AFL Coaching Glossary, Part 1: Field Zones & Locations

AFL Coaching Glossary, Part 1: Field Zones & Locations

The patches of grass coaches refer to by name — F50, the corridor, the wedge, and more.

Before you can understand any tactical instruction in AFL, you need to know the map. Coaches don't say "down near our goals" — they say "D50". Half the language of the game is shorthand for where on the ground something happened. This article walks through the named zones and locations you'll hear referenced in coaches' boxes, on the boundary, and in the post-match review.

Terms marked Advanced are ones that senior coaches and analysts use most often; skip past them if you only want the basics.

F50 (Forward 50)

The area inside your team's attacking 50-metre arc. When the ball is here, you have a chance to score. "Getting it inside 50" simply means moving the ball into this zone.

F25 (Forward 25 / the "hot zone")

The area within 25 metres of your goal — roughly the danger area in front of the goal square. Shots taken from inside F25 are far more likely to be goals than shots from further out, so coaches obsess over how often the ball gets here.

D50 (Defensive 50)

The mirror image of F50: the area inside your own 50-metre arc, where you're trying to stop the opposition from scoring. The further the ball is from your D50, the better.

Centre Bounce (CB)

The bounce in the middle of the ground that restarts play after each goal and at the start of each quarter. Also used as a noun for "the contest at the centre" — coaches will talk about "winning the centre bounce" or which midfielders go to "the CB".

The Square (and "off the square")

The centre square in the middle of the ground (50m × 50m) where only four players per team are allowed to start at a centre bounce. "Off the square" means moving away from that square once the ball is bounced — usually referring to a midfielder who breaks away from the contest.

The Arc (50m arc)

The painted arc 50 metres out from each goal. "At the arc" usually means right at the edge of the attacking 50, where decisions get made about whether to take a shot or kick deeper.

Corridor

The middle strip of the ground running between the two goals. The corridor is the fastest and most dangerous route to goal because the ball can be moved to either side from there. Defences work hard to keep the opposition out of the corridor and push them towards the boundary.

Pocket

The corner of the forward 50, between the goal-line and the boundary. There's a left pocket and a right pocket. Shots from the pocket are very difficult because of the sharp angle.

Boundary lane

The strip of ground close to the boundary line. The boundary lane is "safer" for the team in possession because there's less ground to defend, but it's also harder to score from because the angle gets tight.

Wing

The two long edges of the ground running between the half-forward and half-back lines. Wingers run up and down these lanes.

Open side vs closed side

When a contest is over to one side of the ground, the "closed side" is the short side (between the ball and the nearest boundary) and the "open side" is the long side with more space. Coaches will say "attack the open side" — meaning kick the ball across the ground into the bigger space.

Goal side

The side of an opponent that is closer to the goal you're defending. A defender who is "goal side" of their opponent is between that opponent and the goal — the safe position to be in. (See also Defence & Pressure.)

Wedge of the centre circle Advanced

At a centre bounce, the circle around the ruckmen is split into four "wedges" or quarters. Coaches refer to these wedges when describing where they want the ruck to tap the ball, or which wedge each midfielder is responsible for covering.

Drop zone

The patch of ground where a long kick is going to land. Coaches talk about controlling the drop zone — making sure your players outnumber the opposition where the ball is about to come down.

Quick kick zone Advanced

Roughly 30–40 metres ahead of a stoppage, on the side the ball is most likely to be cleared to. It's where a fast kick out of the contest will land if the team wins clearance cleanly. Coaches will tell their best contested player or best matchup to "get to the quick kick zone" so they're ready for that first uncontested kick.

Half forward

The area roughly between F50 and the centre square. Half-forwards play here — they're attacking players who start higher up the ground rather than deep in F50.

Half back

The mirror of half forward: between D50 and the centre square. Half-backs are defenders who start higher up, and they're often the team's best ball-users at launching attacks.

Inside 50

A statistic and a phrase. The phrase means the ball entering the forward 50. The stat (often shortened to "I50") counts how many times your team got the ball inside their attacking arc — a basic measure of how much territory you're winning.

Next: Part 2 — Stoppages & Clearances Index: The AFL Coaching Glossary