Universal football

Universal football was a proposed hybrid sport of Australian rules football and rugby league, trialled at the Sydney Showground in 1933. The game has not been played since that time.

Following negotiations between the New South Wales Rugby League and Victorian Football League a report, including a proposed set of rules, was prepared by the secretary of the NSWRL, Harold R. Miller. A trial game was held in secret, but the plans were never instituted.

The game was designed to be played by teams of 14 on oval fields. The off-side rules of rugby league applied within 35 metres of the rugby league-style "H"-shaped goalposts. Hand passes could only be made backwards, though knocking-on and regathering were permitted. Players could be tackled anywhere between the knee and the shoulders. The Australian rules style of mark was kept. Tries were worth two points and conversions kicked over the crossbar were worth one point.

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