In AFL, if you handball the ball into the goals, is it a goal?

Question

Or can you only kick goals?

Answer 1

No. A goal can only be scored of the foot of a player from the attacking team. If the ball touches another player from the attacking team anywhere from their knees above it is also not a goal.A goal is counted only if it has made contact with your foot or shin. If a defending player accidentally kicks the ball through the goals they are defending, it is only one point as they are not the attacking team. Handballing it into the goals is known as rushing behinds. This normally is used as a last resort to relieve pressure on a defender backed into a corner and is booed by the attacking team, but applauded by the defending team. The AFL uses a rushed behind rule in the NAB Cup preseason competition where if a player deliberately rushes a behind, 3 points are given instead of 1. This is yet to feature in the regular season. Rushing behinds can backfire though. If your intention is to rush a behind, but the ball hits the point post, it is paid as a free kick to the other team for deliberate out of bounds, regardless whether it bounces or not

Answer 2

A goal has to be off the foot of a player whose goal it is.  If the ball goes into your own goal off anything other than the foot of a player in your team, it counts as a behind (a behind = 1 point, a goal = 6 points).  If a player puts the ball through the opposition's goal, even if it's off their foot, it still only registers a behind.  This is called a "rushed behind"