page_title: History of Australian rules football in Victoria (1859–1900)
section_title: 1860 rules
hierarchical_section_title: History of Australian rules football in Victoria (1859–1900) / 1860 rules
caption_attribution_description: English: Wood engraving of an Australian rules football match at the Richmond Paddock, Melbourne, in about 1866. The building in the background is the Melbourne Cricket Ground pavilion.
context_page_description: Australian rules football was first organised in Victoria in 1859 when its rules were codified by the Melbourne Football Club.
context_section_description: Below are the rules as refined in 1860 by a meeting of the Melbourne Football Club but with some input from other existing clubs.
  1. The distance between the goals and the goal posts shall be decided upon by the captains of the sides playing.
  2. The captains on each side toss for choice of goal; the side losing the toss has the kick-off from the centre point between the goals.
  3. A goal must be kicked fairly between the posts without touching either of them or any portion of the person of one of the opposite side.  In case of the ball being forced between the goal posts in a scrimmage, a goal shall be awarded.
  4. The game shall be played within a space of not more than 200 yds [182.9 metres] wide, the same to be measured equally on either side of a line drawn through the centre of the two goals; and the two posts, to be called kick-off posts, shall be erected at a distance of twenty yards [18.3 metres] on each side of the goal posts at both ends, and in a straight line with them.
  5. In case the ball is kicked behind the goal, any one of the side behind whose goal it is kicked, may bring it twenty yards in front of any portion of the space between the "kick-off" posts, and shall kick it nearly as possible in line with the opposite goal.
  6. Any player catching the ball directly from the foot may call "mark".  He then has a free kick; no player from the opposite side being allowed to come inside the spot marked.
  7. Tripping, holding and hacking are strictly prohibited.  Pushing with the hands or body is allowed when any player is in rapid motion or in possession of the ball, except in the case provided for in Rule 6.
  8. The ball may not be lifted from the ground in any circumstances, or taken in hand, except as provided for in Rule 6 (catch from the foot) or when on the pick-up.  It shall not be run with in any case.
  9. When a ball goes out of bounds (same being indicated by a row of posts) it shall be brought back to the point where it crossed the boundary line, and thrown in at right angles with that line.
  10. The ball, while still in play, must under no circumstances, be thrown.
  11. In case of a deliberate infringement of any of the above rules, by either side, the captain of the opposite side may claim that any one of his party may have a free kick from the place where the breach of the rules was made; the two captains in all cases, save where umpires are appointed, to be the sole judges of "infringements".
  Until the 1980s, the earliest known rules were a printed set that came out of a meeting of delegates of the various clubs, held at the Freemason's Hotel, Melbourne on 8 May 1866.  Copies [made at unknown date] of the 1859 set of rules and the 1860 rules, referred to above, both hand-written, have been unearthed in recent years.
caption: A game at the Richmond Paddock in the 1860s. A pavilion at the MCG is on the left in the background. (A wood engraving made by Robert Bruce on July 27, 1866.)
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