Can Aussie Rules really rule the world?
Roar Rookie By jono52795, 23 Sep 2010 jono52795 is a Roar Rookie
- Tagged:
- AFL, AFL expansion, AFL International Cup, Greater Western Sydney, International Rules, Ireland, Kevin Sheedy, South Africa
236 Have your say
The most recent edition of Channel 9′s ’60 Minutes’ program featured a daring insight by Ray Martin into the development of Australian Rules Football throughout the world.
Many may have watched this segment and turned away in disgust at Kevin Sheedy’s comment that Aussie Rules was the greatest game in the world (ie: better than soccer or rugby).
And although this comment may have frazzled some, there was in fact a deeper meaning to this amazing insight.
I was amazed to hear that there are some 20,000 participants in Australian football programs in South Africa, and the vision of raw South African teenagers playing our game on a green grass field in Cape Town was eye opening. When one particular South African was asked, “Why Australian Football?” he replied, “Because it’s unique…and fast…I like fast things.”
Bayanda Sobetwa is Kevin Sheedy’s first South African recruit for the new Greater Western Sydney side. Sheedy now believes that (with conservative thinking) there should be at least 10 South African AFL players within the next 10 years.
The story of Tommy Walsh, now part of the St Kilda Football Club list and a regular in the reserves line up, is perhaps the most common for any Irish AFL recruit.
The dream of earning money and being part of a professional sport is what lures the Irish footballers. However, one can only feel that the development of the game itself in Ireland will irrevocably be damaged, so bad is the reputation of Aussie Rules and player agents over there following the International Rules issues.
What I find particularly interesting in this story is Sheedy’s belief that the game can one day compete with the likes of soccer and rugby on the global stage.
Perhaps it’s just logical to assume that the next step for the game’s international growth after player recruitment is the playing of it in these foreign lands on a regular basis.
At the end of the day, the “experimentation” with international growth is exactly that. An experimentation. Time will tell if the great Australian game can grow into something that the rest of the world becomes aware of and appreciate. I am yet to see any major event, sporting or otherwise, that has truly united the world (perhaps only the Olympic Games) in this decade.
Perhaps Aussie Rules could one day be the sport that attracts a global appreciation.
The first step is to have a fully developed international AFL player from a nation like South Africa competing on the MCG. But as Kevin Sheedy believes, Aussie Rules can better other sporting codes, due to it’s “rock and roll” and unique status.
I am inclined to believe him. Perhaps, one day, one elusive day, that vision will be a reality.
Channel 9′s 60 Minutes Story can be found: here.
Recommend this story.
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September 23rd 2010 @ 6:44am
GT75 said | September 23rd 2010 @ 6:44am | Report comment
Not in this life time, and please be realistic (rule the world) soccer hasn’t done that yet.
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September 23rd 2010 @ 7:49am
Redb said | September 23rd 2010 @ 7:49am | Report comment
Totally agree.
In fact the article is inaccurate the 60 mins story never suggests the game would over take soccer or rugby.
September 23rd 2010 @ 8:30am
Mister Football said | September 23rd 2010 @ 8:30am | Report comment
It’s the classic, predictable modus operandi of the envious, a classic straw man approach – exaggerate the claim, nay, create a claim that has never, ever been stated by the AFL, so that the envious can come in and beat up on the AFL.
September 23rd 2010 @ 8:31am
brett said | September 23rd 2010 @ 8:31am | Report comment
big call gt75, you live in australia so you probably dont see just how much of a grip soccer has on the world. its basicly grips 4 continents, some follow it as a religion, 8/10 people on this planet watched the world cup this year and at every minute of every day 450 million people play soccer. it doesnt even matter if people get brainwashed into following footy because everybody has played soccer in one way or another (futsal, outdoor etc).
furthermore, for those that dont know, soccer is actually an acronym for football aSSOCiation. so its really called football and soccer is just a nickname of the sport.
Kevin sheedy is a nut, afl should conquer nsw and qld as those 2 states are more populous than any every other state in aus combined before they start thinking of getting any other country on board.
go carlton
September 23rd 2010 @ 9:34am
Anthony said | September 23rd 2010 @ 9:34am | Report comment
I live in the USA, & soccer will never be more than an ethnic niche here. That’s a pretty big % of the world that doesn’t care about soccer. Who cares if soccer is the dominant code in the UK, Europe or even Outer Mongolia? The Yanks have their own code of football. They love it & it’s big. They even get crowds as big as Collingwood’s! The soccer, League & rugby fans in Australia just do not get what it means to have our own code of football. If Aussie Rules is played & followed by kids in other countries that makes me proud of our own sport.
