Opinion Are AFL Footballers Really Elite Professional Athletes?

[shewho]

We hear a lot about how "elite" AFL footballers are. The more I hear about the parties like the one that lead up to Impeygate the more I really question it. Here's my personal perspective.

I was friends with Sally Newmarch for a while, the other Sally of Olympic rowing. A group of us had dinner most weeks at a pub, everyone drank- except Sally. She did not touch a drop for 50 weeks of the year. In the other two weeks I never saw her drunk. She trained 50 weeks of the year, getting up at 4am, never staying out late, watching what she ate with military precision.

I once met Craig Bradley just after Carlton had been knocked out in the Prelim. He'd been on a bender with a mate (Ben Harris) all night, but hadn't had a single alcoholic drink. I don't think he ever drank.

Now I'm no Prohibitionist but AFL footballers get about 8 weeks off at the end of the year and another couple over Christmas. They play a brutal sport, the only true brutal endurance sport there is. But if you know true professional athletes, then one thing about AFL players as a whole (leaving out exceptions like Bradley), elite professional athletes thy ain't.

 

[OneGreatClub]

We hear a lot about how "elite" AFL footballers are. The more I hear about the parties like the one that lead up to Impeygate the more I really question it. Here's my personal perspective.

I was friends with Sally Newmarch for a while, the other Sally of Olympic rowing. A group of us had dinner most weeks at a pub, everyone drank- except Sally. She did not touch a drop for 50 weeks of the year. In the other two weeks I never saw her drunk. She trained 50 weeks of the year, getting up at 4am, never staying out late, watching what she ate with military precision.

I once met Craig Bradley just after Carlton had been knocked out in the Prelim. He'd been on a bender with a mate (Ben Harris) all night, but hadn't had a single alcoholic drink. I don't think he ever drank.

Now I'm no Prohibitionist but AFL footballers get about 8 weeks off at the end of the year and another couple over Christmas. They play a brutal sport, the only true brutal endurance sport there is. But if you know true professional athletes, then one thing about AFL players as a whole (leaving out exceptions like Bradley), elite professional athletes thy ain't.

hadn't thought of it that way

 

[NoddyHolder]

Can't see survey for voting

 

[Ford Fairlane]

I hate to invoke the name of our nemesis but Graham Cornes has long maintained that AFL footballers are nowhere near Olympic athletes in terms of elite dedication to their sport.

Mind you, Charlie Walsh would have had us believing half the Adelaide Crows team could have ridden in the Tour de France if they'd really wanted to.

 

[Power Girl]

I hate to invoke the name of our nemesis but Graham Cornes has long maintained that AFL footballers are nowhere near Olympic athletes in terms of elite dedication to their sport.

Mind you, Charlie Walsh would have had us believing half the Adelaide Crows team could have ridden in the Tour de France if they'd really wanted to.

If not drinking makes you Cornesesque then drink up lads.

 

[NEGAN]

I think they are.

They are conditioned in their field just as olympians are.

AFL absolutely is one of the toughest games in the world. Most olympians only have to focus on one aspect endurance speed or strength.

AFL players really have to focus on all 3 and be in the upper echelon in all categories.

I am sure an endurance Olympian could run out an AFL game but they wouldn't last 5 mins after one hip and shoulder or strong tackle

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Elite athletes in individual sports have nowhere to hide when they participate in their sports, that's why they have to be elite. they cant go rest on the bench or forward pocket.

It's why I questioned someone who said Jarman is an elite athlete and I asked is he really an elite athlete or just a well paid one?

Very few AFL Footballers have the absolute adherence to diet, alcohol and sheer single minded focus that Olympic athletes in individual sports do or sports like rowing that have pairs and 4's as well as single sculls.

Bradley and Motley where way ahead of the game 30 years ago when they didn't drink and watched fastidiously what they ate when they were both playing in SA and then in the VFL. It was still very much a drinking culture.

 

[croweyrocks]

Sally Newmarch sounds like an exception. Not every single rower in the world would be as disciplined as her and hats off to her.
I'm sure there are afl players out there who are just as disciplined. Keeping in mind players like Impey would be rated like 200th best player in Australia and then compare that to the 200th best rower Australia and you'll find there wouldn't be too much difference.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Sally Newmarch sounds like an exception. Not every single rower in the world would be as disciplined as her and hats off to her.
I'm sure there are afl players out there who are just as disciplined. Keeping in mind players like Impey would be rated like 200th best player in Australia and then compare that to the 200th best rower Australia and you'll find there wouldn't be too much difference.

Have you met many rowers - Olympic standard ones? They are on * all money re their scholarship and if they dont get the results needed by coaches and sports science guys they lose their scholarship funding. Its cut throat. Sure the guys in the 8's might not be as absolutely driven individually, as the singles sculls guy, but they wouldn't be that far apart.

