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Karmichael to sign with Gold Coast....AFL!!!

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spooly74 said:
It's the wake up call they needed, and deserved. (
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Hi Spooly

I can't agree with that statement. The NRL has had so many "wake up" calls over the past 5 years it is a wonder they ever get time to sleep!!!

Between Bulldog rape cases, drunken pre-season sponsor events, Cronulla group sex claims, coaches roaming hotels in the nude, players &*^%ing in hallways the NRL has had ample opportunity to sort the game out.

Over the past 20 years the NRL is the equivalent a frog that has been put into a saucepan of cold water with the heat gently applied. The frog still thinks everything is OK, but those watching from above think differently. I could be wrong but for the sake of the frog's long term future, it better find out a way to turn off the hotplate very soon.

Duckman
 
Duckman#72 said:
but another to kick a 50m stab pass under pressure, Duckman
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Unfortunately the stab kick, and the art of drop-kicking in general, is no longer a feature of Australian Rules football, owing to the game speeding up over the years. One of the last exponents of it I remember well was champion Geelong rover Billy Goggin.

Otherwise I agree with your thoughts.
 
Duckman#72 said:
Hi Spooly

I can't agree with that statement. The NRL has had so many "wake up" calls over the past 5 years it is a wonder they ever get time to sleep!!!

Duckman
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Although, that's a given. It hasn't really had a detrimental effect on the game via TV and attendances.

This move by the AFL is a different kettle of frogs. It's fired a warning shot over their prized possessions.
I have friends in the industry and you'll be glad to know they are losing sleep now.

Do you think this is just a one off?
Players like Folau and Inglas could be in the firing line next. Hope I'm wrong.
 
 
 

I think the mum factor is also a big influence. AFL has marketed towards appealing to women as well. No mum wants their son pounded into the dust by a 100kg 11 yo, or be involved with the seedy image NRL stars are becoming known for. And the league parents can be shockers at kid’s games actively yelling for on field violence. AFL simply puts a more professional product on the table and nurtures their young talent. It’s making a lot of inroads in NSW. Still not really a fan and doubt I could watch a full game of it though.
I doubt karmichael will have to much trouble with the change over.
 
spooly74 said:
Although, that's a given. It hasn't really had a detrimental effect on the game via TV and attendances.
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....yet. And as discussed before on this thread, the TV ratings and attendences are up - but from a very low base. A increase on a small figure is still a small figure.

spooly74 said:
Do you think this is just a one off?
Players like Folau and Inglas could be in the firing line next. Hope I'm wrong.
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Yes I think this is a one off. For a couple of reasons.

Firstly the Hunt decision works and makes sense from the logistics. He is a Qld name and will be playing a Qld team. The AFL want him for a Qld presence. Slater, Falou, Inglis would have a lesser impact.

Secondly - although the AFL want a name player from League, they also don't want him to be a "dud". Hunt might not ever be a superstar in AFL, but they want him to be at least somewhat successful. Hunt's background makes him more likely than others to succeed.

Thirdly - and most importantly, the AFL are pretty keen not to bite the hand that feeds them. They have the rest of the competition and the rest of the "AFL loving" states to look after. The southerners (players and supporters) are going to "suck it up" and accept the money spent on a Rugby League "promo tool" as a one off to expand the game. But they wouldn't want to try it on too often.

Finally - I don't think that many players would be successful. The players don't have the aerobic capacity, would not immediately have the skills required and are a huge "unknown". And as mentioned before - the AFL are looking at a player market for the next 2-10 years not 2-10 months.

Duckman
 

Really good points moxjo. The "Mum factor" is a big one. Demetriou and the AFL have been closely protecting its image over the past 5 years.
 
Duckman#72 said:
The NRL knows that the Gold Coast is "a bit of everything" for sport, but the real body blow would be taking the Sydney fortress.
Duckman
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Keep dreaming Duckman, you must work for the AFL Marketing department with spin like that.

The Sydney Swans do alright in Sydney because its a one team city and that's provided they are winning.

Sydney has 9 rugby league teams that will compete for audiences against 2 AFL teams. The fortress is looking pretty strong.
 
