The most important rule when attacking the football and spoiling is to be certain that the ball does not get behind you, i.e. spoil forward and outwards.

when an opposing forward has possession of the football on either flank and is trying to run around you or is in front of you, move slightly inboard when attacking him so that he is forced to go outboard if he is to go around you, i.e. make him shoot from the most acute angle possible.

When playing on a taller opponent who is a strong mark, front position is still the best, and if the ball is kicked in high, back into the player and if necessary when faking the attempt to spoil, knock one of his arms away at the last minute.

When an opposing forward is having a long set shot at goal, there is no reason why opposing forwards should be able to shepherd the back men away from the contest, allowing the ball to sneak through for a goal. A follower should always move down to the goal line and be available to run in from behind the goals and leap to touch the football.

When kicking in from behind, there are innumerable options with regard to play, e.g. kicking to the ruckman, kicking to a short lead generated by a wingman etc., clustering on the 30 metre line and breaking etc. The main aim is to increase your percentage chance of going forward with the football. The short pass is only useful if the player is imminently clear and a slight miskick will not result in disaster. It is also only useful if there are extra players downfield to enable that player to move the ball on quickly.

Don't be hurried when kicking in from a behind. It is one of the few occasions when you can change your mind and the direction you are moving without being called to play on. Therefore, if you decide to kick to a lead and then change your mind just as you are about to kick it, stop, go back and select another option. There is nothing to stop each leading player from running back in the other direction and creating an alternative lead. In fact running "V" leads from the cluster will give us greater number in the corridor for the kick-in.

The best approach is to try to get a maximum number of players at the point where the ball will fall. Therefore it is useful if several players make leads towards the boundary line and then, as the ball is about to be kicked down the centre, those players should prop and turn and run back to where the ball is about to drop so that we have greatest number of players at the fall of the ball.

Routine plays from the kick-in need to be rehearsed, just like other aspects of the game.