The code war exists, but it won’t be a battle to the death
Columnist
By Adrian Musolino, 25 Aug 2009 Adrian Musolino is a Roar Expert
- Tagged:
- football, NRL, Rugby League, Rugby Union
628 Have your say
The St Kilda supporters hold up in tribute the No 35 as St Kilda's Robert Harvey prepares to kick - Photo by Slattery Images
Craig Foster, love him or loathe him, has put the idea of a code war back onto the agenda with his article for The Sydney Morning Herald. The response to his piece has, in my mind, highlighted people’s skewed view of the true essence of what the code war is about.
Some, like Foster hints at in his piece, claim the code war is an ideological war for hearts and minds that determines the pecking order of the codes. Others, like “the gent from basketball” from Foster’s piece, argue the code war is illusory.
The reality lies somewhere in between.
Since the VFL expanded into the AFL, capitalising on the popularity of Australia’s indigenous code, and the codes were forced to share the same marketplaces, the code war has existed and has been intensified for the following reasons:
1. Basic economics
A common claim made by the deniers of the code war is that they can and do support more than one code at the same time, and the fact the codes are in such a good position after the expansion of the past two decades. This therefore proves the code war is illusory.
Yes, that may be the case, but where the code war comes into it is in pure economic terms, with every ticket purchased or live match watched.
When on a Sunday afternoon in Melbourne, you have the choice of seeing the Victory playing at Etihad, the Demons at the MCG or the Storm at Olympic Park, the code war is being played out.
Which you choose is not dealing fatal blows, but it’s what contributes to the fluctuations of the codes.
2. The times we live in
The economic crisis and such heavy reliance on commercial realities makes it inevitable that codes, in the same markets, are fighting in an intensified battle for the same corporate dollars, big television contracts and your hard earned cash.
3. Poaching
With the increase in professionalism, the codes have better managed to find, develop and try and retain talent. Yet, as Karmichael Hunt has shown, enough money and temptation can sway a player.
Poaching adds an extra dimension to the code war.
As the likes of Michael Jordan and Valentino Rossi have shown, one athlete can elevate a code to unimaginable levels.
4. Expansion
This is where the code war is really being fought: in new markets. As I’ve written previously, the fight over new markets, namely West Sydney and the Gold Coast, will be an aggressive battle that intensifies the notion of the code war.
Rather than being an ideological battle, the code war is all about economics and pure numbers, especially during expansion.
But it isn’t as easy as saying AFL is leading with NRL and co chasing.
The reality is, at certain times and in different ways, all codes will have their periods of domination and stagnation for a variety of reasons. This is the beauty of Australia’s varied sporting palette.
The code war is like the Cold War in many ways.
Fought on so many different fronts, in so many different and multifaceted ways, the major battles taking place in the mad rush to win over disputed territories, yet never really developing into the direct battle between the superpowers, partly due to the fact they could, in reality, co-exist.
But, unlike the Cold War, we won’t be left with one definitive superpower as a result of it.
As Foster reiterates, codes can co-exist, and fans shouldn’t worry that the code war threatens the very existence of their favourite code.
Enjoy sports? Enjoy a bargain? All Sports Online has your favourite sporting brands at up to 70% off. Online only, premium quality sporting goods and merchandise at discounted prices. Get a deal now.
Do you have what it takes to become a sports writer? Write for the roar
Other Sports articles
- Victoria Azarenka vs Maria Sharapova: Australian Open women’s final live scores, blog (89)
- Why I won’t be watching the Sharapova-Azarenka final (51)
- The sporting fallacy of the Olympic ‘Games’ (45)
- Djokovic vs Nadal was great, but do we need six-hour finals? (36)
- Sonny Bill needs to start boxing full time (36)
- Sonny Bill looking sharp for his first real test (29)
- Sonny Bill wins title in first round (25)
- London’s Olympic Games have a long way to come (4)
- New champ Williams looking to next fight (4)
- Aust and GB aim to convert 4ths to bronze
- Young pitcher signs big deal with Red Sox (7)
- World Cup Darts heartbreak in Hamburg (3)
- Mayweather and Pacquiao have shamed boxing (12)
- Will Tom Brady’s legacy be affected by one drop? (19)
- London’s Olympic Games have a long way to come (4)
- World Cup Darts heartbreak in Hamburg (3)
- Mayweather and Pacquiao have shamed boxing (12)
- Will Tom Brady’s legacy be affected by one drop? (19)
- Sonny Bill needs to start boxing full time (43)
- Lachlan Murdoch squashing FTA sport for Fox’s benefit (4)
- Sonny Bill Williams vs Clarence Tillman III: Live updates, blog [video] (181)
- Explore:
- football, NRL, Rugby League, Rugby Union
Kurt said | August 25th 2009 @ 7:51am | Report comment
Adrian
I don’t doubt that the ‘code wars’ exist to some extent, albeit not to the fevered levels many of us like to imagine on The Roar. However three of your four points (no. 3 being the obvious exception) could just easily be used to highlight the overall competition that exists within the sports and entertainment market. If we take your argument to its logical conclusion we could say that just as a supporter may choose between the Storm, Demons or soccer, they could just as easily choose to see a movie instead, or perhaps stay at home and flick between all three games on TV. You make the mistake of assuming that spending on sports is a zero sum game, so if more people start going to NRL games then they must be dropping off the AFL/A-league. Whilst that may be true for some supporters, for many it is simply a case that their team has started winning for the first time in ages and they’ve decided to prioritise the footy over some other use of their time and money.
