Those followers of the international growth of Australian Football, despite and often in spite of the (lack of) efforts of the AFL; were pleased recently when the AFL announced that in next year’s National Under 16s Championships, a ‘World XVIII’ would participate in Division 2.
It now appears, following a highly successful Oceania Under 16s tournament in Fiji last weekend, that the AFL has decided that Oceania will be represented by a stand alone Under 16 squad with a separate ‘World XVIII’.
Presumably, the World side will be mostly comprising talent from South Africa.
However, there’s potential for talent from junior and school programs through Denmark, Sweden, the UK and Canada, in particular.
The main point, however, is the sudden increase in interest. A video compilation of Carlton’s PNG rookie, Peter Labi, highlights the level of talent here.
This kid looks to be a natural.
Along with this development, we’ve also seen this week North Melbourne rookie list Majak Daw, a Sudanese refugee who has been playing footy for about four years after coming here at the age of 12.
And Brisbane rookie listed Sean Yoshuira, born in Japan ,who came here aged 7.
It all adds a nice little cosmopolitan flavour that is sometimes accused of not existing in the game.
Recommend this story.
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- AFL, Majak Daw, Peter Labi
December 22nd 2009 @ 8:53am
pH said | December 22nd 2009 @ 8:53am | Report comment
Rugby is not a niche sport. It is a mid-tier “world game”. AFL has a long long way to go.
But – 52k players in 38 leagues is I think more than a 10 fold leap in 10 years, and 20 years ago there were no leagues and no players except the odd kick to kick by expats in a park.
Only in the last 3 years or so in Sth Africa and last year in Oceania, has the AFL started to put in player development pathways.
Only in the last 5 years have the northern leagues in Europe and USA started to run some organised junior programs – though these are still rather small.
So – extrapolating – as only 700,000 players in Australia, it would be very easy to double that number with overseas players in the next 10 to 15 years.
That leads to a doubled talent pool for the AFL, a better standard of competition, more TV rights and some foreign merchandising/membership income (similar to Man U in Asia).
It ensures the future of the AFL against any competition by World Games. It is like the reverse side of the globalisation coin – The A-league will always lose its best to overseas, the AFL would take the cream from amateur or semi-pro leagues off-shore, in the same way the NBA, Major League Baseball and American Football source talent from overseas leagues.
For the power base of AFL to move off-shore would be a sign of massive success in internationalising the game – not likely in our lifetimes. But the modest (internationally) yet powerful (benefits to the game at home) internationalisation of the code in the next couple of decades look well on track.
See http://www.worldfootynews.com
December 22nd 2009 @ 1:44pm
captain nemo said | December 22nd 2009 @ 1:44pm | Report comment
“That leads to a doubled talent pool for the AFL, a better standard of competition, more TV rights and some foreign merchandising/membership income (similar to Man U in Asia).” mate, wtf. AFL selling merchandise at a similair level to Man United in Asia hahahaha. Remember when Man United toured Asia a few years back. They were like rock stars in Japan. You can buy a man United jumper in any sports store in Korea, Singapore, Honky, Japan, Malaya etc etc Probably the only other team that would come close would be the NY Yankees
December 22nd 2009 @ 2:27pm
Beast-A-Tron said | December 22nd 2009 @ 2:27pm | Report comment
” mate, wtf. AFL selling merchandise at a similair level to Man United in Asia hahahaha.”
No he didn’t say similar LEVEL, he was describing the similar economic EFFECT (with reference to globalisation), can’t you read ENGLISH?
Obviously no aussie club, regardless of code, is anywhere near touching the likes of Man U, NY Yankees or LA Lakers.
Cpt.Nemo, got anything worth contributing to the discussion? Or are you spewing utter garbage as per usual? I just can’t understand why, if you hate Australian Football that much, do you bother posting on an article that has no relevance to your code/s, only to contribute snide and inaccurate remarks. I suspect you derive some sort of perverse pleasure from stroking your inferiority complex.
December 22nd 2009 @ 11:42pm
captain nemo said | December 22nd 2009 @ 11:42pm | Report comment
Beast, you want inaccuary mate, read the fantasy drivel that comes from people on here that spend their lives googleing but not doing mate. Alot of the comments I read on here beast are so far from reality, I can only put it down to living a life where one has spent their days being preaching to the converted because nobody else would believe it. No inferiority complex here mate, happy living in my own skin. Now I’ll let you get back my friend to believe anything that is told to you.
December 22nd 2009 @ 2:34pm
MV Dave said | December 22nd 2009 @ 2:34pm | Report comment
Sorry but you have been reading too much from the AFL mantra on world domination.
December 22nd 2009 @ 2:55pm
Beast-A-Tron said | December 22nd 2009 @ 2:55pm | Report comment
Well he doesn’t have to travel overseas in order to find popular interest in his code. I suggest you take a couple of blue pills, lie down for a few hours or better still goto an A-League match and see how much soccer has spread.
December 22nd 2009 @ 3:17pm
MV Dave said | December 22nd 2009 @ 3:17pm | Report comment
Having a bad day Beasty? Very happy about how football is progressing in Oz (thanks for asking)and as a MV member have lots to look forward to in the New Year
December 22nd 2009 @ 3:23pm
Beast-A-Tron said | December 22nd 2009 @ 3:23pm | Report comment
Well you can’t be all that happy with progress since you feel the need to cut others (codes) down in order to make your code look better (and presumably to make yourself feel better).
