Discussion AFL Clubs as NFL Teams

[lethalsax]

Anyone want to venture a comparison between AFL clubs and American NFL teams from a historical perspective?
Like, is Richmond comparable to the Patriots? Who are the Detroit Lions or Cleveland Browns of the AFL?
I’d like to get a good general feel for each club historically and all I can muster so far is who’ve won Premierships the past 10-20 years.

Are there any rivalries that you could compare to NFL ones as well?

 

[jle101]

Anyone want to venture a comparison between AFL clubs and American NFL teams from a historical perspective?
Like, is Richmond comparable to the Patriots? Who are the Detroit Lions or Cleveland Browns of the AFL?
I’d like to get a good general feel for each club historically and all I can muster so far is who’ve won Premierships the past 10-20 years.

Are there any rivalries that you could compare to NFL ones as well?

Hard to make a direct comparison between the two leagues in my opinion. The "AFL" as it's known as today emerged from one league (the Victorian Football League) branching out with expansion teams & basically forming a monopoly over the sport which forced the other football institutions from around the country to conform or fall into irrelevance.

If it helps, here is a super oversimplified look at a few teams & their cultures.

Melbourne Demons - A team with a long history founded by members of the elite-class Melbourne Cricket Club. Traditionally supported by people in the higher socio-economic class.

Collingwood Magpies - Working class club which has morphed into a multi-million dollar empire. Has the highest percentage of supporters out of all Melbourne based clubs.

West Coast Eagles - Franchise club created by the West Australian Football League to compete in the (then) VFL. Not everyone in Perth lent their support to them though, preferring to stick with their traditional team in the WAFL.

Adelaide Crows - Similar story to West Coast, but based in Adelaide, South Australia. For a long time the SANFL was the last remaining entity to resist joining the "AFL", but eventually the hand of the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) was forced. Traditionally, the Crows are seen as having a more upper-class supporter base than their cross-town rivals, Port Adelaide.

There are more stories here, someone else might be able to fill you in on the rest of the teams.

 

[lethalsax]

Hard to make a direct comparison between the two leagues in my opinion. The "AFL" as it's known as today emerged from one league (the Victorian Football League) branching out with expansion teams & basically forming a monopoly over the sport which forced the other football institutions from around the country to conform or fall into irrelevance.

If it helps, here is a super oversimplified look at a few teams & their cultures.

Melbourne Demons - A team with a long history founded by members of the elite-class Melbourne Cricket Club. Traditionally supported by people in the higher socio-economic class.

Collingwood Magpies - Working class club which has morphed into a multi-million dollar empire. Has the highest percentage of supporters out of all Melbourne based clubs.

West Coast Eagles - Franchise club created by the West Australian Football League to compete in the (then) VFL. Not everyone in Perth lent their support to them though, preferring to stick with their traditional team in the WAFL.

Adelaide Crows - Similar story to West Coast, but based in Adelaide, South Australia. For a long time the SANFL was the last remaining entity to resist joining the "AFL", but eventually the hand of the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) was forced. Traditionally, the Crows are seen as having a more upper-class supporter base than their cross-town rivals, Port Adelaide.

There are more stories here, someone else might be able to fill you in on the rest of the teams.

I love this, so the more the better! Thanks!!

 

[megadeth86]

Hard to make a direct comparison between the two leagues in my opinion. The "AFL" as it's known as today emerged from one league (the Victorian Football League) branching out with expansion teams & basically forming a monopoly over the sport which forced the other football institutions from around the country to conform or fall into irrelevance.

If it helps, here is a super oversimplified look at a few teams & their cultures.

Melbourne Demons - A team with a long history founded by members of the elite-class Melbourne Cricket Club. Traditionally supported by people in the higher socio-economic class.

Collingwood Magpies - Working class club which has morphed into a multi-million dollar empire. Has the highest percentage of supporters out of all Melbourne based clubs.

West Coast Eagles - Franchise club created by the West Australian Football League to compete in the (then) VFL. Not everyone in Perth lent their support to them though, preferring to stick with their traditional team in the WAFL.

Adelaide Crows - Similar story to West Coast, but based in Adelaide, South Australia. For a long time the SANFL was the last remaining entity to resist joining the "AFL", but eventually the hand of the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) was forced. Traditionally, the Crows are seen as having a more upper-class supporter base than their cross-town rivals, Port Adelaide.

There are more stories here, someone else might be able to fill you in on the rest of the teams.

I enjoyed that list - would love you or someone else to finish it off.

 

[megadeth86]

Here's one for you - can we say Glasgow Rangers is equivalent to Carlton and Glasgow Celtic equivalent to Collingwood? Collingwood did have Irish-Catholic foundations.

 

[killer]

Celtic = Collingwood??


Dunno if sectarianism ever existed to that extent in Australian football

Collingwood might be more equivalent to Dunfermline (black and white, mediocre results

Was Richmond originally an Irish Cathlolic club?

It is an uncomfortable and awkward topic, but as an indicator of the Catholic, Irish, trade union and working class roots of Collingwood, Richmond and Fitrzoy in particular (and Carlton to some degree) those 4 teams were the ones that kept playing during WW1. Staunch establishment clubs...

www.bigfooty.com

 

[fake tyrone]

Celtic = Collingwood??


Dunno if sectarianism ever existed to that extent in Australian football

Collingwood might be more equivalent to Dunfermline (black and white, mediocre results

Was Richmond originally an Irish Cathlolic club?

