Combined Soccer vs AFL threads - please post here

[D/MoN]

It’s really quite unfortunate that I’ve had to trawl through 19 pages of generally unmitigated crap to find a worthwhile comment. But the above comment sums up my sentiments more precisely than I ever could.

I’ve had to tolerate harmesy’s truly risible contributions to this thread: which amount to little more than the old “wogs, sheilas, ****tas” slur of bygone eras. Harmesy, who professes his dislike of the game, yet seems to make a habit of popping into every “soccer” related thread, uttering feckless obloquies in the vain hope of convincing everyone of gawd knows what!!!

Then we have fishmonger, a fascinating case study, with his peculiar (and slightly hilarious) “soccer” related conspiracy theories. Apparently everyone from Wikipedia to Rebels sports is involved in this scheme to see “soccer” conquer poor defenceless Aussie Rules. Run for the hills everyone, the end is nigh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well if people aren’t captivated by the world games unique beauty, they will almost certainly be turned off AFL by the paranoid ravings of fishmonger and harmesy….

And these people would be undecided folk looking for 'football' direction in life in the mass maze of cyberspace and happening upon the world-unknown "AFL football" Board of Big Footy?

Your last paragraph cancels out your first.

 

[Falcon]

I certainly don't agree with Guus Hiddink's comments and description of 'our' game, Australian Football. But that's life. In this country there has been plenty of soccer bashers, me for one most times, but I have recently realised to just accept that soccer is growing in Australia and theres no stopping it. I don't like it, I believe Soccer is boring and too predictable. But in a multi-cultural nation on the grow, the 'world game' is always going to have a presence.

But realise this, Australia is probably the biggest sporting nation in the world. We have pretty much done everything, from America's Cup, to World Cup Rugby, to total domination of International Cricket, A huge grandslam Tennis competition getting bigger by the year, held the Olympics twice, very successful Rugby League competition, now have winners in the US open golf, and most of all have our own unique game that in ratio to Australias population is the most attended game in the world.

Australians love their sport, so accept that when Australia has finally made the World Cup for the first time in 32 years that it's going to be big, not because it's soccer, not because soccer is taking over, but because our nation has got to the grandest stage of a sport that we have yet to dominate and we want to push towards Australia's domination of sport.

In every country in the world, soccer is the #1 game, except here. That's what makes us so unique. That's why our game, Australian Football is a treasure to us and this country. It may not be the 'world game' but it's 'our' game, and that is never going to change, I assure you that.

 

[Falcon]

I'd also like you to point out when was the last time someone was injured as a result of a soccer riot here? Even those 'massive' riots reported by the media a few years ago only resulted in one arrest (same weekend League had 20 + fans arrested after a game, but that got no coverage did it?).

Last night at federation square, someone was injured due to flares been shot off into the air and there was several riots and fights, resulting in 7 arrests.

 

[Treasurer]

Get over it falcon its obvious you know soccer is going to be the biggest sport in Australia.

 

[fabulousphil]

Get over it falcon its obvious you know soccer is going to be the biggest sport in Australia.

No its netball.... hang on netball ...soccer ...hang on, there one and the same.

 

[fishmonger]

In every country in the world, soccer is the #1 game, except here. That's what makes us so unique. That's why our game, Australian Football is a treasure to us and this country. It may not be the 'world game' but it's 'our' game, and that is never going to change, I assure you that.

by every other country do you also count USA, Canada and New Zealand ?

Despite what FIFA would have you think, in these countries soccer is far from #1.

Soccer is number 1 in many European and South American countries, but still far from number 1 elsewhere. It just gets noticed by sheer weight of numbers. Because just about every country can field a team.

 

[Sir_Adrian84]

by every other country do you also count USA, Canada and New Zealand ?

Despite what FIFA would have you think, in these countries soccer is far from #1.

Soccer is number 1 in many European and South American countries, but still far from number 1 elsewhere. It just gets noticed by sheer weight of numbers. Because just about every country can field a team.

