Check out the athleticism on display here. It’s as if some of them are seriously defying gravity. Imagine if union or league had access to the cream of the AFL players. That would be one hell of a deep talent base to be drawing upon. How good a union or league player would have Gary Ablett have been. Or Tony Lockett. Or Matthew Lloyd. Anyone else — past or present — spring to mind as a being an absolute natural across all codes?
Recommend this story.
We're hiring. Find out more.
- Explore:
June 29th 2007 @ 12:39pm
matta said | June 29th 2007 @ 12:39pm | Report comment
group hug?
June 29th 2007 @ 1:27pm
Searly said | June 29th 2007 @ 1:27pm | Report comment
That highlights package is one of the best I’ve ever seen, but surely if we’re going to treat The Roar as a site for opinion on “Sports”, then pieces about Aussie Rules need to be presented in their own context, not simply as an opportunity to discuss Rugby.
The marks I love best in that package are the ones going back with the flight of the ball. That’s always been one of the trademarks of a courageous player and Nick Riewoldt is one of the best of the current crop in that regard.
Anyone fancy discussing whether the AFL’s tinkering with the rules (e.g. the hands in the back interpretation) and its current stance on physical contact (e.g. Anthony Rocca’s suspension for a solid shepherd on Sean Dempster) is running the risk of removing some of the spectacular aspects of the game?
Or does it have more to do with the tactics of coaches who don’t want their players kicking to contests?
June 29th 2007 @ 3:01pm
spiro zavos said | June 29th 2007 @ 3:01pm | Report comment
What I love about the clips of great marks is the athleticism and courage of the leapers. Australian Rules is a tremendous spectacle. The ceaseless running off the ball is generally lost by the television cameras which makes the game much better to watch live than on television. I also love the fact that if a player out-plays his opponent this can affect the outcome of the game. It’s forgotten now that the expansion of Australian Rules was thwarted in Sydney and New Zealand by the relatively simple matter of a lack of space to play the game on. In Sydney, the Domain could run several games of the code Searly (rightly) believes should be kept out of discussion on this thread. In NZ Australian Rules, nicknamed ‘the Victorian Science,’ was popular in Christchurch which has a similar flat landscape to Melbourne. A NZ team competed successfully in an Australian Rules carnival for state sides around the early 1900s, defeating South Australia.
An old timer in Wellington NZ in the 1930s who had some fame as a great barracker at the rugby (sorry Searly) was asked when he finally retired from his shouting, who was the greatest footballer he ever saw, replied: ‘Davy McNamara of the St Kilda Club, Melbourne.’
I checked this out and the old-timer had named one of the legends of Australian Rules Football.
June 29th 2007 @ 3:07pm
John D said | June 29th 2007 @ 3:07pm | Report comment
If, as Spiro syas, “the expansion of Australian Rules was thwarted in Sydney and New Zealand by the relatively simple matter of a lack of space to play the game on” it makes you wonder how on earth cricket managed to prosper with nowhere to play?
June 29th 2007 @ 5:50pm
spiro zavos said | June 29th 2007 @ 5:50pm | Report comment
On the Sydney Domain they were able to play about five games of cricket. Th thing about Australian Rules Football is that, like cricket, it is a game where the dimensions of the ground are variable. There is no standard AFL ground size. The SCG is much smaller than the MCG, and because of this the Swans have developed a particular style of playing that is generally more effective on the smaller field than it is on the bigger fields. And in the early days of Australian Rules the fields could sometimes be some miles long, an impossibility in Sydney and Brisbane.
June 29th 2007 @ 7:28pm
DaniE said | June 29th 2007 @ 7:28pm | Report comment
That’s interesting Spiro – never realised AFL grounds could be of different dimensions.
On another note I’d like to thank this thread to opening my eyes to the fact that the song is “Up There Cazaly!”… and not “Up Yours Cazaly”. :-S
June 29th 2007 @ 7:29pm
brumbie justin said | June 29th 2007 @ 7:29pm | Report comment
The club v provincial competition jibe is a cheap shot. Anyone looking at this discussion not coming from a rugby preference would admit that overall AFL players seem stronger and more skilled than players of any other code.
Rugby (quite rightly) lauds John Eales for being tall and able to kick – there are at least 25 guys in the AFL close to 7 foot who can pick up a ball on the run, move with a swerve and offload the ball via hand or foot with accuracy.
Not sure how the skills would transfer to Rugby’s set up but there is no denying that the top 100 AFL players would give the top 100 rugby players a run for their money (whether they are playing lcub, provincial or test level)…
Spiro – I agree – the pattern running off the ball displayed in AFL would be a very interesting addition in favour of the league inspired line up and shoot straight attack we currently have.