Australian Rules Football question

[prawn_86]

So who are the NY Yankees of AFL?? or the manchester united for the football(soccer in us) fans?

It depends what you are judging it on, but there is actually a fairly even fan base spread across most of the teams.

Im not sure how the NFL works, but one noticable structural difference AFL has over overseas football codes is a salary cap. CLubs are only allowed to spend X amount per year on players, with new clubs having more allowed in order to create a more even competition.

From a financial point of view the AFL is unrivaled in Australia and rakes in huge profits every year.

 

[many@k]

just to stir the pot a little over the league vs AFL debate, I live in Maroubra the heart of South Sydney and the bunnies who are the oldest team in the comp. And this year the local council put up a new oval with not league post but guess what Aussie rules posts...
GG league is dead even in its heat land like south sydney.

 

[Junior]

Mate I only mentioned the game of champions ARL in response to a slur on our code.

Lets keep this thread to AFL.

AFL is a local game played in Victoria , a second rate state with little assets, soon to be overtaken by Queensland as the second most important state in Australia

Victoria is populated by bogans and the wives of ex Majorcan spivs, criminals and nouveaux riches.

The bogans are in awe of the other two and aspire to the same. They make nuts and bolts for the rest of Australia and have none of the former.

gg

I think it's important to note that Australian Rules isn't just a Victorian game. It is the dominant code in WA, SA, NT, Victoria and Tasmania.

 

[mazzatelli]

I love my sports, but just wanted to add I think International Rules is a bit of a joke.
The Irish always complaining that we're too physical LOL

 

[GumbyLearner]

So compared to our NFL (national football league), it sounds like the AFL national is the equivilant to our 30 team NFL league. If say each of the 50 us states also had leagues, we would have say the NFL and then the California league if I'm getting the responses correctly.

Since I'm on this forum figured I'd ask the question as you all would know being mostly from Australia. When I went on line, there were quite a bit of teams/clubs listed but as I'm understanding it, those clubs are from each of the states as well.


So who are the NY Yankees of AFL?? or the manchester united for the football(soccer in us) fans?

Western Australia -
http://www.waflonline.com.au/

Tasmania
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasmanian_Football_League
http://www.ntfl.com.au/

South Australia
http://www.sanfl.com.au/

Victoria
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victorian_Football_League

Queensland
http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=1-4711-0-0-0

ACT/Canberra/NSW
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AFL_NSW/ACT

Northern Territory
http://www.aflnt.com.au/

In answer to you're Yankees question.

Carlton Blues with 16 Premierships (1995) And Essendon Bombers with 16 (2000) also Collingwood is next with 14 from 34 Grand Final Appearances (Most Recent Win 1990.) Most of those flags (pennants) were pre-AFL (VFL) though if you consider since the beginning of the current league (1999), the Brisbane Lions would be considered the most successful with 4 straight grand appearances and 3 straight wins.

Actually AFL has more spectators to each home-and-away round than both Rugby League and Rugby Union combined. AFL is definitely the most popular game on a nationwide basis. From a public participation aspect soccer is the most popular game in Australia.

Here's some links that prove the above

http://www.convictcreations.com/football/battlestats.html

http://www.theroar.com.au/2008/01/25/football-codes-crowd-attendance-afl-leads-the-way/

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/printthread.php?t=577887

NRL is very much a two state sport (QLD AND NSW). To claim the title National is a bit rich.

Australian Rugby Union very much falls into the who gives a **** or what the **** is that? category of most sports in Australia. It is predominantly the domain of an elite that play it at Greater Private Schools. It has very little further reach or utility beyond that.

AFL and Soccer are the only true national comps.

 

[gav]

Most of those flags (pennants) were pre-AFL (VFL) though if you consider since the beginning of the current league (1999), the Brisbane Lions would be considered the most successful with 4 straight grand appearances and 3 straight wins.

Good post GL but the part I put in bold is incorrect. The beginning of the current league (AFL) was established in 1990, not 1999. West Coast have also won 3 premierships in this period, from 5 grand final appearances.

 

[chode84]

I think it's important to note that Australian Rules isn't just a Victorian game. It is the dominant code in WA, SA, NT, Victoria and Tasmania.

