Australian Football
Goals, behinds and rushed behinds in Australian Football
How six-point goals, one-point behinds, touched scores and deliberate rushed behinds work under the 2026 Laws of Australian Football.
A goal is worth six points
A goal is scored when a player of the Attacking Team kicks the football completely over the Goal Line between the goal posts without the ball being touched by another player. A goal records six points.
A behind is worth one point
A behind can be recorded when the football passes completely over a Behind Line, touches or passes over a goal post, or an attacking kick crosses the Goal Line after another player has touched it. A behind records one point.
Touched scores and behind posts
If an attacking kick is touched before it completely crosses the Goal Line, the result is a behind rather than a goal. If the football touches or passes over a behind post, it is Out of Bounds or Out of Bounds On the Full rather than a score.
A deliberate rushed behind can be penalised
A defender who intentionally forces the football over their own Goal Line or Behind Line can concede a free kick when the conditions in Law 18.11 are met, such as doing so from more than nine metres out without immediate physical pressure and with time and space to dispose, or hitting the ball over on the full from a ruck contest. Not every rushed behind is automatically a free kick.