Introduction
Aussie Rules Coach (ARC) places you in control of an Australian Rules Football team - both on and off the pitch - combining the best features of Sports Management Simulation with Sports Arcade Action.

With Real-time Strategy Management, you have precise control over your team from minute to minute - while the match plays! It is your responsibility to dictate the tactics of your entire team or individual players as the match is played out in full 3D. You may decide to instruct your star player to try and keep possession, move an under performing Centre out to the wing, or order your entire Full Forward Line to start shooting from a greater distance. Whatever you decide, the opposing coach will react and may force you to reconsider your tactics.

Your goal is to win as many matches as possible and finish high enough in the ARC League to reach the ARC Finals. Once in the finals you could take your team all the way and win the ARC Cup!

So you can't just sit back and watch the big marks, classic goals and crunching tackles, you've got some coaching to do!

Rules of the Game

Australian Rules Football is played between two teams of 18 players with a non-spherical (oval) ball, on an oval pitch. The aim of the game is to score more points than the opposition by moving the football between the four uprights at the team's current scoring end. Kicking the ball between the larger, central uprights (goal posts), scores a goal worth 6 points. Kicking the ball between the smaller, outer uprights (behind posts) or moving the ball between the goal posts in any way other than a clean kick, scores a behind, which is worth 1 point.

Each player is free to move about the pitch since there are no preset positions or rules relating to positions (although players are placed in tactical positions, see Field Positions).

A player in possession of the ball can move it around the field by kicking it (known as a footpass) or punching it (known as a handball). He may also run with the ball as long he either touches the ground with the ball or bounces it every 15 metres.

The opposition can hold back the player with the ball or force him to release the ball by tackling him. Holding the opponent in the area between the knees and shoulders is a valid tackle. Once a player is held, he must release the ball.

Players can gain a free kick by cleanly catching a kicked ball, without the ball touching another player or the ground. This is known as a mark and the player taking the mark has the choice of a free kick or playing on without stopping the game.

Matches are played over 4 quarters of 20 minutes each. The ball is bounced up by the umpire in the centre circle at the beginning of each quarter and after every goal. If a behind is scored the conceding side has a free kick from between the goal posts. If the ball moves over the pitch boundary, the two teams contest a throw-in. In ARC a throw-in is launched automatically from the edge of the pitch.

There are some additional rules in Australian Rules Football, such as infringements and penalties, that have not been included in ARC for the purpose of a faster, more free flowing game.