you take a mark like that you have to know how to fall without spraining a wrist or cracking a rib. Australian footballers are some pretty hard nuggets and can take a lot of knocks. It's why a lot of Australians don't like soccer (I love that game except...) - to see guys mug the pain from a tiny tap, or even worse to fake pain to get a free kick is just incredibly dishonourable to us - it's the antithesis of how we view glorify athletes. They're meant to be strong, not weak, and not conniving types.

[@horaciolongbottom2556]

We call the ball a Sherrin. It’s the brand of a ball, it’s hard, similar size to a rugby ball made of leather. Main injuries from big marks is winding from hitting the ground. And I know plenty of mates who had to get stitches from a knee to the back of the head.

[@chriskelly9476]

Rugby probably has heavier tackles because they're allowed to take your feet out from under you (and they're generally bigger bodied players), whereas in AFL taking someone's feet out from under them would usually be considered tripping. On the other hand, AFL is a 360 degree game, you're not running up the field in a certain direction and your opponents running the other way, so you know roughly where your opponents are like in rugby. In AFL you can run anywhere on the field and so can your opponents, so you can be hit from anywhere at any time.

[@fjbutchbragg8129]

During practice.. Players wear a very large padded mat on their backs so the player marking can practice leaping onto opponents back and shoulders to mark the ball..

[@benjaminodonnell258]

Being "ridden" is bloody unpleasant, and leaves bruises, but it rarely results in real injury. The main thing is that it's so bloody unexpected, because you're totally focused on the ball. And if you start getting "gun-shy" and try to avoid being ridden, you'll be a worse player because you won't be focussing on the ball. You have to be totally fearless to succeed and take your lumps as a result. EDIT: The spot where you caught it is the "mark" from which you have to kick it if you elect to take the free kick.

[@mathewdeering]

The term 'mark' comes from Rugby Union - if a ball's kicked and is taken inside a team's defensive 22, so long as the receiving player can call "MARK" while it's in the air, can take an unimpeded kick - usually for touch downfield.

[@erasmuskyriacou8853]

The ball is slightly smaller than a rugby ball but larger than an NFL ball and it has no extra friction on it or stickiness. During a rainy game the ball becomes nearly impossible to mark and yet they somehow still do.

[@jamespritchard3838]

Greatest sport on earth,, thanks for giving it more lights such a shame its still so unknown to many.

[@RobReacts1]

thoroughly enjoying it :)

[@willem8820]

I have had someone take a speccy on me once in under 18's footy, it wasnt the greatest mark (his knees only got to the top half of my back, not my shoulders) but i was expecting it because the kick to me was a 'hospital kick' which means it was kicked high and allowed the defender the time get to me. but it doesnt hurt at all

[@desertdog8006]

In the outback, west eyre peninsula in South Australia our players, just farmer boys have to travel 300km to play a game then after the strain and tackles of the game need to drive back. Also weather not mild here

[@goldenchild4835]

Rugby (Union) also has the Mark, paid when a defending player catches a ball inside his quarter on the full and calls "mark", also gets an unimpeded kick out of his team's territory. Rugby also has a contested jump for the ball, in the Line Out.

[@cunninglinguist8832]

Few years back they changed rule to not using hands at all. Plus a more recent change if you dont even touch the ball its a free kick against for 'unrealistic attempt'. School yards evolved from yelling 'capper' when attempting a mark (warrick capper) to 'modra' (tony modra) to 'sampi' (ashley sampi) The mark actually refers to the place where the defender had to stand. They took their cap off and placed it on the mark. Obviously evolved now to the catch being called a mark. (But the defender is always said to 'be on the mark')

[@RARDingo]

The "mark" actually originates with Rugby Union:- In rugby union, a player may mark a ball, which means that the player may catch it and cannot be tackled by rival players, and the marking player takes a free-kick at the position of the mark. A ball may be marked if it has rebounded off the posts or crossbar. ... A mark may not be made from a kick-off. Traditionally, the player will mark the spot where they caught the ball by digging the heal of their boot into the turf once or twice to make a visible mark.

[@hc6707]

The ball is quite smooth, there is no grip on the ball and the it is hard but can be compressed with your foot or a bounce easily. On rainy days, the ball is extremely slippery

[@BELM4N]

I play in my local league and at training they teach us to go in to every contest to get the ball, to go in the contest with your whole body tensed up and brace yourself for any sort of impact or you will definitely get injured from it!