September 23rd 2010 @ 10:00am
Art Sapphire said | September 23rd 2010 @ 10:00am | Report comment
Anthony – last time I checked the USA is about 2% of the worlds population.
How does that Mentals as Anything song go –
ooooh yeah… the niche is getting bigger
September 23rd 2010 @ 1:10pm
JamesP said | September 23rd 2010 @ 1:10pm | Report comment
Top 3 countries in the world by population….China, India and USA
Harldy gripping those countries….
September 23rd 2010 @ 1:55pm
Art Sapphire said | September 23rd 2010 @ 1:55pm | Report comment
Some research JameP before posting is sometimes useful -
In India – “An estimated 20 million people watched the World Cup opener between South Africa and Mexico, more than had tuned in for the IPL’s opening game in March. ”
“According to viewership data from Television Audience Measurement (TAM), this year around 53 million Indians are watching the World Cup with 29 percent of them watching all the matches of the tournament which began June 11.”
September 23rd 2010 @ 2:11pm
JamesP said | September 23rd 2010 @ 2:11pm | Report comment
So you are claiming that the Soccer World Cup is more popular in India that the Indian Premier Legaue?? OK….
September 23rd 2010 @ 3:33pm
Australian Football said | September 23rd 2010 @ 3:33pm | Report comment
JamesP
Not sure which is more popular but Indian Football (not as you know it) have these figures…
http://www.fifa.com/associations/association=ind/countryInfo.html
All Players 20,587,900
Registered players 384,900
Unregistered Players 20,203,000
Clubs 6,540
Officials 38,640
Just out of curiosity maybe Vina Virma could put up the cricket numbers. I’ve tried googling but could not find a link. I’m sure there would be one but I was unsuccessful locating it..
September 23rd 2010 @ 10:36am
Lazza said | September 23rd 2010 @ 10:36am | Report comment
Well you’ve set the standard and benchmark for determining success in establishing a sport in a new market.
Soccer has 25m participants in the USA and a pro league with new teams coming on board every season. ESPN/ABC just got record TV ratings in the US for the World Cup and has spent a fortune securing rights for the next two.
Now that is a failure according to you so tell me again how Aussie Rules is doing in comparison?
September 23rd 2010 @ 10:54am
Nam Turk said | September 23rd 2010 @ 10:54am | Report comment
“I live in the USA, & soccer will never be more than an ethnic niche here”
Also in America and I know that’s a ridiculous statement.
September 26th 2010 @ 12:56am
Karl said | September 26th 2010 @ 12:56am | Report comment
Anthony,youre wrong,,,the USA media make out Yanks loving their Football,reality is mostYanks could”nt careless about their Football,and many know like the rest of us that PRO American Football is simply boring
September 23rd 2010 @ 1:27pm
Joel said | September 23rd 2010 @ 1:27pm | Report comment
The vast, overwhelming majority of the worlds population could not give a shyte about any form of football whatsoever.
September 23rd 2010 @ 11:35pm
Tortion said | September 23rd 2010 @ 11:35pm | Report comment
I live in Europe and it far from grips the entire population week in week out.
The big tournaments draw in huge numbers of people who usually have no interest in the game. It is usually the only international sport they know so it is the only real moment to back your country. In most European countries they are yet to be introduced to most of the major sports we know.
September 23rd 2010 @ 6:49am
Tortion said | September 23rd 2010 @ 6:49am | Report comment
Will never overtake soccer. Soccer is simple, easy to learn and non-contact where the other codes are not and therefore more difficult to play in general which hampers their potential.
September 23rd 2010 @ 6:48pm
NY said | September 23rd 2010 @ 6:48pm | Report comment
Tortion, soccer is easy to play and learn, but I can assure you it is difficult to master. By your analogy music is simple and easy to play, because there are only 12 notes. What you do with those 12 notes is where the mastery lies though!
Imitating Maradona, Zidane or Ronaldo is not easy at all. I would say rugby is more difficult to play in a physical sense. Soccer in a control sense.