December 22nd 2009 @ 3:28pm
MV Dave said | December 22nd 2009 @ 3:28pm | Report comment
Sorry Beasty just following the well worn path of our AFL zealots who frequent this site.
December 22nd 2009 @ 3:32pm
BigAl said | December 22nd 2009 @ 3:32pm | Report comment
. . . I always read these little yellow faces as a flag of surrender !!
December 22nd 2009 @ 3:36pm
Beast-A-Tron said | December 22nd 2009 @ 3:36pm | Report comment
“Sorry Beasty just following the well worn path of our AFL zealots who frequent this site.”
A red herring. So you are satisfied concluding with a logical fallacy?
December 22nd 2009 @ 9:38am
Republican said | December 22nd 2009 @ 9:38am | Report comment
King of the Gorganites
Union is certainly along way off being the number one game in Eire. Perhaps in the Northern Counties but I doubt that very much.
The Gaelic codes are supported as passionately if not moreso than Australian Footy is here. I believe Hurley is number one followed by Gaelic Football however Soccer is also right up there.
Cheers
December 22nd 2009 @ 11:53am
King of the Gorganites said | December 22nd 2009 @ 11:53am | Report comment
i refer to my above posts. your wrong about Hurling. combined Hurling and Football give the GAA the overall advantage. rugby is arguable the most popluar sport on the entrire island (at present).
December 22nd 2009 @ 1:47pm
captain nemo said | December 22nd 2009 @ 1:47pm | Report comment
republican, your very sure of yourself regarding Ireland.
“I believe Hurley is number one followed by Gaelic Football however Soccer is also right up there.” did you have an Irish friend posted to Canberra who told you this????
December 22nd 2009 @ 9:48am
Republican said | December 22nd 2009 @ 9:48am | Report comment
Michael C
Some English mates of mine who were posted here in Canberra were all fanatic Soccer fans.
Their young lad took to Aust Footy early on and the family followed suit. His soccer skills transfered quite well and he managed to play both codes while living in Canberra. I believe Soccer is way more compatible with our game than either Rugby code for obvious reasons. Anyway, They would accompany me to the Swannie Fixtures at Manuka Oval regularly when living here and became keen Richmond supporters making the trek to Melbourne a couple of times to catch a home game.
The father became so passionate about the game he vowed to start a club up in the village they were to return to in the South of England as well as sourcing the closest clubs for his lad to continue playing his fave code!
Apparently this new club has come to fruition and they have only been back in the UK for 18 months.
December 22nd 2009 @ 2:08pm
Republican said | December 22nd 2009 @ 2:08pm | Report comment
captain nemo
I have Irish rels in Dublin, Cork and Tipperary who do bare testament to this.
I have a mate who is married to an Irish women from Cork who follows the game and has said as much. When visiting her family as they presently are, he always gets along to an All Ireland Championship game which boasts huge crowds in grounds i.e Croak Park. He in fact owns a few od sticks and slthers so we sometimes get together when I am in Sydney, for a bit of a bash in the park as we both have hockey backgrounds as well as being avid AFL supporters.
I can’t be sure where Soccer stands presently however I know it is extremely popular even in the Republic. Union is certainly supported but more in the north where the Anglo seeds were planted during the long Brit occupation, having said that when Eire v Oz in Union the pubs do very good business there indeed.
Cheers and a very happy X’y to you and yours as well.
December 22nd 2009 @ 2:59pm
King of the Gorganites said | December 22nd 2009 @ 2:59pm | Report comment
you obviously have no idea about sport in ireland. i should refer you to pothale.
firstly, its croke park. not “croak”.
rugby is now strnoger in the south, particuarly munster who are two times european champions. rugby is weakest in connact (which is GAA heartland).
dont assume that rugby and soccer are only played by anglo-irish or unionists. the games now encapsulates all of ireland.
December 22nd 2009 @ 9:28pm
captain nemo said | December 22nd 2009 @ 9:28pm | Report comment
you have alot of mates republican, must be a likeable person
merry christmas to you also. regarding your inference that I am a Kiwi, well if being born in Wollongong hospital doesn’t make me an Aussie, don’t know what does.
December 23rd 2009 @ 1:09pm
albatross said | December 23rd 2009 @ 1:09pm | Report comment
Rep – played hockey seriously – never played Australian Rules – typical
December 22nd 2009 @ 2:19pm
Republican said | December 22nd 2009 @ 2:19pm | Report comment
King of G
I believe that could well be the case in the six northern counties however not in the south. The population is larger in the north as well, so that could well be a very subjectively weighted statistic you have at your disposal there.
I would be suprised that Union is quite as popular as you would have us believe in Eire because I maintainvery close contact with my own family there, none of whom follow Union however they all support Soccer as well as the GAA codes naturally?
That they support Soccer or any sasanaac code at all in that part of the world is progress in it’s self.
Cheers
December 22nd 2009 @ 3:01pm
King of the Gorganites said | December 22nd 2009 @ 3:01pm | Report comment
refer to the above.
your lack of knowledge about the island of ireland is laughable. the republic has 3 times the popluation of the 6 northern counties.
its funny that you AFL types want to take over ireland but you know nothing about the place.