[@RobReacts1]

Yea I think hesitance gets you injured. We say the same in football when going in to tackle

[@michaelfink64]

Hi Rob, glad you enjoyed these marks, which are the most spectacular part of the game (hence the term for a high mark like these: speckies). You may get the impression from the video that they happen all the time, but of course, this is a highlight reel of 10 years of footy. You might see one or two speckies per game. Actually it is quite rare for injuries to occur to the player taking the mark or the "stepladder" player. They practice taking these marks and know how to fall safely. The player taking the mark can get the wind knocked out of him, but usually he are pretty pleased with himself so just gets in with it. The player underneath usually only has his pride hurt. The game certainly does produce injuries - hamstring tears, knee ligament injuries, shoulder strains etc, just not usually from a marking contest. You may see similarities to American football, Gaelic football and rugby, but really, Aussie rules is its own thing and was invented in 1858, so actually older than most of these. You could say, the other codes resemble Aussie rules rather than the other way around. I think it is much more spectacular to watch and probably more fun to play (I have only played Aussie rules) than the other codes. Rugby is really played in two dimensions and there are not many true contests for the ball. Footy is played in three dimensions and opponents can come from 360 degrees. American football in incredibly stop-start and technical, whereas footy is more flowing and instinctive. The players have to sort out what to do without many set plays (of course there are strategies, but the best players have a great "football brain" and make the right decisions under pressure). Gaelic football has some superficial similarities, but there is no tackling, which really makes it a very different game. Despite this, a hybrid game called International Football was invented and Ireland and Australia compete in a short series every couple of years. Soccer (that's what we call what you call football) is obviously incredibly popular around the world and the players are highly skilful but, from an outsider's perspective, a lot of the time the ball is just passed back and forth in the back line, in an attempt to get into a better position. This is the sort of thing that happens during the last few minutes of a close Aussie rules game when the leading team has possession of the ball. They pass it around between themselves to run the clock down. Aussie Rules spectators find that incredibly frustrating. The low scoring in soccer probably doesn't help. The reason a mark is called a mark is that the original rule was when the player caught the ball from a kick, he would call out "mark". The mark refers to the spot on the ground where the ball was caught. The opponent would stand on the mark and the player that took the mark would walk back behind the mark and kick over the mark. You mentioned that tall players should be able to take a mark without jumping. The problem is, his immediate opponent will be of similar height, so jumping is required to get higher than his opponent. Often short players can have a natural spring that can propel them to speckies. You will have noticed that there are some players that popped up multiple times in the video, because they have a natural ability for this skill. Some (Joe Daniher, Nic Naitanui) are tall, but several (Eddie Betts, Cyril Rioli, Paul Puopulo) are short. The ball is shaped like a rugby ball, but smaller. It is not as pointy as an American football. It is made of leather and is not really "sticky". It can get slippery when the weather is wet.

[@RobReacts1]

I suppose thats the thing with these complilation videos. They are on the extreme end of the scale. I was dissapointed i didnt really see any in the sydney derby i watched. Although i loved the game!

[@michaelfink64]

Yes, there's a lot more to footy than marks.

[@markcroydon3195]

We all played this as kids. We all loved jumping on top of the bloke in front to take a specie. Funnily enough, none of the ones in this video compare to the ones I saw my old man take for local level Riverside Stars B Grade in the late 70's early 80's. The General could really fly when he wanted to.

[@RobReacts1]

it just looks bloody insane!

[@Final_Cut_FF]

A Mark is just a catch as long as it has travelled more than 15 metres. You get rewarded when you mark the the ball otherwise you'd get clobbered. The point is you get to set up your next move, ie, move the ball forward towards goal.

[@zoeallan1600]

footys hell dardy i’ve been playing a good 8 years and it just makes me so excited, it isn’t as painful as it looks it’s just a whole lot of fun

[@RobReacts1]

It really does look fun!

[@windigo44]

At 8:03 you ask, "Do they get a lot of arm injuries?" At age 15 in a high school game I went way up on another player's back to mark the ball but the moment was so fluid & dynamic with us both moving along different vectors & planes that I got turned around & tossed off onto the turf. Problem was I reflexively extended my right arm to soften the body impact & heard a soft but distinct snap upon landing. I looked down & to see my wrist doing an S-bend. It was close enough to the joint that I thought it might've been dislocated but it ended up being a clean & complete break of the distal radius. "Get off the damn field!" the coach yelled at me, in order to get a reserve player on to take my place. Obviously I didn't mark the ball that time. I didn't even touch it.

