Chants in AFL Games

[RememberMe]

Some people really have no sense of fun whatsover. Tell me, does other people singing impact on your ability to watch the game? No.


I was highly impressed with the fact that even when getting hammered, you could still hear the Barmy Army's singing dominating the crowd noise. Especially in Perth i was mega impressed with them.

I hope you're not trying to imply that because the Barmy Army don't shut the ******** up for the entire day, even though they are getting pumped (whats new), that this is an exhibition of sportsmanship? The last time I went to an England V Australia game, my friends and I (up in the wet section) decided we'd beat them at their own game, and started singing and carrying on straight back at the loud pricks.

Needless to say, they didn't take to kindly to this, and we soon had a pack of bald, fat, pasty, pimply, smelly, disgustingly obese, middle aged Englishmen coming to confront us. We told them to piss off, and that they weren't going to be the only ppl singing offensive songs at the cricket that day. They informed us that there were more of them than us, and I said, "Look around you fat man... I've got 40,000 people who will back me up."

The English lads started a brawl, half the wet section got kicked out. Anyway, the moral of the story is that the Barmy Army is just a bunch of mouthy pricks that like to chirp too much. Mouth back, and they get all upset and cry.

I know they don't like to be associated with each other, but the English fans remind me a bit of the Irish... They can dish it out, but can't take it back.

 

[deano the hawka]

This is unbelievable:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLGoNfMq9Hc

Went to that match, and was on the Eastern End.

Fun

 

[Renegade]

I hope you're not trying to imply that because the Barmy Army don't shut the ******** up for the entire day, even though they are getting pumped (whats new), that this is an exhibition of sportsmanship? The last time I went to an England V Australia game, my friends and I (up in the wet section) decided we'd beat them at their own game, and started singing and carrying on straight back at the loud pricks.

Needless to say, they didn't take to kindly to this, and we soon had a pack of bald, fat, pasty, pimply, smelly, disgustingly obese, middle aged Englishmen coming to confront us. We told them to piss off, and that they weren't going to be the only ppl singing offensive songs at the cricket that day. They informed us that there were more of them than us, and I said, "Look around you fat man... I've got 40,000 people who will back me up."

The English lads started a brawl, half the wet section got kicked out. Anyway, the moral of the story is that the Barmy Army is just a bunch of mouthy pricks that like to chirp too much. Mouth back, and they get all upset and cry.

I know they don't like to be associated with each other, but the English fans remind me a bit of the Irish... They can dish it out, but can't take it back.

You idiot. Obviously never been to a match where the Barmy Army were. Nice fantasy story.

 

[RememberMe]

You idiot. Obviously never been to a match where the Barmy Army were. Nice fantasy story.

We need a wicket badly.

 

[sauce_head]

You idiot. Obviously never been to a match where the Barmy Army were. Nice fantasy story.

As somebody who went to the Lord's, Old Trafford and the Oval tests, I must say that a lot of the new English cricket supporters are, unfortunately, footy hooligans.

Lord's, 05. The crowd were in great voice, singing piss taking chants about the Aussie cricketers. Three of us replied making up our own, albeit poor, replies and were greeted with cheers. A traditional English cricket crowd.

Old Trafford. The crowd were singing derogatory chants, aggressive and more interested in the singing than the cricket. Retaliatory chants were shouted down and stood over with over aggression, the worst aspect of English supporters were witnessed here. Nothing clever, a desire to intimidate which added nothing to the atmosphere, although you would not know it by listening to the commentators, who for some reason think repetitive droning adds to the game and is a sport in itself.

The Oval, last day. Anti-Australian chants, some in good nature but underlined with an "if we do not beat you we will beat you outside" atmosphere. Retaliation chants met with swearing and threats. Funnily enough this turned good natured once it became apparent they would win.

In my vast English sport viewing experience (I have lived here over five years, have an English girlfriend and numerous English mates that I attend matches with), chants are too often the first step to pack mentality. It is sad that it is creeping into cricket. The last think a lot of us want to see is soccer style aggression at the ground.

I would be happy to not see it in AFL either, the game does not need it. I revise my position on chanting at the AFL, we are better off without it.

 

[Crosby87]

The last think a lot of us want to see is soccer style aggression at the ground.

Agreed. End thread.