It is an uncomfortable and awkward topic, but as an indicator of the Catholic, Irish, trade union and working class roots of Collingwood, Richmond and Fitrzoy in particular (and Carlton to some degree) those 4 teams were the ones that kept playing during WW1. Staunch establishment clubs...

www.bigfooty.com

I agree, although I was fascinated to find out Essendon had Protestant roots going way back when. Certainly nothing like we see over in Scotland, not even close. As far as the NFL-AFL comparison goes OP, if there's a powerful, outspoken, media-loving type of club owner then his reflection in the AFL probably comes in the form of Eddie McGuire, former president of Collingwood. As far as direct club comparisons go, maybe the Gold Coast Suns as a newer team struggling to make an impression on the field (and having never played finals) are perhaps reminiscent of the Jags? The Richmond Tigers of 2002-2012 remind me of the Browns today (making the playoffs last season reminded me of the Tigers making finals in 2013 for the first time since 2002). As a staunch AFL supporter and a very casual NFL fan, that's the best I can do.

 

[killer]

Is there an Australian football equivalent of the Celtic's (according to this book) Persecution complex?
"The author examines the persistent feeling among Celtic supporters
that the club has been unfairly dealt with by the football authorities"

 

[kaiserchief13]

Oakland Raiders are definitely Collingwood

 

[killer]

From another angle
The Australian Football equivalent of a Vince Lombardi?
take a team from mediocrity to unbeatable then the team returns to mediocrity as soon as the coach leaves?
Jack Oatey ? Norm Smith?

 

[megadeth86]

I agree, although I was fascinated to find out Essendon had Protestant roots going way back when. Certainly nothing like we see over in Scotland, not even close. As far as the NFL-AFL comparison goes OP, if there's a powerful, outspoken, media-loving type of club owner then his reflection in the AFL probably comes in the form of Eddie McGuire, former president of Collingwood. As far as direct club comparisons go, maybe the Gold Coast Suns as a newer team struggling to make an impression on the field (and having never played finals) are perhaps reminiscent of the Jags? The Richmond Tigers of 2002-2012 remind me of the Browns today (making the playoffs last season reminded me of the Tigers making finals in 2013 for the first time since 2002). As a staunch AFL supporter and a very casual NFL fan, that's the best I can do.

I read that Fitzroy, Richmond and Collingwood were Irish-Catholic (back when it used to matter) and Essendon and Carlton were Protestant.

All the Catholic Italian support at Carlton now obviously confuses that picture somewhat.

 

[lethalsax]

Oakland Raiders are definitely Collingwood

Ooh. Ok! All talk no substance?

 

[kaiserchief13]

Ooh. Ok! All talk no substance?

Similar fans

 

[magpienato]

Are there any rivalries that you could compare to NFL ones as well?

Bears vs Packers is quite comparable to Collingwood vs Carlton. A rivalry forged by history.

 

[lethalsax]

Bears vs Packers is quite comparable to Collingwood vs Carlton. A rivalry forged by history.

Ah, I love it! Thanks!
In the AFL, are the teams each side plays twice always the same each year, or randomly assigned when the schedule is made?

 

[magpienato]

Ah, I love it! Thanks!
In the AFL, are the teams each side plays twice always the same each year, or randomly assigned when the schedule is made?

In a normal year at least the schedule (or fixture as we like to call it) consists of all 18 teams playing at least once throughout the year. The remainder of the games are decided by what's called a 'weighted fixture'. So the ladder from the previous season is split up into 3 groups of 6, the bottom 6, middle 6 and top 6.

This image here will explain it far better than I can.



Now how are the actual matchups determined? Well the AFL have attendance and TV viewership at the forefront of their mind at all times which is why you'll see them try the best they can to get these blockbuster games twice a year, like your Collingwood vs Richmond or Port Adelaide vs Adelaide etc. It's not exactly methodical in that regard, the AFL just pick and choose what will make the most sponsorship money I suppose.

This weighted system was adopted fairly recently, back in 2013 I think. Not sure what they did prior to that, I think it literally was just random who you doubled up with.

 

[lethalsax]

In a normal year at least the schedule (or fixture as we like to call it) consists of all 18 teams playing at least once throughout the year. The remainder of the games are decided by what's called a 'weighted fixture'. So the ladder from the previous season is split up into 3 groups of 6, the bottom 6, middle 6 and top 6.

This image here will explain it far better than I can.

View attachment 1157686

Now how are the actual matchups determined? Well the AFL have attendance and TV viewership at the forefront of their mind at all times which is why you'll see them try the best they can to get these blockbuster games twice a year, like your Collingwood vs Richmond or Port Adelaide vs Adelaide etc. It's not exactly methodical in that regard, the AFL just pick and choose what will make the most sponsorship money I suppose.

This weighted system was adopted fairly recently, back in 2013 I think. Not sure what they did prior to that, I think it literally was just random who you doubled up with.

That’s great thanks again!

 

[Occidental]

Here's one for you - can we say Glasgow Rangers is equivalent to Carlton and Glasgow Celtic equivalent to Collingwood? Collingwood did have Irish-Catholic foundations.

Bucks and Viduka obviously agree.

 

[Kepler123HD]

Here is a jersey I made if NFL joined the AFL. I’ve got more if you want me to send some. This ones the Patriot.

 

[lethalsax]

Here is a jersey I made if NFL joined the AFL. I’ve got more if you want me to send some. This ones the Patriot.
View attachment 1246307

I like this idea. Keep em comin’ I say!


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com