September 23rd 2010 @ 11:31pm
Tortion said | September 23rd 2010 @ 11:31pm | Report comment
Who said anything about the need to master a sport? I was talking about popularity amongst people of any skill not just the elite.
Maradona etc. are fine athletes but they are human. There are plenty of people in other sports who could at least compete in football if they had chosen to do so as there are many footballers who could have at least competed in a range of other sports.
September 23rd 2010 @ 7:08am
Fez's are cool said | September 23rd 2010 @ 7:08am | Report comment
The 20,000 figure is a bit hollow. They have 4 teams, and the majority of the 20k are kids from doing a one off clinic.
Bit like the Auskick figures in NSW and Qld… look good, but if you scratch the surface you soon find it lacks any real meaning.
September 23rd 2010 @ 8:43am
Redb said | September 23rd 2010 @ 8:43am | Report comment
Footywild is not a one off clinic in South Africa. The 20,000 are regular participants.
September 24th 2010 @ 10:10am
Harry said | September 24th 2010 @ 10:10am | Report comment
Jeez the 4 teams have some depth to select from then!
September 24th 2010 @ 3:39pm
Mister Football said | September 24th 2010 @ 3:39pm | Report comment
There are two main leagues in South Africa:
1. Gauteng Province (a newer league with only 4 teams)
2. North West Province, a more established league with 12 teams.
On top of that footyWild is a schools based program, that is mainly involved in skills sessions, but which also involves school tournaments and the like, link:
http://www.aflsouthafrica.org/index.php?nav=pages&view=1
At the 2008 International Cup, South Africa finished 3rd, defeating Ireland by one point. That’s a pretty good achievement considering that Ireland has such a huge natural advantage, and is indicative of the progress being made as a direct result of the footyWild program.
And long may it continue.
September 28th 2010 @ 4:14am
pothale said | September 28th 2010 @ 4:14am | Report comment
Wildfooty?
Yeah it ‘s a huge game in Ireland. It’s called rugby union in Ireland though.
Didn’t think it would have a huge advantage over South Africa though.
Long may it continue.
September 28th 2010 @ 5:17am
SideShowBob said | September 28th 2010 @ 5:17am | Report comment
I wouldn’t be too hard on Ireland. Not only do they have to travel the farthest to get to Melbourne but they get less than $800K less a year poured into their game than the South Africans over the last few years. Having seen them play in the recent EC and seen them grow their domestic league in the last two years, I think they will be a top 3 side next year.
September 23rd 2010 @ 7:57am
Mister Football said | September 23rd 2010 @ 7:57am | Report comment
Ian
when 20,000 turn up early morning for a mere training session – you know the game ain’t about to die.
To put that into some sort of context, on the eve of the WC, the Socceroos training at the newly opened bubble dome in an open session, and about 500 turned up.
September 23rd 2010 @ 9:02am
Australian Football said | September 23rd 2010 @ 9:02am | Report comment
MF—that’s not the same context. You speak of the Aussie Rules equivalent WC. If by any chance the Australian National Football Team meet Brazil in the final of the Football World Cup in Sydney or at the MCG I would expect it would be twice any number of the Aussie Rules training session..
September 23rd 2010 @ 4:18pm
jono52795 said | September 23rd 2010 @ 4:18pm | Report comment
If Collingwood trained today at the MCG, there may have been around 30,000 fans competing. A FIFA World Cup Semi Final at the MCG between Portugal and Uruguay may get 70,000 (provided ticket prices are reasonably low and a blockbuster AFL match is not across town), the equivalent of a typical Carlton-Collingwood crowd.
September 23rd 2010 @ 4:27pm
Fussball ist unser leben said | September 23rd 2010 @ 4:27pm | Report comment
Hey jono52795
How many do you reckon would turn up if if the AFL Grand Final were played in Montevideo or Lisbon?
In the 2004 AFL GF, when Port Adelaide played Brisbane, the crowd was 77,671. With the number of non-Victorian clubs increasing by 2, the AFL will be hoping there are no more “non-Victorian GFs”.
September 23rd 2010 @ 4:49pm
DB said | September 23rd 2010 @ 4:49pm | Report comment
You know the MCG was under construction then.