So in theory therefore it is entirely possible (if not terribly likely) for all football codes to grow simultaneously by capturing more of the total entertainment spend rather than just stealing supporters from other codes. There is indeed significant evidence to suggest this is exactly what has happened in Australia over the past 25 years, with far greater numbers of people attending sporting events now than in the early eighties.
AndyRoo said | August 25th 2009 @ 9:40am | Report comment
This is actually a very good point.
I just guess articles like “civic video introduce $2 friday to take on NRL/AFL” arent as sexy or interesting but probably just as relevant.
Dave said | August 28th 2009 @ 4:59pm | Report comment
its what they write about in india
http://www.screenindia.com/news/ipl-takes-a-toll-on-movie-releases/317572/
IPL takes a toll on movie releases
Ghost said | August 25th 2009 @ 10:26am | Report comment
I cannot believe I am agreeing with Kurt but it is an essential and very valid point to make. Here in Sydney, on any given weekend you may have 5 or 6 games of different sports on, 2 or 3 international concerts, a couple of major exhibitions, all the fringe theatre and dance and comedy stuff thats on, at least one cultural fair or festival, and then the usual 3 or 4 newish blockbuster movies. And then even less formally the beach, the parks, the cafes, the video store, the amateur/participation sports, the bars and nightclubs (especially as pro sports matches are more and more scheduled at night) etc. That is the real competitive landscape we’re talking about.
DiCanio said | August 25th 2009 @ 1:19pm | Report comment
Agree with Kurt
Believe I mentioned something similar on Pips epic Fos post
Spiro Zavos said | August 25th 2009 @ 8:20am | Report comment
One of the problems for football, and rugby union for that matter, in the code wars is that the media in Melbourne, especially in the senior levels of the sports departments, is fanatical about Australian Rules. In Sydney and Brisbane the obsession lies with rugby league. The sports editors express this obsession through their selection of stories and profiles of players and so on. At least in Sydney, at the SMH particularly, Australian Rules and football get a fair go. But football, rugby league and rugby union get virtually no coverage in Melbourne.
This notion of the code wars is actually a very old one. Back in the 1880s (I think) adherents of the ‘Victorian science,’ the Australian Rules game, went to London to convince the IRB that their game should be the universal rugby-type game throughout the English-speaking world. The audacious bid did not succeed. But visiting rugby teams before 1900 (the NZ Natives in 1888) used to play the Australian Rules game when they travelled to Melbourne.
For what it is worth, I think football will break this Melbourne AFL protectionist grip, but not for some decades. So Foster is on to something.
Rugby league and rugby union, though, will remain boutique sports in Melbourne, albeit with rugby union with terrific demographics for the advertisers plus all those ex-pat New Zealanders and South Africans to bulk up the crowds.
Pippinu said | August 25th 2009 @ 8:37am | Report comment
Spiro
I read the Age sports lift out every day (the actual paper), and I can tell you that the Victory and the A-League get very good coverage – probably better than any other paper in Australia.
League gets one page every day – now that might not sound a lot to people North of the Murray – but one page every day is actualy way out of proportion with the level of interest in League in Melbourne – so I would actually describe that as good coverage.
Fos might be onto something, but on the figures that I have before me, the ones with dollar signs in front of them – I’m not really sure what it is that he’s onto.
The Answer said | August 27th 2009 @ 6:09am | Report comment
I believe the Age have a sponsorship agreement with the Victory so this may have something to do with it.
Kurt said | August 25th 2009 @ 8:51am | Report comment
It is a topic of constant fascination to me that presumably intelligent people such as Spiro are of the firm opinion that they know far more about the sporting interests of Melburnians than the people running the media outlets in that city. Now I suppose it’s possible that the reason AFL dominates media coverage in Melbourne (with both the storm and victory getting a reasonable look in as Pips says) is because of the dastardly bias of the journos at work. Or maybe, just maybe it’s because the people running The Age, Herald Sun etc. have an idea about what people are interested in and what sells papers. Just a thought.
DiCanio said | August 25th 2009 @ 1:26pm | Report comment
Also Print media is a resource intensive product, so you are going for maxmum exposure given your limited resource
Compare a newspaper to a website like the roar. In one day the roar could essentially replicate the printable content of a newspaper 1000 times over and distribute that to more people in further geographical positions for less the 1% of the cost of a newspaper.
Applying outmoded economical thinking to far distant future goals is surely a recipe for disaster.
Redb said | August 25th 2009 @ 9:23am | Report comment
cocky shite.
