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Australian Rules Football (AFL) - How much do you know about it?

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Simmy

The Land (Down Under) of The Heartless
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Being from Australia, AFL is our national sport. As (majority) of you are American on here, I'd love to know how much (if any) you guys know about the sport? Do you know if it gets played over there? Do you get anything on your local stations? Have you ever seen a game before? For those of you that are familiar with Aussie Rules, what do you think of it?

For those of you unfamiliar, here's a video showcasing the sport:

[video=youtube;vIsCAH6-7rE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=vIsCAH6-7rE[/video]

As another reference point, here's a video of my local club (my Cavaliers of Aussie footy) winning the premiership cup/championship in 2010:

[video=youtube;qkdvEGu_PkM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=qkdvEGu_PkM[/video]

Would love to hear your thoughts!
 
From what I've seen it looks like a tag-team cage match with a football thrown in.
 
I love Australian Football. I played a few times when I was over there in mid-2007. We played an American football game followed by an Australia football match. They were all crazily superior athletes, our football was like easy mode to them. They weren't the best at throwing, but they caught everything I threw at them. Then we played Australian Football and I made a fool of myself, but nonetheless, it was a lot of fun.

What's your team? I was given a West Coast Eagles ball as a going-away present.
 
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I love Australian Football. I played a few times when I was over there in mid-2007. We played an American football game followed by an Australia football match. They were all crazily superior athletes, our football was like easy mode to them. They weren't the best at throwing, but they caught everything I threw at them. Then we played Australian Football and I made a fool of myself, but nonetheless, it was a lot of fun.

What's your team? I was given a West Coast Eagles ball as a going-away present.

That's awesome to hear! That makes sense, the ability to catch a ball is a highly required skill in AFL - in fact, most of the skill sets required are so versatile that it makes adapting to a number of different sports somewhat seamless.

I follow the Collingwood Magpies. They're from Melbourne, considered the home of AFL. Oh, that's cool! So were you in Perth then when you came here to Australia?
 
That's awesome to hear! That makes sense, the ability to catch a ball is a highly required skill in AFL - in fact, most of the skill sets required are so versatile that it makes adapting to a number of different sports somewhat seamless.

I follow the Collingwood Magpies. They're from Melbourne, considered the home of AFL. Oh, that's cool! So were you in Perth then when you came here to Australia?

It is a very versatile skill set. I've mentioned the AFL to my friends, I've basically summarized the sport as a American Football (Gridiron over there, correct?) - Soccer - Rugby - Basketball hybrid. One of the more demanding sports I've ever played, that's for sure. Do you play?

I was in Melbourne the whole time actually. It's a beautiful city, you're a lucky man. They must have thought I would have liked the Eagle, being an American. Now that my ball is all worn down, I may have to purchase a match ball.
 
It is a very versatile skill set. I've mentioned the AFL to my friends, I've basically summarized the sport as a American Football (Gridiron over there, correct?) - Soccer - Rugby - Basketball hybrid. One of the more demanding sports I've ever played, that's for sure. Do you play?

I was in Melbourne the whole time actually. It's a beautiful city, you're a lucky man. They must have thought I would have liked the Eagle, being an American. Now that my ball is all worn down, I may have to purchase a match ball.

Most definitely, the wide-span of skill level required makes it one of the most challenging sports in the world IMO. That's a pretty good summary actually - and yep, we usually refer to it as Gridiron.

I used to play as a kid but now it's just the equivalent of pick-up games at the local park. The great thing about it though, is that being Australia, kicking a footy comes about as natural as juggling a soccer (football) ball does to a Brazilian. It's all kind of embedded in our DNA.

Oh really? Just for a holiday or for other purposes? Thank you, man - they say Melbourne is the most liveable city in the world and it's always a privelidge to know that we've been brought up here. We're also the sporting capital of the world (they say!) - I'd like to think that's where my die-hard sports passion can be attributed to. We don't understand the whole 'fair-weather' fan approach over here, which has always made it hard to follow basketball, knowing that so many people begin supporting based on player as opposed to a connection or feeling of belonging to a particular city and/or team.

How'd you go kicking an Aussie Rules footy? Did you manage to get the right spin on it etc.? How'd you find your ability to adapt to the other skills?
 
Do you have any Gridiron professional teams? I know you have the AFL and the A-League for soccer, not quite sure about your professional sports line-up besides that. I know the Socceroos laid an egg in the World Cup, it's too bad for Tim Cahill. That man can play, and this sadly seems like this will be his last cup.

I visited on Holiday, it was actually in mid-2006 during the World Cup. I would agree with you, it was the most liveable city I've ever visited. Extremely clean, easily accessible, and I was amazed at the diversity of the city. The Asian culture was [particularly distinctive, but it felt like every street had a different cultural theme. More than anything, and this is sad to say, I really miss Oporto. You like it? I would give anything to bring that over to the States.

I got pretty good (for an American) at it, but it's been a few years, so I'm sure I've forgotten how to do anything out there. I was able to curve my kicks well enough. I even got decent at dribbling the ball, which was the most absurd rule to me. If you bounce it wrong, that ball won't stop bouncing away from you. I played almost every sport as a kid, so I adapted fairly well to Australian Rules. Passing the ball Rugby style took some getting used to, but that's just from inexperience. I was also unable to jump on my teammate's shoulders, but I can't even touch the net playing basketball, so talk about unreasonable expectations, haha.