Even in some European countries, other sports are popular. Ireland is one. In the East and Scandenavia- Ice Hockey is popular, in the South Handball gets a gig. Parts of Asia, Central America etc play other sports like cricket, basketball and baseball.

You are right, out of NZ, Canada and the USA, Australia has soccer as its most popular. The MLS has most of its teams in the South West where most of the Hispanics live and the North-East which is very multicultural (i.e. New York, Boston etc). The middle isn't as popular for soccer.

 

[Ragnarok14]

Last night at federation square, someone was injured due to flares been shot off into the air and there was several riots and fights, resulting in 7 arrests.

So the person was injured through stupid behavour not the riot? Thanks for proving my point. And as for the 7 arrests, 7 people hardly make a riot now do they? I remember a swans match a couple of weeks ago where 4 people were ejected from the game for fighting, i'm hardly going to call that a riot now am I?

 

[Grunty]

sport is no longer just 'sport', its big business worth billions of dollars. the afl and ffa are two organisations just like two any other businesses. for this reason, there is always going to be competition between the two and you end up having both sides trying to gain a share of the profits from the other. just like coke and pepsi, both sides will promote their product where possible and when the opportunity presents, put down the other to make themselves appeal more to the consumer.

for years now the afl especially has had to pump millions upon millions of dollars into grassroots development. this is not a way of 'giving back to the game', rather it is an investment, a way of increasing long-term market share over other sports including the round ball code.

the afl has every right to defend its product and do all it can to make itself the number one sport in the country. likewise so does the ffa. very rarely will you find either party having a really dig at each other, it is not good business to take pot shots at your competition, it not only makes you look untrustworthy, but weak at the same time.

the complications occur through people with vested interests in either side. these may include the clubs, individuals or other third parties who take it upon themself to 'protect' their sport. these can be brought about through a vested interest, stupidity or just plain ignorance. there are people on both sides and this is not isolated to any one side. there are afl fans who are sledge soccer without ever really sitting down and watching a game, and there are soccer fans who hate afl simply because it is the top covered/talked about sport in melbourne and other cities.

there are also third parties who will jump on and off both codes. look at nike for example, they will promote the use of the word 'football' in reference to the roundball code to build a relationship with fans of the game. does nike australia refer to the game as 'football'? probably not, but they know it sells and as such will call it that. they are doing what they can to boost sales and whether you like it or not these parties will always do such things.

at the end of the day though, does it really all matter? i say let the people play the sport they want. let the people watch the sport they want. if they want to watch soccer more than afl, then give a proportionate amount of media coverage, if people want to watch afl more than soccer then give more media coverage to the afl. there are barriers to this occuring in the short-term, but in the long-term if there is as many pages about soccer in your sunday sports section then so be it.

watch what you want to watch, play what you want to play and let others do the same.

Opinions like these should not be allowed on a soccer VERSUS AFL thread.
They are too sensible.

 

[Falcon]

Get over it falcon its obvious you know soccer is going to be the biggest sport in Australia.

Explain how it's obvious? What's obvious is your stupidty, and arent you a follower and fan of 'our' game.

So the person was injured through stupid behavour not the riot? Thanks for proving my point. And as for the 7 arrests, 7 people hardly make a riot now do they? I remember a swans match a couple of weeks ago where 4 people were ejected from the game for fighting, i'm hardly going to call that a riot now am I?

Ok so the person was injured thanks to stupid behaviour but that proves my original point. the crowds do stupid things. What is the point of lighting off a flare into a group of innocent people? That shows true support for your soccer team. I know the marjority of people in Federation Square that night were Aussie supporters, having fights with people from your own team is just silly caused by people doing...stupid things. 7 arrests and several injured people is not what I call a friendly gathering. My friend is not really keen on taking her two children to the next soccer game/gathering because it is not the environment safe for families, or anyone for that matter. I do agree it wasn't a riot, probably bad choice of words, but how far does it have to go before it does become one.

