Combined Soccer vs AFL threads - please post here

[WesternSydney]

Re: Soccer Vrs AFL - Will we go global???

Hope you enjoy it WesternSydney! We might have a convert after that game?
AFL may never go global, but we enjoy it because it IS Australian. The same way the Irish lover Gaelic Footy, or Swedes love Curling and the Scots like their Highland Games. It's all part of the culture!

I hope so too, no harm in having another sport to enjoy.

Good to hear another voice of reason, there are a few sane AFL supporters after all. I'll leave it at that, some of the loonies seem to be taking offence at me trying to drag them back to reality.

 

[Rob]

Re: Soccer Vrs AFL - Will we go global???

A picture from the year 2000, and the top League comp in QLD you say? You do realise there are 2 NRL teams in QLD don't you? Plus a third to enter the comp. next year. Spend a little longer than a minute researching next time, saves you from looking silly.

Taking uninformed shots at League is easier than proving some of the insane comments your bretheren have spouted here, no doubt, but if some more of you want to try and prove them, please do.

Top rugby league comp in Queensland, and still played on local parks. Not as much of a heartland as some would have us believe.

BTW, do you see the irony of selective use of photos?

 

[Sir_Adrian84]

Re: Soccer Vrs AFL - Will we go global???

Hope you enjoy it WesternSydney! We might have a convert after that game?
AFL may never go global, but we enjoy it because it IS Australian. The same way the Irish lover Gaelic Footy, or Swedes love Curling and the Scots like their Highland Games. It's all part of the culture!

well said

 

[Sir_Adrian84]

Re: Soccer Vrs AFL - Will we go global???

I hope so too, no harm in having another sport to enjoy.

Good to hear another voice of reason, there are a few sane AFL supporters after all. I'll leave it at that, some of the loonies seem to be taking offence at me trying to drag them back to reality.

exactly, at the end of the day, it is something enjoyable. So what if people in other states/countries like different sports, that is what makes everyone different. AFL is good in the south of AU, NRL in the North, NFL in US, Soccer in europe etc. Does this make anyone inferior. No.

If everyone liked one sport (i.e. soccer), it would make the world a boring place.

 

[Matt_TY]

Re: Soccer Vrs AFL - Will we go global???

I hope so too, no harm in having another sport to enjoy.

Good to hear another voice of reason, there are a few sane AFL supporters after all. I'll leave it at that, some of the loonies seem to be taking offence at me trying to drag them back to reality.

Dude, no-one's trying to pretend that it is now or will be soon a full-on professional sport overseas. If we were we would be fools. We're just saying, the beginning is there and it's further along than some people think. (It's certainly further along than the pics you showed, c'mon, give a bit of credit )

 

[AlecDuncan]

Re: Soccer Vrs AFL - Will we go global???

was watching a documentary on soccer on SBS tonight and it annoyed me that they were claiming that Soccer was one of the worlds oldest game after they traced it back to a game that resembles Rugby... Anyway thats not relevant to the point of this thread.
It got me thinking, If AFL were to go international do you think it would be a success and do you think that this will ever happen. I'd be interested to see how it went but honestly hope it never happens though i think it will have to one day. Thoughts?

We should hope AFL doesn't go global (at least beyond amateur status). Imagine our local football being as sad as our local soccer, with all the best players instantly sucked away into mega-leagues with which we can never compete.

Imagine Judd, Cousins, Kerr, Cox, and beyond all playing for various European or American clubs for $20M each. We'd be relegated to watching the equivalent of VFL dregs or even amateur comps here.

This is the reason why soccer will *never* be a threat to AFL in Australia. As soon as players lift the standard of soccer, they get taken away. It even affects the development of the national team because the coach is restricted to molding a bunch of journeymen into a team over one or two weeks a year. They've done well to make the Cup, but I doubt they'll win a game now they're there.

However, there are lots of enthusiastic amateur AFL comps around the world. Just take a look at the International Series next time they play it at Princes Park.

 

[Kangaroopit]

Re: Soccer Vrs AFL - Will we go global???

We should hope AFL doesn't go global (at least beyond amateur status). Imagine our local football being as sad as our local soccer, with all the best players instantly sucked away into mega-leagues with which we can never compete.

Imagine Judd, Cousins, Kerr, Cox, and beyond all playing for various European or American clubs for $20M each. We'd be relegated to watching the equivalent of VFL dregs or even amateur comps here.