 

[Grave Danger]

I hate to invoke the name of our nemesis but Graham Cornes has long maintained that AFL footballers are nowhere near Olympic athletes in terms of elite dedication to their sport.

Mind you, Charlie Walsh would have had us believing half the Adelaide Crows team could have ridden in the Tour de France if they'd really wanted to.

Everything Gra-Gra says is long maintained. Very long.

 

[croweyrocks]

Have you met many rowers - Olympic standard ones? They are on **** all money re their scholarship and if they dont get the results needed by coaches and sports science guys they lose their scholarship funding. Its cut throat. Sure the guys in the 8's might not be as absolutely driven individually, as the singles sculls guy, but they wouldn't be that far apart.

They are amazing. I'm putting into perspective here that in the AFL there are over 700 athletes compared to maybe 30 "olympic standard" rowers in Australia?
I think some are very professional and some are very unprofessional.
If you however put the top 700 rowers in this country you'll find a few that have the odd beverage also

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

They are amazing. I'm putting into perspective here that in the AFL there are over 700 athletes compared to maybe 30 "olympic standard" rowers in Australia?
I think some are very professional and some are very unprofessional.
If you however put the top 700 rowers in this country you'll find a few that have the odd beverage also

Yes true, but I don't think there are 700 rowers being paid a bit more than the statistical average wage in Oz. There isnt much money in rowing so there isn't the incentive for those who will never get a scholarship to be as dedicated as the absolute elite guys.

Even given this was the first Olympics since 1948 Oz men's didnt qualify an 8's for the Olympics, I would reckon there are probably around 50 men and 40 women are Olympic standard/world championship standard.

 

[edgie]

Of course they are. They are just as much as any other seasonal team sport, and give many individual sports a run too. Silly question. Bad behaviour and poor decisions are in every sport.

 

[Tibbs]

I hate to invoke the name of our nemesis but Graham Cornes has long maintained that AFL footballers are nowhere near Olympic athletes in terms of elite dedication to their sport.

Mind you, Charlie Walsh would have had us believing half the Adelaide Crows team could have ridden in the Tour de France if they'd really wanted to.

Does that mean half of them are on drugs?

 

[Finest of Wines]

I think the nature of team sports and the security of long-term contracts also impact on the players professionalism away from training/work environment.

Olympic athletes may only get one opportunity every four years, to perform at the highest level (olympic games) and need to continually be at their best to qualify etc.

Afl players have the security of long-term contracts with very good pay, and unless they have a major transgression will see out that contract on their terms.

Being young, well known and having a very high salary lends some to enjoy themselves more than they should, but there are also those who are elite professionals away from the field ie Dangerfield, Ebert, etc. For every one player that isnt an'elite' professionals im sure there is one that is

 

[G3TWOTYAD3S3RV]

Well you need to see how overseas soccer players go about it to compare.

 

[NEGAN]

Well you need to see how overseas soccer players go about it to compare.

Eric Cantona comes to mind.

 

[TeeKray]

The talent pool is shallow (only half of one small country actually plays the game) therefore it's easier to get by on natural talent alone than in an Olympic sport or global sport such as soccer where you are competing with millions and millions of athletes and talent is entry level with hard work and preparation actually taking you to the next level.

 

[G3TWOTYAD3S3RV]

Eric Cantona comes to mind.

I'm being serious. Premier league,serie a, la liga etc. Even gridiron & basketball. It would be interesting to see what these guys get up to.

 

[BrockBlitz]

This is a silly debate for 2 reasons.

Sally is a rower. Rowing is a sport that is a repetitive movement. Once the skill is mastered, the only way to go faster is to develop very specific physiological adaptations. Running, cycling, speed skating, swimming etc. Think Phelps, Bolt, Meres etc

Ball sports are a different. Having exceptional physiological adaptations are an advantage but not the be all or end all. Football, and every other ball/puck etc based sport is skill based. Skill based sports have a lot more room for error on the physiology side of things. Think Mitchell who we just cut.

 

[Steve Dore]

Define "elite athlete"?

There are over 700 AFL listed players of around 300,000 people over 15 playing Aussie Rules in Australia. Does that make all of those 700 plus players elite?

What about Rugby? Are all of the players "listed" with one of the 5 Australian Super 12 teams elite? If they are what does that make the players that make the players that make the Wallabies side? Super elite?

 

[Portmanteau]

But do elite athletes have elite kicking skills, the ability to stick to structures and spread hard from the contest?

 

[NEGAN]

I'm being serious. Premier league,serie a, la liga etc. Even gridiron & basketball. It would be interesting to see what these guys get up to.

NBA players,

Scottie Pippen and Jordan had a funny off court incident including Madonna.

 

[G3TWOTYAD3S3RV]

Lol any footage ?

 

[Peck]

Yes they absolutely are.

Once you earn your primary income from a sport you are a professional athelete. Whether they are "elite athletes" seems to be more subjective.

Not all of them are as dedicated as your example but I'd think you would find that not all olympic atheletes are either.