 

[Verbeek]

Even in some European countries, other sports are popular. Ireland is one. In the East and Scandenavia- Ice Hockey is popular, in the South Handball gets a gig. Parts of Asia, Central America etc play other sports like cricket, basketball and baseball.

You are right, out of NZ, Canada and the USA, Australia has soccer as its most popular. The MLS has most of its teams in the South West where most of the Hispanics live and the North-East which is very multicultural (i.e. New York, Boston etc). The middle isn't as popular for soccer.

Ohhh hilarious. Give it up lads, soccer/football whatever you wanna call it is by far the world's most popular sport... But reading the slant some of these posts have taken, one could be excused for thinking that in terms of popularity, soccer is somewhere between AFL, Lacrosee and/or Handball... Give it up! Is it the most popular sport in Europe overall? Yes. Is it the most popular sport in South America overall? Yes. Is it the most popular sport in Asia overall? Yes. Is it the most popular sport in Africa overall? Yes. Case closed really...

We have the greatest sport in the world in AFL and in this part of the world, soccer will never overtake it so why all the fuss? If you love AFL, follow the AFL and if you dont like soccer, dont follow soccer. This can also apply in the reverse. If you like both, great!

No doubt i'll be inendated with replies that "technically" fishing is the world's most popular sport

 

[mcgarnacle]

Ohhh hilarious. Give it up lads, soccer/football whatever you wanna call it is by far the world's most popular sport... But reading the slant some of these posts have taken, one could be excused for thinking that in terms of popularity, soccer is somewhere between AFL, Lacrosee and/or Handball... Give it up! Is it the most popular sport in Europe overall? Yes. Is it the most popular sport in South America overall? Yes. Is it the most popular sport in Asia overall? Yes. Is it the most popular sport in Africa overall? Yes. Case closed really...

We have the greatest sport in the world in AFL and in this part of the world, soccer will never overtake it so why all the fuss? If you love AFL, follow the AFL and if you dont like soccer, dont follow soccer. This can also apply in the reverse. If you like both, great!

No doubt i'll be inendated with replies that "technically" fishing is the world's most popular sport

i enjoy watching the world game but don't play it because i believe there is something better. australian rules football. i enjoy it and do so every year.

however, i don't like following the agenda-driven AFL. our current national competition is a blight on our great sport.

 

[7zark7]

Ohhh hilarious. Give it up lads, soccer/football whatever you wanna call it is by far the world's most popular sport... But reading the slant some of these posts have taken, one could be excused for thinking that in terms of popularity, soccer is somewhere between AFL, Lacrosee and/or Handball... Give it up! Is it the most popular sport in Europe overall? Yes. Is it the most popular sport in South America overall? Yes. Is it the most popular sport in Asia overall? Yes. Is it the most popular sport in Africa overall? Yes. Case closed really...

We have the greatest sport in the world in AFL and in this part of the world, soccer will never overtake it so why all the fuss? If you love AFL, follow the AFL and if you dont like soccer, dont follow soccer. This can also apply in the reverse. If you like both, great!

No doubt i'll be inendated with replies that "technically" fishing is the world's most popular sport

Well technically fishing is the most popular sport

 

[Sir_Adrian84]

Ohhh hilarious. Give it up lads, soccer/football whatever you wanna call it is by far the world's most popular sport... But reading the slant some of these posts have taken, one could be excused for thinking that in terms of popularity, soccer is somewhere between AFL, Lacrosee and/or Handball... Give it up! Is it the most popular sport in Europe overall? Yes. Is it the most popular sport in South America overall? Yes. Is it the most popular sport in Asia overall? Yes. Is it the most popular sport in Africa overall? Yes. Case closed really...

We have the greatest sport in the world in AFL and in this part of the world, soccer will never overtake it so why all the fuss? If you love AFL, follow the AFL and if you dont like soccer, dont follow soccer. This can also apply in the reverse. If you like both, great!

No doubt i'll be inendated with replies that "technically" fishing is the world's most popular sport

It may be the most popular but it is not the world's only sport. Soccer people like to make out that no other sports exist.

