AFL overtaking NRL in QLD

[Walshawk]

As someone that has grown up in Queensland, spent 11 years away in WA and VIC I can emphasize enough how much the GA** AFL attitude is changing. It was really big when I was young in 80s/90s, started receding in the early 2000s, by the time I got back to Brisbane in 2011 it was different. The early 2010s were impacted by the performance of the lions but I think the supporters are far more rusted on these days than back in the early 2000s. I only got exposed to the sport in the mid 90s via my best mate's dad being a Geelong supporter and took us along to a couple of games at the Gabba. I wear my lions gear and/or hat around Brisbane and I usually get nothing but positive comments on the Lions. Especially this last six months where every person contrasts the Lions with the train wreck that has been the Broncos. I travel around QLD extensively for work, my experience is that anti AFL attitude exists west of Ipswich/Downs (and old part of Ipswich, new suburbs very receptive to AFL), Rocky, Townsville and Central Highlands, Logan/Caboolture. In Cairns, Gold Coast, SE Brisbane AFL is already bigger.

AFL is not bigger than AFL in Cairns. Not even close. Port Douglas yes.

 

[RedV3x]

AFL is not bigger than AFL in Cairns. .

It is obvious that AFL is growing strongly in population centres, especially new population centres and tourist centres.
Logically and realistically it'll take more time for the traditional orientated hinterland to catch on
and places without sufficient juniors to supply multiple sports simultaneously.

 

[Professor Knowall]

AFL is not bigger than AFL in Cairns. Not even close. Port Douglas yes.

Actually, in terms of participation, Australian Football is most definitely "bigger" than RL in Cairns - with more clubs and even more so in participants. The Cairns AFL is a thriving, very strong league now. RL is still stronger out in the old sugar-mill rural towns like Mossman and Tully and up in the Tableland, but not so in the Cairns metro area.

 

[Bjo187]

As someone that has grown up in Queensland, spent 11 years away in WA and VIC I can emphasize enough how much the GA** AFL attitude is changing. It was really big when I was young in 80s/90s, started receding in the early 2000s, by the time I got back to Brisbane in 2011 it was different. The early 2010s were impacted by the performance of the lions but I think the supporters are far more rusted on these days than back in the early 2000s. I only got exposed to the sport in the mid 90s via my best mate's dad being a Geelong supporter and took us along to a couple of games at the Gabba. I wear my lions gear and/or hat around Brisbane and I usually get nothing but positive comments on the Lions. Especially this last six months where every person contrasts the Lions with the train wreck that has been the Broncos. I travel around QLD extensively for work, my experience is that anti AFL attitude exists west of Ipswich/Downs (and old part of Ipswich, new suburbs very receptive to AFL), Rocky, Townsville and Central Highlands, Logan/Caboolture. In Cairns, Gold Coast, SE Brisbane AFL is already bigger.

I honestly feel like when the afl cracks through this weird indoctrinated jealousy/fear/hatred in the northern states and the game is second nature up there, it will explode.

It's also the reason the media particularly out of Sydney won't allow it, because they know deep down it's a great product and will boom if they don't continue to ostracize it as much as possible.

I've always said the bullying of kids that want to like footy is the main thing holding the game back up there, if that culture can be changed over time via the generational approach the afl have taken and the lessening influencing of traditional media (like news corp) brainwashing the masses, then i can actually see it becoming the equal biggest sport in QLD in a few decades time. Sydney will be harder, although it's already very popular in the wealthier areas.

Friends and I often discuss how much the world has changed in only 15 years, the internet has basically fast tracked culturally change ten fold from pre internet days, if you don't believe it, go watch a tv show from about 2005 to 2010.

 

[PhatBoy]

I can't speak for QLD but the attitude of Sydneysiders to Melbourne is weird. In general, they view Melbourne as quaint and are generally apathetic towards Melbourne.