I'd have thought that there'd be more chance of the Jim Styneses, the Clive Waterhouses and Jesaulenkoes moving to Australia, than of the Judds leaving. It might mean shedding the salary cap, but that's what I'd see happening.

I think most of the people who say AFL will never go global don't know how much progress is being made. They should look at some of the videos here.

 

[AlecDuncan]

Re: Soccer Vrs AFL - Will we go global???

I'd have thought that there'd be more chance of the Jim Styneses, the Clive Waterhouses and Jesaulenkoes moving to Australia, than of the Judds leaving. It might mean shedding the salary cap, but that's what I'd see happening.

Except there's no chance of any AFL club generating the sort of revenue that, for instance, Premier League clubs generate. Therefore there's no chance that we'd keep the best players here in Australia if AFL became a big professional sport elsewhere. Infact, there's no chance of the entire AFL generating the same revenue as Manchester United.

Case in point: Harry Kewell, stay at Carlton Soccer Club for $50k, or move to England for $100M? The equivalent AFL player might get $800k here. Heck, we're lucky we keep top AFL players out of gridiron! They're the lowest rung on the NFL ladder, and they get paid way more than any AFL player.

Thank your lucky stars AFL is only an amateur sport overseas, otherwise players would be leaving at 19, and not 31 like Ben Graham. Still, I hope it's a success at amateur level, and we start seeing international recruits that can cut it at AFL level (aside from the oirish of course). That would be cool.

 

[chiangmaipie]

Re: Soccer Vrs AFL - Will we go global???

Soccer will always be the global game (despite the fact that IMHO the game for the most part is boring, it is the mind bending goals that saves the game)

AFL - is just brilliant, but its big problem is it was invented in Australia. if the POMS had of invented Aussie rules and Australia soccer, this thread would be laughed at.

But the thread has merit because AFL is such superior game to all other codes.

Can I back this up ok give me a highlights dvd of the world cup 1930 to present. with the rule no highlights of goals to be shown and no highlights of fans in their colours just the game itself What are you left with? No really what are you left with, maradonas run can't be included because it was a goal.

And if you jump up and down give me 10 memorable examples!

Give me 10 highlights of the 1994 world cup final!

Soccer needs to make some rule changes eg larger goals, raise the % chance of scoring so that that territory as valued as possession.

Will AFL go global? Does it need to go global is my answer? At a prfessional level, lets secure its future in Australia first, lets develop the NT and Tasmania where it is truely loved.

At an amature level, let's continue the development of the game at grass roots levels in Asia, USA etc. I have been taking OZ Kick clinics in northern thailand for 1 year now. The primary school kids once they get a taste of the game are leaving soccer in their droves, because they find aussie rules more fun to play. They like the fact they can use their hands and their are alot of goals. Ther really enjoy the contested marks, perhaps their highlight, they go nuts when i do contested marking drills with them.

So perhaps the immediate future of AFL can be a continuation of grass roots development.

 

[Ragnarok14]

Re: Soccer Vrs AFL - Will we go global???

Soccer will always be the global game (despite the fact that IMHO the game for the most part is boring, it is the mind bending goals that saves the game)

AFL - is just brilliant, but its big problem is it was invented in Australia. if the POMS had of invented Aussie rules and Australia soccer, this thread would be laughed at.

But the thread has merit because AFL is such superior game to all other codes.

Can I back this up ok give me a highlights dvd of the world cup 1930 to present. with the rule no highlights of goals to be shown and no highlights of fans in their colours just the game itself What are you left with? No really what are you left with, maradonas run can't be included because it was a goal.

And if you jump up and down give me 10 memorable examples!

Give me 10 highlights of the 1994 world cup final!

Soccer needs to make some rule changes eg larger goals, raise the % chance of scoring so that that territory as valued as possession.

Will AFL go global? Does it need to go global is my answer? At a prfessional level, lets secure its future in Australia first, lets develop the NT and Tasmania where it is truely loved.

At an amature level, let's continue the development of the game at grass roots levels in Asia, USA etc. I have been taking OZ Kick clinics in northern thailand for 1 year now. The primary school kids once they get a taste of the game are leaving soccer in their droves, because they find aussie rules more fun to play. They like the fact they can use their hands and their are alot of goals. Ther really enjoy the contested marks, perhaps their highlight, they go nuts when i do contested marking drills with them.