December 22nd 2009 @ 3:11pm
Beast-A-Tron said | December 22nd 2009 @ 3:11pm | Report comment
He’s full of it that is why. Hurling and Gaelic are the premier codes in Ireland, second to none, not soccer nor union. Croke Park is their ‘MCG’ in Dublin, and has attracted 80,000+ to Hurling and Gaelic games. No other code has the same level of culture, history and tribalism behind them like Hurling and Gaelic do.
Of course he’d know this if he had actually been to Ireland…
December 22nd 2009 @ 3:53pm
PastHisBest said | December 22nd 2009 @ 3:53pm | Report comment
BAT, RU internationals have been played for the last two years at Croker and also attract 80K. Your point is?
“No other code has the same level of culture, history and tribalism behind them like Hurling and Gaelic do.”
Just becuase you write it, does not make it so.
December 22nd 2009 @ 4:00pm
Beast-A-Tron said | December 22nd 2009 @ 4:00pm | Report comment
I’m basing it off the level of popularity/participation observed. The counties I visited did not appear to hold any great interest for rugby.
Hurling and Gaelic Football I was told on many occassion are regarded as the national sports in Ireland. Soccer and rubgy are not.
December 22nd 2009 @ 4:07pm
bever fever said | December 22nd 2009 @ 4:07pm | Report comment
“Hurling and Gaelic Football I was told on many occassion are regarded as the national sports in Ireland. Soccer and rubgy are not”.
Pretty much the way i understood it for Ireland, even Nth Ireland has a big GAA base.
December 23rd 2009 @ 5:05pm
albatross said | December 23rd 2009 @ 5:05pm | Report comment
“National” has another meaning in Ireland. It specifically excludes non-Catholics.
December 22nd 2009 @ 4:07pm
PastHisBest said | December 22nd 2009 @ 4:07pm | Report comment
That still does not prove your statement. What countries did you visit? BTW, it’s spelled Rugby.
December 22nd 2009 @ 4:10pm
bever fever said | December 22nd 2009 @ 4:10pm | Report comment
BTW its counties not countrys
December 22nd 2009 @ 4:13pm
PastHisBest said | December 22nd 2009 @ 4:13pm | Report comment
As someone famous must have said…”I may not be able read but at least I can spell.”
December 22nd 2009 @ 4:16pm
Beast-A-Tron said | December 22nd 2009 @ 4:16pm | Report comment
By the way, that was a typo, I’m aware of how Rugby is spelt. You spelt it “countries” as opposed to counties, but I shan’t be focussing on such trivial mistakes.
The counties I visited: Cork, Kerry, Tipperary, Waterford (a very cool crystal making factory there), Kilkenny, Clare (my ancestors hail from here), Dublin and a couple of others we only just past through for a day.
As for arguments relating to Irelands favoured sports, take a look at Irelands history. Hurling & Gaelic have been around longer and to this day still maintain superior attendance figures.
December 22nd 2009 @ 4:23pm
PastHisBest said | December 22nd 2009 @ 4:23pm | Report comment
“Waterford (a very cool crystal making factory there)”
Thanks for the geography lesson.
“Clare (my ancestors hail from here)”
Is she your mother?
You said, “I’m basing it off the level of popularity/participation observed.”
There is more particpation in RU than either hurling or GF, and how are you measuring popularity? Craic in the local?
But hey, don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story.
December 22nd 2009 @ 4:48pm
Beast-A-Tron said | December 22nd 2009 @ 4:48pm | Report comment
There is more participation of association football than RU, Hurling or Gaelic. But that doesn’t make soccer #1 in Ireland. As we’ve seen in Australia & the USA, participation numbers are only one measure.
Attendance figures are dominated by Hurling & Gaelic. Additionally both sports were invented and refined in Ireland over the years. It has that historical and cultural value to Ireland that Rugby & Soccer (English sports) lack.
December 22nd 2009 @ 4:57pm
PastHisBest said | December 22nd 2009 @ 4:57pm | Report comment
BAT, let’s take this outside! Err, down the page…
December 22nd 2009 @ 4:07pm
Punter said | December 22nd 2009 @ 4:07pm | Report comment
Ireland team of the year for the past 6 years, 4 of them have been Rugby teams.
December 22nd 2009 @ 4:42pm
bever fever said | December 22nd 2009 @ 4:42pm | Report comment
Just out of interest…. the biggest crowd at Croke park for a international sporting match was Australia V Ireland in international rules in 2006 of 82 thou, i stand corrected if the recent RU matches were higher.
December 23rd 2009 @ 3:21pm
Simmo said | December 23rd 2009 @ 3:21pm | Report comment
RU, Soccer, Hurling and Gaelic football have all sold out Croker in 2009. It’s a pretty pointless p!ssing contest that’s happening here on this *Australian* website.
December 22nd 2009 @ 2:28pm
Republican said | December 22nd 2009 @ 2:28pm | Report comment
Do I sense an infiltration of not only anti Aust Footy sentiment on this thread but a covertly pro Union agenda of Kiwi extraction? Are Nemo and King of G NZ’ers perhaps?