But you mention AFL and it's genuine vitriol. Other posters aren't kidding when they say Sydney hates, because that's the word Sydneysiders use themselves, they hate the AFL. It's the same sort of beligerence they display towards Melbourne Storm. Anybody but the Storm for the NRL premiers they say, even though any neutral in AFL land would go for the underdogs against the reigning three time premiers.

But even then, the fastest growing sport among girls and women in Sydney is AFL. So maybe in the long term, women playing AFL will convert their sons and nephews to the sport. I expect that effect to happen even quicker in QLD with the amount of Victorians moving there.

You seriously think most rusted on league fans think that’s because the Storm are from Melbourne?

1. The Salary Cap scandal. When you systematically cheat, and it is proven, and you stand in front of the rest of the football world and try to say ‘we don’t think we’ve done anything wrong’ people don’t like it. You’ll find a lot of people didn’t like it when it happened but actually liked a lot of things about the Storm before that. I personally loved watching them as a footy side. But on the back of what had already happened at the Dogs, it pissed people off. You will also find that the Dogs were despised in the same era, and copped the ‘rapists’ tag for a long time afterwards and were hated by anyone that wasn’t a dogs fan.

2. They have, and seemingly always will, under Bellamy, pioneered any means possible of exploiting rules on the field. Chicken wing tackles, grapple tackles etc. They started getting wrestling into the mainstream of the sport and were among the first to bring wrestling coaches into their staff in 2003. Many, many fans hate this and I’m one of them. I don’t care about the game being fast or slow or whatever but I hate it being ‘ugly.’ Players piling in and twisting ball carriers to try and deliberately put them in awkward positions and make it harder for them to play the ball while your teammates get onside. I was brought up watching a game where you slowed the opposition down by putting them on their backside with classic tackling technique. There are a huge percentage of fans who dislike them for these wrestling moves coming into the game.

3. Their central figures in their history have often been hard to like. Cameron Smith is an off field cleanskin but he was very very good at pushing the limits on the field and people don’t miss that stuff. Billy Slater was the same. It was part of what made them incredible players but it didn’t enhance their likability. Ironically some of the players they’ve had since who maybe haven’t been as clean off the field like Munster and Brandon Smith, have been a bit more likable.

People hate the Broncos. It’s not to do with geography it’s to do with things like money, success, and the feeling that there is a willingness for the NRL to favour rich teams over poor teams.

I would argue that the Roosters get as much hate as just about anyone.

Manly still get the ‘anyone but manly’ treatment a lot of the time.

When Melbourne won the comp over St George in 1999, no one batted an eyelid in anger with any sort of ‘oh no not the Victorians.’

It was fantastic.

But a lot has happened since and it’s not related to where Melbourne are from

 

[PhatBoy]

And what's this got to do with the thread?

Was I talking to you? I replied to a comment talking about how despised the Storm are in the NRL states, specifically NSW.

Which would imply that they are despised because they aren’t from one. It has nothing to do with where they are from.

 

[William Lamb]

You seriously think most rusted on league fans think that’s because the Storm are from Melbourne?

1. The Salary Cap scandal. When you systematically cheat, and it is proven, and you stand in front of the rest of the football world and try to say ‘we don’t think we’ve done anything wrong’ people don’t like it. You’ll find a lot of people didn’t like it when it happened but actually liked a lot of things about the Storm before that. I personally loved watching them as a footy side. But on the back of what had already happened at the Dogs, it pissed people off. You will also find that the Dogs were despised in the same era, and copped the ‘rapists’ tag for a long time afterwards and were hated by anyone that wasn’t a dogs fan.

