Alan Collett

Indeed ... but the end of season ladder doesn't lie ... :-))
http://sportsaustralia.com/afl/2003/ladder.html

hevs

I am really looking forward to it, well except the 36 deg heat of course, but i am busily packing my esky with lots of cool drinks to keep us going

Thanks Alan, just checked out the web site so i fully understand the rules now NOT

Will let you know all about it tomorrow!

Hx

RichS

There's not too much to know about AFL. Its a pretty basic game and much better viewed live.
As far as the teams go there are a few things to know.

Most importantly - all the teams in Victoria are rubbish.

If anyone in Victoria argues with you, point them at the ladder and tell them Collingwood don't count because everybody hates them (except Eddy).

If you live in Melbourne you must pretend no other sport exists in a manner approaching manic paranoia.

Alan Collett

Hevs,

When the season starts properly ... Thursdays ...9.30pm ... Channel 9 ... The Footy Show ...

Best regards.

Badge

oops. Yeah Richmond supporters are supposed to be very rah rah. So I'm told.

badge

TrickyTree

I took in a great game of AFL when I went over last year.

Was the Brisbane Lions v Port Adelaide with Port winning by 1 point with the last kick of the game.

Pity the field is so large as we had good tickets down the side of the ground except 80% of the play took place on the other side that night and you need a pair of binos to watch the other side.

Good point is you can drink in the stands though so get the beers in.

Not a patch on a trip to the City Ground though!

TT

AnalOwl

Well now I willlearn the rules of AFL one of these days, but to me it looks like a one of those games they used to play in medieval times, where the entire population chased an inflated pig's bladder around town until someone got trampled to death.

(And my inclination to find out much more has been dented by the Australian TV blackout on the Six Nations Rugby).

OzTennis

You are in good company supporting the Bulldogs! See my new thread on the meaning of aussie rules. I haven't yet checked out the rest of the posts - did the 'Bullies' win?

OzTennis

OzTennis

Well Rich there are 10 teams in Victoria trying to compete with 2 in WA, 2 in SA, 1 in NSW and 1 in Qld and the officials give the latter non-Vic teams preferential treatment in the draft, salary capping etc to try and make it an Aussie wide sport. It's hardly surprising that non-Vic teams in recent years haven't won many flags but Collingwood were in the last grand final and the team from Sydney wasn't. I'm a Bulldogs supporter and we start every year thinking we're going to 'give the flag a shake', even though we got the wooden spoon last year.

OzTennis

Alan Collett

The game is in progress as I type this ... as its the Wizard Cup its not on the radio, but is on the TV as a delayed telecast ...

Who's up for a tipping compy this year then?

OzTennis

Yep, it will be good at the City Ground next season seeing Forest play Bristol Rovers, Brentford et al Sorry, couldn't resist that - at least my Bulldogs couldn't get relegated from the AFL last year when finishing 16th.

OzTennis

TrickyTree

Still plenty of time to escape the clutches of relegation.

Never understood why there isnt relegation in either US or Oz football.
Must make it quite boring knowing you will be playing the same teams over and over again.
Plus if you have no chance of making the play offs what is there to play for.

At least relegation adds a little spice to the bottom of the table to.

TT

OzTennis

Yep, they probably will escape relegation with Joe Kinnear in charge now - they had a good comeback last weekend for a draw from 2-0 down.

It's just what you are used to I guess - promotion and relegation means nothing in footy. I guess you could say it must be boring for a test team playing the same teams at cricket. In AFL they have a final 8 which realistically gives a dozen or so teams hope until near the end of the season and the others may be trying to avoid the dreaded 'wooden spoon'. Even though there is no relegation it is still to be avoided.

Something I've never understand from my footy background is the offside law - why shouldn't you be able to stand where you want on a soccer pitch?

Good luck to Forest, I don't want to see them go the way of some of the once great clubs. Trevor Francis was on Sky last night with a program on him (with his 50th birthday coming up).

OzTennis

OzTennis

Damn, Tigers by 24 points with one of our best players of recent years, Nathan Brown, starring for the opposition.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/20...072849553.html

OzTennis

OzTennis

Yep, I meant to say I'm up for a tipping comp this season. I wasn't on this site last season but can I suggest entries to be posted in a thread entitled 'AFL tipping comp' (with the round fixtures pasted in) by Friday 5.00pm east coast time each week? First round starts 5 weeks today on 26th March.

We'll see if we can attract a major sponsor such as Go Matilda and there could be terrific prizes on offer? (sees he cheekily) Otherwise the prizes are as shown below.

OzTennis