Are you a fan of all the Cleveland teams? I know a guy from DawgTalkers who is from Melbourne.
 
Can't believe you're a Collingwood fan. i'm a bombers fan. now gtfo ;)
 
Do you have any Gridiron professional teams? I know you have the AFL and the A-League for soccer, not quite sure about your professional sports line-up besides that. I know the Socceroos laid an egg in the World Cup, it's too bad for Tim Cahill. That man can play, and this sadly seems like this will be his last cup.

I visited on Holiday, it was actually in mid-2006 during the World Cup. I would agree with you, it was the most liveable city I've ever visited. Extremely clean, easily accessible, and I was amazed at the diversity of the city. The Asian culture was [particularly distinctive, but it felt like every street had a different cultural theme. More than anything, and this is sad to say, I really miss Oporto. You like it? I would give anything to bring that over to the States.

I got pretty good (for an American) at it, but it's been a few years, so I'm sure I've forgotten how to do anything out there. I was able to curve my kicks well enough. I even got decent at dribbling the ball, which was the most absurd rule to me. If you bounce it wrong, that ball won't stop bouncing away from you. I played almost every sport as a kid, so I adapted fairly well to Australian Rules. Passing the ball Rugby style took some getting used to, but that's just from inexperience. I was also unable to jump on my teammate's shoulders, but I can't even touch the net playing basketball, so talk about unreasonable expectations, haha.

Are you a fan of all the Cleveland teams? I know a guy from DawgTalkers who is from Melbourne.

We do, we have a number of local leagues although I'm not fully aware of them and how many there are. We're pretty sports-centric country. We kind of cover everything from NBL (National Basketball League) to cricket (really big in Australia). The Socceroos actually had a great World Cup campaign, albeit the negative results. Played some of the most encouraging football in our history - it was just our bad luck that we were thrown in a group that was near impossible to progress from!

Oh, that's awesome! Really multicultural particularly in Melbourne. The immigration of the 50s brought a lot of Europe across (My mom [we spell as mum by the way!]) is Italian and my dad is Greek) and as a result, you'll find all different kinds of food and people particularly down here.

Haha oh really? Oporto is nice but isn't my favorite or primary choice. To be honest, I've only had it a handful of times! There's not many of them around when compared to the bigger chains i.e. McDonald's, KFC, Subway, Nandos etc.

That's still really good! Haha, yep bouncing the ball is a tricky skill but again, it's something most of us can do because we've always done it from such a young age.

I am a fan of the Browns and the Indians, but admittedly nowhere near at the level of obsession as the Cavaliers. I do keep track of game scores and read articles but to be honest, I would barely know 5% of what there is to know about the current teams/history/management etc. when compared to the Cavs. But I'm planning on jumping on the Browns this season with NFL League Pass which hasn't been around here for long. What's made supporting the Cavs passionately so easily is NBA League Pass. It's impossible to miss a game. So I'm definitely going to try to get more involved with the Indians and Browns as time goes by but really, it's more Cavs for me at the moment. I'm assuming you follow all the other teams as well?
 
Can't believe you're a Collingwood fan. i'm a bombers fan. now gtfo ;)

To be honest mate, I say that with absolute regret to fellow Aussies lol. Always hated the stigma associated with being a Pies fan.
 
You can both gtfo :chuckles:
haha please, the blues won't even make the 8 this year :boxer:

To be honest mate, I say that with absolute regret to fellow Aussies lol. Always hated the stigma associated with being a Pies fan.

:gap: yeah not the ideal club to be associated with.
 
Rugby's pretty popular as well, correct? And I forgot about the NBL, that's where Kyrie's dad played I believe (well, maybe it wasn't the NBL at the time). I enjoyed the Socceroos run in 2006, we were watching the Australia-Italy match on the flight from Melbourne to LA. Awful call to end the game, similar to the Netherlands-Mexico match this year. They didn't do too bad this year I suppose, but there was a lot of tough draws. I was surprised the United States pulled out of their group, but Portugal wasn't playing well and we got lucky with our style of play.

Isn't there an area in Melbourne where the Italians and Greek are right across from each other? If I recall correctly, I went to dinner there when their two teams played each other, it was a lot of fun. A lot of yelling and dancing in the street.

I don't know what it was about Oporto, but I really liked it. I kind of saw it as the Australia version of Chik-fil-A; I love me a good chicken sandwich. There aren't that many around though, it seems like a small chain. Probably why the quality of food is decent. What's Nandos?

I do yes: Browns, Cavaliers, Indians, Blue Jackets are the teams I follow. My parents are from Bedford, Ohio, which isn't too far from Cleveland. It's frustrating to not be able to watch without League Passes, but you can't beat life in Florida. I watch them play whenever they travel down to Florida, I'll be excited to see LeBron again down here in Miami. I'm buying NBA League Pass as well, though I might wait and see how many nationalized games we get. I know we'll be on ESPN/ABC a lot like before 2010, and we should have a Christmas game again.

How'd you become a Cleveland fan? I think it's interesting to learn how people overseas begin to root for a team/city... I'm an Aston Villa fan in the EPL. After the 2006, Randy Lerner bought them, around the same time I was figuring out a team to follow after the 2006 World Cup. It's too bad he sort of ran them into the ground.
 

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