Full-forward

Playing position in Australian rules football

Full-forward is a position in Australian rules football and Gaelic football with a key focus on kicking goals.

The Coleman Medal is awarded to the player, often a full-forward, who has kicked the most goals in an Australian Football League season.

In modern Australian rules football and Gaelic football, in which players do not strictly stick to a single position, the full-forward is often referred to as a "Key Forward" and can often switch positions with the centre half-forward for "team balance" reasons.

The frequency of players kicking 100 goals in a season has decreased in recent years.[1] According to modern great Leigh Matthews, due to contact penalties protecting intercepting defenders, modern tactics and an endurance style of play, the power forward or stay at home lead-up role of the 1980s and 1990s that was capable of kicking 100 goals a season is no longer a feature of the game at the elite level.[2] In the AFL Women's with 2 less players on the ground, provides additional space for more traditional full forward to lead into, however the reduced game duration and season lowers the overall number of goals they can kick. In Gaelic Football, goals don’t come too often with an average of 1 goal per game in a single match.

Notable full-forwards

Present key forwards

All Stars full forward Taylor Walker kicks for goal from the 50 metre line during the State of Origin for Bushfire Relief Match.
  • Charlie Curnow
  • Ben Brown
  • Jeremy Cameron
  • Tom Hawkins
  • Taylor Walker
  • Charlie Dixon
  • Ashleigh Saint
  • Kate Hore
  • Jesse Wardlaw

Past great full-forwards

Lance Franklin, the dominant full-forward of the modern era, attempting a difficult kick for goal from outside the boundary beyond the 50 metre line. With more than 1,000 goals, he is 6th-highest all-time VFL/AFL goal kicker.
Cora Staunton, one of the all-time great AFLW full forwards.

These are the more notable full-forwards who played in the AFL, SANFL, WAFL and TFL:

Field Positions

Positions on the Australian rules football field
B: Back pocket Fullback Back pocket
HB: Half-back flank Centre half-back Half-back flank
C: Wing Centre Wing
HF: Half-forward flank Centre half-forward Half-forward flank
F: Forward pocket Full-forward Forward pocket
Foll: Ruckman Ruck rover Rover
Int: Interchange Interchange Interchange
Coach: Coach

References

  1. ^ Lalor, Peter (25 August 2012). "Great full-forwards are born and will come again, says Hudson". The Australian.
  2. ^ Days of the great full-forward are over by Leigh Matthews for afl.com.au May 6, 2009
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