The ‘other’ codes get no or less treatment than AFL does in Sydney most of the time. I read the Sydney and Brisbane papers when travelling and guess what the AFL stories are usually up the back after you’ve waded through 6 pages of RL stories. So the reverse happens in Melbourne. Go to the SMH website and see where the AFL section sits in the sporting section. http://www.smh.com.au/sport/
Look at the crowds and TV ratings for footy in Melbourne. This is not a chicken and egg argument centred on media coverage. The game has always had massive support in Melbourne, massive per capita on a world scale. In 1925 the VFL had 1,871,236 total crowds for the year at an average of 17,653 per game.
Melb AFL crowds last weekend – 208,952 for the 5 games at an average of 41,790 – not a blockbuster in sight.
Anyway I guess Spiro is just stirring for hits.
Redb
Pippinu said | August 25th 2009 @ 9:28am | Report comment
In fact, I read a post somehwere, where the Age soccer writer, Michael Lynch, who is English himself, talks of his sports editor, who I think is also English and a big soccer fan, saying that he’d love more to be written on soccer, but that they are already at the very edge in terms of the proportion written compared to aussie rules.
BigAl said | August 25th 2009 @ 10:17am | Report comment
Spiro – I also am puzzled about your repeated claims about ‘…virtually no coverage…’ in Melbourne !
To me this is just not so.
I know you are in the professional media business, so presumably you would have access to stats. (column inches ?) to prove your repeated claims.
i.e. please put up or . . .!
John Ryan said | August 25th 2009 @ 10:45am | Report comment
Ah the old class thing Spiro,you rugger buggers cant help yourselves can you,we have a better class of supporter,yet I think a survey in Sydney found more in the AB demographic supported the NRL.
Still you always have the SMH who love Rugger bless there little cotton socks,keep up the good work Spiro
Steve said | August 25th 2009 @ 3:10pm | Report comment
Spiro,
you say that “rugby league and rugby union get virtually no coverage in Melbourne”
The herald-Murdoch gives the storm WAY MORE coverage than they deserve, and as far as union goes…what would you like the media to report? A daily double page spread of the super 14 comp. that doesn’t have any relevant to Victoria? Or daily articles on the vic state comp? [if they have one]. maybe if rugby HAD a national club competition or more than 128 turned up to see the Rebels play then Union would get more coverage in Vic.
Jb said | August 25th 2009 @ 11:19pm | Report comment
Rugby Union only gets half a page in the courier mail and maybe 1 on a good day
zach said | September 1st 2009 @ 9:15pm | Report comment
You have got to be kidding about other codes not getting a fair go in the Melbourne press. One of our dailies is the sponsor of Melbourne Victory and the other is the part owner of the Melbourne Storm. Both vigorously promote those codes in which they have a vested interest, but they cannot afford to ignore the public’s interest which is overwhelmingly in favour of Australian Football. In the past 20 years every other code has tried to set up in Melbourne – they have sent us their best matches like State of Origin, the Bledisloe Cup and World Cup qualifiers and have also set up teams here. Melbourne people have lapped all of this up but the popularity of our own game has not been dinted in the slightest – in fact it has grown to utterly astonishing levels. If Australian Football can flourish under those conditions it will never be displaced from the top of the heap.
Pippinu said | August 25th 2009 @ 8:29am | Report comment
Did Fos say everyone can co-exist? In fact, I thought he pilloried the bloke who said everyone can co-exist, concluding the AFL was weak, and that soccer would dominate the scene in 20 years – when it would no longer need to co-exist with anyone else.
Now it’s fine for people to dream – I have no problem with that – but to make such bold predictions based on such flimsy evidence is what strikes me.
As Kurt has said, this is just another industry in the modern Australian economy – but when you sit to look at the numbers that matter – the ones with dollar signs next to them, this is what we find:
AFL: TV rights of $156 mill per annum and over 7 million attendances per annum.
FFA: Combined TV rights for the A-League and the Socceroos, I repeat, this is the combined TV rights for the A-League and for all Socceroo games. What do people think it is? $120 million per annum perhaps? No, it’s a pissant $18 million per annum.
Just in case people didn’t get that the first time. Let me repeat it:
The combined TV rights for all A-League games and ALL Socceroo games is a pissant $18 mill per annum.
Now it’s possible that the next deal might double to $36 million, not guaranteed, but it just might.
In the meantime, the next AFL deal might go up to $200 million per annum, not guaranteed, but it just might.
So, I’m just curious what numbers Fos was looking at when he made his bold prediction? Because clearly it’s not rooted in reality.
Mark Young said | August 25th 2009 @ 9:26am | Report comment
Gday Pippinu
Roy Masters has written some interesting articles about the new TV deals that will be negotiated.
Now this must be taken with a grain of salt as Roy is as Leaguey as they come but…
Of the top 100 rating shows on Pay for 2008/9 – 64 were games of league, and 23 were AFL, Rugby 7, Football 5 and Cricket 1.
Considering that Fox pays a lot more for AFL then they do for League does this mean that League is undervalued or AFL is overvalued? Maybe a bit of both.
Even though there will be an extra game, getting that $200Million per annum dollar deal will be a big struggle for AFL since their fans actually prefer to go to games, not watch them on TV!