2. They have, and seemingly always will, under Bellamy, pioneered any means possible of exploiting rules on the field. Chicken wing tackles, grapple tackles etc. They started getting wrestling into the mainstream of the sport and were among the first to bring wrestling coaches into their staff in 2003. Many, many fans hate this and I’m one of them. I don’t care about the game being fast or slow or whatever but I hate it being ‘ugly.’ Players piling in and twisting ball carriers to try and deliberately put them in awkward positions and make it harder for them to play the ball while your teammates get onside. I was brought up watching a game where you slowed the opposition down by putting them on their backside with classic tackling technique. There are a huge percentage of fans who dislike them for these wrestling moves coming into the game.

3. Their central figures in their history have often been hard to like. Cameron Smith is an off field cleanskin but he was very very good at pushing the limits on the field and people don’t miss that stuff. Billy Slater was the same. It was part of what made them incredible players but it didn’t enhance their likability. Ironically some of the players they’ve had since who maybe haven’t been as clean off the field like Munster and Brandon Smith, have been a bit more likable.

People hate the Broncos. It’s not to do with geography it’s to do with things like money, success, and the feeling that there is a willingness for the NRL to favour rich teams over poor teams.

I would argue that the Roosters get as much hate as just about anyone.

Manly still get the ‘anyone but manly’ treatment a lot of the time.

When Melbourne won the comp over St George in 1999, no one batted an eyelid in anger with any sort of ‘oh no not the Victorians.’

It was fantastic.

But a lot has happened since and it’s not related to where Melbourne are from

As someone who barely follows NRL that happened so long ago that I'd honestly forgotten about it. FWIW I don't think NSW hates Storm or the AFL necessarily because it comes from Melbourne in particular but because it threatens Sydney's sporting identity. If the AFL was based in Adelaide or Perth I'd think you would still get the same reaction to the AFL.

But to put it into perspective, there's more disdain towards AFL than Storm. Anecdotally most of the comments come from young men who don't see the AFL as manly as NRL.

I just mentioned Storm because I think it was bemusing as a Melbournian (Melbournite? Melbourner?) Otherwise Sydney doesn't care about Melbourne at all.

 

[PhatBoy]

As someone who barely follows NRL that happened so long ago that I'd honestly forgotten about it. FWIW I don't think NSW hates Storm or the AFL necessarily because it comes from Melbourne in particular but because it threatens Sydney's sporting identity. If the AFL was based in Adelaide or Perth I'd think you would still get the same reaction to the AFL.

But to put it into perspective, there's more disdain towards AFL than Storm. Anecdotally most of the comments come from young men who don't see the AFL as manly as NRL. I just mentioned Storm because I think it was bemusing as a Melbournian (Melbournite? Melbourner?)

Oh there’s still a demographic who see afl as less manly, no doubt there. Probably an older one mostly. There will always be in any supporter base of any code, a group who think another code is less ‘something’ than the one they follow but the majority who feel that way is getting less in number and its general age is getting older.

But yes the storm themselves have no level of geographic or ‘outsider’ dislike it’s based almost entirely on how they play and a couple of other factors

 

[Walshawk]

Actually, in term of participation, Australian Football is most definitely "bigger" than RL in Cairns - with more clubs and even more so in participants. The Cairns AFL is a thriving, very strong league now. RL is still stronger out in the old sugar-mill rural towns like Mossman and Tully and up in the Tableland, but not so in the Cairns metro area.

Actually the numbers are ever close. There are equal or more RL teams in most junior age groups, but more kids in an AFL team. But participation isn’t everything. Are soccer and basketball the biggest sports in Australia?

I was in a pub in Cairns recently on a Sat arvo. A few tourists, but lost of locals there as well. Hawks were playing GWS. Two TVs had that on. Not one other person glanced at either screen the two hours I was there. There was 10 - 15 people watching the NRL across numerous screens. I have a friend from Melbourne there in a community based job, with school aged kids and across his various workplaces and the kids school in Cairns over the past 10 years, he is in no doubt that RL is clearly more popular than AFL. So he moved to Port Douglas, which due to so many southern living there, is the opposite.

 

[RedV3x]

Actually the numbers are ever close.