So perhaps the immediate future of AFL can be a continuation of grass roots development.

Theres a fair few memorable moments from the 1974 world cup.

The thing I think a lot of people who aren't fans of soccer miss when they watch the odd game is that it is because of the tension and suspense that the goals are at a premium makes its good to watch. The T&T v Sweden game last night is an example, here is poor little T&T down to ten men from the start of the second half desperately trying to hang on against one of the tournament favourites and I really enjoyed watching the game even though it ended 0-0. The you look at the england paraguay game in which a goal was scored but was terrible to watch. In soccer more goals doesn't mean better soccer, the usa found that out with their experiments in the mls, of course it would be better if there were more goals but hey sometimes there is and sometimes there isn't thats soccer.

As for AFL, its a different game entirely (well it used to be, some the tactics now are very soccer-ish). I dont think it will go big globally mainly because it is so different. Fans in countries that only have soccer as the major code are used to a much more passionate (well not sure if thats the right word for it) and high tension (thats better) type of game, where you can be 2 - 0 up and still draw or lose in the last 5 - 10 minutes (ala germany v japan), The USA sports tend to be more about the build up rather than the actual play itself, filled with stoppages so you can over analyis everything, so I dont think AFL would be terribly successful overseas anyway at a professional level.

But as you said, does it need to be? Definitly not at a professional level but I do think something should be done to bring in a bit more international flair so it becomes something similar to what the EPL has been here for so long, a niche sporting competition which might hold interest for them because there are some lads from their country that made good in the top league in the world. I'm starting to think that perhaps a second teir competition with a possible relegation/promotion would be more benefical for the sport than having a completely different league all together, and for the AFL to start getting more internationals into the game as well (ireland watched the 2005 final more than most others purely because there was one player from there in it, thats how you start to build international interest).

 

[chiangmaipie]

Re: Soccer Vrs AFL - Will we go global???

I guess the most frustrating aspect of soccer is the lack of pressure of the guy with the ball going forward from the back half, the other team for the most part just floods back from within their own half, yes this may be soccer tatics but god its is sooooooooooooooo boring.

Even AFL and very worst apects of flooding doesn't cause this frustration.

Ok so when they banned the keeper from handling the ball from a back pass, they still back pass and he just kicks forward, yes its a rule change, but it is still boring. It's like saying I really don't know what to do so I'll just kick it the keeper. And what does he do thump it foward virtually randaom in vain to a 50/50 contest.

Let's allow the the player to throw the ball back in one handed, giving the game some offensive skills, like the keepers are aloud to do.

It seems to be a crime to talk about rule changes in soccer as if the game is "perfect" the reality is far from perfect.

T&T holding on for a draw with only 10 men, was great (perhaps not compelling tv) against the swedes

Finally for god sake get rid of the stupid off side rule, the most negative aspect of the game. Are fifa worried that the goal average might go up to much? How many times do you say 'oh what a great run, pass it, (whistle blows) WHAT! oh.....offside!!

I guarantee you if Brazil beat Germany 6:5 in the world cup final...every would rave the most extrordianary game ever! Germany led 3:1 at half time, brazil then lead 4:3, Germany took the lead again 5:4, only to see Brazil snatch victory with 2 goals in extra time.

 

[Peter P]

Re: Soccer Vrs AFL - Will we go global???

First off, didn't aussie rules and soccer come from the same place? along with rugby, league and gridiron?

Most folk football included both hands and feet and was closest to Aussie Rules or Gaelic football. In England the "run and carry" rules at Rugby school led to a counter movement to bring back kicking and hence the Cambridge and Sheffield FC rules in the mid 18th century that gradually banned use of hands in most instances but things like the mark weren't banned by the FA until the 1870s.

Australian Football's codification in 1858 makes it older than the official codification of all the other football codes.

Second, I dont know if you could count the 30,000 people playing it around the world as global as their not professional players in professional leagues.

Even though they are amateur and junior players, there's more of them than in Tasmania. And the numbers of international players will grow faster than any Australian state simply because there's more room to grow. Some clubs are not far off semi-pro. Canadian clubs have advertised in Australia for coaches for instance.

Third, one major thing hampering aussie rules going global is the facility requirements which not many countries have (except those that have cricket as a main sport).

