MELBOURNE, Sept. 25 (UPI) -- The finals of Australian Rules Football will be played again after the championship game ended in a tie.
For the first time since 1977 the Grand Finals of Australian Rules Football, or "footy" as it is called here, has ended in a tie. The two suburban Melbourne teams, Collingwood and St. Kilda, fought to a 68-68 tie.
Australian Football League rules require a second game to be played in a week's time to decide the champion.
St. Kilda has not won a national championship in 44 years, while Collingwood last won in 1990.
Unlike American Football, Australian Rules Football is played on a oval pitch with the teams playing continuously. The player may carry the oblong-shaped ball for a limited time before bouncing it on the ground, passing it to a teammate or kicking it between uprights for a goal. No protective padding is used and tackling is permitted.
