Tonight, the Gabba will host the Round 18 clash between the Brisbane Lions and the Melbourne Demons. But it will also be a preview of what China can expect on October 17 when the two clubs meet again at the Jiangwan Sports Centre, for the Shanghai Showdown.
One of the main events of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, the Shanghai Showdown – officially known as the Kaspersky AFL Cup – will be the first AFL exhibition match held in China.
In celebration of this historic event, the Brisbane Lions have been drumming up interest for tomorrow night’s preview match at the Gabba.
At the University of Queensland earlier this week, Lions midfielders Justin Sherman and Michael Rischitelli were teaching the fundamental skills of AFL in a free clinic for international students.
Though their finals hopes have been dashed, Rischitelli says he’s looking forward to what the future holds.
“It’s all over, but now we’re just looking to build from here, into next season.”
He’s certain that not only will they perform against the Demons, but they’ll also finish the season on a high, against the Sydney Swans in Round 22.
“Oh yeah, we’re going to smash ‘em too!”
At the clinic, Auskick official Ellie, a former AFL player herself, was walking some international students through the rules of the game, and the all important drop punt. She says there’s plenty to look forward to at the Melbourne vs Brisbane clash on Saturday night.
“It’s all about promoting the game overseas, especially in China.”
But the match is sure to be something special for all AFL fans.
A Chinese theme will see a number of exciting activities taking place throughout the night. Chinese students will receive a ‘Welcome Pack’ and free Sherrins to kick on the field after the match.
Pre-game activities will include a handballing clinic and from a stall laced with Chinese lanterns, Chinese ambassadors of the game will explain the rules to new-comers. There will be plenty of entertainment on offer too, with Chinese lion dancers and Shaolin Kung Fu Guan performers (Shaolin Warrior Monks) entertaining the crowd.
And Chinese students will be personally greeted in the stands by Lions mascot Bernie ‘Gabba’ Vegas.
The aim of tonight’s game is to give Chinese people a better understanding of Aussie Rules, in the hope that they will take up the sport and share their positive experience with others, ahead of the Shanghai Showdown in October, which will once again showcase the Brisbane Lions and Melbourne Demons.
If it’s anything like what we can expect tonight at the Gabba, there will be few left disappointed in the 30,000 capacity Jiangwan Sports Centre.
You can follow Melanie Dinjaski on Twitter @MelanieDinjaski.
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agga78 said | July 31st 2010 @ 8:33am | Report comment
“One of the main events of the 2010 Shanghai World expo”
LOL
“there will be few left disappointed in the 30,000 capacity Jiangwan Sports Centre.”
LOL
Squire Gordon said | July 31st 2010 @ 8:44am | Report comment
Wow , how honoured and thrilled those Chinese students must feel to not only receive a free sherrin but to be personally greeted by Bernie ‘Gabba’ Vegas!!!!!! AFL is truly conquering the world, I can just see thousands, no millions, of Chinese kids dropping their table tennis bats and rushing off to play the ‘indigenous’ game.
Forgetmenot said | July 31st 2010 @ 1:04pm | Report comment
just a tad optimistic their Squire…
Victer said | July 31st 2010 @ 9:17am | Report comment
I just came from shanghai and visited our world expo pavilion. AFL was barely seen or mentioned even there. In terms of the whole expo please don’t tell me that it’s “one of the main events”, the expo is about the size of two suburbs in pudong and one suburb in the old part of shanghai, it’s one of the biggest things I’ve ever seen.
nothing wrong with promoting AFL in another country but take a look around the streets and bars of shanghai and hong kong and there are two games visible, football and basketball. In hong kong i also saw a lot of rugby and a few wallabies tops.
Forgetmenot said | July 31st 2010 @ 1:07pm | Report comment
It is one the main events for the Aussie expo.
It is not a large part of the actual Aussie expo, but the match is one of Australias big events.
Im glad that the two main sports are basketball and soccer. mix them together and you get football.
Victer said | July 31st 2010 @ 6:34pm | Report comment
I wouldn’t have known, they showed a snippet of it in the actual video production which was quite impressive. It was more about our cities and mining than anything.