True. Whilst true permanent footy ovals are appearing in USA, Canada, Scotland, Denmark etc that will always be a problem. Which is why smaller versions, in particular 9-a-side are popular. 9's can be played on any soccer/rugby/gridiron pitch and is. If cricket (8's 20/20), soccer (futsal, 5's 7's), Rugby (7's), Rugby League (9's, 7's) can have their smaller version - surely the game with the biggest player number and playing field needs its version.

Fourth, I don't think it going international would lead to the best players leaving, look at league, a lot of players could earn more in england rather than playing here. Of course if it really did become completely global the sheer amount of money in it would be huge.

Those who seem to not want internationalisation for fear of the AFL clubs becoming small fish, probably don't have anything to fear in their lifetimes or perhaps forever. A widely played semi-pro and amateur level of Australian Football with perhaps a couple of million adherents is more likely. Such a scenario could boost the fortunes and playing standard of the AFL clubs enormously as the overseas leagues provide a pool of interest for internet TV, merchandise, tourism to Australia, and player talent to the AFL draft.

The main beneficiaries of internationalisation for the first couple of generations would be the AFL clubs - so even if some other countries took to Australian Rules as a big mainstream sport with big money, the AFL clubs in such a world would be so much stronger than they are now to probably cope very easily.

We can see Soccer at its skillful ultimate best now. We have only yet seen a pale version of what Australian Rules can be in terms of standard. Internationalisation promises a level of play that we can only imagine at present.

Internationalisation also offers a lot of great travel opportunities for players and coaches from Australia - but hardly a talent drain given what would be coming inbound.

Fifth, for people comparing the need for aussie rules to go global with the NFL's, take a closer look. The NFL has already started trying to develop a league in europe and now china. These people aren't idoits, they know the world is getting smaller and that they need to do something to keep the value of their sport up. (actually thinking about it, the way they have NFL europe set up with fringe players from the major clubs being asigned to the league to get game time but can still be called up would work pretty well for the AFL maybe).

Exactly. If the NFL with the huge economy and population of the USA see a need to expand for fan and player base, how much moreso for a small country and comparatively tiny and vulnerable (in long term global terms) competition like the AFL and affiliated leagues? There are good reasons for Australian Football coping with long term success of Soccer in this country, but the only ultimate insurance is some degree of internationalisation and widening of player, sponsor and fan base.

Line of reasoning expanded with examples on worldfootynews.com

 

[Ragnarok14]

Re: Soccer Vrs AFL - Will we go global???

I guess the most frustrating aspect of soccer is the lack of pressure of the guy with the ball going forward from the back half, the other team for the most part just floods back from within their own half, yes this may be soccer tatics but god its is sooooooooooooooo boring.

Even AFL and very worst apects of flooding doesn't cause this frustration.

Ok so when they banned the keeper from handling the ball from a back pass, they still back pass and he just kicks forward, yes its a rule change, but it is still boring. It's like saying I really don't know what to do so I'll just kick it the keeper. And what does he do thump it foward virtually randaom in vain to a 50/50 contest.

Let's allow the the player to throw the ball back in one handed, giving the game some offensive skills, like the keepers are aloud to do.

It seems to be a crime to talk about rule changes in soccer as if the game is "perfect" the reality is far from perfect.

T&T holding on for a draw with only 10 men, was great (perhaps not compelling tv) against the swedes

Finally for god sake get rid of the stupid off side rule, the most negative aspect of the game. Are fifa worried that the goal average might go up to much? How many times do you say 'oh what a great run, pass it, (whistle blows) WHAT! oh.....offside!!

I guarantee you if Brazil beat Germany 6:5 in the world cup final...every would rave the most extrordianary game ever! Germany led 3:1 at half time, brazil then lead 4:3, Germany took the lead again 5:4, only to see Brazil snatch victory with 2 goals in extra time.

I think your right in that soccer isn't perfect, but what game is? FIFAs approach to rule changes is a lot different to that of the AFL, FIFA have been trialling a number of possible rule changes in its youth tournaments for a few years now but their not rushing things. As for the off-side rule, I dont think they should get rid of it completely but perhaps relax it a little bit so the player has to be completely past the last defender when the ball is kicked to be off-side, a thte moment FIFA are trying to tell refs to give the atackers the advantage but their to scared of screwing up to do that.

As for the brazil germany world cup final you described it would be fantastic game but only because it is so close, sure a close game with lots of goals is great, but a game with lots of goals where the score line is 7-1 or something usually is boring as crap to watch and i'd prefer a 1-0 win anyday, but thats what soccer draws its appeal from it can be quite nevre racking, completely different style of game to AFL. Anyway this is a bit off topic though.

So what do you think about the idea of a 2nd national division in the AFL? I reckon it could almost work, and you'd be able to have teams based in those places where people are always talking about moving other teams to. You'd have to limit the budget of the second division teams though to make them profitable but i think it would a dd a real edge to the comp and stop teams from tanking a season just to get draft picks if they could drop down a division.

 

[Bennycoff]

Re: Soccer Vrs AFL - Will we go global???

Stuff this global rubbish, it's an Australian sport and should just remain here. They can play their own versions however we shouldn;t adopt new teams from outside Australia into the league, that would be stupid.

And the way footy is these days, soccer will become more popular than AFL in Australia. AFL is becoming a pansies sport, soft, dominated by soft players. It's not tough any more, you can't even lay a bump.

 

[Ragnarok14]

Re: Soccer Vrs AFL - Will we go global???

Stuff this global rubbish, it's an Australian sport and should just remain here. They can play their own versions however we shouldn;t adopt new teams from outside Australia into the league, that would be stupid.

And the way footy is these days, soccer will become more popular than AFL in Australia. AFL is becoming a pansies sport, soft, dominated by soft players. It's not tough any more, you can't even lay a bump.

I'm not saying get teams from outside australia. If you were to drop 2 teams down from the current AFL competition to the new 2nd tier one, you could then bring in teams from Canberra, Tasmania, NT, gold coast etc.. along with the standard areas because the facility requirements aren't as big.

 

[The Magenius]

Re: Soccer Vrs AFL - Will we go global???

This is world Football, simple as that. We play AFL.

Other countries are simply to soft/smart to want to play this game, we still have not even sorted out the AFL yet. Lets get that right hey. Afl needs to tap into asia and I really can;t see asia being that good at AFL.

 

[eldorado]

Re: Soccer Vrs AFL - Will we go global???

You do realise that there is an American football league, i.e. gridiron league, here in Australia.

No doubt our American friends are frantically fapping at the news that 40 expats are running around a paddock as proof that 'their' game is going global too.

Even with their massive cultural imperialism, the rest of the world doesn't want to know...apart from those tryhards who have Superbowl parties once a year.

We don't even have cultural imperialism...why the hell would they care?

Surely hurling would be a big threat both here and overseas...curling, perhaps?

In other words, it has nothing to do with which sport is 'more fun to play' (s*nigg*er*). It is about culture and national identity. Pretty much all the worlds countries have their own ingrained sporting culture. Why the **** would they be looking for a new sport?

This topic always makes me laugh whenever it comes up..it's an Australian sport, and that's it. Be happy!

 

[maroon and blue]

Re: Soccer Vrs AFL - Will we go global???

A little parable; a time long ago there was a culture which made iron. It was known as "the world metal, the beautiful metal". It spread far and wide, communities grew rich and strong. In another village far removed from the iron culture wise men found a new material, it was called steel. Although small in number they forged their plough shares and swords from this new product. The rest of the world laughed at them. Who are these upstarts, they are nothing, we are many. Yet steel could do many things iron couldn't. It made men strong, courageous, they took risks. They didn't need the armour of the iron people. They trusted their weapons, the product, they hade faith in it. They conquered, their culture grew , the iron people were consinged to oblivion. Aussie rules is the new steel.

 

[WhoAteAllThePies]

Re: Soccer Vrs AFL - Will we go global???

As an Englishman who loves the sport, I have answers to a number of comments so far.

Firstly. it annoys me when ignorant Brits assume soccer to be the original code of football. It's difficult to say exactly, one way or the other. You can claim that Association Football has existed since the Eton Rules were codified in about 1815, but nothing really approaching the current sport of soccer was written down until the 1850s, with the first interscholastic game being played in 1863, and quintessential soccer components such as crossbars and goal keepers didn't exist until the 1880s/90s. Meanwhile Aussie Rules (or even Victorian Rules) hasn't changed as much since it was codified in the 1850s. Gaelic Rules predates Victorian Rules, but it has had substantial changes over the past 150 years, including the ball changing from oval to round.

In terms of "If Aussie Rules were to go international, would it be a success?" that pretty much answers itself. For Aussie Rules to go international, it would need to be a success. I would dearly love for Aussie Rules to go international. Almost nothing could make me happier. I want to cheer on my local Aussie Rules team from the stadium. I want to go to England vs Australia games where England has a chance of returning the favour and beating the Aussies at a sport that they invented. If such a game happens in my lifetime, I don't care how far I have to fly, nor how old I am, but I'll be there. As an optimist who has tried a fair bit to make Aussie Rules go international, I hope that it will, but I can only see that coming slowly. Progress is being made, teams are being created faster than they are disappearing, and this ought to continue for quite a while. Aussie Rules's long-term success depends on the investment it is given by the AFL, and by people who really want to see it succeed internationally. If current trends continue, it will eventually have a decent international following, but it will take decades before many internationals can even follow the sport without difficulty, then a few more before they get into playing the sport mainstream, and then even more before they can become the Italy to the AFLs 5 Nations. We can but try, and it will be worth it.

I do, however, think that Aussie Rules needs to go global. When the sport is only kept by one country, it is vulnerable. If Australia do well in the soccer World Cup, then it will distract young players and spectators towards soccer. If the trend continued, then it could only be a few generations before Aussie Rules became a minority sport. It takes a global following for a code to become secure. The more international, the better, as shown be Rugby Union and Soccer. Also, the fact that a sport can be played internationally is attractive in itself. It gives 6-year-olds the dream of scoring the winning goal, after the siren, for their country, above and beyond doing it for their team.

Australia would definitely have the best league in the world for a long time after the sport went global. The AFL would be established and prestigious. Australia would have little more problem with big names leaving the AFL for the BARFL than English soccer fans do with Spanish and Italian leagues.

And, finally, tiddlywinks has already gone global.

Long live the dream.

Interesting post. I think the game would need more international players like those Japanese fellas training at Essendon. We'd definitely have an American professional sports style dominance over our home grown game - other leagues if they ever reached any sort of standard would be merely feeder leagues. Yet I read somewhere that a properly run American cricket comp (given the troubles its had there) could see players on a bloody good packet of cash (1m) becuase of the money thats available in that huge market for funding even fringe sports.

No doubt that NZ and South Africa are the international markets with the most potential. But everything still seems a long way off. It will never be truly global in the way that the English colonials introduced soccer to different parts of the world where it developed differently before professionalism.

 

[WhoAteAllThePies]

Re: Soccer Vrs AFL - Will we go global???

But the thread has merit because AFL is such superior game to all other codes.

Can I back this up ok give me a highlights dvd of the world cup 1930 to present. with the rule no highlights of goals to be shown and no highlights of fans in their colours just the game itself What are you left with? No really what are you left with, maradonas run can't be included because it was a goal.

And if you jump up and down give me 10 memorable examples!

Give me 10 highlights of the 1994 world cup final!

Soccer needs to make some rule changes eg larger goals, raise the % chance of scoring so that that territory as valued as possession.

Mate, I couldn't give you 10 highlights of the 1994 Grand Final. I was an equally avid fan of both sports at 11 years of age - couldn't get enough. All I can remember is Geelong having their arses handed to them on a platter.

I do remember the 94 World Cup final very well. I remember Dunga and Cafu get forward and being a bit wasteful. I remember Romario spurning a perfectly good chance late in the game. I remember the heroics of Taffarel in the Brazil goal. True it was an awful final, not helped by the fact it was in the US. And no final should ever be decided by penalties

Soccer needs to change nothing, except for the penalty shootouts - if some people don't appreciate the ebbs and flows of a game and how engrossing it is despite the low scores, it is their loss. I don't believe people making sweeping statements like "Australians don't appreciate that sort of thing" are qualified to speak for other people. We have seen in recent weeks that Australians do take an interest - and all they need is to see good regular live competition and some will take to it. Others won't for their own reasons - "Oh the A-League isn't anywhere near the standard of the EPL, why should we care if its not the best in the world" among the most illogical.

But there is no such thing as a superior game, one well above all others. We are not sitting on a "secret" that the world isn't aware of. What we have is a cultural thing where the dominant sports are always make it difficult for other sports.

Like everything in life, you only take out what you put in - I haven't regretted the time I've spent becoming a full afficionado of the round ball game.

 

[chiangmaipie]

Re: Soccer Vrs AFL - Will we go global???

A little parable; a time long ago there was a culture which made iron. It was known as "the world metal, the beautiful metal". It spread far and wide, communities grew rich and strong. In another village far removed from the iron culture wise men found a new material, it was called steel. Although small in number they forged their plough shares and swords from this new product. The rest of the world laughed at them. Who are these upstarts, they are nothing, we are many. Yet steel could do many things iron couldn't. It made men strong, courageous, they took risks. They didn't need the armour of the iron people. They trusted their weapons, the product, they hade faith in it. They conquered, their culture grew , the iron people were consinged to oblivion. Aussie rules is the new steel.

A great piece of writing, the metaphor is so true!


AFL just needs to consolidate in oz, put $ into the oz kick program, give primary, and high schools, plenty of quality equipment. Really develop Tassie and the NT, huge talent base.

In NZ the game is growing poularity at the amature level. Develop and oz kick program there, so that in 15 years there is a genuine support base for a professional AFL club.

We should look at having an afl team in Tassie, Townsville Canberra and Darwin, after 10 years of quality grass roots development.

With 20 teams we could then have two divisions, this would me that every game is significant (at the moment from about round 16 onwards many games have virtually no relevance other than where they end up in the draft picks!

There has been very little to write about with the world cup so far, poor goal average 2.25. Anything below a 3 goal would be dissapointing for fifa, given the advantage stikers have with the new ball that curves more. But its the world game and I respect that. just a shame there is more genuine critical evalutaion of the game from fifa. I mean how far have they been prepared to give on rules, goal size, off side. FIFA are about as conservative sporting body as you will ever get.

The wales football govering body proposed a "discussion" of no off side rule outside the penalty box in 2005, fifa wouldn't even allow it the be discussed. They don't have the guts to accept their game has genuine flaws! because if they changed the off side rule, it would be admitting that they were sticks in the mud. offside rule changes have been proposed since before the 1966 world cup!

 

[Peter P]

Re: Soccer Vrs AFL - Will we go global???

It's not likely to be about conquering the world.

It just makes mathematical sense.

If around 0.5 to 1% of the world's soccer/basketball/rugby/gridiron/hockey players took up Australian Football (or Ozirulz or whatever it may get labelled) as a semi-pro or amateur game, then numbers playing Australian Football would multiply several fold - the flow on to the AFL clubs in increased merchandise, TV revenue (in a world of internet-TV), and player talent for the AFL draft would be considerable.

It would lead to an enhanced AFL competition that would never need to look over its shoulder at the world game or rugby.

Give it another half century and perhaps those international leagues could lead to it becoming a big world sport. But in our lifetimes - modest internationalisation is both beneficial and important for the health of the AFL. It would also have economic benefits for Australia with footy tourists coming to see a sport they love at its best.

There is no reason in the world to not invest in this sort of internationalisation of the game. See WorldFootyNews of how its starting already

 

[clarkey]

Re: Soccer Vrs AFL - Will we go global???

So, Aussie Rules has no future internationally? So why did an English school drop soccer from its curriculum and replace it with Aussie Rules?

Watch this:

http://ninemsn.video.msn.com/v/en-a...4b38-b9fc-f94d97911903&p=aunews_autoday&t=s29

 

[Im The Gun]

Re: Soccer Vrs AFL - Will we go global???

The number one thing I hate about soccer is the laying down and dying that players do so much.

Fair enough if yu really are hurt, but staying down to get a ref to pay a free kick is a low act.

Last weekend we in the AFL had a guy break his neck and he still tied to get up.

 

[KUNG FU]

Re: Soccer Vrs AFL - Will we go global???

i think people are ignoring the poewr of television. we have afl telecast in a lot of places across the world (i don't have figures sorry). admittedly on cable, but i've been to uk, europe, canada and states and had long discussions about afl. everyone is interested. the only thing anyone has disliked about it is that it is too violent. which i personally see as a reason why it'll get more popular. you don't go to the races to cars make left turns all day. you wanna see a crash!

my point is that i think afl will go global, in the sense that it'll be watched by lots of people overseas in particular niche markets, much the way nfl or ice hockey is watched here.