The Australian Football League Thread

[lamaros]

I know there are a few Aussies on the forum, but are there any others who also follow the AFL?

[Fordel]

Is this the football where everyone flies into each other midair trying to grab the ball?

[Chimpy]

They need to make the goal line umpires go back to wearing the old Ricardo Montalban suits with the white fedoras. These new track pants + dayglow shirt and ball cap getups just don't have the pinache of the old look.

I try to watch one game a week (ESPN3 streams 2-3 every week) but I have not had as much time this season as I did at the end of last season as I am employed now and being up at 5am to watch a live match is a bit silly (yes, I know they do replays but it is not the same).

[Nebu]

I love watching this sport, but can't help but feel that the players all fit into the "I'm not good enough for Rugby" crowd. 

[lamaros]

I love watching this sport, but can't help but feel that the players all fit into the "I'm not good enough for Rugby" crowd.  

Curious observation. In Australia we are pretty much divided between rugby states - NSW and QLD - and AFL states - everywhere else. But AFL is far and away the biggest code in terms of attendance, wages, players, tv ratings, sponsorship, etc. The latest TV deal for AFL was worth over 1.2 billion AUD, which was huge for here, and it is growing. At the moment AFL is trying very hard to break in to the NSW and QLD markets. This year a new side in QLD started on the Gold Coast, while another side in NSW is joining in western Sydney next year. AFL is the premier national sport despite NSW and QLD and will only increase its profile in this regard.

Both the AFL and NRL have a salary cap. The AFL is 8.2mil for 2011, the NRL is 4.3mil. The AFL one is likely to rise a fair bit as the players union is in the process of negotiating a new agreement now the TV deal has been finalised, but even if it stays the same it is a bit in front. The top AFL players earn about twice as much as the top NRL players, and the average wage is also significantly higher.

How that applies to skill level though is hard to say. The state divide, where players generally play either rugby or aussie rules as a junior - but not both - is one factor, but another is due to the two games having very different skill sets.

Rugby is very straightforward compared to AFL. You run in a straight line at other blokes and sometimes pass the ball by hand, then you swap roles. In the AFL you have 360 movement of the ball, foot and hand passing, tackling from behind as well as in front, catching the ball in packs and in the air, zones, etc, as well as specialist positions for key defenders, attackers, ruckmen (guys who hit the ball down to their teammates from pretty much every stoppage in play).

The new QLD team actually signed a former Australian rep rugby player (Karmichael Hunt) to their squad last year on a massive wage, mostly as a marketing tool, and he is struggling so far this season but has some promise. The new Sydney team has signed another (Israel Falou) and it will be interesting to see how he goes. Both were stars in rugby league, but it very very unlikely that they will get to similar heights in the AFL.

Hunt and Falou both had to lose a bit of weight and change their body shape a fair bit after swapping codes, and both a playing as defenders because they do not have the awareness or knowledge - let alone the fitness (they were cramping up 1/4 of the way through a game playing in the least mobile position) to do much else at this stage.

Increasingly AFL is picking much of the best sporting talent in the country. Top rated young basketball players are very prominent in recruitment at the moment because their skills - 360 awareness, ability to handle a ball in traffic, zone and presses, etc translate much better and you can make much more as an aussie rules player than in the national basketball league (which collapsed a few years back and is only just re-starting).

So you would have to say that AFL gets more top talent.* But there is no doubt that there are a few guys playing rugby who would make decent AFL players if they had been playing different codes as juniors; one of the young Sydney players is the son of a former rugby international, and he is doing very well.

TLDR: There are a few situations of quality rugby players crossing to AFL, and none the other way around, so I would speculate that if you had to pick one way or the other, you would say AFL is attracting more the top talent in the country. Mostly though, they are quite different sports.

*Unless you're good enough to play overseas, of course. Basketballers and soccer players of quality leave our shores when they get the chance.

[ghost]

Can someone explain to me the difference between rugby and AFL? 

[lamaros]

Can someone explain to me the difference between rugby and AFL?  

AFL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of_oTtyLoec&

NRL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5j3JkuFtwk&

[Fordel]

Is the AFL field round? I seriously have no idea what the hell is going on in that first clip.