I believe that NZ’ers are taking more than a cursory interest in what is evolving internationally for our game and so they should, since I predict that it will be the NZ code of choice within 25yrs.
Cheers
December 22nd 2009 @ 3:50pm
PastHisBest said | December 22nd 2009 @ 3:50pm | Report comment
Ridiculous as usual Republican. That’s like saying that baseball will surpass cricket as Australia’s national sport. You consistently find ways to embarrass yourself.
December 22nd 2009 @ 3:58pm
ManInBlack said | December 22nd 2009 @ 3:58pm | Report comment
You just never know – - the MLB is now on board the rejuvinated Australian Baseball League (or whatever it’s called).
December 22nd 2009 @ 4:10pm
PastHisBest said | December 22nd 2009 @ 4:10pm | Report comment
Yep, I can see it now…the man with the second most important/pressured job in Australia is…the captain of the baseball team! Neville…somebody.
December 22nd 2009 @ 2:44pm
Republican said | December 22nd 2009 @ 2:44pm | Report comment
Beast- A -Tron
They do so out of ‘fear n envy’ so we of the Australian persuasion should try to practice a little tolerance in humouring their catharsis, as much as is humanely possible.
Cheers
December 22nd 2009 @ 3:20pm
Beast-A-Tron said | December 22nd 2009 @ 3:20pm | Report comment
Yes well plenty of people here are smart enough to articulate an argument, but lack the intellectual integrity to follow them through to their logical conclusions. Such lazyness & deceit deserves to be exposed and those spouting it, ridiculed.
Humouring does little to dispel their preconceived agenda.
December 22nd 2009 @ 4:02pm
PastHisBest said | December 22nd 2009 @ 4:02pm | Report comment
“Yes well plenty of people here are smart enough to articulate an argument, but lack the intellectual integrity to follow them through to their logical conclusions. Such lazyness & deceit deserves to be exposed and those spouting it, ridiculed.”
Phew! All those big words BAT, you must be exhausted after that effort. But I’m SOOO glad you decided to join the blog police. I feel much safer now that I’ll be protected from such deceitful lazyness.
December 22nd 2009 @ 4:05pm
Beast-A-Tron said | December 22nd 2009 @ 4:05pm | Report comment
Got anything of substance to say?
December 22nd 2009 @ 4:08pm
PastHisBest said | December 22nd 2009 @ 4:08pm | Report comment
Just following your lead, officer.
December 22nd 2009 @ 3:23pm
bever fever said | December 22nd 2009 @ 3:23pm | Report comment
A lot of posters on this particular site are anti-australian football, but i agree its “fear n envy” , so i take it as a compliment, being a fan of the Australian game.
December 22nd 2009 @ 4:23pm
Punter said | December 22nd 2009 @ 4:23pm | Report comment
WOW, this is amazing, i don’t visit the AFL threads too much. But I do find it funny that these AFL fans complaining about Rugby fans posting on an AFL thread wiith anti-AFL sentiments & accusing them of fear & envy..
These are the same AFL fans who live in soccer threads with their anti-soccer sentiments.
What’s good for the Goose is good for the Gander.
December 22nd 2009 @ 4:27pm
PastHisBest said | December 22nd 2009 @ 4:27pm | Report comment
Not according to Constable Beast-A-Tron.
December 22nd 2009 @ 4:52pm
Beast-A-Tron said | December 22nd 2009 @ 4:52pm | Report comment
Where did I say that?
December 23rd 2009 @ 6:07am
Michael C said | December 23rd 2009 @ 6:07am | Report comment
There’s usually a fair difference – for example this thread has zero to do with other codes,
whereas a soccer thread about the World Cup and displacement of AFL and NRL is pretty well ‘cross code’ territory.
I’d like to think that when I’ve contributed something to a soccer thread perhaps on crowds – that with the statistical facts to support – that I’ve provided objective clarification rather than the usual subjective drivel of many others.
in the main as well, I’ve leapt to the defense of my preferred game when soccer folk seem to feel able to take ‘free hits’ at it – - so, rather than ‘anti-soccer’, you should note the ‘pro-AFL’ (within reason, I don’t have blind faith in all things AFL….I just don’t have blind faith in anything really!!!).
December 23rd 2009 @ 8:47am
Punter said | December 23rd 2009 @ 8:47am | Report comment
I think you are very wrong Michael C.
This site is for followers of many sport & this thread is on AFL expanding outside the square for recruitment, one of those places is Ireland & the way I read it, some posters rate Gaelic football (and Hurling) the no 1 sports in Ireland.
Now, I don’t think the Rugby people took too kindly to this, seeing that Ireland rugby team has had their best year in years & in Brian O’Driscoll, probably the most marketable & best player in world Rugby today. So they are leaping into defence of their code just like you do on the Soccer codes.
So there is no difference.
As I said earlier whats good for the Goose is good for the Gander.
December 23rd 2009 @ 2:15pm
Beast-A-Tron said | December 23rd 2009 @ 2:15pm | Report comment
“some posters rate Gaelic football (and Hurling) the no 1 sports in Ireland.
