Australian Sporting Priority

[SaintsFan_Webby]

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AFL will never have the same draw as rugby for me, but it's really fun to go and watch live. Went to see Essendon Bombers vs Geelong Cats last season and had a blast. Even went out and bought a Bombers jersey, which makes a nice unusual bit of sporting memorabilia this side of the equator. Even had an Aussie comment on it walking through the streets once.

The Bombers seem a bit **** generally though. All I can remember is that Scott Lucas seems pretty awesome, and some little Aboriginal guy (Andrew Walker?) was also fairly decent.
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Essendon would be my team too.

Watch the bombers fly up, up....
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Dear me, I nearly forgot to mention the sheer awesomeness of the team song.

I've forgotton the words now, but at the time I went to watch them I couldn't get it out of my head.

 

[The TRUTH]

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AFL will never have the same draw as rugby for me, but it's really fun to go and watch live. Went to see Essendon Bombers vs Geelong Cats last season and had a blast. Even went out and bought a Bombers jersey, which makes a nice unusual bit of sporting memorabilia this side of the equator. Even had an Aussie comment on it walking through the streets once.

The Bombers seem a bit **** generally though. All I can remember is that Scott Lucas seems pretty awesome, and some little Aboriginal guy (Andrew Walker?) was also fairly decent.
[/b]

Essendon would be my team too.

Watch the bombers fly up, up....
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Dear me, I nearly forgot to mention the sheer awesomeness of the team song.

I've forgotton the words now, but at the time I went to watch them I couldn't get it out of my head.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cezCivjURGs...ted&search=

 

[shtove]

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There's also the International Rules series, between amateur Irish GAA players and professional AFL players.
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AFL is just extremely interesting to me for some reason.
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Yeah, organised chaos. Shape of the ball, shape of the pitch. Fairy refs. And the hits are bad.

It's rugby, GAA, and cricket - all in one. And played by ... outback Aussies. I'd prefer to face saltwater crocodiles.

 

[melon]

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There's also the International Rules series, between amateur Irish GAA players and professional AFL players.
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AFL is just extremely interesting to me for some reason.
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Yeah, organised chaos. Shape of the ball, shape of the pitch. Fairy refs. And the hits are bad.

It's rugby, GAA, and cricket - all in one. And played by ... outback Aussies. I'd prefer to face saltwater crocodiles. [/b][/quote]
You have no idea what you're talking about. I hate how people that don't know **** about Australia, provide an opinion. Only provide an opinion if you actually know something about the topic at hand AFL infact, is played by more metropoliatan Aussies than union and league.

*EDIT...i've just thought about what I wrote, and it may have been a tad inappropriate...but meh...it still stands.

 

[O'Rothlain]

can anyone go back and answer my questions?

 

[shtove]

AFL infact, is played by more metropoliatan Aussies than union and league.
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Well, they look like a bunch of hayseeds. And don't you lot all wear hats with corks hanging off them? Oym off to me billabong to shig a sheep. G'day, cobbah.

 

[The TRUTH]

can anyone go back and answer my questions?
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Which question did i miss?




Shtove, looks like you caught yourself a big one :lol:

 

[O'Rothlain]

A brief explanation of the rules and scoring structure...
I understand that the game is all about getting the ball to a position to kick. As in they run and/or kick the ball to get it to a player who is lined up to take a shot at goal. I understand that the center posts are worth more points (3?) and that the outer post are worth fewer (1?). It's my understanding that there really isn't any offsides, but outside of that I don't understand what the players defensively or offensively are trying to do...
I assume the defense is trying to tie up the offense...they can't fully tackle, but they try to wrap up and hinder movement? I don't understand what constitutes a turnover or what penalties are. Also, is there offensive strategy? I would assume so.

