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AFLW 2024 - Round 8 - Chat, game threads, injury lists, team lineups and more.
Expansion "Ruling the World" - 60 Minutes article on AFL - well worth watching
- Thread starter PumpyChowdown
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smasha
It's Time!
Great piece.
So proud of our game.
So proud of our game.
Awesome video well worth the 13 mins. As Dipper says "The greatest game in the world"
Enjoyed that 
LIONOFZION
All Australian
GREAT STORY!!!
Our game deserves to be played on the world stage - as good as the other codes are, nothing beats Footy for the sheer spectacle of speed, skill, athleticism and high-scoring action.
Our game deserves to be played on the world stage - as good as the other codes are, nothing beats Footy for the sheer spectacle of speed, skill, athleticism and high-scoring action.
And it is taking off in Europe (not just in Ireland):
2010 Euro Cup in Milan, Italy
2010 European Championships in Denmark & Sweden
2010 Euro Cup in Milan, Italy
2010 European Championships in Denmark & Sweden
bombermick
Norm Smith Medallist
Great story. I can't wait to see a kid from a South African shantytown lighting up the 'G.
Great watch, thought it would be boring but kvin sheedy made it worth while getting that kid to gws
Kam Ling
- Aug 28, 2010
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isn't peter bell asian?
I think he is half-Filipino or something like that.
RL types would have been spitting chips watching this
Disappointing that Rugby League man Ray Martin chose in his introduction to describe our code as
"a mongrel game born in the back streets of working class Melbourne 150 years ago."
It was actually born out of the confidence that our new and prosperous city could invent a "game of our own" that was better than anything else around. It has never been based on class, and in fact the first recorded game was organised by the Melbourne Cricket Club and played between two of Melbourne's private schools. It's a game that involves all parts of the community, which is probably unique in the world.
It was great to see the 60 minutes story, but you would reckon a journalist of Ray Martin's calibre could do some basic research and get his facts right about the history of our great game.
"a mongrel game born in the back streets of working class Melbourne 150 years ago."
It was actually born out of the confidence that our new and prosperous city could invent a "game of our own" that was better than anything else around. It has never been based on class, and in fact the first recorded game was organised by the Melbourne Cricket Club and played between two of Melbourne's private schools. It's a game that involves all parts of the community, which is probably unique in the world.
It was great to see the 60 minutes story, but you would reckon a journalist of Ray Martin's calibre could do some basic research and get his facts right about the history of our great game.
Ray was creating a narrative of the little game that could. Saying that it started with silver spoons doesn't fit the narrative he's creating. Whereas saying its a mongrel game with working class origins fits perfectly. I wouldn't get too touchy about this as its a good fluff piece and shows some of the strengths of the sport and the direction its heading.
As for the asian player theres the rookie list guy at Brisbane with Japanese heritage (Yoshiura). Heres hoping he makes it. Guys like him and Houli connect with a community and can generate greater interest.
As for the asian player theres the rookie list guy at Brisbane with Japanese heritage (Yoshiura). Heres hoping he makes it. Guys like him and Houli connect with a community and can generate greater interest.
- Banned
- #19
Quite right ! Australia was the richest(per head of population) country in the world and community football was born out of the increased leizure time .
The game itself was acknowledged as the best football game in the world with a move originating in Sydney for the Rugby world to switch to "colonial" football .A move which would have seen the world playing AR as it does RU today .
Typical ch9 fluff piece . I remember them doing the same for the Sydney Swan's "arrival" in Sydney and instead of quoting crowd numbers etc all they could do was focus on Warrick Capper's shorts .
.
Damm straight. That pussy game Soccer will be dead in Europe with in 10years.
x2
nobody really follows soccer in europe anymore..
of course it's an exaggeration, but our great game is catching up at an alarming rate, and will surpass soccer before long
Yes at this rate it should only be a couple of months away
But seriously the doco was a good puff piece.
The AFL is atleast trying to soe some future seeds of growth.
Great piece. Definitely agree it is the best game in the world. Over here in London and I just haven't been able to get into soccer as much as I thought I would.