September 24th 2010 @ 8:08am
Redb said | September 24th 2010 @ 8:08am | Report comment
yes DB, a huge omission of the facts. I was there in 2004 and the entire Northern/Olympic stand was rubble might have something to do with reduced capacity.
September 23rd 2010 @ 4:53pm
jono52795 said | September 23rd 2010 @ 4:53pm | Report comment
hmmm…. The 2004 AFL Grand Final was played at the MCG, which was, at the time, under construction for the Commonwealth Games, with a restricted capacity of 78,000. What was the crowd figure for the 04 GF again… ah yes… 77,671. So just about 100% capacity for a non victorian AFL Grand Final! Gold Coast can play the Sydney Swans at the MCG in the Grand Final, and there will still be a capacity crowd in attendance.
As for a GF in Lisbon… now there’s an idea!
October 5th 2010 @ 9:31pm
Kermit is a frog said | October 5th 2010 @ 9:31pm | Report comment
Why do you post so often on the AFL tab?
And get it so wrong like here and as you have been exposed more than once.
Would not it be better to be a little less arrogant when posting outside of your comfort zone rather than making a fool of yourself.
September 24th 2010 @ 1:45pm
Lazza said | September 24th 2010 @ 1:45pm | Report comment
A WC semi-final would have hundreds of millions of sports fans around the world watching on TV. That would be the first time most of them had ever seen the MCG and the game would be sold out. The city would be teeming with overseas fans as well.
A typical Carlton -Collingwood game wouldn’t attract an audience in 55% of the country let alone anywhere else.
October 5th 2010 @ 9:27pm
Kermit is a frog said | October 5th 2010 @ 9:27pm | Report comment
Um, the FIFA WC in Sydney or at the MCG as you describe would be a once in a life time event. Perhaps if the Socceroos generated 10,000 attendees to every open training session when in Australia for WC qualifiers? that might be nearer the context. I reckon MF had it about right.
September 23rd 2010 @ 9:19am
sheek said | September 23rd 2010 @ 9:19am | Report comment
Support for Australian football in Melbourne can’t be used as a litmus test for its popularity, or otherwise, elsewhere…..
September 23rd 2010 @ 9:52am
Luke W said | September 23rd 2010 @ 9:52am | Report comment
Double post.
September 23rd 2010 @ 9:53am
Luke W said | September 23rd 2010 @ 9:53am | Report comment
I don’t get this comment. Nowhere does this article, or any of the comments for that matter, suggest that Australian football is going to die. This is about the expansion of Australian football internationally, which is pretty laughable. I always point to American football and say if they haven’t been able to do it with the exposure and money they have, the AFL has no chance.
EDIT: Reply to comments isn’t working for me. This was intended for Mister Football’s post two or three up.
September 23rd 2010 @ 10:04am
Mister Football said | September 23rd 2010 @ 10:04am | Report comment
Luke
I responded to another poster, and his post has since been deleted by the editors.
For the record, this article, especially the title of it, are plain silly.
I said that as well early on, but the moderators didn’t let it through.
You will find that all the AFL fans on The Roar (all six of us), are under permanent heavy moderation, meaning it’s very difficult to join into any discussion, meanwhile, everyone else is free to take pot shots at the AFL.
Australian Football is very different to American Football in the sense that it is a game that people can join in and play.
Big field, 40 kids, divide them up, throw them a footy, and let them kick and chase it around – just need a big field and a footy – don’t even need posts – entertain 40 kids at once.
September 23rd 2010 @ 12:50pm
JohnB said | September 23rd 2010 @ 12:50pm | Report comment
Not taking any potshots, but the big field requirement is actually one of the difficulties with expansion in many places – they don’t have big fields. They have soccer fields. One of soccer’s big advantages in going into new places or in expanding particularly in poorer countries is that you can play on half a field, you can play on sand, dust, gravel or whatever, and all you need is a ball and a couple of shirts or rocks or whatever at either end. Obviously the state of the field affects the game, but you can still play. That doesn’t make soccer any better a game than any other – it’s just the way it is. As to any global expansion of Australian Rules – I’m sure there are pockets of Australian expats all around the globe playing occasional casual games. In some of those places I’m sure they entice some local work colleagues, and some locals who have returned from studying in Melbourne, Adelaide or Perth, to play. If people in those places put a lot of work into coaching games in schools, organising clubs for when kids leave school and arranging competitions, they may be able to grow the game in their area or country. Very slow and difficult process, and quite expensive if it’s only a few individuals involved. I’m indifferent to Australian Rules, and frankly don’t see anything in it that would make it likely to sweep the world ahead of any other game, but good luck to anyone offering sporting opportunities to kids anywhere, in any sport.