Outside of that, who are the teams at the top? Also, I assume it's fully proffesional (the AFL), so what type of salaries do those guys pull? Also, underneath the AFL what is the system like...by that I mean when do kids start playing and what is the development like.
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These questions... :lol2tn:

 

[The TRUTH]

:huh: Check page 2 mate

 

[ak47]

cricket is our national game

AFL was invented to keep the cricketers fitness levels up during the winter months way back in the 1800's

u can go to any pub in any part of the country and talk cricket
u cant with any other sport - depends on your region

heck u'll even get great cricket chatter in taxi's..........

 

[Dumbo]

Yup, taxi cricket is always interesting... Iandians, Sri Lanky's, Paky's... we've got em all

 

[O'Rothlain]

:huh: Check page 2 mate
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How did I f___ing miss that? Must have had my retard glasses on?
Great thanks...aside from picking a team, I think I'm fully ready to be a Aussie Rule Supporter (You all just call it footy, though...right?).

 

[Dumbo]

Don't turn to the dark side there O'Rathlain.
Stick with rugby, Footy will die in the ass one day...

 

[O'Rothlain]

It's my broad appreciation for all things non-american which led to my love of rugby. Aussie Rules is probably one of the first things that caught my attention (because 10 years ago, you would catch it at odd times on ESPN 2 and FOX Sports World...and I never really saw rugby) outside of typically American Sports. So, having said that...I find it enjoyable to watch...but I don't have the years of bias that you lot have had...now talk to me about Football (gridiron) vs Baseball or something and I can definitely persuade you as you are doing me.

 

[darkozone]

F'n Soccer.

It's on the rise in the US, believe it or not.
I'd have to Say in America it's like this:

1. baseball
2. football
3. basketball
4. hockey
5. soccer

and then there's all the unknown faces of the underground uprising that is Rugby.
Funny thing is, though, most guys who play Rugby in the US are completely unaware of this thing called League. I was trying to have a conversation with a guy the other day about how I thought league would actually appeal more to an american audience, and he said, "I don't have a clue what you're talking about." I was like "Rugby League." He said "I think I've heard someone use that term before, but what is that?" Then I had to explain all of the history ect...

1st, NFL is definitley bigger than baseball. The last Super Bowl was the most-watched television event in US history. 2nd Soccer on the pro level isn't even on the list. Soccer is an extremely popular youth sport in the US, but it has hardly any support at the pro and college levels. I would say auto racing, or NASCAR is definitley more popular than soccer here. Yes, come World Cup time we all get pumped, that's just cuz we're extremely competitive when it comes to any international sports competition. 3rd, You are 100% correct on rugby league, not a single player on my team knows anything about rugby league besides the fact that there's no rucking. I would enjoy playing it in the offseason (summer) instead of MIDIs and 7s, but there isn't a single youth rugby league club in my area. Seeing the positive reaction to televised 7s events here, I think rugby league would definitley appeal to NFL fans here, and it would draw a sizeable NFL offseason audience.

 

[LittleGuy]

1st, NFL is definitley bigger than baseball. The last Super Bowl was the most-watched television event in US history. 2nd Soccer on the pro level isn't even on the list. Soccer is an extremely popular youth sport in the US, but it has hardly any support at the pro and college levels. I would say auto racing, or NASCAR is definitley more popular than soccer here. Yes, come World Cup time we all get pumped, that's just cuz we're extremely competitive when it comes to any international sports competition. 3rd, You are 100% correct on rugby league, not a single player on my team knows anything about rugby league besides the fact that there's no rucking. I would enjoy playing it in the offseason (summer) instead of MIDIs and 7s, but there isn't a single youth rugby league club in my area. Seeing the positive reaction to televised 7s events here, I think rugby league would definitley appeal to NFL fans here, and it would draw a sizeable NFL offseason audience.

It was a four year old thread, things have changed since these statements were made.

 

[centurion]

NSW and Queensland are Rugby dominated. Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territory and Tasmania are AFL dominated. Summer is cricket, winter is footy codes depending on which state you live. At least now Rugby Union has come into melbourne in the form of the Rebels.