The numbers were close when the ABS did real statistics.
IMO they are only more favouarable to AFL now.

But participation isn’t everything.

It is when it's qualified. The older the age group then the more important it becomes.

I was in a pub in Cairns recently on a Sat arvo.

Every time I walk into an establishment with television screens on I take notice of who's watching what.
Apart from special events nobody is watching those screens because people going out don't want to be distracted by sports and those people who are fanatical about sports usually do it at homes/friends places.

In fact I'd say it's the follower of minor sports that have to seek solace in the company of a pub.

 

[GC2015]

As someone that has grown up in Queensland, spent 11 years away in WA and VIC I can emphasize enough how much the GA** AFL attitude is changing. It was really big when I was young in 80s/90s, started receding in the early 2000s, by the time I got back to Brisbane in 2011 it was different. The early 2010s were impacted by the performance of the lions but I think the supporters are far more rusted on these days than back in the early 2000s. I only got exposed to the sport in the mid 90s via my best mate's dad being a Geelong supporter and took us along to a couple of games at the Gabba. I wear my lions gear and/or hat around Brisbane and I usually get nothing but positive comments on the Lions. Especially this last six months where every person contrasts the Lions with the train wreck that has been the Broncos. I travel around QLD extensively for work, my experience is that anti AFL attitude exists west of Ipswich/Downs (and old part of Ipswich, new suburbs very receptive to AFL), Rocky, Townsville and Central Highlands, Logan/Caboolture. In Cairns, Gold Coast, SE Brisbane AFL is already bigger.

I agree that it's changing, but it's certainly still present throughout Queensland. For example I went to the Gabba to watch a Lions game earlier this year and I distinctly remember waiting for the pedestrian crossing light to turn green while at the Stanley St/Main St intersection and a car rolled up full of 4-5 guys in their early 20s who were shouting things out the window like 'f#$k gAyFL' and 'up the Broncos'. No one said anything back and just accepted the abuse being thrown their way. So I get that people have different experiences, but Brisbane still feels like Broncos town to me whenever I head up the M1 and I see people in the streets/local advertisements/listen to locals etc. In saying that, the Lions certainly have their niche in the Brisbane market.

I can second this. Grew up in Roma/Toowoomba with the old man being an old Roy boy from Tassie. Naturally was brought up watching AFL but couldn’t play it til my later teen years in Tooowoomba. Copped a fair bit of gAyFL and the like whenever I donned a bit of Lions merch so naturally kept it to myself to avoid the dickheads who get so worked up and defensive when people follow the “Victorian Game”. Surprise surprise, QLD love a winner and suddenly I get a few league mates who’ve never watched a minute of AFL prior to the previous 2 grand finals saying “Y’know what, AFL is pretty fun to watch” and want to tag along with me to the Gabba next year for a few games.

Sounds simple but sustained success is the only way to do it

I've found the same whenever Queenslanders have a good reason to give Aussie rules a chance. If the Lions and Suns can both become strong teams in the AFL at the same time then I genuinely think we're going to see enormous growth here. It's about becoming a regularly winning team for long enough to give people incentive to give it a go and in doing so it creates a generational change in sporting preferences. I'd argue Brisbane are on the verge of achieving that already and I hope the Suns are about to start a similar run. The next 5-10 years could be massive for the AFL in Queensland if both teams pull their weight.

 

[Aucklander]

But yes the storm themselves have no level of geographic or ‘outsider’ dislike it’s based almost entirely on how they play and a couple of other factors

A couple of very good posts mate.

I was part of a group of people who spent countless hours at Colonial, Olympic Park and online drumming up some support to get any type of FTA coverage before 1am the next day in Victoria. It worked in the end, but soon stopped.

Then there was the salary cup stuff and the we didn't do anything wrong crap which carries on to this day. It cost me hundreds of dollars to buy a membership which in the end meant nothing. Then they continued to invent just about every despicable tackle in the game all while acting pure and innocent. Then there's the sooking about the NRL when in reality they get well looked after.