[@RobReacts1]

haha! Thats my thought though with the marks. Its the landing with the outstretched arms to break the fall

[@BrisbaneLionsAreEpic]

Arm injuries wouldn’t be nearly as common as your hamstring, knee, or shoulder. Hamstrings from over exertion, knee and shoulders from the physicality and weird landings and stuff. Oh and head injuries are really common like concussions but that’s pretty self explanatory as to why

[@Humandog19]

The ball is smaller than a rugby ball but bigger than an American football. It is made of leather, it does not have a texture but does pick up abrasions during the game. Many players put stickum on their hands to assist with marking the ball

[@RobReacts1]

I saw the weather forecast pop up with potential rain in the sydney game. I suppose thats because it can make a huge difference with the ball/.

[@Humandog19]

@@RobReacts1 yes, marking the ball becomes quite difficult in wet conditions. It can often be described as a “cake of soap” when the rain is very heavy

[@kevinbowron2688]

we start practising speccys from the day we grab a ball, usually about seven. the main aim of this game, is get that ball, you just have to have the courage to go for the ball and take what comes

[@chriskelly9476]

There's mark of the year and goal of the year, whereby a few are selected each round and are voted on by the public and AFL officials and then from those weekly winners come finalists, from which mark and goal of the year medal are awarded. Winners are announced and receive their medals on Grand Final day. I believe they also win a $5000 or $10,000 prize for their junior club. A member of the public wins a cash prize too, drawn from those who have picked correctly the goal or mark of the year winner.

[@petercasasola2432]

The majority of these great marks are at between 8 and 10 feet in the air, some are nearly 12 feet. Outstanding.

[@chapmanfamily5195]

The Aussie rules football is similar in size to a rugby ball and it's usually made of leather with a rubber air bladder inside. It's not sticky and it can get quite slippery in the wet (which happens often since AFL is played in winter - which means it doesn't compete with cricket in the summer). AFL is almost never cancelled due to weather so the players play in all conditions and before games were played on these highly manicured playing surfaces, mud was a common medium to play in. Old videos of AFL show lots of muddy play.

[@RobReacts1]

Watched the Sydney derby last week and it was so good to watch. Lots of fun and easy to follow

[@isabellagentle]

Surprisingly the most common injuries are lower body - hip, groin, hamstring and ACL tears mainly

[@RobReacts1]

I did an injuries video and seems like ACLs can be bad

[@jaygee5693]

I think it's called a 'mark' because it's derived from rugby union, where a 'fair catch' used to be awarded if a player caught the ball while planting a heel into the ground (to make a mark?) and calling "Mark!" as he caught it. The name has stuck, even though a player doesn't even have to be touching the ground when making the catch.

[@Chip_Cooper]

in the older days they played wearing caps and would drop their hat on the ground to "mark" the position..................or so I believe

[@massiverock1]

About 6 of those marks were from 1 guy - Jeremy Howe. The ball is slightly smaller than a rugby ball and bigger than an American football ball and it’s made of leather The crazy thing with Aussie rules is unlike American football there’s less grip, and they aren’t allowed to wear gloves that grip Want some crazy highlights of one player, Eddie betts is a magician, he’s featured in here a few times but he also kicks goals from the unlikeliest situations. Or watch buddy Franklin highlights, for brute strength highlights

[@blondon1368]

Having a screamer taken on you almost always hurts your pride more than your body

[@jjdees]

Yes, some of the players are huge. There are literally dozens of players over 200cm tall, playing in all positions on the field. The tallest is usually the ruck player, who stands in the middle and taps the ball to teammates. The ruck also taps the ball to teammates when it goes out of bounds and is thrown in by the umpire.

[@xXSinForLifeXx]

9:15 they mark the spot the catch is taken with their foot or in the old days a hat. Which is apparently why its called a mark like your leaving a mark.

[@Finny1996]

You don't expect someone on your shoulders, but you absolutely expect physical contact. You get so used to the timing of that contact, while keeping your eyes focused entirely on the ball, that someone landing on your neck/back/shoulders is no big thing. I took one speccy that was caught on film - the feeling is pretty magical, if done right. Like floating.