September 24th 2010 @ 9:09am
BMAN35 said | September 24th 2010 @ 9:09am | Report comment
THat would explain my being placed under moderation for telling some troll to grow up of all things……no warning….just a post under mine saying you a now being moderated nah nah nah-nah nah….
It probably just highlights how any growth at all of the Australian game in Sydney is some triumph over parochialism
September 23rd 2010 @ 11:01am
Victer said | September 23rd 2010 @ 11:01am | Report comment
“I always point to American football and say if they haven’t been able to do it with the exposure and money they have, the AFL has no chance.”
That’s pretty much it. AFL’s international expansion will be mostly in the form of player recruitment.
September 23rd 2010 @ 11:10am
Redb said | September 23rd 2010 @ 11:10am | Report comment
Agree Victer, that’s exactly where it will be for the foreseeable future.
September 23rd 2010 @ 12:29pm
Art Sapphire said | September 23rd 2010 @ 12:29pm | Report comment
I agree with Victer too redb
September 23rd 2010 @ 12:44pm
Lazza said | September 23rd 2010 @ 12:44pm | Report comment
Yes, but make sure it’s proper recruitment from Aussie Rules leagues that are established in other countries. Converting mature age players from other sports just makes the game a laughing stock.
I read another article in the Sydney press yesterday where they said Aussie Rules was ‘obviously’ an easy game to master. You shouldn’t be giving your critics any ammunition.
September 23rd 2010 @ 1:24pm
Mister Football said | September 23rd 2010 @ 1:24pm | Report comment
anyone who wants to earn half a mill per annum as a professional footballer just has to put their name in the draft – it’s open to all.
September 23rd 2010 @ 4:47pm
jono52795 said | September 23rd 2010 @ 4:47pm | Report comment
difference is the product on display. The poorest organization in the world may run a sport that the rest of the world thinks is sensational! In terms of what Aussie Rules offers to the live spectator, i believe it is unrivaled. Alas, that argument is for another time…
EDIT: Reply not working. this comment meant for reply to LukeW’s a few up from here!
September 24th 2010 @ 1:26pm
Lazza said | September 24th 2010 @ 1:26pm | Report comment
September 26th 2010 @ 8:43am
FuLLy LoAdED MaN said | September 26th 2010 @ 8:43am | Report comment
Very concise Lazza.
September 23rd 2010 @ 11:02am
Aka said | September 23rd 2010 @ 11:02am | Report comment
when did 20,000 turn up for a mere training session?
September 23rd 2010 @ 11:40am
Ian said | September 23rd 2010 @ 11:40am | Report comment
Currently the AFL is protected species in Melbourne with other sports hoarded by bias media into the wee small hours.
I look forward to when the AFL is televised at the same time as other quality sports (Union, Rugby League and Soccer).
Only then will we see how fragile this code is. One only has to look at ratings outside of the Barassi Line (where such competition exists) to see it ain’t the “greatest game in the world”.
September 23rd 2010 @ 6:45pm
extreme13 said | September 23rd 2010 @ 6:45pm | Report comment
Ian said | Today | Report comment
Currently the AFL is protected species in Melbourne with other sports hoarded by bias media into the wee small hours.
I look forward to when the AFL is televised at the same time as other quality sports (Union, Rugby League and Soccer).
Only then will we see how fragile this code is. One only has to look at ratings outside of the Barassi Line (where such competition exists) to see it ain’t the “greatest game in the world”.
—————————————————————————————————————————–
Absolutely Ian, I agree 100%.
September 23rd 2010 @ 7:58am
Midfielder said | September 23rd 2010 @ 7:58am | Report comment
Jono
It’s good the AFL is finally coming out of it’s protected heart land and looking overseas.
But I caution you to be careful the Lilly is not over guiled … you may recall a small event around June July this year in the very South Africanyou talk of … and look up a thing called the Currie Cup (It’s a rugby union) domestic competition in SA, and then the Super 15′s…
In all fairness AFL does not have the management experience (at this stage) to take AFL international in the terms you are expressing in your article….