(Interestingly, based on Roy’s figures $18 for Football sounds about right!)
http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/rustys-right-on-tv-deal/2008/07/16/1216162958657.html?page=2
Redb said | August 25th 2009 @ 9:49am | Report comment
Mark,
Like you said Roy Masters must be taken with a grain of salt. He leaves out a lot of detail and takes only the stats that suit his agenda.
Redb
John Ryan said | August 25th 2009 @ 10:49am | Report comment
Somewhat like you old son,if they dont agree with your AFL view its wrong
Luke W said | August 25th 2009 @ 9:33am | Report comment
C’mon Pip, even you know that that is an unfair comparison. That TV deal for football was made before the A-League kicked off. No one knew whether it would float or sink, and the FFA were going to take whatever they could get. The Socceroos hadn’t yet captured the imagination of the sporting public with WC 2006, and were playing sporadic internationals at best. It will be interesting to see how big the football TV deal is next time, but I’d suggest now that all factors combined (success of A-League and Socceroos, more A-League matches and more Socceroos matches through Asia) that it will be much larger.
Pippinu said | August 25th 2009 @ 9:40am | Report comment
Luke
fair cop – what you say is true.
I would add – why would an experienced business man like Lowy lock in 7 years? when most other deals are around the 5 year mark?
I’ve said that a doubling of the rights is possible – but would you anticipate that the increase would be more than double?
In any event, when the numbers are laid bare out on in front of you, they are pretty stark aren’t they?
And this is my point – on what basis are such bold predictions made when the raw numbers (the ones with dollar figures in front of them) – do not support such bold predictions?
Is the A-League going to grow? Yes, of course it is – no one is disputing that – but is it going to outgrwo the AFL and/or the NRL in the next 20 years – and the evidence suggests that that won’t happen.
Anyway, never mind the AFL, as True Tah said on another thread, the big success story this year is teh NRL – through all their trials and tribulations – the figures the NRL have posted this season are sensational.
So one thing I can tell everyone with certainty – the NRL isn’t going away in the next 20 years – we can all be very confident of that prediction.
Luke W said | August 25th 2009 @ 9:45am | Report comment
Lowy is a smart man. Like I said, no one knew how the A-League would go. What if it did fail? The smart thing about dealing with Fox rather than the FTA channels meant that for 7 years, the A-League would be getting live coverage on station that has given football a fair go in the past and present (and all sports for that matter). I just hope that the next deal is reasonable with regards to FTA. Sure, I’d like to see the code grow, but I can’t shake the feeling that any A-League games on a FTA channel would not be given live, primetime status. I think a highlights show would do for now.
Pippinu said | August 25th 2009 @ 9:57am | Report comment
Luke
a highlights show on FTA would be an excellent fit for the A-League – I hope they can get it off the ground.
But in all honesty – I can’t ever imagine watching the A-League live on FTA, and to be honest, I much prefer to watch all my football on Fox.
Pippinu said | August 25th 2009 @ 9:33am | Report comment
Hi Mark
Yes – it’s very possible that League is undervalued in terms of what it’s getting (the numbers certainly suggest that).
I would only temper that by adding the following – the AFL TV rights deal is an FTA deal spread across two FTAs first and foremost – it is a Pay TV deal in secondary terms.
By that I mean, Fox only came into the deal after 7/10 had secured the rights, who, naturally enough, get the pick of the four games on offer.
So yes, League will definitely be looking at extracting more (although we all know that the Fox/News partnership is somewhat compromised from that point of view) – but people should also understand that the AFL TV rights deal is a very different animal to the League TV rights deal.
One last thing, and I’m not an expert in this area, but others might be able to clarify – I understand that Fox has it’s largest penetration in NSW/Qld – and far less penetration in the other states – a situation that will gradually remedy itself over the next few years or so.
Redb said | August 25th 2009 @ 9:40am | Report comment
Foster is lucky for his game that this article did not get published in Melbourne.
Redb
Pippinu said | August 25th 2009 @ 10:01am | Report comment
Well, the Age is SMH’s sister paper – so they could have run it – it would have got a fair ol’ roasting – in many respects – I think it should have been run.
Why hide away the real, considered thoughts of an influential figure such as our Fos.
AndyRoo said | August 25th 2009 @ 10:03am | Report comment
Why lucky, if it blows up in Melbourne I don’t think it would really effect the Victory. Are the people that go to Football going to be put off by media personalities having a dig.
Foz hasn’t been a great ambassador for the A league, a bit on SBS better this year since it seems a lot of fans are sick of the negative Barcelona themed shctik.
If AFL fans and Media all got in a lather about what Foz wrote they would just hurt their own reputations as no doubt intelligent contributions like Voss’s would be ignored and up north and we would read whatever Vic pulled out the ethnic game or wimps game tag. It wouldn’t be a great advertisement for the Western Sydney AFL push that’s for sure.
Only Rugby League would win.
And for the record I think Fox article was garbage, and proabbly meant to be provacative.
Ghost said | August 25th 2009 @ 10:34am | Report comment
RedB – why? Actually I can answer that. One can only write prejudiced arrogant over-inflated articles i nthe Melbourne press if they are about the ‘sacred’ game of AFL.