Now, I don’t think the Rugby people took too kindly to this”
It is not having a dig at Rugby, it has nothing to do with Rugby. Gaelic and Hurling are #1 and #2, that is the sporting paradigm in Ireland. No one is saying that Rugby isn’t popular in Ireland, or that it isn’t played, or denying its recent successes for the Irish team. Merely stating the status quo.
December 23rd 2009 @ 2:25pm
Punter said | December 23rd 2009 @ 2:25pm | Report comment
But the question remains, whos Status quo? This I think is the arguement. How do you measure most popular?
December 23rd 2009 @ 2:31pm
Beast-A-Tron said | December 23rd 2009 @ 2:31pm | Report comment
“But the question remains, whos Status quo?”
The one that has been prevalent in Ireland for over a 100 years. If you feel that Rugby has toppled one or the other, what year did it occur?
Rugby union used to be played by the Unionists, seeing as it was an English game and all. Nowadays its played by Nationalists as well but as you can see Rugby Union has a history of localised sections of support in Ireland, versus the All-Ireland following behind Gaelic & Hurling (reflected by their All-Ireland Championships). Certain counties like Rugby, others don’t. Gaelic & Hurling are popular in all counties, so I guess that is a measure to go by.
Let me ask you this, does stating Australian Football & Rugby League are #1 and #2 in Australia, does that offend you also?
December 23rd 2009 @ 2:36pm
Beast-A-Tron said | December 23rd 2009 @ 2:36pm | Report comment
If you were to do some honest research, simply using Google, 10 minutes is all that it takes, you will easily find that many websites describing Ireland’s sporting interests typically list Gaelic & Hurley as the most popular sports.
December 23rd 2009 @ 2:50pm
Punter said | December 23rd 2009 @ 2:50pm | Report comment
It’s not my argument, it’s the argument of the Rugby posters above. I was just answering why Rugby posters were on an AFL thread.
They are debating Rugby’s claim & I would also add football to that claim. I have no facts or figuers on which sport is bigger, but neither do you. I do see that the 4 of the last 6 Irish Team of the Year have been related to Rugby & Brain O’Drissoll is the current sportsman of the year (a Rugby player).
BTW, no I take no offence to AFL & Rugby League being no 1 & 2 in Australia. But I can tell you for sure that in Australia, 2 of the 3 most populas states AFL is not very popular, same as Rugby in Ireland, not popular in all counties, so does that not make AFL No 1?
December 23rd 2009 @ 3:24pm
bever fever said | December 23rd 2009 @ 3:24pm | Report comment
Well i would dispute what you say punter, i would say that aussie rules is fairly popular in QLD more so than NSW above Wagga thats for sure.
While aussie rules is nowhere near as popular as rugby league in QLD, AR has a pretty good grass roots base in SE QLD wehich as we know is where the bulk of the population lives.
AR could be close to being as popular as RU in QLD or perhaps it could be more popular, please feel free to debate the point.
December 23rd 2009 @ 4:18pm
Beast-A-Tron said | December 23rd 2009 @ 4:18pm | Report comment
Well the burden of proof is not on me, it is Rugby enthusiasts who claim the sporting paradigm in Ireland has changed. So far they refuse to even give a year when this occurred. I haven’t put up numbers, but others have, and there is plenty to find over the web. It is not my job to disprove their argument, they have gotta prove it and so far I find the ‘evidence’ presented lacking.
Lets see how popular RU is in Ireland when the national team declines. I’d be interested to see how often Hurling & Gaelic place in ‘Irish Team of the Year’, considering there is no national team for Hurling & Gaelic, nor are there any other countries to play against. It’s like all the fuss being made over the Socceroos supposedly being the most popular national Australian team…however even if that were so, that doesn’t change the fact that soccer isn’t dominant.
December 23rd 2009 @ 4:39pm
Punter said | December 23rd 2009 @ 4:39pm | Report comment
Twice winners of the team of the year is a team in the last 6 years is a team called Munster is a Rugby provincial side, not national.
BTW I did google Irish popular sport & football is very popular in Ireland where they have a local competition but due that most of their best players & the local Irish media focus on the English more Irish people tend to follow Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal, Celtic & Rangers then the local competition.
You are probably one of those who judges the popularity of a sport based on attendances of the local competitions.
Do you base the popularity of Football based on the A-League attendances.
I can see how you come to this conclusion; you follow a sport that is one – dimensional, a club competition & nothing else.
However in sports like Football & Rugby, there is more than just the local competition & this may get the public’s attention in that sport.
December 23rd 2009 @ 4:42pm
Beast-A-Tron said | December 23rd 2009 @ 4:42pm | Report comment
“You are probably one of those who judges the popularity of a sport based on attendances of the local competitions.”
Well no, I took the word of the locals.
December 22nd 2009 @ 4:50pm
Campbell Watts said | December 22nd 2009 @ 4:50pm | Report comment
Mate, remind me how many international AFL games were played this year world-wide???
Umm…… None
Union had hundreds, League dozens. AFL has a loooooong way to go before it can be said to be an international game!
December 23rd 2009 @ 6:02am
Michael C said | December 23rd 2009 @ 6:02am | Report comment
Incorrect –
whilst this season was not an International Cup year (in fact, being the year immediately following – it’s usually a bit of a quiet year by international’s standards),
however, we saw Norway and Italy have their first games, we have the annual European Championships, we’ve had some important ‘Oceania’ games but more at junior (U16s18s) levels.