I could never hate anything or anyone as we've seen what that does, but they've left a long sour taste in my mouth for a long time, not so the same for my eldest who remains very bitter towards them. I'll always want them to do well because they play one of the games I love and they haven't had millions of dollars at grass roots spent to grow and foster the game.

Such a pity we all can't just get a long.

 

[RedV3x]

A couple of very good posts mate.

Funny, they have nothing to do with the thread.

 

[RedV3x]

A couple of very good posts mate.

Shouldn't it be in the NRL section as the only connection I can see with AFL overtaking NRL
is that the AFL has a far better product and has enabled the growth that we've seen around Australia.

In 1858 the colonists could have simply played football by Cambridge rules, Rugby rules or even possibly Gaelic rules
but they chose the Australian game not just because it was a better game but because it was a far superior game.
even then.
The British so feared the colonial game replacing rugby that they tried to stop it spreading.
If the British hadn't done that Australian Football would be played around the world
and they'd wouldn't have bothered to create Canadian and American Football.

 

[PhatBoy]

Funny, they have nothing to do with the thread.

Neither does social commentary about why people go to pubs to watch different screens but hey, here we are, right? Hope you’re ok mate.

 

[PhatBoy]

Shouldn't it be in the NRL section as the only connection I can see with AFL overtaking NRL
is that the AFL has a far better product and has enabled the growth that we've seen around Australia.

In 1858 the colonists could have simply played football by Cambridge rules, Rugby rules or even possibly Gaelic rules
but they chose the Australian game not just because it was a better game but because it was a far superior game.
even then.
The British so feared the colonial game replacing rugby that they tried to stop it spreading.
If the British hadn't done that Australian Football would be played around the world
and they'd wouldn't have bothered to create Canadian and American Football.

But it isn’t.

It’s a magnificent game and every bit as good as rugby league but for a whole host of reasons, your conspiracies aside, it isn’t played elsewhere and the giant chip on your shoulder about it won’t change that. Neither will shouting down anyone who tries to have a normal conversation about it.

 

[RedV3x]

Neither does social commentary about why people go to pubs to watch different screens

My response to an anecdote in Nth Qld was in fact another anecdote about how anecdotes are basically irrelevant
pretty much like your post

Hope you’re ok.

Well troll, I'm in great shape and so is my favourite sport in Nth Qld.
The way you keep posting off topic stuff on NRL means you're probably hurting big time.

 

[PhatBoy]

My response to an anecdote in Nth Qld was in fact another anecdote about how anecdotes are basically irrelevant
pretty much like your post



Well troll, I'm in great shape and so is my favourite sport in Nth Qld.
The way you keep posting off topic stuff on NRL means you're probably hurting big time.

Someone doesn’t share your opinions so they must be a troll.

The mentality of a literal teenager. If I was a troll I would have dived in a long time before now… and probably wouldn’t have made 40,000 posts about AFL.

Your anecdote has nothing to do with the thread title so why post it.

That’s your logic for having a go at me: ‘stick to the topic.’

You seem like someone who doesn’t enjoy actual debate or interaction and only enjoys people agreeing with him.

You don’t seem capable of saying ‘yeah that’s a reasonable point of view, but on the other hand….’

Most people that label anyone a troll for simply making a valid and, what’s more, accurate, point are generally the most possessive about their own opinion.

What am I hurting about, exactly? My stepdaughter playing AFL and my son doing likewise? Christ on a bike

You literally don’t seem to get this, do you: there are people who like both sports

 

[RedV3x]

But it isn’t.

Isn't what ?
IMO Australian Rules Football is the best all round football.
I can argue case why that is and show you the k.p.i. that back it up

It’s a magnificent game

Yes, Australian Rules Football is a magnificent game.

your conspiracies aside,

What conspiracies.
There's no conspiracy that Australian Rules Football is a magnificent game.

it isn’t played elsewhere

WRONG.

won’t change that

Well Australian Rules Football has change hasn't it.