Anthony said | July 31st 2010 @ 3:37pm | Report comment
“a few wallabies tops”. Sure…..as if the residents of Shanghai would care. I was there in January & I can tell you there was lot of interest in AFL from the chinese students I met. Rugby was seen as an English game, which it is, of course.
kovana said | July 31st 2010 @ 3:46pm | Report comment
Yea. But rugby is in the Olympics now.
BigAl said | July 31st 2010 @ 6:08pm | Report comment
.
.
. . . as is Equestrian Dressage.
Victer said | July 31st 2010 @ 6:31pm | Report comment
I said hong kong, and i was not asked about AFL once while i was in shanghai for two weeks
pH said | July 31st 2010 @ 10:36am | Report comment
agga and squire gordon – what is the problem? seriously?
No-one thinks Australian Football is ever going to become the national sport of China.
But if the AFL gets just a fraction of 1% of sports followers in China involved in the game – the benefits to the code are considerable given China’s population. So why not give it a go?
Also are there any other major sports events like the Cup at the Expo – in that sense maybe it is one of the main events?
bilbo said | July 31st 2010 @ 11:36am | Report comment
AFL is struggling to get people north of the Murray river – HALF OF AUSTRALIA’S POPULATION – into their game, so how would they possibly get the Chinese interested?
Probably about as wise as taking a state of origin game to California…
Melanie Dinjaski said | July 31st 2010 @ 1:16pm | Report comment
I don’t think they exactly know what will work with getting the Chinese interested, so they are just throwing everything at it in the hopes it will ignite some interest in the sport over there. Whether or not it works, well that’s yet to be determined. But I do admire that they’re trying, even if it fails.
The advantage they have with China is that AFL is something so foreign that they may be more curious and interested to try it out, more than people north of the Murray who know about AFL but are generally too devoted to Soccer, Union and League to even give AFL a go. There’s also a strong attitude that in comparison to rugby, AFL is ‘GayFL’. It’s difficult to convert people with such ingrained derogatory attitudes towards AFL, so maybe its just easier to recruit people who have never even seen the sport?
Gazza said | July 31st 2010 @ 4:48pm | Report comment
You are exactly right Melanie, it is far easier to promote the Australian game to most other peoples in the world than the “GAYFL” types.
These are the same people who ridicule the sport for only being popular in one country, yet then ridicule it for attempting to grow in foreign markets.
Anthony said | July 31st 2010 @ 3:41pm | Report comment
“struggling”? Check the Brisbane Lions & Sydney Swans attendances to start with. Then check participation rates in Qld & NSW. Then check publicity for NRL players switching to AFL. Then compare reverse with the southern states.
pH said | August 2nd 2010 @ 9:32pm | Report comment
good points
Squire Gordon said | July 31st 2010 @ 11:39am | Report comment
I have nothing against AFL going into China or any other country. But I do have issues with fluff pieces of writing such as this. All the other ads on this page have ADVERTISEMENT written underneath them, why not this one?
Melanie Dinjaski said | July 31st 2010 @ 1:06pm | Report comment
Umm, Squire Gordon, it’s just stating the facts. Relax would you?
These are some of the things that will happen tonight at the game, and MOST people find these type of out of the ordinary activites interesting and a fun addition to going to the football – therefore worth knowing about.
The article just expands on how the AFL is promoting the upcoming exhibition match in China. You can interpret their promotion of the game as you wish. All I’m doing is writing about it. If you think it’s an advertisement well then, if anything, it’s an advertisement for AFL. And I’m fine with that.
Squire Gordon said | July 31st 2010 @ 1:59pm | Report comment
I’m pretty relaxed thanks.
Melanie Dinjaski said | July 31st 2010 @ 11:03am | Report comment
Wow, we are feeling very cynical this morning aren’t we! Look, it’s just as pH said. It’s not trying to ‘take over the world’ or convert everyone into AFL players. It’s just a clever way of spreading the word about the sport, and hey, if it results in more (and better) overseas teams in the future, well is that really such a bad thing?
…And thank you Diesel
Gazza said | July 31st 2010 @ 11:54am | Report comment
Good piece, dont pay any attention to the Australian football knockers Melanie.
BigAl said | July 31st 2010 @ 11:30am | Report comment
Good on the AFL . . . loud and proud !
Footy Legend said | July 31st 2010 @ 1:24pm | Report comment
I think it’s a fantastic idea giving China a go. How great would it be if it caught on over there.
