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Although catching the ball is not unique to other codes of football, along with kicking the ball, it is one of the most prevalent skills in Australian Football. Marking is also one of the most spectacular aspects of the game of "Aussie Rules". The best mark of the AFL season is awarded with the Mark Of The Year .


TYPES OF MARKS


In Australian Football, marks are often described in combination of the following ways.
  • ''Chest Mark'' - catching the ball and drawing it in to the chest. This is considered the easiest mark to take, and is often used in wet weather.

  • ''Overhead Mark'' - catching the ball with hands extended above the head

  • ''Contested Mark'' - catching the ball against one or more opponents who are attempting to also mark or spoil the player attempting the mark.

  • ''Pack Mark'' - catching the ball against one or more opponents and/or teammates all in close proximity to the fall of the ball.

  • ''High Mark'' - catching the ball whilst jumping up in the air

  • ''Spectacular Mark'' - sometimes called a ' Spekkie ', is a mark taken (sometimes contested) whilst jumping in the air. Additional elevation is achieved by using the legs to spring off the back or shoulders of one or more opponents and/or teammates. The movement of other players beneath a marking can cause them to lose balance in mid air and land or fall awkwardly, enhancing the spectacular nature of the mark.

  • ''One handed Mark'' - catching the ball with only one hand

  • ''Diving Mark'' - leaping horizontally to catch the ball before it hits the ground

  • ''With the flight of the ball'' - a mark taken running in the direction that the ball is travelling. In order to do this, the player must take their eyes off opposition players sometimes running at fast pace in the opposite direction. This type of mark is often branded "courageous", because in attempting the mark, the player must ignore the danger of a high speed collision with oncoming players.

  • ''Half Volley'' - technically not a mark. Sometimes players catch the ball so close to the ground that it is difficult to tell whether it hit or bounced off the ground. Sometimes a player is awarded a mark by an umpires benefit of the doubt.



Spoiling the Mark

Spoiling is the technique typically employed by opposition defenders to legally stop a player from catching the ball by hand or fist (as a punching action) either before or shortly after the player has caught the ball in their hands. In the past, spoiling the mark has been achieved by interfering with the arms or head of the player attempting to mark, however this is now strongly penalised by Umpires with a Free Kick to the player attempting to mark and sometimes a 50-metre penalty for more severe infringements (or 15 metre in the past).


ORIGINS OF THE MARK

The mark was one of the original and distinctive rules of Australian Football drawn up in 1858.
Some historians believe that the origin of the mark comes from the traditional Aboriginal game of Marn Grook , which is said to have influenced Tom Wills writing of the laws of the game. In Marn Grook, jumping to catch the ball, called "mumarki", an Aboriginal word meaning "to catch" results in a free kick.

Others believe the origin of the term 'mark' comes from the practice of a player who has just taken a mark physically marks the ground with his foot to show where he took the mark.

The Cambridge rules of Rugby Union introduced the concept of the Mark in 1863 (IX. A player shall be entitled to run with the ball towards his adversaries' goal if he makes a fair catch, or catches the ball on the first bound; but in case of a fair catch, if he makes his mark he shall not run). The player in rugby must verbally call the word mark to claim the kick. Although Australian Rules is believed to be influenced by rugby, there is no evidence that this particular rule of the mark was either in fact influenced by Australian Rules, began with the rugby school or a pure chance of convergent evolution.


FAMOUS MARKS


While the Mark Of The Year competition has produced many famous marks, other marks include:

In the 1970 Grand Final before a record crowd, Carlton full forward, and giant of the game, Alex Jesaulenko , took one of the most inspirational marks in the history of 'the Australian game' leaping high for a "spekkie" over Collingwood 's Graeme Jenkin to inspire a Carlton side that was behind a record 44 points at the half.

Sydney 's Leo Barry leapt into history with his match-saving mark in the final seconds of the 2005 grand final against the West Coast Eagles to seal the game. His contested overhead mark was taken in a congested pack of 3 teammates and 3 opposition players.

St Kilda / South Melbourne player Roy Cazaly was renowned for his high marks, giving rise to the catchphrase " Up There Cazaly ".


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