[Tale]

Is the AFL field round? I seriously have no idea what the hell is going on in that first clip.

It's oval.

[Fordel]

The way the referees signal a point is totally awesome though.

[ghost]

I think I would like AFL if I could figure out what the fuck was going on.  It seems a tad bit more relaxed than the rugby, which seems a bit more like american football. 

[Strazos]

Reading Wikipedia helped a lot, actually. I'd be into that AFL stuff if I lived down there, though ties in a championship game is total nonsense.

I would need to watch more NRL to get an idea.

[Chimpy]

Reading Wikipedia helped a lot, actually. I'd be into that AFL stuff if I lived down there, though ties in a championship game is total nonsense.

The tie in last year's grand final was fucking ridiculous. Especially because St. Kilda got totally destroyed the next week when they had to replay. That is not to say that St. Kilda would have won had they played overtime in the first match, as the Magpies had pretty much dominated the 4th quarter, but at least it would have been a better end note to the season.

Also, to the difference between AFL and rugby: There are also 2 different rugby codes, Union and League. I personally prefer union to both the AFL and NRL as I like how the game flows better, personally. Uncontested breakdowns and the phase limit really just seem meh to me. Though NRL is considerably faster overall than Super Rugby (the professional league in SA/NZ/AU).

[lamaros]

I think I would like AFL if I could figure out what the fuck was going on.  It seems a tad bit more relaxed than the rugby, which seems a bit more like american football.

My girlfriend still has no idea most of the time, even though she has watched a few games with me.

On TV is can be very confusing for new watchers because there are a lot of players and a big field, with a lot going on at one time. The cameras cannot really cover most of what is going on and follow the ball for the most part.

Live it is much less confusing (the few times I have managed to get her to watch it live she has loved it).

Both forms of rugby translate easier to TV because all of the actions takes place between the lines of the two teams and can be captured in a single shot.

The way the referees signal a point is totally awesome though.

For a goal it is both hands side by side: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIVP6ilyDvY

[Pagz]

I'm interested to see if the new Sydney side doesn't lose by more then 100 points in their first game. It will be good after a few years when both teams have settled into the pace of the game to see how they stand on the ladder (one of the newer players in GCS said he was amazed just how much faster the AFL is compared to the Victorian state league, but just watch a game of VFL and you get a pretty clear idea).

But like any sport, it's so much better when you're actually at a game. It changes a lot when you have the whole view of the field at once.

[lamaros]

I'm interested to see if the new Sydney side doesn't lose by more then 100 points in their first game. It will be good after a few years when both teams have settled into the pace of the game to see how they stand on the ladder (one of the newer players in GCS said he was amazed just how much faster the AFL is compared to the Victorian state league, but just watch a game of VFL and you get a pretty clear idea).

But like any sport, it's so much better when you're actually at a game. It changes a lot when you have the whole view of the field at once.

Unless they recruit a fair few more experienced players than the Gold Coast team did you would expect them to. Even knowing how hard it will be won't stop young experienced players getting trashed.

[HaemishM]

Also, to the difference between AFL and rugby: There are also 2 different rugby codes, Union and League. I personally prefer union to both the AFL and NRL as I like how the game flows better, personally. Uncontested breakdowns and the phase limit really just seem meh to me. Though NRL is considerably faster overall than Super Rugby (the professional league in SA/NZ/AU).

NRL and rugby league games are fun, and it could probably appeal to American audiences more because the game feels a bit more structured like American football. Rugby union is a more fun game to watch, IMO, but it can be hard to follow at first. People always talk about scrums being so violent, but the real violence happens in a ruck, which you really don't get with league games. It's interesting to see how rugby union rules and terminology influenced American football, though.

AFL, though? I have no fucking idea what goes on in those games.

[Chimpy]

AFL, though? I have no fucking idea what goes on in those games.

Are you able to get ESPN3 through your ISP? They have 2-3 games a week and you can replay them up to a week later (I actually watched the first 3 quarters of yesterday's Collingwood v Geelong game at work this afternoon...need to go finish watching it now).