No ‘professional’ internationals…..but, then, traditionally, very few players in many competitions in the past got paid handsomly for internationals…..it was pride and prestige.
December 22nd 2009 @ 4:36pm
bever fever said | December 22nd 2009 @ 4:36pm | Report comment
Rugby would be 4th in the pecking order in Ireland just like it is here in Australia.
Gaelic football
Hurling
Soccer
Rugby
Australian Football
Rugby League
Soccer
Rugby
December 22nd 2009 @ 6:27pm
JF said | December 22nd 2009 @ 6:27pm | Report comment
The Irish Times – Wednesday, November 11, 2009
SPORTS SURVEY MAIN FINDINGS: ARE WE witnessing a dramatic shift in the Irish sporting landscape? The GAA and the FAI have been given some food for thought, some of it unpalatable, with the release of a survey which shows that rugby has taken a firm hold in the psyche of Irish sports fans.
In the survey, conducted by Dublin-based Pembroke Communications, rugby dominated the primary categories, with Brian O’Driscoll rated as “Ireland’s Greatest Sports Star”, Ronan O’Gara’s dropped goal away to Wales in Cardiff deemed the “Most Iconic/Memorable Sporting Moment” of 2009 and Ireland’s Grand Slam success rated by 70.6 per cent of those surveyed as the “Greatest Achievement” of the sporting year.
If it’s hardly surprising that Ireland’s Grand Slam win, especially after such a long gap since it was last achieved, emerged as the highlight of the year for many, but the sheer scale of the vote ahead of everything else confirms how rugby’s popularity has grown in recent years.
Indeed, Kerry’s reclaiming of the Sam Maguire Cup barely registered in the 26-county survey which gathered data from 600 adults aged 21 or over, with a generally even gender balance, 49 per cent male, 51 per cent female. The breakdown of respondents by region was Dublin (45.9%), Leinster (16.5%), Munster (17.9%), Connacht (13.2%) and Ulster (three counties, 6.5%).
For the GAA, especially, some worrying trends are evident. Perhaps what will cause most concern out of the survey for the mandarins in Croke Park is that Gaelic football and hurling appear to play second fiddle to international sports when fans are weighing up the respective merits of the different achievements.
The feat of the Kilkenny hurlers winning a fourth consecutive All-Ireland, for example, trailed in behind the exploits of Ireland’s Six Nations success and Leinster’s win in the Heineken Cup. And no GAA star, in either football or hurling, managed to break into the top-five of the greatest list.
Interestingly, soccer – which was rated as the favourite sport of participants, with a following of 25.4 per cent compared to 23.2 per cent for rugby and 21.8 per cent for Gaelic football – nevertheless failed to make a significant impact in many of the other categories, although Shay Given was ranked fifth in the greatest sports star category behind O’Driscoll: the Lions star received 34.8 per cent, Pádraig Harrington 19.3 per cent, Katie Taylor 9.6 per cent and Paul O’Connell 8.9 per cent.
Taylor, in fact, has become a mainstream personality, with her achievements recognised across the spectrum. The boxer was also a runaway choice of the public for the most admired sportswoman in Ireland, claiming 62.9 per cent of respondents.
The iconic moment of the year came with O’Gara’s last-gasp drop-goal in Cardiff that enabled Ireland to beat Wales to claim the Grand Slam, a kick that resonated with 61.1 per cent of the public. O’Driscoll’s try for Leinster against Munster in the Heineken Cup semi-final and Shane Lowry’s dramatic play-off win in the Irish Open were equal second with a 14.5 per cent share.
In a year of years which saw him lead Ireland to the Grand Slam and be instrumental in Leinster’s Heineken Cup victory, O’Driscoll’s contribution to both wins has put him head and shoulders above all other Irish sportspersons.
And it would seem that the endeavours of O’Driscoll and others – following on the successes of Ireland, Leinster and Munster – has enabled rugby to increase its popularity across all age groups and among both men and women.
The survey was conducted by Pembroke Communications from October 16th to November 2nd.
Most Iconic/Memorable Sporting Moment of 2009
1st (61.1%): Ronan O’Gara’s drop-goal in Cardiff to win the Grand Slam.
=2nd (14.5%): Brian O’Driscoll’s try against Munster in European Cup semi-final; Shane Lowry’s putt to win the Irish Open in a play-off.
3rd (6.9%): Tadgh Kennelly’s jig after Kerry’s All-Ireland football win.
4th (3.1%): Mick Kinane’s win on Sea The Stars in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Greatest Achievement of 2009
1st (70.6%): Ireland’s Grand Slam win.
2nd (5.9%): Leinster’s European Cup success.
=3rd (5.1%): Kilkenny’s All-Ireland hurling four-in-a-row; Shane Lowry’s Irish Open victory; Ireland emerging unbeaten from World Cup group qualifying.
4th (3.7%): Katie Taylor’s fourth successive European boxing championship.
5th (1.5%): Sea The Stars winning six Group One races.
Ireland’s Greatest Current Sports Star
1st (34.8%): Brian O’Driscoll.
2nd (19.3%: Pádraig Harrington.
3rd (9.6%): Katie Taylor.
4th (8.9%): Paul O’Connell.
