h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Now I'm no expert on AFL, I hate the game, but I am an Aussie and it appears that we are born knowing some of the rules;
Holing the ball - when you are tackled, you have to get rid of the ball immediately, if you don't it goes to the other team (go fig).

There are others, but it's 1am and I'm too tired to think. It may look a silly game, but it makes more sense than 'offside' (or at least the explanations I've heard).

Sounds like a game we Americans play called "smear the queer." The "queer" is whoever has the ball, and everyone else on the field tries to tackle him. You can wuss out by giving up the ball before a tackle, but when you are tackled, you leave the ball on the ground for the next queer to pick up.

what an oddly poetic title. We always just called that "Kill the Guy With the Ball".

Sorry, it was a typo (like I said, it was late) it's meant to be 'holding the ball,' but it appears you've picked up on that

Interestingly, Australian Rules Football is the official national winter sport of South Africa, even though nobody plays it there... I guess they just got sick of rugby.