Unfortunately I don't think we can underestimate how popular soccer is here in Europe. Everyone over here has seen Aussie Rules and knows what you're talking about when you bring it up but they would never watch a game because it is too complicated. I've tried teaching people the rules while watching a game and it's almost a lost cause.
The AFL is its biggest enemy with all of their rule changes. The one advantage soccer has over Aussie rules is you can play it anywhere and you only need a ball. Also the rules are very basic.
I think Europe will be the hardest market to break into. For the moment, the developing countries are where you will see a lot of converts.
Unfortunately I don't think we can underestimate how popular soccer is here in Europe. Everyone over here has seen Aussie Rules and knows what you're talking about when you bring it up but they would never watch a game because it is too complicated. I've tried teaching people the rules while watching a game and it's almost a lost cause.
The AFL is its biggest enemy with all of their rule changes. The one advantage soccer has over Aussie rules is you can play it anywhere and you only need a ball. Also the rules are very basic.
I think Europe will be the hardest market to break into. For the moment, the developing countries are where you will see a lot of converts.
Puff piece all right.
I take a keen interest in the spread of AFL globally. Have watched the past few international cups.
20,000 kids playing AFL in South Africa!!! yeah right!! - the reality, 20,000 have attended clinics, often only once, a few have attended more than one. But despite all that and years of effort there is only one actual ongoing competition on the go in South Africa with only 4 teams playing an abridged season. Its like saying that millions of British kids are playing Aussie Rules because they are exposed to it in their physical education classes at school.
There are 20,000 people including around 10,000 kids playing in ongoing full season, 18 a side competitions in Papua New Guinea though for example with many Papuans now playing in Queensland and about 8 on AFL international scholarship lists.
The Pacific Islands of Nauru, Fiji etc have more kids playing in regular games than South Africa.
The European leagues are mostly expats or old guys. No junior competitions or proper structures. Only Denmark and England have some sort of junior comp. The same goes for the US - they don't even play proper footy for the most part over there. Canada has some junior leagues and has been growing okay, but still very small.
I'm all for international development, but if the AFL keeps putting in only token efforts like in South Africa and not backing it up by establishing proper competitions, structures etc - then its all pretty worthless. PNG however is a huge success.
I take a keen interest in the spread of AFL globally. Have watched the past few international cups.
20,000 kids playing AFL in South Africa!!! yeah right!! - the reality, 20,000 have attended clinics, often only once, a few have attended more than one. But despite all that and years of effort there is only one actual ongoing competition on the go in South Africa with only 4 teams playing an abridged season. Its like saying that millions of British kids are playing Aussie Rules because they are exposed to it in their physical education classes at school.
There are 20,000 people including around 10,000 kids playing in ongoing full season, 18 a side competitions in Papua New Guinea though for example with many Papuans now playing in Queensland and about 8 on AFL international scholarship lists.
The Pacific Islands of Nauru, Fiji etc have more kids playing in regular games than South Africa.
The European leagues are mostly expats or old guys. No junior competitions or proper structures. Only Denmark and England have some sort of junior comp. The same goes for the US - they don't even play proper footy for the most part over there. Canada has some junior leagues and has been growing okay, but still very small.
I'm all for international development, but if the AFL keeps putting in only token efforts like in South Africa and not backing it up by establishing proper competitions, structures etc - then its all pretty worthless. PNG however is a huge success.
When I was travelling through europe earlier this year, nearly every day someone I was talking to in a pub would ask me about AFL. Mostly it was people saying they have watched some matches and loved the pace, the skill and the high scoring nature.
Occasionally I've run into die hard fans. One French guy was a mad Bombers fan and told me all the scores from the weekend before.
I am the first to admit that the claims about AFL's global growth have elements of exaggeration. Look at my post above.
However, it is not nearly as miniscule as the soccer fanboys would have us believe.
I can see AFL overtaking both forms of rugby in europe in the next 10 or so years, and in our lifetime it will be the world's biggest sport.
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