The Lions rival the Broncos.
The Suns rival the Titans
The Swans are the biggest club by far in Sydney.
The Giants are bigger than some NRL sides..

Neither will shouting down anyone

Get you hyperbole correct. Who is shouting.
I do hear whimpering form you though.

who tries to have a normal conversation about it.

A person who tries to hijack a discussion about one topic with another is not normal - you are in a troll.
and I make no apologies for treating you as such.

 

[PhatBoy]

Isn't what ?
IMO Australian Rules Football is the best all round football.
I can argue case why that is and show you the k.p.i. that back it up


Yes, Australian Rules Football is a magnificent game.



What conspiracies.
There's no conspiracy that Australian Rules Football is a magnificent game.



WRONG.



Well Australian Rules Football has change hasn't it.

The Lions rival the Broncos.
The Suns rival the Titans
The Swans are the biggest club by far in Sydney.
The Giants are bigger than some NRL sides..



Get you hyperbole correct. Who is shouting.
I do hear whimpering form you though.



A person who tries to hijack a discussion about one topic with another is not normal - you are in a troll.
and I make no apologies for treating you as such.

‘Won’t change that.’ As in it’s not going to take over the world. Because it isn’t, is it. A team in the South East of Queensland selling out four home games isn’t going to have Real Madrid quaking in its boots, as much as I’d like it to because I actually DO despise soccer as a game and a code in general.

The Swans are welcome to Sydney. I have long had them, and now the Giants in their stead, as my second team. The Giants visited my home town before they’d played a game, I interviewed Sheedy about his vision for the club and they were an impressive outfit. Within a year there was a satellite club here and they have grown exponentially since and as I said, my stepdaughter plays for them and they are as big as the pre-existing club already here. They are a quality club and it doesn’t bother me how much success they have. Why you seem to think it does is perplexing.

‘Hijacking a thread’ by your definition could be used to describe literally any post. Someone made a point about why the Melbourne Storm are held in such low regard by NRL fans, particularly those in Sydney. I explained why the Storm are disliked.

You don’t need to go on a tear because you have some sort of moral guardianship of the thread, old boy. My points about why the Storm are disliked were true. If you don’t like them, dispute them instead of shitting the bed because a person who follows both codes dared post in your baby thread.

It’s not trolling mate. It’s a forum. When people see a topic they are interested in, they comment.

 

[RedV3x]

Someone doesn’t share your opinions so they must be a tro

No, someone who keeps hijack one discussion with another, like you do - is a troll.

The mentality of a literal teenager.

A troll always resorts to personal attacks when he cannot win an argument.

If I was a troll I would have dived in a long time before now

dived in the ......??

and probably wouldn’t have made 40,000 posts about AFL.

Is that hyperbole or just 40,000 posts deriding AFL?

Your anecdote has nothing to do with the thread title so why post it.

You're repeating yourself.
Don't you have any new material. ?

That’s your logic for having a go at me:

Because you are a troll.

‘stick to the topic.’

That's what i've said to the mods many a time but here we are.

You seem like someone who doesn’t enjoy actual debate or interaction and only enjoys people agreeing with him.

I LOVE debating and winning.

You don’t seem capable of saying ‘yeah that’s a reasonable point of view,

Australian Rules Football is a better product than rugby league. Somebody has to be best.

Most people that label anyone a troll for simply making a valid point

But Trolls don't make valid points do they

What am I hurting about, exactly?

I could have driven a semi through that.

My stepdaughter playing AFL and my son doing likewise?

So why do you troll then ?

You literally don’t seem to get this

I get the fact this is off topic and be shut down but then...

there are people who like both sports

Absolutely and I'm one of them but that doesn't clash with the fact that AFL is the better sport.
I watch the Wildcats, Fever and Heat. Before that it was the Force and even the Easts when they visited.