Redb said | August 25th 2009 @ 11:09am | Report comment
Why? – becuase most people would think geez you try and be nice to some people.
I’ve said elsewhere, there is no fire in the belly to protect the code for most AFL fans, why prod?
Frank Lowy and the FFA have deliberately marketed the A League as a second choice, “support your own AFL or NRL club and add an A League club”. Its smart, doesn’t put anyones nose out of joint and importantly a club like Melbourne Victory has used this mantra to pull in AFL fans.
Look I’m a little lost as to why he uses this moment in time when the A League is not exactly going gangbusters to invite more shots across the bow. Maybe he was drunk, just watched Aloisi slam through the penalty that got us into the World Cup and in some sort of stupor decided yep those other codes are scared, weak, they want to co-exist (cue sinister laugh) I reckon they’re scared of us – tha’ts what it is….hiccup!
Give us 20 years then we’ll tell you to ‘smell the fear’, oh we were a little premature with the growth trajectory of the A League and shite when is that damn World Cup starting that will scare ‘em. Hiccup
Redb
captain nemo said | August 25th 2009 @ 10:35am | Report comment
Ghost said | August 25th 2009 @ 10:31am | Report comment
Pippinu – slack of you to repeat your stuff from the other thread…
But you are essentially right, even if the next FFA deal is $50mill (and I believe this should be the lowest acceptable level) it is still only a third of that for the little southern game. On the one hand yes this situation is aggrieving, but on the other I agree that Fos’ bold predictions fly a bit in the face of hard logic.
AndyRoo said | August 25th 2009 @ 11:00am | Report comment
I don’t know if they will get 50 million when the closest comparable product is Rugby union ratings wise.
But there are a couple of differences that make it hard to predict
Some internationals for Football are sold as exclusive and top rating (a positive for Football’s worth)
The number of Internationals is not consistent, football has no guaranteed Bledisloe or Springbok tests in Australian prime time every year (a negative)
The FTA component that Football needs for exposure, say one game a week on a sweetheart deal with one HD or SBS (lets face it the a league isn’t worth anything to FTA at the moment) is a negative because it removes the exclusivity.
So considering the above I would say anywhere between 20m and 30m per annum (OZ rugbys share is A$ 25.73m per year) seems close to true value.
The Link said | August 25th 2009 @ 11:18am | Report comment
Pip, re your previous statement on Pay TV saturation, this is something I hear often as a reason for NRL’s dominance in Pay TV ratings (higher saturation rates in NSW / QLD). If the Pay market in the southern states isn’t close to saturation after 15 years, then will it ever be?
Redb said | August 25th 2009 @ 11:36am | Report comment
The link,
Part of the issue is that 5 out of 8 NRL games are only available on Foxtel whereas recently (last 2 years) it’s been changed to 4 out of 8 for AFL, and some are still shown on free to air in certain markets.
Apart from the fact the Foxtel and rugby league have been together from day on in the pay tv landscape, there is a greater incentive to hook up to pay to see your preferred code in NRL.
Free to air coverage, in AFL we get a Friday night, 2 x Sat and Sunday game. I think NRL is 2 Fri night and 1 Sunday.
http://www.astra.org.au/content/pdf/MediaReleases/ASTRA-Ratings-for-Week-090816.pdf
The AFL is growing on Pay TV, even a footy chat On the Couch gets good viewers so its growing as the coverage with 4 live games has improved since the start of 2008.
But you can still live without Foxtel and watch a fair spread of AFL games over the weekend.
Redb
Pippinu said | August 25th 2009 @ 11:24am | Report comment
Link
I’ve said straight out that the NRL ratings on Fox are excellent, I’m definitely not trying to say otherwise.
On this question of saturation, others will know more than me, but in the first 5 years of Pay TV, the AFL was actually on a rival Pay TV station. When Ch 9/Fox won the rights – that channel went bust.
So that’s the first point, the Southern states have had less exposure to Fox (afterall, if a Pay TV station doesn’t have AFL, they’re not going to get many subscribers in the other states).
You and I have discussed this before – when 7/10 won the rights, initially without Fox, it was a game of brinksmanship that ensued, and Fox was the first to blink.
But what are the growth prospects? I have no idea.
The Link said | August 26th 2009 @ 10:56am | Report comment
Pip, RL was originally on Optus as well. It was split between Optus and Fox after the SL war until Optus folded.
simonjzw said | August 25th 2009 @ 9:44am | Report comment
There’s no doubt a code war exists but to suggest any code will be the ultimate winner is fanciful. This is because every code has some inherent flaw and can’t cater to all the needs of the Australian sports follower.
Soccer is played everywhere with many options for high standard matches to watch and a genuinely competitive World Cup. But the game is too low scoring and its global diversity means there is no single top tier league where the best play against the best and Australia’s A league is so far down the pecking order you know your watching something that is second rate on the world stage.
The AFL has a fast exciting game that draws on local tribal ownership of teams, it is the best level of competition in that sport in the world but it can’t provide the sports fan with a national team to follow.
Rugby league is fast and exciting but a bit to predictable in game play, the NRL is the best local competition in the world and State of Origin the highest level the game is played at, however star players are prone to be poached overseas and the level of international competition is laughable.