For the AFL to expand overseas in a way that will produce outcomes you expressed requires a huge investment of time and money … this brings up an interesting debating point… should the AFL spend the money it is in the two new teams … or reduce the 200 million investment in WS & GC and invest in overseas markets… and if so what markets….
While I have no doubt about the AFL getting a couple of SA players over time to take from that major audiences can be taken from SA is foolish… SA has football & rugby ….
The unkind would say the AFL in SA is as much about marketing itself and claiming Commonwealth funds to do it….
My personal take is I think the AFL should expand overseas but in areas were sports are not entrenched … like I said earlier in SA its Football & Rugby Union….in India it’s cricket & football …
However in China sporting preferences are not entrenched … football, basketball & baseball are currently investing heaps…
I do wonder aloud if in 60 years time…if the SA small investment will be seen as a lost opportunity and that it was an over capitalism in NSW & QLD … as even RL is expanding it’s international profile and under an astute management could make a big impact in Oceania …
Just my tho’s mate … but good luck in SA .. one hopes the words the unkind are not true…
September 23rd 2010 @ 8:09am
Mister Football said | September 23rd 2010 @ 8:09am | Report comment
The investment by the AFL of time, effort and dollars overseas has been literally next to nothing.
Yet a month ago, local governing bodies in Europe managed to organise the European championships with zero assistance from the AFL.
South Africa represents a terrific opportunity. For starters, there are grounds that are suited for the playing of aussie rules, and the local comps are already making use of them.
With almost minimal effort from the part of the AFL, in the space of three years, South Africa jumped within the top three teams at the International Cup in 2008 (to be played again in 2011).
The ability to grow the game within South Africa only requires minimal dollars – the biggest thing would be a few more recruits directly into the AFL (as has started to happen).
September 23rd 2010 @ 3:29pm
jono52795 said | September 23rd 2010 @ 3:29pm | Report comment
Midfielder: on the whole i agree with you. I suppose in hindsight this article focus a little too much on the potential for Aussie Rules overseas. That was not really my intention; rather it was to highlight the games footprint overseas. I found one of your comments particularly interesting. That being that the game’s international potential lies in countries without a dominant football code. Apart from India though, most major countries already have a dominant football code!
But kudos to your realistic optimism, with I share. I was surprised to hear that this years AFL Grand Final would be broadcast to 170 nations on the planet. When it comes to growing the game, that seems a fair start!
September 23rd 2010 @ 4:04pm
Fussball ist unser leben said | September 23rd 2010 @ 4:04pm | Report comment
jono52795
I’m not sure why you think India doesn’t have a dominant football code – it most certainly does, and the dominant code is FOOTBALL!
Football is played in almost all schools in India and – depending on the region – is ranked 1 or 2 as the most popular sport. In Jan-11, India will be participating in the Asian Cup and is drawn in the same group as Australia.
At the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, India knocked the host nation out of the competition in a Quarter Final and eventually finished 4th.
In 1964, India was runners up in the Asian Cup …. interestingly, the winner in 1964 was Israel, who is now a member of the European Confederation.
September 23rd 2010 @ 4:26pm
jono52795 said | September 23rd 2010 @ 4:26pm | Report comment
Could you provide av. crowd attendances for the Indian I-League? I have tried, but been unsuccessful. Soccer probably is the dominant football code in India, but is there any other one attempting to penetrate this nation (ie: Union or League?)
September 23rd 2010 @ 4:51pm
Fussball ist unser leben said | September 23rd 2010 @ 4:51pm | Report comment
India certainly does have a National Rugby Union team and (according to Wiki) there are 17,200 registered rugby players in India.
No figures for Aussie Rules at this stage, but I’ll keep looking.
September 23rd 2010 @ 4:54pm
rugbyfuture said | September 23rd 2010 @ 4:54pm | Report comment
and sri lanka have 120, 000 registered rugby players, and thats old stats
September 23rd 2010 @ 7:59am
Redb said | September 23rd 2010 @ 7:59am | Report comment
The title is silly and unrealistic.
As an Australian football fan I’d like to see development in PNG, the Pacific Isles and Sth Africa continue over the next 10-20 years. That is both realistic and exciting in itself for the great Australian game.
