Glossary of Australian Rules Football - C

C

Centimetre perfect

a phrase commonly used by commentator Dennis Cometti to refer to a kick that could not have been placed any better.

Central umpire

an official who patrols the field of play, awarding free kicks, indicating time-on and time-off, and restarting the game after stoppages, goals etc.

Centre

the middle of the ground, also the name given to a player who starts the game in that position.

Centre bounce

the bounce of the ball in the centre of the ground to start a quarter, or after a goal.

Centre square

a fifty metre square drawn around the centre of the ground. Only four players from each team may stand inside the centre square prior to a centre bounce, but the square otherwise has no significance.

Charlie

colloquialism for the Brownlow Medal.

Checkside

a kick which causes the ball to swing in the air in the opposite direction to the usual. See banana.

Chicken wing tackle

a tackle that locks in an opponent's arm so that he cannot legally dispose of the ball. This term originated in Rugby League.

Clanger

a blatant, unforced error. Most typically, this will be either conceding a free kick, or kicking or handpassing the ball directly to an opponent.

Clearance

the clearing of the ball out of a stoppage situation, to the advantage of one team or the other.

Cluster

a type of zone defense consisting of a grid-like arrangement of fifteen or more players, particularly used to oppose a kick-in.

Coach

the manager of the team who controls the team's tactics during a match.

Contest

an in-game scenario where two or more players have an opportunity to win the ball.

Contested possession

a possession achieved as a result of winning a contest.

Corkie

colloquialism for a corked muscle, which is a deep bruise, usually in the leg.

Corridor

the imaginary strip of the ground that runs through the centre from goal to goal; a team who moves the ball in this area is said to "play through the corridor".

Crumber

a player who waits at the base of a marking pack in order to gather the loose ball if no mark is taken and the ball spills to ground. Similarly, gathering the ball in this manner is described as "getting the crumbs".