 

[RedV3x]

isn’t going to have Real Madrid quaking in its boots,

Only a troll would make such a ridiculous statement.

it doesn’t bother me how much success they have.

It seems about enthusiastic as a troll can get.

Why you seem to think it does is perplexing.

it's perplexing that what "you seem to think".

‘Hijacking a thread’ by your definition could be used to describe literally any post.

Nah. The mods know.

Someone made a point about why the Melbourne Storm are held in such low regard by NRL fans, particularly those in Sydney. I explained why the Storm are disliked.

And that is completely off topic don't you agree ?

You don’t need to go on a tear because you have some sort of moral guardianship of the thread,

Tear ? I take offense when people cannot debate properly.

old boy.

You see troll personal attacks are not elements in debating they are used by trolls.

My points about why the Storm are disliked were true

They were off topic..Cannot you understand.

If you don’t like them, dispute them

I could care less. Put them in a NRL thread and go for it.

instead of shitting the bed

You're such a nice troll. That's not what we expect in a proper debate.

because a person

continues to post off topic material that should be on another thread.
Do you have some disability that prevents you posting on a NRL thread ?

who follows both codes

Who isn't "bothered" by the Swan's success . Yes, real follower we have there

 

[PhatBoy]

Only a troll would make such a ridiculous statement.


It seems about enthusiastic as a troll can get.



it's perplexing that what "you seem to think".


Nah. The mods know.



And that is completely off topic don't you agree ?



Tear ? I take offense when people cannot debate properly.


You see troll personal attacks are not elements in debating they are used by trolls.


They were off topic..Cannot you understand.


I could care less. Put them in a NRL thread and go for it.


You're such a nice troll. That's not what we expect in a proper debate.



continues to post off topic material that should be on another thread.
Do you have some disability that prevents you posting on a NRL thread ?



Who isn't "bothered" by the Swan's success . Yes, real follower we have there

They aren’t my team - they are a rival. I go for Geelong.

There are two things that could conceivably bother me about Sydney succeeding.

Either:

1. I hate them so much because they are Geelong’s biggest rival over the last 20 years for consistency having made the finals with the same regularity (from memory they have missed 3 times, we have missed twice - they made have only missed twice, don’t hold me two it)

OR

2. I hate AFL with such an intense (and hidden) passion, despite spending half my free time when I have nothing better to do talking about it on a forum and never running it down, and never ever talking on a rugby league forum, that it would bother me to see the Swans succeeding.

Neither are the case. I want the swans to do well enough on the field that they stay somewhere near the top because I like them as a team, I want them to do well enough as a club because I want AFL to stay relevant in NSW. I also like rugby league so I would prefer it if their success doesn’t actually harm rugby league. In an ideal world, people can just follow both: I recognise you can’t understand this, and your reference to ‘THE easts’ shows your affinity for a side who haven’t called themselves ‘East’s’ for three decades let alone ‘THE east’s’ but for some of us, we are just happy if everyone is doing ok.

It’s not that hard to understand.

Can’t debate properly?

You haven’t debated anything.

All you’ve done is call me a troll. You haven’t tried to elicit anything other than an emotional response about my supposed ‘upset’ that a game I allegedly deride is doing well. I love AFL and literally started following before I started following league and I follow my AFL team closer than I do my rugby league team

You haven’t asked me a single thing about where I’m from, what the demographics are like here, what the balance is like here, why I’m disappointed that the town I am originally from doesn’t have an AFL club and never had that option for me growing up, you made an assumption that my 40,000 posts were all negative towards the sport you’re so protective of: hell, I’m even in the Mark Robinson thread talking about why I like he and Gerard Whateley together

Calling out your inability to have an actual discussion and giving a sarcastic appraisal of it is no more a personal insult than calling someone a troll for trying to actually talk about a subject.