Rugby Union has the best level of international competitiveness for the Australian sports fan, when the Wallabies play the All Blacks you know you are watching the best of the best in action and representing your country. But the game itself has evolved so defensively that attacking, free flowing play rarely happens at the top level, reducing the spectacle for the sports fan. And the rules are impossible to understand.
No code has it all and no code ever will and that’s why, inspite of all the money that will be poured into the code war by each code, each code will find it’s own niche
Pippinu said | August 25th 2009 @ 9:59am | Report comment
Good post Simon – fair analysis – people often underestimate the power of tribalism in committing people to their respective teams, often for life.
AndyRoo said | August 25th 2009 @ 11:27am | Report comment
Fair analysis? I guess if your an AFL fan.
I would have mentioned the following negatives but hey thats just me (northern heathen)
A lot of argy bargy and cheap shots that would turn off mothers (e.g Franklin on the weekend) and the actions of the guy that plays for Port Power. This should be cleaned up if you want to make the game more appealing. Buddys hit seemed unintentional but he is facing suspension but a guy that purposfully punches him in the face (drawing blood) while two other Richmond Players hold him down has no case to answer. Thats not a good look.
Tanking is the ultimate insult to fans, having to watch a game where your team isn’t trying to win. Pretty easy to fix.
Field feels way too clustered around the ball up and boundary throw
Semi finals always in Melbourne, that doesn’t seem fair and something that irks me in Rugby league too.
Lions unlikely to win every game (Sorry it’s very dissapointing to invest the 10 hours an AFL match seems to take and lose to some Adelaide or Melbourne team)
just my cheeky 2c
Michael C said | August 25th 2009 @ 1:00pm | Report comment
AndyRoo -
having objections is one thing – but, ensure they’re correct.
Semi finals always in Melbourne, that doesn’t seem fair and something that irks me in Rugby league too.
False – - even preliminary finals can and have been played interstate. ONLY the GF is ‘stuck’ in MElbourne. It’s the NRL that has retained this Sydney centricity. Recall please – in the AFL – going back as far as 1996, the Sydney Swans hosted Essendon in a ‘home’ Prelim final at the SCG – the Swans won by a point (kicked by PLugger after the siren) and progressed to the GF the following week at the MCG. It just so happened last year that all Melb teams after the first week of finals were the ‘home’ teams, and all matches then at the MCG.
The Lions – need to win this week, finished 6th, have a home final in the first week – and there after, see how it goes. With 4 Melb teams in the top 4 – there’s no huge ‘home’ advantage for 1st/2nd vs 3rd/4th. The Lions stand to have the most favourable first week finals match.
Tanking – (it’s the perception) – - only Melb has 4 wins or less, but also the longest injury list. All the other teams have won too many games and moved out of priority pick contention. Tanking….it’s sadly a media invention that get’s trotted out the same week each year in the footy media. A bit like beer strikes in the lead up to Xmas.
(cheap shots – - Melb is home to Kevin Muscat – - don’t go telling us about AFL cheap shots – - Muscie is the ‘king’ of cheap shots {leg breakers}. btw – agreed, the Buddy ‘hit’ seemed an accident and I’m astounded he’s facing 2 wks, and sadly, the current ‘system’ – once activated – is ruddy inflexible. Including a limited terms of reference for the tribunal.)
AndyRoo said | August 25th 2009 @ 1:39pm | Report comment
Sorry about the semi final dig then and I think all fans can accept the Grand Final in the MCG because it’s special to all Australians.
In regards to the cheap shots I wasn’t saying other codes were without sin but Simon definitely tried to give the impression that the AFL has no problems except not enough other countries play it. My criticisms aren’t meant to give the impression other games are perfect but according to Simon the only faults with AFL are that you can’t play for Australia much.
There is a lot of stuff in every game of AFL I have seen (not as bad as Hall of course)
that would be considered cheap shots in other codes and it’s very frustrating to watch. Other codes have it too, Football with the shirt pulling and League with the facial massage but there isn’t the tough man posturing that comes with it in AFL. It just makes you want the ref to say “fair enough whack him” it’s like every team has 4 Michael Ennis and 4 Robbie Savages.
I think tanking is more than just an allusion and good judges (former AFL coaches) believe it too. No over code in Australia offers such a reward for losing and there’s no doubt that team selections and tactics would be different if teams were fair dinkum. In Rugby League, Football and Rugby teams out of contention give a few younger players a go but compared to AFL well it’s farcical.
So sure Football has problems but AFL is hardly a perfect product either and it’s not just the Daily Telegraph brain washing that is stopping it taking over Australia 100%. Simon and Pip cant just make out that there games perfect and expect us to say “yes sir, thankyou very much”.
Michael C said | August 26th 2009 @ 6:48am | Report comment
The ‘cheap shots’ thing is interesting at the simple level of legal vs illegal contact from code to code and therefore the ‘shades of grey’ with respect to the legal contact – - as, in every code, there are players constantly pushing the boundaries and it comes down to the umpires/refs interpretations on the day (or, the subsequent post match reviews by the ‘judicial’ process). Personally, I struggle watching Rugby Union, because of the level of illegal contact the get’s so often let go, I struggle with RL because of the contact over the shoulder (invariably clipping the head) that is let go and the ability to trip. I struggle because I have to remind myself of what I’m watching.
