Changing allegiances

[evans1863]

Welcome to a brand new series of British guy who loves the AFL asks stupid questions.

Why are we so accepting of players who get drafted interstate (or anywhere really) so accepting of changing their allegiance?

if my grandad (or whoever) had a team that he was wedded too, the team would pass to my mum/dad and would be passed on to me. I went to my first Stoke game early and wouldn’t palate changing teams, unless I had a multi-year career etc.

As much as I see the benefits of how much less tribal the AFL is - surely we care about how we grew up and who we follow. Lads like Ginbey and Allan must struggle to actually support us (unless they play for us for 8+ years) having grown up as Dockets? Let alone their parents following us?

Just really keen to understand more about why we seem way more open to changing teams in the AFL, If, for example, my cousin signed for Wolves or Man Utd, I’d wish them the best, but still hate their club, unless they again played multi-seasons etc.

You can tell off-season has started early

 

[The_Reaper]

Draft has been around for two decades before any current draftee was born.

Anyone growing up with any interest in playing in the AFL knows that there is a draft so has years to come to terms with it.

The only real issue is the Vic Metro boys not needing to come to terms with leaving Melbourne so being proportionally more likely to be “homesick”

 

[squashface]

Welcome to a brand new series of British guy who loves the AFL asks stupid questions.

Why are we so accepting of players who get drafted interstate (or anywhere really) so accepting of changing their allegiance?

if my grandad (or whoever) had a team that he was wedded too, the team would pass to my mum/dad and would be passed on to me. I went to my first Stoke game early and wouldn’t palate changing teams, unless I had a multi-year career etc.

As much as I see the benefits of how much less tribal the AFL is - surely we care about how we grew up and who we follow. Lads like Ginbey and Allan must struggle to actually support us (unless they play for us for 8+ years) having grown up as Dockets? Let alone their parents following us?

Just really keen to understand more about why we seem way more open to changing teams in the AFL, If, for example, my cousin signed for Wolves or Man Utd, I’d wish them the best, but still hate their club, unless they again played multi-seasons etc.

You can tell off-season has started early

If I got paid ridiculous amounts of coin to play football for my job I wouldn't give two shits where it was at

 

[evans1863]

Draft has been around for two decades before any current draftee was born.

Anyone growing up with any interest in playing in the AFL knows that there is a draft so has years to come to terms with it.

The only real issue is the Vic Metro boys not needing to come to terms with leaving Melbourne so being proportionally more likely to be “homesick”

I get that, but if I was a draftee, I’d still be saying: ‘look I’m buzzing to be drafted by XXX but as you know XXX are my team. I’m honoured to pull on this shirt and I’ll give my all for it’. Feel like that would be the more honest approach?

 

[THE A5]

Majority of these guys are die hard supporters but i suppose once you get entrenched into a team it’s probably easy to jump ship.

 

[Dazzler9]

I get that, but if I was a draftee, I’d still be saying: ‘look I’m buzzing to be drafted by XXX but as you know XXX are my team. I’m honoured to pull on this shirt and I’ll give my all for it’. Feel like that would be the more honest approach?

Once players are drafted and find themselves in a club environment, their allegiances as a kid fade away. They're just stoked to be in the system, form bonds with their new teammates, and that is that.

I don't think I've ever heard of a player asking to be traded so that he can play for the team he supported as a kid.

 

[Dazzler9]

if my grandad (or whoever) had a team that he was wedded too, the team would pass to my mum/dad and would be passed on to me. I went to my first Stoke game early and wouldn’t palate changing teams, unless I had a multi-year career etc.

It's very different over here. Many families support different clubs. One of my mates has three kids, and in that household every individual supports a different club.

 

[bzparkes]

I thought this was gonna be another statement from a poster saying they're defecting to Freo, like 88mph did at the start of '18 when we lost the preseason derby...

 

[bzparkes]

Majority of these guys are die hard supporters but i suppose once you get entrenched into a team it’s probably easy to jump ship.

Maric said it after being drafted. Was a diehard Carlton supporter and kept up with them after being drafted for a few weeks but then just got too busy and lost interest once he was playing seniors.

 

[bzparkes]

Welcome to a brand new series of British guy who loves the AFL asks stupid questions.

Why are we so accepting of players who get drafted interstate (or anywhere really) so accepting of changing their allegiance?

if my grandad (or whoever) had a team that he was wedded too, the team would pass to my mum/dad and would be passed on to me. I went to my first Stoke game early and wouldn’t palate changing teams, unless I had a multi-year career etc.

As much as I see the benefits of how much less tribal the AFL is - surely we care about how we grew up and who we follow. Lads like Ginbey and Allan must struggle to actually support us (unless they play for us for 8+ years) having grown up as Dockets? Let alone their parents following us?

Just really keen to understand more about why we seem way more open to changing teams in the AFL, If, for example, my cousin signed for Wolves or Man Utd, I’d wish them the best, but still hate their club, unless they again played multi-seasons etc.

You can tell off-season has started early

As others have said, it's mostly due to the draft and the way development pathways are set up. Players may go for one club but end up being aligned to another. It's also nowhere near as tribal as it was pre-AFL. I daresay the fact that most players don't end up at the club they grew up supporting, and being aware of this fact their entire junior career, would mean players and families have a long time to come to terms with this.