Again, just because you don’t like what someone is saying about said subject, or someone’s reply - to a person that ISNT YOU - doesn’t make them a troll mate.

And no, it wasn’t off topic.

A post was made about something, I responded to it. That’s how forums work. If you have an issue with it, report the post I responded to.

 

[RedV3x]

it (AFL) isn’t played elsewhere.

Australian Football is played regularly in over 55 countries and add hoc in a further 10 countries.
Australian Football is played in Nauru much more passionately than in Australia.
Here are the top twenty ranked countries.

1. Australia 1 1
2. Papua New Guinea 61.99 2 2 39
3. New Zealand 57.88 3 3 43
4. Ireland 56.68 4 4 77
5. Nauru 52.97 5 5 32
6. Great Britain 52.11 7 8 79
7. United States 49.86 6 6 57
8. Denmark 47.45 9 7 51
9. South Africa 46.61 10 9 32
10. France 45.32 8 10 33
11. Canada 43.46 11 11 55
12. China 39.91 12 12 23
13. Croatia 39.87 13 13 24
14. Fiji 38.01 14 14 19
15. Germany 35.50 15 15 32
16. Japan 35.06 16 16 34
17. Sweden 34.18 17 17 39
18. Indonesia 30.94 18 18 12
19. Pakistan 29.14 19 19 10
20. India 20.71 20 20 21

Up until Covid there was a "world cup", the AFL International Cup, every three years.
This has replaced by four regional competitions with Queensland being the hub of the Pacific competition.
Queensland plays a large part in the pathway for PNG players.

 

[Walshawk]

They aren’t my team - they are a rival. I go for Geelong.

There are two things that could conceivably bother me about Sydney succeeding.

Either:

1. I hate them so much because they are Geelong’s biggest rival over the last 20 years for consistency having made the finals with the same regularity (from memory they have missed 3 times, we have missed twice - they made have only missed twice, don’t hold me two it)

OR

2. I hate AFL with such an intense (and hidden) passion, despite spending half my free time when I have nothing better to do talking about it on a forum and never running it down, and never ever talking on a rugby league forum, that it would bother me to see the Swans succeeding.

Neither are the case. I want the swans to do well enough on the field that they stay somewhere near the top because I like them as a team, I want them to do well enough as a club because I want AFL to stay relevant in NSW. I also like rugby league so I would prefer it if their success doesn’t actually harm rugby league. In an ideal world, people can just follow both: I recognise you can’t understand this, and your reference to ‘THE easts’ shows your affinity for a side who haven’t called themselves ‘East’s’ for three decades let alone ‘THE east’s’ but for some of us, we are just happy if everyone is doing ok.

It’s not that hard to understand.

Can’t debate properly?

You haven’t debated anything.

All you’ve done is call me a troll. You haven’t tried to elicit anything other than an emotional response about my supposed ‘upset’ that a game I allegedly deride is doing well. I love AFL and literally started following before I started following league and I follow my AFL team closer than I do my rugby league team

You haven’t asked me a single thing about where I’m from, what the demographics are like here, what the balance is like here, why I’m disappointed that the town I am originally from doesn’t have an AFL club and never had that option for me growing up, you made an assumption that my 40,000 posts were all negative towards the sport you’re so protective of: hell, I’m even in the Mark Robinson thread talking about why I like he and Gerard Whateley together

Calling out your inability to have an actual discussion and giving a sarcastic appraisal of it is no more a personal insult than calling someone a troll for trying to actually talk about a subject.

Again, just because you don’t like what someone is saying about said subject, or someone’s reply - to a person that ISNT YOU - doesn’t make them a troll mate.

And no, it wasn’t off topic.

A post was made about something, I responded to it. That’s how forums work. If you have an issue with it, report the post I responded to.

“Never argue with an idiot. The idiot will never know he is wrong and onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.”

The ignore function is your friend.