 

[Sir_Adrian84]

Well technically fishing is the most popular sport

walking could be up there as could running.

 

[fishmonger]

Good point here Fishmonger.

I agree. I think women love Aust. Footy for the same reason men love it - the speed the skill etc.

Women make up a massive percentage of the people that go to AFL matches.
If you go to a rugby match you will notice that very few females (in proportion) are at the matches.

I have played proper footy and rec. footy and think rec. footy is a great innovation. it will translate female interest in the game into participation.

The women i have played rec. footy with loved it - especially if they are involved. that is the key. some women don't have the skill base to immediately feel involved.

rec. footy is good fun.. and it also keeps older people involved in the game.
I would be doing all possible to get 30 -40 year olds involved in this game.

Interesting article on AFL cutting funding for women's footy, effectively ignoring the potential of 50% of the nation's population.

18,609 is pretty impressive, and a great growth rate. It seems it could be another way of cracking the Sydney market, as it is particularly popular there:

http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2006/06/19/1150701485749.html

Girls miss out on AFL cash
June 20, 2006

Football's peak body likes to spruik its credentials at grassroots level, but female footballers are off the radar, Kate Hagan reports

THE AFL is watching nervously as the Socceroos' World Cup campaign pushes its game — temporarily — to the inside pages of the sports section. But for elite women footballers, a low profile is standard.

This week, 50 Victorian footballers, seniors and an under-19 development squad are in Sydney contesting the AFL women's national championships. After losing a couple of sponsors over the past two years, the players have to find about $800 each, and have been selling chocolates, running sausage sizzles and seeking auction items.

It's a different story for the boys representing Victoria in the AFL under-18 national championships, starting in Melbourne this weekend. Their trips are funded.

"If you look at their team photo, they have more staff than kids," Football Victoria's female football development manager Nicole Graves said.

Six volunteers coach, manage and train the Victorian women and girls. By contrast, the boys draw on a team of paid staff that includes a handful of selectors and a team doctor. "These boys are the next AFL rising stars," Graves said. "But women's football is not asking for the huge amount of dollars that the boys get.

"(We are) just trying to find a sponsor for $5000 or $10,000. That would allow the girls to represent their state for maybe $200, in comparison to $800."

Despite the lack of funding at an elite level, more girls are strapping on the boots than ever before. A total of 18,609 girls and women played football in 2005, up from 13,845 only two years earlier.

Part of the growth is thanks to the establishment of two youth competitions for 13-to-17-year-old girls in Melbourne's west and south-east.

Graves was employed to conduct a feasibility study into a youth competition, which she set up after a landmark 2004 case by three teenage girls ordered to stop playing football in mixed teams in the Moorabbin Saints Junior League.

The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal ruled the girls could play out their seasons, and lifted the age at which girls can be excluded from playing football in mixed teams from 12 to 14.

One of those girls, 18-year-old Penny Cula-Reid, will play for Victoria's under-19 development squad this week. During the season, she plays for the St Kilda Sharks, in the Victorian Women's Football League, where there is "less controversy" than in junior footy.

"Everyone's just really friendly and wanting to play," Cula-Reid said. "With the boys, the skills are a bit higher, but they've had the development from Auskick all the way up. Some of these girls have just started playing … they've never picked up a footy in their life."

That's a situation that Graves wants to change. She gets "weekly if not daily" calls from teenage girls who want to play footy, but live too far away to play in Melbourne's two youth competitions.

"It's really unfortunate, there are still young girls who are really desperate to play but slipping through the gap," she said. "But in its development, even the VWFL is only 25 years old in comparison to over 100 years of men's footy, and youth girls' is three years old, so baby steps."

Despite the AFL's stated commitment to increased funding for grassroots footy, not much of its $780 million television rights windfall seems to be flowing to the women's game. "If you're talking a national game, which is very insulated because it's only in Australia, cutting out 50 per cent of your population is crazy," Graves said. "You really want to keep plugging away the fact that you support women participating in the game at all levels, not just as canteen ladies and administrators and the people that hold everything together but as participants and umpires and coaches."