 

[THE A5]

It also feels like we are getting more kids these days that follow specific players and have a loose interest for the club the barracked for as a kid

 

[Dazzler9]

I mean, not many soccer players at the top level end up playing for their boyhood club, surely? Wayne Rooney did, then went to Man Utd because it was a bigger club. More money, European football, trophies etc.

 

[evans1863]

I mean, not many soccer players at the top level end up playing for their boyhood club, surely? Wayne Rooney did, then went to Man Utd because it was a bigger club. More money, European football, trophies etc.

Very true but we have way less siblings or F/S coming through. Means that their dads will continue to support their natural team instead of jumping ship to where their son ends up,

 

[uptheWC]

Which of our players supported us growing up? I know Hewett and Baker and formerly Allen.

 

[HoneyBadger35]

Very true but we have way less siblings or F/S coming through. Means that their dads will continue to support their natural team instead of jumping ship to where their son ends up,

The Gray family are Leeds through and through, but do you sit and hope your grandson/son/nephew/brother never have a win against ‘your’ club/move on for more European opportunity, or do you wish your kid every success at every turn. Also with the massively increasing disparity in money across the soccer landscape that wasnt as prevalent in prior generations, it’s going to get less and less entrenched that you stay at one club or your club for long periods of time etc.

I also suspect plenty of parents here keep their original team and pick up their kid’s new team as a bonus.

 

[HoneyBadger35]

Which of our players supported us growing up? I know Hewett and Baker and formerly Allen.

Jarrod Brander did hilariously enough for an east coast bloke. Turned out well.

 

[FKASC]

Which of our players supported us growing up? I know Hewett and Baker and formerly Allen.

Duggab

 

[unty11]

Once players are drafted and find themselves in a club environment, their allegiances as a kid fade away. They're just stoked to be in the system, form bonds with their new teammates, and that is that.

I don't think I've ever heard of a player asking to be traded so that he can play for the team he supported as a kid.

I can think of one, JHF.

 

[unty11]

During their talent pathway years they also often end up playing for clubs aligned with afl clubs they don't support so it's not as big of a deal for them to get drafted to an afl club they didn't support growing up.

 

[amazingjoshy]

Once players are drafted and find themselves in a club environment, their allegiances as a kid fade away. They're just stoked to be in the system, form bonds with their new teammates, and that is that.

I don't think I've ever heard of a player asking to be traded so that he can play for the team he supported as a kid.

Liam Baker?

 

[Big_Birdy]

Welcome to a brand new series of British guy who loves the AFL asks stupid questions.

Why are we so accepting of players who get drafted interstate (or anywhere really) so accepting of changing their allegiance?

if my grandad (or whoever) had a team that he was wedded too, the team would pass to my mum/dad and would be passed on to me. I went to my first Stoke game early and wouldn’t palate changing teams, unless I had a multi-year career etc.

As much as I see the benefits of how much less tribal the AFL is - surely we care about how we grew up and who we follow. Lads like Ginbey and Allan must struggle to actually support us (unless they play for us for 8+ years) having grown up as Dockets? Let alone their parents following us?

Just really keen to understand more about why we seem way more open to changing teams in the AFL, If, for example, my cousin signed for Wolves or Man Utd, I’d wish them the best, but still hate their club, unless they again played multi-seasons etc.

You can tell off-season has started early

To be honest, the supporting culture for AFL (and any sport in Australia really) is much more healthy than football support in the UK (of course with exceptions in both Oz and the UK). You can sit in the members of the home team as an away supporter an 99.9% of the time have an enjoyable experience win, lose or draw.

Probably has a fair bit to do with it.

 

[bzparkes]

Which of our players supported us growing up? I know Hewett and Baker and formerly Allen.

There's a few others:

Waterman.
Brockman.
I presume Cripps, as Mainwaring was his 2nd cousin. Could be wrong.
Kelly.
Hough.
Champion.

 

[evans1863]

To be honest, the supporting culture for AFL (and any sport in Australia really) is much more healthy than football support in the UK (of course with exceptions in both Oz and the UK). You can sit in the members of the home team as an away supporter an 99.9% of the time have an enjoyable experience win, lose or draw.

Probably has a fair bit to do with it.

Rugby union is the same, it’s only really football where you have segregation.

Tbh I don’t mind it either way, I always enjoy mingling with opposition fans before and after the game, but I also enjoy a dedicated away end where you can get vocal. Definitely don’t agree with any of that spilling over and becoming a problem, and tbh it hasn’t really been an issue in the UK since the early 2000s.

Due to the close proximity of teams in the UK you can get a few thousand away fans every week. Obviously not feasible in Australian or American sports and that removes a lot of the tribal aspect.

 

[uptheWC]

There's a few others:

Waterman.
Brockman.
I presume Cripps, as Mainwaring was his 2nd cousin. Could be wrong.
Kelly.
Hough.
Champion.

Didn’t think of Waterman, father son aspect

Hough is surprising considering he’s from down peel way

 

[bzparkes]

Didn’t think of Waterman, father son aspect

Hough is surprising considering he’s from down peel way

Lifelong West Coast fan apparently.

On a few others:

• Bazzo - Bulldogs fan
• Hall - Geelong fan. Grew up in Geelong in until age 10 before family moved back to WA.
• Edwards - Went for Essendon
• Yeo, Ginbey, Allan, Davis and Gross were all Freo fans. Gross' mother is from WA, even though he himself is from Vic. Somehow ended up being a Shockers fan.
• No idea about Dewar.