The tanking thing – - the main problem is the perception of rewards. And yes, that DOES need to be tinkered. However, clearly, the ‘mechanics’ of tanking have been happening since Jesus was a back pocket for the Jeruselum thirds. Teams who have no chance of making the finals have so often decided to play the kids, experiment the positions and allow stars with niggling injuries to go and get them treated/repaired ready for next year. That people try to claim all that as ‘tanking’ is just plain ridiculous.
The aspect of match day ‘under coaching’ is another question. That’s an issue that, if considered seriously enough, and could be related to ‘betting’ as well – - would be something to look at similar to horse racing when a jockey is charged with not giving his horse sufficient chance to win. That’s a whole can of worms of it’s own. Reality is, most media commentators have no idea of why the decisions were made on the given day in the coaches box. Recently Melbourne were picked on for having only about 50 interchange rotations compared to normal 90-100. Reality was they had a heap of players on the bench with niggly and season ending injuries. But, that truth was of no interest to the media.
Draft wise, there’s not that much difference between last and 3rd last. Except, last has all the pressure of pick number 1. The sad thing is the media pushes this so much, that fans start getting confused and wanting their team to lose. That’s just silly.
Michael C said | August 25th 2009 @ 1:03pm | Report comment
additionally – 2006,
AFL finals –
3 games only at the MCG. 2 first round all Melb finals, and the GF.
The other 6 matches all intestate – including 2 semi finals at Subiaco (no footy in Melb that weekend), and prelims in Adelaide and Sydney (again, no footy in Melb that weekend).
So, cheeky is okay – - but, factual is better.
Juanita said | August 31st 2009 @ 10:49am | Report comment
Yes, Buddy Franklin … how many times have I watched NRL matches where the player leaves the ground semi or unconscious due to reckless tackles? Ask Anthony Quinn about the plastic discs in his neck and the fact that it was hardly reported by anyone in the days to come … I do want to say though that as a supporter of both codes I believe Franklin’s actions could have been clearly established had the careless and reckless rule been a part of the vernacular in assessing the ‘bump’ rule.
Robbos said | August 25th 2009 @ 11:53am | Report comment
Good post???? Definately not written by someone nth of the Murray.
Wallabies v Kiwis, best of the best? I thought the Sth Africans were world champions & undefeated in the Tri nations this year.
As for tribalism, this can happen in many ways, whether this be within a city (Melbourne AFL teams), state aganist state (RL SOO) or competiting at the highest level country v country (take your options from many int’l flavour games.
Ghost said | August 25th 2009 @ 10:45am | Report comment
Hmm… some questionable perspectives in there mate…
The game is too low scoring for whom? Basketball fans perhaps?
And on AFL’s ‘best level of competition in the world’… structurally flawed argument as there is no alternative to that one league. Better to write ‘only level of competition in the world’ as one can’t impute relative quality when there is no point of comparison (and in those circumstances all you need is internal even-ness not any objective quality to make for a seemingly exciting comp).
Finally when Socceroos play Netherlands at SFS next month I’d say in terms of world sports you’ll be seeing a higher standard and importance match than NZ v Wallabies in Rugby Union, with respect. #1 vs #3 teams in a game where there are only 6 or 7 decent national teams is not the same standard as #3 vs #16 in a game truly played worldwide and where 20 or 30 national teams are of a really top-notch standard.
JF said | August 25th 2009 @ 10:54am | Report comment
Of course, football in Australia does not have a single negative element!
Art Sapphire said | August 25th 2009 @ 11:01am | Report comment
At this stage of proceedings Pip is leading Adrian 253 to 27 in the Code War comments stakes race.
Pip, you have to remember did have one days headstart, but is making this up to Adrian by repeating the same comments on both threads
Now the figure to aim for is 554 comments.
Which is the record I set with my first ever, but cheeky, contribution on this wonderful forum.
http://www.theroar.com.au/2009/03/06/afl-in-panic-mode-new-afl-ad-campaign-takes-on-soccer/
As Adrian and Pip have belatedly found out, the best way to get a massive volume of comments is to mention that the AFL is under attack from football.
Thanks should go to Craig Foster and the SMH for publishing the piece.
So come on lads get commenting – records are made to be broken
Timmypig said | August 25th 2009 @ 11:04am | Report comment
“This is because every code has some inherent flaw and can’t cater to all the needs of the Australian sports follower.”
Simonjzw makes a pretty good point, although I’m not sure I’d have used “inherent flaw”. Not sure what I’d use in its place, but I agree with the essence. There is a notion that “if only this happened, and if only those people would report more fairly, and if only yada yada yada WE WOULD BE THE NUMBER 1 CODE”
Isn’t it time that one-eyed single Truth fans accepted that the entire notion of “THE NUMBER ONE CODE” is meaningless? Why does it matter – stripped down to the essential central truth – why does it matter to be the number one code measured by whatever datum or data? Is it the ego trip for the administrators? A desperate need for fans to have one’s own beliefs validated by the number of fellow-travellers?