I was totally clueless for 2-3 matches before I started to get an idea what is going on (as I did with Rugby Union back in 2001 when they ran a couple matches a week on Fox Sports World).

[HaemishM]

Yeah, I get ESPN3. I just don't have time to add new sports along with all the football, baseball and TV shows I watch. I need to become independently wealthy.

[Tale]

A great AFL goal I posted in Useless Videos before this thread began: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uAme96fSlE

[Chimpy]

Yeah, I get ESPN3. I just don't have time to add new sports along with all the football, baseball and TV shows I watch. I need to become independently wealthy.

Should dump baseball, then you will have ample time for expanding your sport horizons!

[UnSub]

Union is a lot more interesting than League.

The NRL (Rugby League) also tends to go from scandal to scandal, usually a few "drunk players do something offensive" with at least one "and then she was pack raped" once a season. It's done itself a lot of damage to trying to build the popularity of the code outside of the home states.

AFL has some problems, but not on the same scale.

[pants]

I love watching this sport, but can't help but feel that the players all fit into the "I'm not good enough for Rugby" crowd.  

TLDR: There are a few situations of quality rugby players crossing to AFL, and none the other way around, so I would speculate that if you had to pick one way or the other, you would say AFL is attracting more the top talent in the country. Mostly though, they are quite different sports.

*Unless you're good enough to play overseas, of course. Basketballers and soccer players of quality leave our shores when they get the chance.

Also different physical requirements.  As Lamaros says, Rugby requires a lot more raw strength, and explosive power (similar to what NFL-style linebackers require), whereas AFL requires a lot more endurance (and height for that matter).  So the average Rugby players build is very strong, with muscles everywhere, whereas the average AFL players build is taller and leaner muscled.

Still, vaguely on topic.  The only light I see this year through the darkness of back-to-back Collingwood victories, is the angst that will come out of St Kilda after realising they had 2 rolled gold chances to get a flag in the past few years, and missed both, and thats it for this generation.

[Fordel]

Which variant requires the greater amount of CRAZY though!

[Chimpy]

Which variant requires the greater amount of CRAZY though!

Probably the AFL.

[lamaros]

Which variant requires the greater amount of CRAZY though!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJGeSRJ5MMQ

AFL I would say. Much greater capacity for horrible injury with some of the stuff the players do.

[Tale]

Which variant requires the greater amount of CRAZY though!

Probably the AFL.

Crazy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Cousins#Personal_life

It infests his photos.

[ghost]

Those stadiums were absolutely packed and huge.  What do these chaps typically make per year?

[Tale]

Those stadiums were absolutely packed and huge.  What do these chaps typically make per year?

There's an enforced salary cap of around A$9 million per team. Top players earn over $1 million. Average salary $226,000. Rookie salary $35,400. (A$1 is worth slightly more than US$1)

A fight is brewing due to the recently signed $1.25 billion TV rights deal. Background from the players' association: http://www.aflpablog.com.au/as-afl-rakes-in-the-tv-rights-cash-rookies-struggle-to-make-ends-meet

[Fordel]

So which team am I supposed to cheer for? Which team is the evil empire I am supposed to hate?

[Chimpy]

Those stadiums were absolutely packed and huge.  What do these chaps typically make per year?

They are huge, as the field is over 150 yards long and 100 yards wide. The center square is half the size of an american football field by itself. Capacity for those stadiums is lower on average than your typical NFL stadium as the decks are not as high or deep as in a typical U.S. stadium.

The MCG is the biggest with about 100k capacity. Most others are considerably less than 60k seats.

[Tale]

So which team am I supposed to cheer for? Which team is the evil empire I am supposed to hate?

Collingwood is currently the evil empire.

[Fordel]

Damn those Collingwood bastards! May <insert team> destroy their point maker!

[ghost]

Are there any jeers that might be specific to AFL that would be appropriate in this setting?  Collingswood is a bunch of ?

[lamaros]

Are there any jeers that might be specific to AFL that would be appropriate in this setting?  Collingswood is a bunch of ?

Collingwood is generally referred to as a bunch of ferals and dole-bludgers (those on social security). This is not really AFL specific, though.