Disposal

For other uses, see Disposal (disambiguation).
For the more common meaning, see disposable.

A disposal occurs in Australian rules football when a player either kicks (including from the ground) or handballs the football. A disposal is not counted if a player fumbles or illegally disposes the ball. In a correct handball, the football is punched with a clenched fist.

When commentating or reporting on Australian rules football, it is common to report the number of disposals that a player has during a game. The words possessions or touches are used interchangeably with disposals in this context.

In recent years, the number of disposals in a game has increased substantially, with many high disposal records being set.[1] This can be attributed to teams' placing greater emphasis on maintaining possession, rather than just on going forward at any cost.[2]

Notes

  1. ↑ Silkstone, Dan (12 July 2008)Disposable football
  2. ↑ Capel, Andrew (14 April 2009)Port's disposal frenzy; The Advertiser