5th (6.7%): Shay Given.
6th (5.2%): Henry Shefflin.
=7th (2.2%): Colm Cooper, Tadgh
Kennelly and Joe Canning.
=8th (1.5%): Rory McIlroy and Derval O’Rourke.
=9th (0.7%): Ruby Walsh and Ronan O’Gara
December 23rd 2009 @ 5:47pm
MV Dave said | December 23rd 2009 @ 5:47pm | Report comment
Strategically timed and taken survey, just prior to the WC Qualifyers between Ireland and France, which by far drew the most interest and attention around the world (and no doubt in Ireland) for any Irish sporting event this year.
BTW Would be fair to say that any successful Irish international team would rate well in that years poll. The fact that the Rugby team had one of their greatest ever results in 2009 no doubt led to the increased interest understandably where as the football team up until the time this poll was taken had not achieved anything of note (and unfortunately due to the hand of Thierry still havent) and have a low world ranking. Any poll taken in a year the Irish football team makes the WC finals would reflect this.
December 22nd 2009 @ 4:37pm
PastHisBest said | December 22nd 2009 @ 4:37pm | Report comment
“Rugby would be 4th in the pecking order in Ireland just like it is here in Australia.”
By what measurement BF?
December 22nd 2009 @ 4:44pm
bever fever said | December 22nd 2009 @ 4:44pm | Report comment
Its my opinion, based on what i have read/heard and seen, feel free to prove me wrong if you dont agree.
i think its right and i am sure most people would agree with me.
December 22nd 2009 @ 4:55pm
PastHisBest said | December 22nd 2009 @ 4:55pm | Report comment
Yes, but what have you read/seen/heard? Hearsay? Anecdotes? Or hard facts?
December 22nd 2009 @ 5:18pm
bever fever said | December 22nd 2009 @ 5:18pm | Report comment
As i said, its my opinion, feel free to prove me wrong with YOUR hard facts thats its not.
One interesting stat is from wiki states that Gaelic football and hurling are the national sports of Ireland
By attendance figures, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport_in_Ireland Gaelic football and hurling are by far the most popular sports in Ireland,[1][2] (34% of total attendances at sports events being to football and 23% to hurling).[3] soccer (16%) rugby (8%) and golf (3%) are the next most attended.
i guess that backs up MO to some degree.
December 22nd 2009 @ 6:56pm
Beast-A-Tron said | December 22nd 2009 @ 6:56pm | Report comment
Fairly concrete numbers there. Would be interested to see how 2009 turned out for them.
But anyway , the burden of proof lies with PHB. Hurling & Gaelic are the traditional national sports of Ireland. It is an established sporting paradigm over there. If this fact has changed, then it is incumbent upon PHB to a) prove it b) identify when this happened.
The wiki page ‘Sport in Ireland’ seems to confirm the sporting status quo over there. So neccessity of proof lies with PHB.
December 22nd 2009 @ 6:40pm
JF said | December 22nd 2009 @ 6:40pm | Report comment
Something else for you to consider BF
NRL outrates AFL for first time ever
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/club-chiefs-keep-feet-on-the-ground-over-tv-trouncing-20091221-la38.html
December 22nd 2009 @ 7:01pm
bever fever said | December 22nd 2009 @ 7:01pm | Report comment
If you can sift through some cr ap their are some interesting replies on this very subject but my favourite is this one so, comparing
a 24 round season to a 22 round season
a rep season to no rep season
3 games on FTA to 5
good games on foxtel to the dregs
3-hour-averages to 2-hour-averages
national coverage to coverage limited to the north east
and what do you get when you add these disparate numbers?
a meaningless pile of worthless sh it.
which RUGBY LEAGUE wins, without question
i guess we will just have to console ourselves with slightly more meaningful metrics, like crowd numbers, juniors numbers, and TV rights revenue (numbers which as you probably know, more than double anything rugby league can put up).
http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?t=662427&page=2
BTW it is a NRL commisioned study, but hey good luck to them, wonder if it also includes toyota cup games of which their is no AFL comparison.
December 22nd 2009 @ 7:05pm
Beast-A-Tron said | December 22nd 2009 @ 7:05pm | Report comment
Well such structural differences between the way both games are broadcasted makes for comparison rather difficult. As such, I would say the only way to directly compare is to compare the value of their respective broadcasting deals.
I too also noticed it was an NRL commissioned study. The NRL’s job is to get a better TV deal next time around, so I’m not sure how many shortcomings they would analyse in detail.
December 22nd 2009 @ 7:17pm
bever fever said | December 22nd 2009 @ 7:17pm | Report comment
I agree its the NRLs job to seek the best deal, so kudos to them although Roy Masters readership may believe what he says but the TV networks are not fooled by his spin.
The man is obsessed by his hatred of AFL most of his articles are related to them in a negative somehow.
December 22nd 2009 @ 7:29pm
JF said | December 22nd 2009 @ 7:29pm | Report comment
Yeah, I don’t give much credit to these figures, considering the differences in broadcast structure and the fact the report was comissioned by the NRL. And yes it does include Toyota Cup figures.
However, it is still an interesting point that more people watched televised Rugby League than televised Australian Football last year. I think it shows if anything, that there is not the massive gap between AFL and NRL that many may think is there.