Cula-Reid is excited about pulling on the jumper for the "little Vics" this week and wants to make the All-Australian team, named at the end of the championships, and a chance to play in a two-match international series in Dublin and Cork in October.

"It's all about having fun, I'm still 18 and there's a lot of things I could be doing," she said. "But secretly, deep down inside, I'll be gunning for that team. I'll pretend it's all fun and games but as soon as I get over that white line, look out — I'm on the warpath."

 

[Verbeek]

It may be the most popular but it is not the world's only sport. Soccer people like to make out that no other sports exist.

I dont see too many soccer people crying foul that their precious sport is in competition with other sports... such as basketball, rugby, cricket, etc... I do however see a number of insecure AFL fans. You know any?

 

[Ronin]

In terms of those saying that Soccer has an aggressive marketing campaign that is shoving it down people's throats, welcome to the NSW experience with AFL.

I can remember Sheedy putting down the Victory game vs the International rules match and the Swans CEO nuff nuff knocking NRL hooligan players after his boys where busted honking car horns at Balmoral Beach. Anyone here own a Black Kettle?

Funny how Alex is over watching the World Cup. Is he a closet fan?

Just enjoy whatever sport you love, as comparing them is futile ffs.

 

[charliemurphy]

In terms of those saying that Soccer has an aggressive marketing campaign that is shoving it down people's throats, welcome to the NSW experience with AFL.

I can remember Sheedy putting down the Victory game vs the International rules match and the Swans CEO nuff nuff knocking NRL hooligan players after his boys where busted honking car horns at Balmoral Beach. Anyone here own a Black Kettle?

Funny how Alex is over watching the World Cup. Is he a closet fan?

Just enjoy whatever sport you love, as comparing them is futile ffs.

Right on Ronin...

Enjoy your sport for what it is... No one wants to hear your reasons why one is better then the other... Australian Football is a good game, but damn am i sick of the AFL and victorian media pushing it down my throat whilst death riding other sports

Made me sick seeing a couple of the panel members from the footy show actually in Germany despite what they have said and still beleive about the game... I think Matthew Johns was the only one on the panel that actually takes an interest in the sport

Fitzsimons and Newman?? What a joke

 

[Casey]

No doubt i'll be inendated with replies that "technically" fishing is the world's most popular sport

That, or surfing

Agree with you one hundred percent on the rest of it

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

Disparaissent le Socceroo

 

[*Crash*]

Harry Clear to play!

 

[GhostofJimJess]

I dont see too many soccer people crying foul that their precious sport is in competition with other sports... such as basketball, rugby, cricket, etc... I do however see a number of insecure AFL fans. You know any?

Glad you mentioned those other sports like basketball, cricket etc., as I think they might be the ones to suffer more in the short- and mid-term than Aussie Football. There is and will be a rush of youngsters (and maybe 20-40 somethings) playing Indoor Soccer rather than Basketball, Indoor Cricket and other "indoor" sports on weeknights.

As for insecure AFL? Well, there's no doubt that about that. But aren't many Australians naturally insecure about their place in the world? How often do we need to have our musicians, actors and other artists and business people validated by becoming "Big In Europe" or "Cracking The US Market" before they receive the attention they deserve at home?

We should take a leaf out of the Irish book. They know they've got the greatest game in the world in Hurling. There's no question in their mind about it, however many of their youngsters kick soccer balls in the schoolyard or get poached by English soccer clubs. We should also be content in the knowledge that we too have got the greatest game in the world in Australian Rules.

 

[charliemurphy]

We should take a leaf out of the Irish book. They know they've got the greatest game in the world in Hurling. There's no question in their mind about it, however many of their youngsters kick soccer balls in the schoolyard or get poached by English soccer clubs. We should also be content in the knowledge that we too have got the greatest game in the world in Australian Rules.

How can their be two of the greatest games in the world??

 

[Casey]

How can their be two of the greatest games in the world??

Because ones the most popular (soccer) and one actually is the best (Aussie Rules)