 

[Mcchawk]

Are you suggesting that soccer fans are more 'cultured' than AFL fans?

I remember as a teen in the mid to late 80's, the Hawthorn cheer squad had a few original chants but have not heard them in a long time!!! One of them was as easy as chanting the club name slowly over and over again.........Hawwwww - thornnnnnn.........Hawwwww - thornnnnnn..........Hawwwww - thornnnnnn..........etc..... Usually sung to push the team on when the team was 10+ goals ahead !

While a very simple chant, it was a welcome change from the clap, clap clap garbage and was very effective when a large section of the crowd joined in.

It was to the tune of Amzing Grace

 

[Beckers]

It was to the tune of Amzing Grace

Thanks Mcchawk, that starts to make a bit of sense now! But it begs the question, what happened to it??

I think i am going to start the anti clapclapclap campaign!!!

 

[MightyFighting]

I remember that at Waverley, most people didn't actually clap, they just said the word.

 

[Beckers]

I remember that at Waverley, most people didn't actually clap, they just said the word.

Yep, NO claps to be heard, just the Hawwwwwwwww - thorn, Hawwwwwww - thorn!!!! It was as arrogant as they come and could only be done when 10+ goals ahead

 

[3kzisfootball]

In my vast English sport viewing experience (I have lived here over five years, have an English girlfriend and numerous English mates that I attend matches with), chants are too often the first step to pack mentality. It is sad that it is creeping into cricket. The last think a lot of us want to see is soccer style aggression at the ground.

I would be happy to not see it in AFL either, the game does not need it. I revise my position on chanting at the AFL, we are better off without it.

I think though that the 'pack mentality' would be attributed to English culture as a whole (more tribal perhaps?) rather than the sport of soccer itself.

One thing I would say is that chanting works when there are sections of supporters together, and as supporters at Australian Football matches from different teams mingle, chanting would be less successful.

But that is because of the Australian character (a very positive aspect) rather than the sport of 'soccer' itself. I would put forward that if Australian Rules were to become popular in England or in Europe (hypothetically) you would get the chanting aspect going there as well. The same way as it has happened in European basketball, water polo, volleyball etc.

 

[jays]

Why do we have to copy everything the rest of the world does? Why does a football match needs useless singing?

I find it cringeworthy when i see stupid wog pricks trying to emulate their hooligan counterparts in the a-league.

 

[crazy_big_al]

I like the Eddies a wan ker one

 

[3kzisfootball]

Ok, it seems that for a reason or another chants in AFL games are not on.

Maybe time to
?

 

[Mcchawk]

Yep, NO claps to be heard, just the Hawwwwwwwww - thorn, Hawwwwwww - thorn!!!! It was as arrogant as they come and could only be done when 10+ goals ahead

Nah we did it when we knew we'd win. But yes our cheer squad/grog squad was in the 80's the best ever, the club hated us, the players loved us. Something every Hawk wanted to be part of

 

[bluechampion]

Some people really have no sense of fun whatsover. Tell me, does other people singing impact on your ability to watch the game? No.


I was highly impressed with the fact that even when getting hammered, you could still hear the Barmy Army's singing dominating the crowd noise. Especially in Perth i was mega impressed with them.

I have a sense of fun. I go to the game to be entertained.
But I'm not there for a sing-along. I'm there FOR THE GAME.

The Barmy Army started singing in the mid-90s becuae their team was ******** and they had to find something to do with their day at the cricket.
Nothing much has changed.

 

[bluechampion]

.....and i am sure that you thoroughly enjoy the cut sanga lunch, tartan blanket, and thermos of coffee that Deloris packed for you the night before

You watch what you say about Delores...

 

[Upgrayedd]

i go to the football to watch football, not to sing, last time i went to watch football i hardly sang, i just abused fevola untill he gave me a dirty look, if i wanna sing like a nancy boy, first stop will be the soccer

 

[RememberMe]

I love the old ladies at the football... The ones with the clapping machines that try and start chants. But yes personally, I prefer to be a 1 man army. I turn around and abuse other sections of the crowd. You get bigger reactions if you do it by yourself.

 

[jays]

Too much to watch in AFL to bother chanting..stuff that.

Nothing beats the whole of the MCG screaming at the sametime


"BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL" followed by a

"YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS"