Hello from Brazil

[diegodcg]

Hey lads, just wanted to say hello. My name is Diego and I'm from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I'm an association football (soccer) fanatic and entirely new to Australian rules.

Although I grew up in an environment that gives little attention to other football codes, I've always been intrigued by the way football developed in different parts of the world. I've been watching rugby union and American football for a few years now, but the other code that has really caught my attention so far is rugby league. I watched a St Helens game in England a while ago and been following them ever since.

I've now decided to give the Australian game a chance too. I have a new boss at work from Australia and she influenced me on that decision, by saying that she loved rugby league but the AFL was even better.

So here I am. I've found a couple of full matches to watch on youtube and plan to do so in the near future. I know exactly zero about the sport and don't even understand the rules yet but expect to see me around asking questions very soon!

Cheers

 

[Rainfall]

Hey mate welcome to Bigfooty. You've made a good choice of team as they are a young exciting up and coming side.

 

[diegodcg]

Hey mate welcome to Bigfooty. You've made a good choice of team as they are a young exciting up and coming side.

Thanks mate. Honestly don't know much about the team, just went along with an Australian friend I have. All I did was a quick wikipedia research and saw they've got quite a lot of history too!

 

[10Dulkar]

Thanks mate. Honestly don't know much about the team, just went along with an Australian friend I have. All I did was a quick wikipedia research and saw they've got quite a lot of history too!

They play the best football to watch in the competition in my view. I would just warn you that even if you do not grow up with Australian Football, you are likely to get addicted once you get into it! Port Adelaide's history is very interesting and very contentious even to this day but without opening up a whole can of worms, it's great to see two very well-supported teams in Adelaide, which makes for a better rivalry with my team, the Adelaide Crows.

What I love about the game itself is the sheer athleticism of the players, the long kicking and the fact that the size of the field allied to the mix of handballs and kicks and no offside rule gives the game so much more depth and variation imo than other codes of football.

 

[Mobbs]

Welcome Diego, hope you enjoy your time here. Just like all the other football codes, Australian Rules has a long history and sometimes debatable origin. Much like Australia itself, the code most likely was pinned together from other sports - indigenous sports, soccer, gaelic football, rugby - all are claimed to have played a part in the formation of aussie rules footy, along with some thanks to cricket as footy was recommended as a fitness training schedule for cricketers in their off-season.

Like all other codes, the game has grown, changed, developed over the years, almost unrecognisable from its early format of stop-start, place kicking and set position like a seating arrangement at a dinner party.

Aussie Rules is commonly referred to as Australia's National Game. While it is generally more popular than other codes, its not a whitewash (rugby league and soccer are also popular), it is indeed our Native Game.

There is a lot to be found on the interwebs about the game's history. The game seems to have started to become a sport of its own around the 1850 mark. Early codification (formal rules drawn up to distinguish it from just playing ... whatever) will always come up in an argument between footy fans and that of (association) football, rugby etc - when the usual "which is best" debate starts. Aussie Rules was codified very early (again 1850s I think).

Here's a bit of interesting video footage from the ages:
1909 - Earliest footy ... footage (footyage? ) South Melbourne v Carlton -


1911 - Footy in Tasmania -


1930s - Haydn Bunton, considered by some the best player and if not, right up there -


1950s - Footage of John Coleman (Essendon favourite son) -

 

[Mobbs]

Olympic Hurdles (track) finallist Ray Weinberg interviewed re Tom Wills, who essentially founded the game we know as Australian Rules Football in the mid-1800s -


Aussie Rules (here referred to as the Imperialist Pigdogs term AFL) Explained -


"100 Years Of Australian Football" documentary (1996) -
(100 years of the VFL/AFL, that is)

All VFL/AFL Match Results & stats - http://afltables.com/afl/afl_index.html
Heck of a lot of info re ALL leagues including local level thanks to John Devaney - http://australianfootball.com/
A handy one-stop shop for aussie rules as played in other nations - http://www.worldfootynews.com/

 

[fumbler]

Welcome to the wonderful world of Australian Rules Football diegodcg

 

[DREAM TEAM BUFF]

Welcome to BigFooty Diego

 

[diegodcg]

They play the best football to watch in the competition in my view. I would just warn you that even if you do not grow up with Australian Football, you are likely to get addicted once you get into it! Port Adelaide's history is very interesting and very contentious even to this day but without opening up a whole can of worms, it's great to see two very well-supported teams in Adelaide, which makes for a better rivalry with my team, the Adelaide Crows.

What I love about the game itself is the sheer athleticism of the players, the long kicking and the fact that the size of the field allied to the mix of handballs and kicks and no offside rule gives the game so much more depth and variation imo than other codes of football.

Thanks mate it's great to hear they play good football as I plan to focus on their matches while I'm learning the game.

Welcome Diego, hope you enjoy your time here. Just like all the other football codes, Australian Rules has a long history and sometimes debatable origin. Much like Australia itself, the code most likely was pinned together from other sports - indigenous sports, soccer, gaelic football, rugby - all are claimed to have played a part in the formation of aussie rules footy, along with some thanks to cricket as footy was recommended as a fitness training schedule for cricketers in their off-season.

Like all other codes, the game has grown, changed, developed over the years, almost unrecognisable from its early format of stop-start, place kicking and set position like a seating arrangement at a dinner party.

Aussie Rules is commonly referred to as Australia's National Game. While it is generally more popular than other codes, its not a whitewash (rugby league and soccer are also popular), it is indeed our Native Game.

There is a lot to be found on the interwebs about the game's history. The game seems to have started to become a sport of its own around the 1850 mark. Early codification (formal rules drawn up to distinguish it from just playing ... whatever) will always come up in an argument between footy fans and that of (association) football, rugby etc - when the usual "which is best" debate starts. Aussie Rules was codified very early (again 1850s I think).

Here's a bit of interesting video footage from the ages:
1909 - Earliest footy ... footage (footyage? ) South Melbourne v Carlton -


1911 - Footy in Tasmania -


1930s - Haydn Bunton, considered by some the best player and if not, right up there -


1950s - Footage of John Coleman (Essendon favourite son) -

Wow, mate, thanks so much for taking the time to post all of that (the 2nd post as well)! As I said I still know close to nothing about the game so anything is helpful at this stage.

Last night I did start watching the 2013 Grand Final which I found on youtube and was generally impressed about the pace of the game, although its rules, the shape of pitch and all that still seem very strange to me! I'm sure I'll get used to it though.

 

[diegodcg]

Welcome to the wonderful world of Australian Rules Football diegodcg

Welcome to BigFooty Diego

Thank you!

 

[10Dulkar]

Thanks mate it's great to hear they play good football as I plan to focus on their matches while I'm learning the game.


Wow, mate, thanks so much for taking the time to post all of that (the 2nd post as well)! As I said I still know close to nothing about the game so anything is helpful at this stage.

Last night I did start watching the 2013 Grand Final which I found on youtube and was generally impressed about the pace of the game, although its rules, the shape of pitch and all that still seem very strange to me! I'm sure I'll get used to it though.

The oval is due to the fact that Australian Football was designed to help keep cricketers fit in the winter and to this day not only is the game still played on ovals but many of them are shared with cricket. This is also why the main season fits in around the cricket season in Australia and runs from March to the end of September or start of October. Obviously the best example is the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG or just 'the G') (Melbourne, Hawthorn, Collingwood, Richmond), which is as good a stadium as you will find on earth in my view but also The Gabba (Brisbane Lions), Adelaide Oval (Port Adelaide and Adelaide) and the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) (Sydney Swans) play at cricket venues. Being the most popular spectator sport in Australia by a long way, this also helps to keep the cricket stadia viable.

The different styles of play is something I am still getting used to. Port Adelaide play a very attacking, high tempo, running game which is very easy on the eye and are able to do that because of a top fitness coach and some very tough pre-season training and a very young squad (or list as we say in AFL) who are able to carry that out. The level of fitness of all the teams is remarkable and all teams train for as long before the season as the season itself lasts. I often wonder how the game at the top level was not professional a lot longer than 15-20 years ago although the tempo is a lot faster now. Positions are less specialised which some people lament but the crowd numbers and television viewing figures show it's still a magnificent spectacle that cuts across all kinds of groups in society including women, who make up around half of all match going spectators.

Any questions you have, fire away.

 

[diegodcg]

The oval is due to the fact that Australian Football was designed to help keep cricketers fit in the winter and to this day not only is the game still played on ovals but many of them are shared with cricket. This is also why the main season fits in around the cricket season in Australia and runs from March to the end of September or start of October. Obviously the best example is the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG or just 'the G') (Melbourne, Hawthorn, Collingwood, Richmond), which is as good a stadium as you will find on earth in my view but also The Gabba (Brisbane Lions), Adelaide Oval (Port Adelaide and Adelaide) and the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) (Sydney Swans) play at cricket venues. Being the most popular spectator sport in Australia by a long way, this also helps to keep the cricket stadia viable.

The different styles of play is something I am still getting used to. Port Adelaide play a very attacking, high tempo, running game which is very easy on the eye and are able to do that because of a top fitness coach and some very tough pre-season training and a very young squad (or list as we say in AFL) who are able to carry that out. The level of fitness of all the teams is remarkable and all teams train for as long before the season as the season itself lasts. I often wonder how the game at the top level was not professional a lot longer than 15-20 years ago although the tempo is a lot faster now. Positions are less specialised which some people lament but the crowd numbers and television viewing figures show it's still a magnificent spectacle that cuts across all kinds of groups in society including women, who make up around half of all match going spectators.

Any questions you have, fire away.

Awesome, thanks again mate.

Cricket is one of the very few major collective sports which I have not had the chance to watch yet and also know very little about (it is non-existent in Brazil). I do love baseball though so I believe one day I'll give it a shot and enjoy the game. My Australian boss lamented the other day that although Australia just won the Cricket World Cup, no one here at the office knew about it! (except me as I read all kinds of sports news, but I did not watch any games and can't name a single player haha)

At the same time I'm trying to learn about Aussie rules, I've also been researching about Gaelic football, and the sports seem to have some similarities, no? I read somewhere of players switching codes from gaelic to aussie. If I'm not mistaken gaelic is still amateur though. Being from a soccer background, it still amazes me that sports with massive followings may still be amateur or have just turned professional a couple of decades ago (like rugby union)

 

[10Dulkar]

Awesome, thanks again mate.

Cricket is one of the very few major collective sports which I have not had the chance to watch yet and also know very little about (it is non-existent in Brazil). I do love baseball though so I believe one day I'll give it a shot and enjoy the game. My Australian boss lamented the other day that although Australia just won the Cricket World Cup, no one here at the office knew about it! (except me as I read all kinds of sports news, but I did not watch any games and can't name a single player haha)

At the same time I'm trying to learn about Aussie rules, I've also been researching about Gaelic football, and the sports seem to have some similarities, no? I read somewhere of players switching codes from gaelic to aussie. If I'm not mistaken gaelic is still amateur though. Being from a soccer background, it still amazes me that sports with massive followings may still be amateur or have just turned professional a couple of decades ago (like rugby union)

Cricket is my favourite sport but you'll have enough to learn getting the hang of Australian Football. Since the 80s I think some Australian clubs have looked to Ireland to recruit players as Gaelic Football is the closest sport although I believe it to be a myth that Australian Football is descended from it. The best known recruit is the late Jim Stynes who tragically died of cancer but his battle against the disease, his journey from a rookie mistake that cost his club Melbourne a final to breaking the record for consecutive games (264 or thereabouts) and his work in the wider community is one of THE great stories in SPORT never mind Aussie rules. It seems like a no-brainer for Gaelic players to make the switch due to the chance to become a professional athlete but it's harder than one would think, not least because of homesickness and the different shaped ball. In the documentary 100 Years of Australian Football, David Parkin - one of the all-time great coaches - states that AFL demands more of its athletes than any other sport (or at least code of football) and when you consider the huge jump from the second tier competitions and junior footy to AFL level, it is therefore no surprise that people who did not grow up with footy at all cannot adjust or do so with great difficulty. Zac Tuohy at Carlton is a good player and I really like Pearce Hanley from Brisbane who show it can still be done today but these guys are exceptions that prove the rule.

Without going on all day, correct me if I am wrong but something you would also be able to identify with is that as with football in Brazil, it took a very long time for a truly national competition to merge. This is of particular interest to me but for now, I think you should just try to watch as many games (from the last 5-10 years as the game has changed a lot) and become accustomed with the rules and terminology. Oh, and tell your boss how good the Crows are

 

[diegodcg]

Cricket is my favourite sport but you'll have enough to learn getting the hang of Australian Football. Since the 80s I think some Australian clubs have looked to Ireland to recruit players as Gaelic Football is the closest sport although I believe it to be a myth that Australian Football is descended from it. The best known recruit is the late Jim Stynes who tragically died of cancer but his battle against the disease, his journey from a rookie mistake that cost his club Melbourne a final to breaking the record for consecutive games (264 or thereabouts) and his work in the wider community is one of THE great stories in SPORT never mind Aussie rules. It seems like a no-brainer for Gaelic players to make the switch due to the chance to become a professional athlete but it's harder than one would think, not least because of homesickness and the different shaped ball. In the documentary 100 Years of Australian Football, David Parkin - one of the all-time great coaches - states that AFL demands more of its athletes than any other sport (or at least code of football) and when you consider the huge jump from the second tier competitions and junior footy to AFL level, it is therefore no surprise that people who did not grow up with footy at all cannot adjust or do so with great difficulty. Zac Tuohy at Carlton is a good player and I really like Pearce Hanley from Brisbane who show it can still be done today but these guys are exceptions that prove the rule.

Without going on all day, correct me if I am wrong but something you would also be able to identify with is that as with football in Brazil, it took a very long time for a truly national competition to merge. This is of particular interest to me but for now, I think you should just try to watch as many games (from the last 5-10 years as the game has changed a lot) and become accustomed with the rules and terminology. Oh, and tell your boss how good the Crows are

Yeah the Brazilian national championship was only established in 1971 although State championships have existed for over a century. Moreover, the formats could vary widely from year to year, generally including playoffs, and only stabilized into a league format (no playoffs) in 2003.

Anyway, I'll do as you say mate - watch as many games as I can. Do you know anywhere other than youtube where I could find games to watch? My boss pointed me to this website where I could watch this season's games but I'm not prepared to pay a lot for the service just yet: http://watchafl.afl.com.au/

 

[Mobbs]

Do you get CLARO? Seems they show one match per week. http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/20150401082936766

 

[10Dulkar]

Yeah the Brazilian national championship was only established in 1971 although State championships have existed for over a century. Moreover, the formats could vary widely from year to year, generally including playoffs, and only stabilized into a league format (no playoffs) in 2003.

Anyway, I'll do as you say mate - watch as many games as I can. Do you know anywhere other than youtube where I could find games to watch? My boss pointed me to this website where I could watch this season's games but I'm not prepared to pay a lot for the service just yet: http://watchafl.afl.com.au/

Definitely don't start forking out money until you're really interested in it but you can buy a one week trial for not too much money. Not sure if you can watch NAB Challenge games for free if you make an account although they're not quite the real thing being pre-season friendlies.

 

[diegodcg]

Do you get CLARO? Seems they show one match per week. http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/20150401082936766

My cable TV provider is "Claro TV" but I don't know of any sports channel with that name! At least not in Brazil, perhaps it's in other Latin American countries. Will take a look at that though, thanks

 

[MAXIMUM GRUNDAGE]

Olá diegodcg , welcome to bigfooty.
I think you should start following Melbourne as we have the only Brazilian-born player in the league - Heritier Lumumba (who coincidentally also came from Rio de Janiero).

 

[diegodcg]

Olá diegodcg , welcome to bigfooty.
I think you should start following Melbourne as we have the only Brazilian-born player in the league - Heritier Lumumba (who coincidentally also came from Rio de Janiero).

There's a Brazilian player in the AFL? That's awesome, I had no idea. Thanks for the information

I'm currently involved with a new football (soccer) magazine here in Brazil and I'm trying to convince the editor to let me write something about different football codes for the 2nd edition, that would include Aussie footy of course. If I manage to convince him, it would be amazing if I could speak to this guy somehow, even if only for a short interview!

 

[MAXIMUM GRUNDAGE]

There's a Brazilian player in the AFL? That's awesome, I had no idea. Thanks for the information

I'm currently involved with a new football (soccer) magazine here in Brazil and I'm trying to convince the editor to let me write something about different football codes for the 2nd edition, that would include Aussie footy of course. If I manage to convince him, it would be amazing if I could speak to this guy somehow, even if only for a short interview!

Link to his player profile: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/player-profile/heritier-lumumba
Biography: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heritier_Lumumba
You may be able to get in touch with him through the club: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/the-club/contact-us
All the best in promoting our great sport overseas.

 

[Ogopogo]

Welcome to the best sport in the world!

Hey lads, just wanted to say hello. My name is Diego and I'm from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I'm an association football (soccer) fanatic and entirely new to Australian rules.

Although I grew up in an environment that gives little attention to other football codes, I've always been intrigued by the way football developed in different parts of the world. I've been watching rugby union and American football for a few years now, but the other code that has really caught my attention so far is rugby league. I watched a St Helens game in England a while ago and been following them ever since.

I've now decided to give the Australian game a chance too. I have a new boss at work from Australia and she influenced me on that decision, by saying that she loved rugby league but the AFL was even better.

So here I am. I've found a couple of full matches to watch on youtube and plan to do so in the near future. I know exactly zero about the sport and don't even understand the rules yet but expect to see me around asking questions very soon!

Cheers

Welcome to the best sport on the planet - in my opinion. 2 years ago, I was a passionate Canadian hockey fan trying to figure this AFL thing out. Today, I am a passionate AFL fan and hockey has taken a back seat.

YouTube is excellent - there are a lot of great games and videos available. When you are good and thoroughly hooked, you will want to consider AFL Global - you can watch all AFL games live or on-demand. It is fantastic.

If you are anything like me, the more you learn the more you will love the sport. Enjoy!

 

[Ogopogo]

Yeah the Brazilian national championship was only established in 1971 although State championships have existed for over a century. Moreover, the formats could vary widely from year to year, generally including playoffs, and only stabilized into a league format (no playoffs) in 2003.

Anyway, I'll do as you say mate - watch as many games as I can. Do you know anywhere other than youtube where I could find games to watch? My boss pointed me to this website where I could watch this season's games but I'm not prepared to pay a lot for the service just yet: http://watchafl.afl.com.au/

You can subscribe by the week to try it out but, I have paid for a full season before and it was well worth it to me. Start with YouTube for now, there is a lot you can watch. You can listen to the games for free - that is how I started. You listen and watch the stat lines at the same time - after a while, I just had to see the action and I got a subscription to AFL Global. Now, AFL is my sport of preference over any other - I wouldn't go a season without being able to see the Suns play.

 

[Ogopogo]

I almost forgot...this is the best video to learn the rules of footy:

It's a great video and will help you tremendously in learning the game.

 

[diegodcg]

I almost forgot...this is the best video to learn the rules of footy:

It's a great video and will help you tremendously in learning the game.

I've just watched it like an hour ago after I found it on youtube!

Also, the video you sent me in the other thread - very good. Even shared on facebook.

 

[ibd77]

Welcome to the AFL diegodcg.
Nice choice of club and I hope everyone on the Port board has made you feel welcome.
Probably one of the most exciting parts of our game is the close finishes and this game typifies it all.