Realfootball said | August 1st 2010 @ 9:14am | Report comment
Always good to see people with a sense of humour.
biggy said | July 31st 2010 @ 4:19pm | Report comment
The boomers played China a few nights ago and won by 1 point after trailing the whole game, prime time tv with an audiance that would of been in the 10′s of millions. Strange how B’ball gets virtually no coverage in Aus. Whilst no one knows anything about Aussie rulz in China and your statement about it being a main event at the Expo is brainless rubbish, the game is another example of how well AFL promotes itself. The Chinese are desperate to make the Expo a success, its like the Beijing Olympics in that regard. I wouldn’t be surprised if they really push it and get a big crowd, especially if it is being held in the expo grounds? The Expo is probably a one off opportunity to hold this kind of game, AFL administrators dont miss a beat as per usual.
B.C. Queenslander. said | July 31st 2010 @ 4:21pm | Report comment
Good story again Melanie.
It is amazing how fired up non AFL people get whenever there is any mention of promotion or expansion of the great game outside of its heartlands, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania and Northern Territory.
It’s fine for these same folk to spruik promotion and expansion of rl and soccer into their non traditional areas but hell hath no fury like a rl or soccer fan upon hearing of AFL promotion or expansion.
The AFL seem to have some wise heads at the helm and promoting Australia and Australian culture through our great game to our largest trading partner seems like quite a good initiative.
It won’t convert the masses of Chinese, but those who experience the game first hand, will no doubt be more receptive to it than some the xenophobes here who seem to believe that AFL is like some 2 headed dragon that will eat their children if exposed to it.
Good luck AFL and keep going in the right direction.
Gazza said | July 31st 2010 @ 4:44pm | Report comment
I dont think it’s non AFL people, their are plenty of people who are non AFL people who are OK with this story and idea, it’s actually Australian football knockers, they are the ones comment relentlessly on this subject and similar stories regarding Australian rules footy.
Baz35 said | August 1st 2010 @ 6:44pm | Report comment
Exactly, not all people who don’t follow Australian football are insanely jealous and hateful towards it
pH said | August 2nd 2010 @ 9:40pm | Report comment
No of course not, but a rabid minority seem to be and comment whereever there is mention of AFL expansion north of the Riverina and east of the Northern Territory or beyond Australia’s shores. What motivates them is interesting – and it is probably the wish that Australian Football would just die and go away so we can compete better in Soccer or Rugby with the world.
Australian Football exanding as it has in the past few years to now 53,000 registered players outside of Aus plus over 100,000 in Qld and similar rapid expansion in Sydney in past 3 years (numbers were recently quoted) – all point to fact Aussie Rules is here to stay probably at least another 150 years.
We should just get used to that fact and celebrate each code.
They all have a right to try and expand and see who likes them whereever they live.
Westcoast929406 said | July 31st 2010 @ 4:50pm | Report comment
The AFL is expecting a crowd of about 10,000 to the 30,000 seat stadium. It will be broadcast live on the Shanghai Media Groups TV network to a potential audience of 100 million – Note “Potential”.
A deal is close to signing whereby the same Shanghai group will from 2011 broadcast live one AFL match on their network each week after some hard work at government level convinciing the ABC (Australian Network) to give the ok. The AFL development dept boss David Matthews said it is not a deal that is financially rewardiing but OPENS the door for our game up there over time.
Also the Lions and the Demons will not be the only the AFL Clubs at the Expo. The West Coast Eagles and the WA Chamber of Commerce have combined to take a promotion and business opportunity trip up there with several Eagles sponsors and other business people.
It is tipped the Eagles will link up with the local Shanghai Eagles Aussie Rules Club who recently won the first flag in the the very small comp there.
We maybe not travelling to well on the field but off field going gang busters – As per usual. After all we may have to pay a great big new tax to support the ailing Melb Clubs.
BigAl said | July 31st 2010 @ 5:00pm | Report comment
Wow ! 100 million – Jimbo take note, that puts it right up there with A-League Grand Final !!!!
Footy Legend said | July 31st 2010 @ 5:12pm | Report comment
Fantastic news if the AFL can get a game each week broadcasted live, means there is huge future potential.