Its probably also important to note that the population in all of those states trails NRL territory by close to 2,000,000 people.

 

[airpoe]

Its probably also important to note that the population in all of those states trails NRL territory by close to 2,000,000 people.

you can't just say that.

As there is 10x more support in NRL territory for Aussie Rules than support for RL in AFL territory, as NRL is almost non-existant outside NSW/QLD

 

[Duckman#72]

you can't just say that.

As there is 10x more support in NRL territory for Aussie Rules than support for RL in AFL territory, as NRL is almost non-existant outside NSW/QLD

People that live in Qld/NSW have no comprehension of:

a) The level of passion the other states have for AFL, and
b) The lack of interest the other states have for the NRL.

From my experience, as a general rule, you can get a Rugby League fan to show some interest in AFL (and even convert), but the number of AFL fans that convert to League are as rare as hens teeth. I suppose when your used to playing chess, it's difficult to drop back to noughts and crosses!!

We have good friends that are Broncos supporters. They came back from Melbourne, shaking their heads in amazement at the religious experience that is Victoria in Winter. They had people on the trams (admittedly elderly) wanting to know who the Broncos were (he had his scarf on). He said he couldn't even get the NRL results on the National Nine News (similar experience to me a couple years ago in Perth).

The level of coverage of the AFL in Qld and NSW is fantastic compared to the reverse. You are quite right airpoe. It is way too simplistic and uneducated to suggest that it is Qld/NSW versus the other states - as the AFL support in Qld and NSW is considerable and continues to develop strongly.

Western Sydney is one of the final pieces of the jigsaw for the AFL.
Duckman

 

[Tink]

quite simply AFL is like NFL in US, as both are the national games of each country.

Aussie Rules is the dominant football code in Australia

Yep well said

 

[jbocker]

Good post GL but the part I put in bold is incorrect. The beginning of the current league (AFL) was established in 1990, not 1999. West Coast have also won 3 premierships in this period, from 5 grand final appearances.

Go Gav!!
I didnt realise these stats were as much in West Coasts favour. Gotta remind a few fanatical Freo mates and my brother and sister (Yes, I have two in the family.. and yes I am getting counselling).

 

[nulla nulla]

Its probably also important to note that the population in all of those states trails NRL territory by close to 2,000,000 people.

If you are including Queensland in those 2,000,000, they are probably ex Victorian AFL supporters that have retired to the Gold Coast and still support AFL in preference to NRL. lol.

 

[Kez180]

NRL= Aggression

AFL = Courage

 

[Kez180]

Go Gav!!
I didnt realise these stats were as much in West Coasts favour. Gotta remind a few fanatical Freo mates and my brother and sister (Yes, I have two in the family.. and yes I am getting counselling).

Fremantle have never won a flag and with the way they manage to trade rising stars for dropkicks they never will...

 

[GumbyLearner]

NRL= Aggression

AFL = Courage

This is not entirely true.

The Off-side rule in NRL and the absence of it in AFL is probably what explains the difference.

NRL is a game where you get HIT harder and most of the time can see it coming.

AFL is where you get HIT not as hard but at speed and you don't as much see it coming.

Having played both I thought I would qualify that from my perspective!

 

[Wysiwyg]

NRL is a game where you get HIT harder and most of the time can see it coming.

AFL is where you get HIT not as hard but at speed and you don't as much see it coming.

This is something I have never appreciated with AFL. The rule allowing players to mount their opponent from behind. Rather the front ons anyday.

 

[GumbyLearner]

This is something I have never appreciated with AFL. The rule allowing players to mount their opponent from behind. Rather the front ons anyday.

Shirt fronts especially on the proviso that the elbow is tucked into the rib of the player executing the movement in order to protect his own team-mate within 5 metres should not be banned. It's part of the game. The league doesn't like it, but from junior days this was part and parcel of the game.

Space is the key to any modification to that rule. If you're heads over the ball. Tough luck , talk to you're teammates. Maybe lack of talk is why guys occasionally get nailed!

What's next? Limiting the shepherd?

I don't like basketball but maybe I'll become a fan if this **** persists!