December 22nd 2009 @ 7:35pm
Beast-A-Tron said | December 22nd 2009 @ 7:35pm | Report comment
If I were a league fan I would be concerned as to why so many so-called ‘fans’ are on their couches, watching a game, as opposed to attending in person and paying for a ticket (membership or otherwise arrangements).
Its like print media vs. online news websites. Less revenue generated online by advertising revenue, than revenue generated from physical sales of newspapers.
I think League would be better off with inferior TV numbers in lieu of higher attendance figures.
December 22nd 2009 @ 7:40pm
bever fever said | December 22nd 2009 @ 7:40pm | Report comment
Fair enough, although if you added up all the hours that people watched a particular sport maybe soccer would win with SBS showing about a million different games/leagues and fox showing plenty of games as well as seven 2 showing games.
IMO its a moot point but well done to league.
December 22nd 2009 @ 7:50pm
bever fever said | December 22nd 2009 @ 7:50pm | Report comment
Personally BAT i dont understand it, Sydney weather is generally pretty good, a lot of the grounds are grounds that i would prefer to watch footy at (suburban, grassy hills ).
But Sydney fans are much more fickle it appears than Melbourne fans, and Sydney does have the beautiful harbour and beaches which must take away fans, but the main reason is that in Melbourne footy and by extension Adelaide and Perth are much more tribal in their support of aussie rules than their brothers in Sydney, i live in Perth and we have pretty good beaches and a similar climate to Sydney.
December 23rd 2009 @ 5:32am
Michael C said | December 23rd 2009 @ 5:32am | Report comment
bever fever et al -
re ‘tribalism’……what does it mean??
I’ve always figured that the main thing about Aust Footy compared to the ‘Rugby cities’ – is that Aust Footy didn’t have a split along the Professional vs Gentleman Amateur lines that Rugby did. Note also, that cricket did not split thus either.
Having all clubs and all players in the same league – is a major unifying force where the weekly pilgrimage to the local field to take on cross town rivals was the highlight of the week for the working classes. Taking on and beating the ‘silvertails’….
the fragmented nature of Sydney – being the Australian home of soccer, RU and RL…….seemingly just promotes mediocrity across the board.
…..or….Aust Footy is as it was oft described around 100-130 years ago – that it was a more flowing game that was more interesting to spectators??
December 23rd 2009 @ 5:36am
Michael C said | December 23rd 2009 @ 5:36am | Report comment
Yes – it did include the Toyota Cup too.
Sheesh…….should he be including the ABC’s coverage of the VFL? and state leagues elsewhere??
It really looks like they’ve rolled as much together as it takes to claim an aggregate win……but,…..not on hours as we know,…..and, re Foxtel, RL folk have a habit of ignoring ‘reach’.
December 23rd 2009 @ 7:08am
Redb said | December 23rd 2009 @ 7:08am | Report comment
Very much depends on what analysis you look at. 2009 season numbers are more like AFL 150M cumulative to NRL 120M.
But as the Masters article says” RL ‘claims’ – so good luck to them convincing the TV execs who no doubt have objective data.
December 22nd 2009 @ 5:04pm
PastHisBest said | December 22nd 2009 @ 5:04pm | Report comment
“…participation numbers are only one measure.”
Hmmm. I could say the same about any measure you throw up.
“It has that historical and cultural value to Ireland that Rugby & Soccer (English sports) lack.”
At last! Something you’ve said that makes sense! Of course by it’s very nature, any sport that is native to a country is going to have these traits.
So your statement of “No other code has the same level of culture, history and tribalism behind them like Hurling and Gaelic do.”, should really have read…
No other code IN SOME COUNTIES IN IRELAND has the same level of culture, history and tribalism behind them like Hurling and Gaelic do.
December 22nd 2009 @ 5:26pm
bever fever said | December 22nd 2009 @ 5:26pm | Report comment
No i dont agree with what you say ….. across the whole country hurling and gaelic football are the major codes, if you start segmenting things to a % then you will never get a general answer.
That is like saying rugby league is not the dominant code in Sydney because they like rugby in Randwick and soccer in seven hills and aussie rules in Baulkham Hills so rugby league is not representative of Sydney.
December 22nd 2009 @ 5:31pm
Beast-A-Tron said | December 22nd 2009 @ 5:31pm | Report comment
“Hmmm. I could say the same about any measure you throw up.”
I say that about participation numbers because soccer has extremely high participation numbers in the USA & Australia, but this has not proportionally translated into popular interest at the elite grade competition. If it had, Soccer would be no.1 in the USA. Participation does not necessary mean $, as opposed to say attendance to sporting events, which generate a direct revenue stream.
“No other code IN SOME COUNTIES IN IRELAND has the same level of culture, history and tribalism behind them like Hurling and Gaelic do.”
If you want to argue about semantics, I’ll point out to you that more counties appear to have teams in Hurling & Gaelic, than do Rugby or Soccer.
Soccer & Rugby appear to have pockets of support whereby certain counties deliver multiple teams, and other counties delivering none. Successful soccer players play in richer, larger European leagues which erodes support and standard of play for the local league, much like the situation in Australia. Rugby has enjoyed recent success internationally and increasing support, but really is naive if you think it will topple their traditional sports.