And even if there is a purpose – it STILL DOESN’T MATTER. People shouldn’t take it personally when someone else doesn’t see the charms in the game they happen to adore. Jings Crivens!!!!
BTW I’ve just read Fozzie’s article (I don’t buy the Sunday tabloids) – what a load of tripe. I really thought he was smarter than that.
Republican said | August 25th 2009 @ 11:26am | Report comment
Spiros.
i believe you have exercised some Union bias with this lastest post but I do agree with you that the games patronage in Australia is inflated by the Kiwi, P.I and Saffa expat factor, significantly the latter being a criteria for allowing Perth the 4th Australian Super Franchise. This will also play a major role in the Melbourne franchises potential to share patronage of P.I and Kiwi extraction, that currently give the Storm someone to play to in Melbourne.
Union would struggle to survive in this country if it were not for the increasing Kiwi Migration to our fatal shores. I hazard to say that at least half of the 80 thou punters who turned out to watch the Wallas v All Blacks over the weekend in Sydney, were in fact NZers, which puts some honest perspective on the games status in Oz, Melbourne aside.
I read the Melborne rags when visiting that fair city and see no evidence that codes that are the exception there, do not receive a fair go, certainly they derive as much promotion as our game does from the League centric Brissy and Sydney press. In that respect it all balances out somehow and to Australian footy’s credit, the Lions and Swannies have been more successful in those traditional League demographics than League has been in Melbourne – without a shadow of a doubt.
I also concur with you that Soccer will eventually dominate throughout this country including in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth ahead of the indigenous code however, I firmly believe that our game will continue to be supported well above that of the Rugby codes, which if anything may have to consider the hybrid road to survival, in a saturated and small market place like Oz.
NZ will also embrace Soccer ahead of Union and there is compelling evidence that suggests Union is already waning in popularity across the ditch. Who knows, Kiwis may forgo their anti Australian fervour enough to one day embrace our game, to the detriment of their beloved thugby, of course the worry there is that they will predicatbly exclaim to the world that they invented’ Australian Footy’, as is their cringing want.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, I have always enjoyed reading your comments over the years Spiros.
True Tah said | August 26th 2009 @ 12:19pm | Report comment
What compelling evidence is that, if anything, the NZers are re-discovering their love for rugby, looking at some of the crowds in the Air New Zealand Cup.
In terms of ppopularity in NZ, futbol would come behind rugby, league, cricket and motor sports.
Davos said | August 25th 2009 @ 11:35am | Report comment
don’t forget to take into consideration, SBS’s TV rights for the Socceroos at WC’s, what are they worth, and the other rights they pay for to show football in this country, also need to consider ONE (channel 10) is now showing Bundesliga games and Serie A. What of ABC for w-league, it’s not for free.
These should be equated, as they are dollars being directly spent from this country for the football rights.
Fox – A-league, ACL, Asian Cup, WC qualifiers
ABC – W-League
SBS – FIFA World Cup’s – Mens, Women’s, U/20’s, UEFA Cup, Champions League and packaged games & highlights
ONE – Bundesliga & Serie A games
There is a bit of football on offer here.
I think thats the distinction between only A-League V’s AFL & RL as you put it, to a code being a game with a set of rules that are unified.
AFL can cuddle up with its’ seriously confused cousin of INTERNATIONAL RULES as it’s pinnacle
RL = well this is played really by two states in this country, New Zealand and Northern England, and it’s world cup, enough said!
Kurt said | August 25th 2009 @ 11:47am | Report comment
Davos – actually the w-league is broadcast for free – I believe the federal government pays the ABC’s broadcast costs as part of their funding of the FFA, but there certainly isn’t any net revenue to soccer.
Redb said | August 25th 2009 @ 11:49am | Report comment
Davos,
As soon as you draw in international futbol comps you lose the argument. The battle for the codes is in Australia.
I think you’ll find that Aussie Rules/AFL is on Foxtel, Ch 7, Ch 9, Ch 10, ABC.
Redb
Luke W said | August 25th 2009 @ 12:23pm | Report comment
A tad unfair when you consider that international competitions are a legitimate threat to the A-League’s survival. You can’t just ignore them to suit your argument.
Redb said | August 25th 2009 @ 1:36pm | Report comment
Luke W,
Not sure that is relevant, Davos is trying to demonstrate the breadth of futbol to amaze with it’s global glory.
Go Dons!
Redb
Matt S said | August 25th 2009 @ 11:39am | Report comment
I think AFL gets a much better run in the papers particularly in Brisbane. Monday for example the AFL gets 3 pages to rugby league’s 5 with the match reports of non-Broncos/Lions games getting equal type space. I also doubt rugby league gets two full pages in the AGE every Monday as happens in the SMH for the Swans/AFL.
Redb said | August 25th 2009 @ 11:45am | Report comment
Well I dispute that, I was in QLD 3 days last week and found the AFL had one page in the Courier Mail about 6 pages back from the RL section. Would you like a copy?
I would also add that Brisbane has only one RL team and still managed a massive spread.
Redb