 
Duckman#72 said:
Finally - I don't think that many players would be successful. The players don't have the aerobic capacity, would not immediately have the skills required and are a huge "unknown".
Duckman
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Duckman, see if I have got this right. AFL players are the only athletes who are capable of kicking a ball, catching a ball, being tackled from 360 degrees and running around without getting puffed.

Just remember there are plenty of dud AFL players like in any sport, so if Karmichael Hunt does not quite stack up, he still would fit in somewhere.
 
There's plenty of current AFL players who can't kick accurately - did you watch the Western Derby on the weekend?

Since the GC17 team is going to be made up mainly of kids, having a body like Hunt's in there will be good for them.

How long do you think GC thought about it before they said yes? 2 seconds? 0.5 seconds? Easiest decision they ever made, if only for the publicity in a rugby league focussed area.

Tell me you're not looking forward to the first time Karmichael lays Fevola out?
 

The aspects of the game you mentioned to play AFL are definite requirements of the game (oh,except you mark the ball not catch it)and you have to be good at it too.With an oval ball , NRL would probably be the closest to the skills required but they are still a long way off anyway.

If they run around without getting puffed , they need to run harder.

I think the problem with if Karmichael doesn't stack up is he will be 1 of the highest paid players and high expectations come with that.If he is no good after 1 to 2 seasons,and i supported GC, i would saying cut his pay or get rid of him!
 
Didn't Billy Slater beat the pants off all the other athletes in the Rexona challenge? and funnily enough Im pretty sure he beat the AFL guy at the AFL kicking comp. ha. Skillful indeed.
 
Macquack said:
Yes, but if the ball bounces then it is not a mark. Do you have a term for that play which is the vast majority of the game.
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Yep, its called 'play on' whcich means continue play without stopping, which is something League players/supporters are unlikely to like as they dont get a chance for a breather/beer :
 

Hi Macquack

My point is valid.

Depending on where Union ends up there will possibly be AFL, A League Soccer, Union, Rugby League and Basketball all with national sides playing out of the Gold Coast within the next 3 years. Sounds like a "bit of everything" to me.

The Gold Coast is nowhere near a rugby league "stronghold" as you would like us to believe. Call it spin if you like but facts are facts, and with huge numbers of southerners coming up to the south east each year, AFL on the Gold Coast will be increasingly viable.

My point being that the NRL can't fight AFL at the Gold Coast, it's too far gone. But it still can make things difficult for the AFL in Sydney. It was only 25 years ago when both Qld and NSW each had thriving state rugby league competitions. AFL was only VFL and Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth sides hadn't been thought of. Sydney is still a fortress, I'll give you that, but it is under attack.

Duckman
 
Macquack said:
Duckman, see if I have got this right. AFL players are the only athletes who are capable of kicking a ball, catching a ball, being tackled from 360 degrees and running around without getting puffed.
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No.

Most athletes, including a large number of those competing at the Para-Olympics are capable of kicking a ball, catching a ball, being tackled from 360 degrees and running around without getting puffed. However very few do it well enough to be paid $100,000 a season for doing so.

Macquack said:
Just remember there are plenty of dud AFL players like in any sport, so if Karmichael Hunt does not quite stack up, he still would fit in somewhere.
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I disagree. Dud AFL players end up delisted (or at Freo).

I agree that there are players that are better than others, but dud players don't survive in the comp long.
 
chode84 said:
Didn't Billy Slater beat the pants off all the other athletes in the Rexona challenge? and funnily enough Im pretty sure he beat the AFL guy at the AFL kicking comp. ha. Skillful indeed.
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From memory Slater finished first. Billy Slater the Australian Rep, State of Origin Full back, Melbourne Premiership player beat........yes...you guessed it............. Brett Deledio. Brett Who? you might ask.

In other words, one of Rugby Leagues elite beat one of the AFL's average players. Don't boast too loudly Chode. The amazing thing was that Deledio actually finished third in front of Lote and Andrew Symonds.

Duckman
 
Well, at the end of the day, it might be as simple as the ARL seriously lacking fresh talent, so they have to steal from other football codes.

Cheers
 
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