The AFL Grand Final is the world’s highest attended sporting event, with around 100,000 people flocking to “The G” to see their favourite team battle it out for the most prestigious title Australian sport.

If you love the game like all these avid fans, why not take it to the next level by turning it into a hobby? Playing AFL is great for your health and fitness, as it is a challenging sport that incorporates both cardio fitness and physical strength. What’s more, it’s a great social activity, as through joining a club you will meet plenty of awesome people who, like you, have a love for this incredible game.

If you’re unsure whether you want to join a club and play other teams, you can simply grab a ball and head down to the park with friends. This is a great way to get a sense of what it’s like to play AFL football. You can even grab yourself some Carlton, St Kilda or Richmond Football Club merchandise (or any team for that matter!) and wear it down to your first few kicks to see if you like the idea of playing in a club guernsey.

Sure, you may not be playing on that hallowed ground in September, but you can still enjoy this wonderful sport and the comradery that comes with it.

Here’s how.

Get some gear!

By picking up some quality gear from a sports store, you will be more motivated to play AFL and will enjoy those kicks in the park all the more. There are many sports stores where you can get quality AFL equipment in Australia, including playing equipment and merchandise, so head down to your local sports store and try out a few balls and boots.

A high quality Sherrin is the best ball out there, and it has long set the standard for AFL balls as well as being the official match ball since the early days of the sport. You might find yourself buying even more equipment - it’s easy when the game itself is so exciting, so don’t be surprised if you pick up some boots, a mouthguard and training equipment, too.

Training equipment can help you practice in the backyard or with mates, and if you have chosen good equipment that helps you improve, you will probably get more enjoyment out of it.

Try joining a club

If you found that you really enjoy playing as much as you do watching AFL, perhaps it is time to join a club! Keep training in the park until it’s time to join a club and do a little pre-season work.

Joining a local AFL team can be stressful for beginners, but it is a worthwhile undertaking that is heaps of fun. If you think that joining a full-sized team may be a bit much, you might want to consider joining an AFL 9s team, as these are smaller and less competitive, allowing you to kick the ball around at the end of the week.

There’s a good chance you will appreciate the sport so much more when you try playing it yourself. You don’t have to immediately commit to the game, but you can get some mates and quality equipment down to the park and try out the sport you have found you love watching.

Good luck, have fun and most of all, remember that you are doing an awesome thing for your health and fitness.