flutelady: Yes, it is very different to American football. With few exceptions, any player is permitted to be on any part of the field at any time (ie, there's no offside). It is pretty much a free-flowing game with stoppages occurring when a score is made, the ball goes out of bounds, a "ball up" (like a jump ball, in purpose and execution) occurs, or when a quarter of play ends. The ball is kicked between players, or "handballed", where the player handballing will punch the ball off of an open hand toward the recipient. Scores are registered by kicking the ball towards a set of four posts; if the ball is kicked between the two taller, inner posts (goalposts), and is not touched en route, a "goal" is scored and is worth six points, and play continues with a "ball up" in the center of the ground. If the ball is kicked between a goalpost and one of the shorter, outer posts (point posts), or touched en route to the goal posts, one point is scored and play resumes with the defending team kicking the ball back into play (generally aiming to kick to his teammates!) from the "goalsquare" (which in fact is not square), a short-ish rectangle extending from the goal mouth.

The only way to really appreciate it though, is to see it. It's really not too complex a game, especially compared to American football.

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