I think we might be lucky to make the finals John but I live in hope.

My boss is a big Freo man & he reckons they will win a flag within next two years.

It's a hyped up money making business. It's truly over rated in my opinon and I can't stand how in perth at least, if a player from one of the teams farts it makes headline news!

In NSW and QSLD at least you have Rugby League (a proper game) and the league clubs you can join for a few dollars and have a nice night out. They do cheap meals, entertainment and have bar service and troublemakers get the arse

It does crack me up how if you don't appreciate a particular code, it becomes 'bullshit, bollocks' and not 'a proper game' I'm sure 130+ years of history would disagree. I'm watching Watford v Liverpool on the TV and the round ball game has always been my first love but I have an open mind and appreciate all sports without trying to denigrate those I don't take to my heart, as it were.

I can't wait for the AFL season to come around, despite the fact I'm in a town that doesn't host too many top level games - I just bought tickets to the Indigenous All-Stars v Essendon which I'm looking forward to immensely. When buying the tickets, the woman asked me 'All-stars or Essendon?'. No competition there - come on you All-stars!! Apparently they've got segregation here, which is a first for me in any Aussie sport.

To those who would knock AFL, bear in mind that it has been the biggest football code here for a long time and probably will be for a long time to come. If you haven't grown up with Sky Sports coverage of soccer, there's no reason why you can't enjoy AFL. It's a very entertaining game and I urge anybody and everybody to give it a go.

I agree with 90pct of your post, in fact probably more than that. What I would like to add is AFL is not for everyone, I've been to at least 6 games over my time here, and been "unlucky" apparently either seeing whitewashes, or very dire rainy muddy games, amongst 30,000 very quiet people at the MCG.

I think additionaly the reason it leaves me cold, is the fact that I used to be a regular Away supporter for my team back in the UK, having travelled to at least 60 grounds around the country. The buzz one gets from being an away supporter is drug like, and AFL even at it's best just doesnt have it.

MV and other teams around the country do, particuarly Central Coast.

WM... You just dont get the following buzz at any other sport, I cannot beleive that it's here, and I dont mind admitting that more than 50pct of my enjoyment of the game comes from being amongst atmosphere like the following..... And it's going to get better.


http://www.melbournevictory.net/foru...ad.php?t=24350

I agree with 90pct of your post, in fact probably more than that. What I would like to add is AFL is not for everyone, I've been to at least 6 games over my time here, and been "unlucky" apparently either seeing whitewashes, or very dire rainy muddy games, amongst 30,000 very quiet people at the MCG.

I think additionaly the reason it leaves me cold, is the fact that I used to be a regular Away supporter for my team back in the UK, having travelled to at least 60 grounds around the country. The buzz one gets from being an away supporter is drug like, and AFL even at it's best just doesnt have it.

MV and other teams around the country do, particuarly Central Coast.

WM... You just dont get the following buzz at any other sport, I cannot beleive that it's here, and I dont mind admitting that more than 50pct of my enjoyment of the game comes from being amongst atmosphere like the following..... And it's going to get better.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSOGzxMUiAc&eurl=


(whoops wrong link before).....

And then we have days like this......

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

One of the many times Freo beat The Eagles last year.
Just a pity we had an ordinary game in Sydney which meant we missed out on the chance to flog them again in The Grand Final.

Much as I love the game of AFL, you're right in saying that the atmosphere doesn't cut it compared to football. I've racked up about 50 away grounds in England too over the years and being in that little pocket of away fans in the corner of a packed home ground can be awesome (expecially if you're winning ). I've found the atmosphere at AFL games to be fairly tame - there's noise but not like you would expect at a decent footy game.

I have noticed that the atmosphere has gone up a notch in the A-League this year too. I went to a couple of Roar games in the inaugural season and the cheer squad gave it a go but the rest of the punters didn't seem to get it. From watching a few games on Fox this season, it seems that now the fans are really making some noise - and even getting in some of the cracks that I didn't think Aussie fans capable of

PS the only away game I've been to in the AFL was Melbourne v Brisbane ...... at the Gabba

That's the stuff

A fine example of why I try not to "rubbish" AFL as a spectacle, I freely admit it does have its merits. I've missed out by not being able to follow AFL wholeheartedly.

Well it is the biggest football code here because of the aussies love of anything australian. So no small wonder. If it's such a crash hot game, why has no other country taken it on? Why is it not played at an international level, like league and union?

I'm sure that many aussies having grown up with it, find it appealing, and that many migrants try to develop an understanding and liking for it.

I tried to get into it when I first moved to Perth, but found it rather boring. But what's really killed any interest in it for me isn't the game itself, so much as the media hype and push in Perth that surrounds it. It's virtually shoved down the ears and eyes of the public 12 months a year here. If it's not in season, then it's what will coaches be doing in the coming season, what player farted at who and why? And when the season is over it's all the post season debate and reflection and guessing about the next season.

It just shits me off! Not even the media in Melbourne, the home of VFL (now AFL), carry on like this. In Perth it's treated as if it's the Holy Bloody Grail of life!

Personally I love AFL (mainly because we played it at school and can appreciate the sport aspect). It is supposed to be seasonal to give us time back with the rest of the family and friends . Grand Final weekend everything does kick off in Melbourne as would any major sporting event. Sounds like if you have it 24/7 365 that even I would be getting pissed off.
I also love Soccer, Rugby, Rugby League. I also love chocolate but too much leaves me with a tummy ache

You need to get over to this coast closer to home and better for your sanity.

As opposed to European football...?

I don't see too many AFL players earning millions.

That's about as accurate as saying "European football is the biggest football code in the UK because of the Poms' love of everything English".

It's popular for the same reason that European football is popular in the UK, baseball is popular in the USA, and ice hockey is popular in Canada. Get over it.

They have.

It is.

The Seppos and Canucks have taken it on (see here). They're playing an international game against each other this month (see here) and aiming for a place in the International Cup in Melbourne 2008 (ibid).

No need to thank me; I'm just glad I could clear that up for you.

For hype and post-season reflection, you'd be hard pressed to beat England's pre-Ashes bluster and post-Ashes mourning. The national post mortem of their historic flogging is currently in its 3rd week, and still going strong. Every man and his dog has already had his say; now they're reduced to arguing about each other's theories, and trying to guess who'll be in the 2009 squad.

They do exactly the same thing with European football - the only difference being that you have to put up with it all year round instead of once every two years.

I agree soccer is on the up but I dont think it has anything to do with the A- League (its more like sund "A" y League)
The standard of the teams in the competition is dire, verging on embarrasing. People should not have to pay to go and watch it, im sure its probably ok when your winning, spectators will go, but if teams dont improve I cant see the majority of the teams managing to pull in more than 7 or 8 thousand.
It really is a poor standard, and I cant see how its going to improve, it needs major money to be pumped into it, to attract some decent players, and not just one or two old has-beens at the end of their careers.
I knew it was bad but got talked into going to the Glory game last night by some friends, the skill level was at best frustrating, the fans making all the noise in the "Shed" ( I think thats what it was called) we're basically scum, and from the sound of most of the songs we're bloody poms. 9 out of 10 songs were re worded barmy army songs....
The only excitement was once the teams were totally knackered in the last 20mins from playing in scorching sun (why start a game at 6pm in 30+ degree heat.....) and the game opened up a bit a few goals were scored (generally because of poor defending)
It was in a different league for buzz and excitement compared to a Western Force game, and there were probably about 5 leagues in between....
Certainly wont be paying $25 to go watch that rubbish again.