There is scope to grow the game at grass roots in these countries to hopefully provide a pathway into the AFL as the elite comp of the sport.
A 9′s concept worth a look in Europe, Nth America.
September 23rd 2010 @ 3:33pm
jono52795 said | September 23rd 2010 @ 3:33pm | Report comment
look beyond the title Redb. As the 60 minutes story suggests; the game may soon have a much greater influx of international recruits. If that comes, then wouldnt the most logical step be to actually showcase our game to the world, highlighting an already growing international footprint in the major comp, AFL?
September 23rd 2010 @ 3:34pm
Redb said | September 23rd 2010 @ 3:34pm | Report comment
To suggest it will rule the world is preposterous.
September 23rd 2010 @ 4:02pm
jono52795 said | September 23rd 2010 @ 4:02pm | Report comment
I am not suggesting that. Not at all. Kevin Sheedy has a vision that one day Aussie Rules will better other sporting codes. I believe him. But i also believe it wont happen for quite some time. Will it “rule the world” literally? No of course it will not! Is there potential for it to become a globally appreciated and/or recognized sport? Yes i think there is. That, and the fact that there is an already surprisingly large amount of International participation for the game, is what this article is all about.
I suggest you watch the 60 Minutes story and look at the South African teenagers already competing. Then come and tell me there is no gigantic potential for ‘our’ great game.
September 24th 2010 @ 12:28pm
Jeff said | September 24th 2010 @ 12:28pm | Report comment
Good luck trying to develop AFL in PNG, that place can’t get anymore league mad even if they tried!
September 24th 2010 @ 1:12pm
Redb said | September 24th 2010 @ 1:12pm | Report comment
AFL is already developing in PNG.
http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/20100910124737986
http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/20100823150024341
So far the AFL must have very good luck.
September 24th 2010 @ 1:23pm
Nick the second said | September 24th 2010 @ 1:23pm | Report comment
An AFL player visits on its World Football Website, thats like the NRL saying Usain Bolt raced against Hayne last week. or the NFL recruited Rocca, Yeah it happened but who cares and its not like we start following NFL now do we?
The Work the NRL have done over there is HUGE with players donating time to help with local communities. I dont want to compare AFL to NRL, but when AFL supporters say this and its quite obvious it isnt the case we have to highlight the difference in another code. To say AFL is developing abroad (a Bar in Bali doesnt count) is obsurd.
September 24th 2010 @ 1:45pm
Redb said | September 24th 2010 @ 1:45pm | Report comment
Did you read the article, the former AFL player is actually the International Development Manager (new appointment). The article talks about junior champs and GC involvement in recruitment, one player from PNG already on the GC list.
NRL fans chiming in on PNG is irrelevant. No one is saying AFL is bigger. Massive complex issues
“Yeah it happened but who cares ” – Yet here you are commenting.
September 24th 2010 @ 2:08pm
Nick the second said | September 24th 2010 @ 2:08pm | Report comment
stupidly I ticked the box to update me via email after every post, hence why I cant help myself when I see crazy posts.
atleast my work collegues get a laugh out of “International AFL”, so the email updates wasnt a total loss.
September 23rd 2010 @ 8:13am
Don said | September 23rd 2010 @ 8:13am | Report comment
You’re ‘aving a laff.
September 23rd 2010 @ 8:13am
Fivehole said | September 23rd 2010 @ 8:13am | Report comment
Short Answer: NO!
September 23rd 2010 @ 8:24am
Atawhai Drive said | September 23rd 2010 @ 8:24am | Report comment
No.
September 23rd 2010 @ 8:31am
Ken said | September 23rd 2010 @ 8:31am | Report comment
I don’t think Aussie Rules will ever rule Australia let alone the world
September 23rd 2010 @ 8:40am
Redb said | September 23rd 2010 @ 8:40am | Report comment
To some extent, but that holds true for either of the rugby codes as well.
September 23rd 2010 @ 10:15am
AGO74 said | September 23rd 2010 @ 10:15am | Report comment
Rugby league (let alone union) doesn’t promote itself as “the game that made Australia” like AFL has done. Considering the AFL states of Vic, SA, WA and Tas make up less than half the population of Australia statements like that are foolish.
AFL has big enough job with GWS. I suggest they stick to that rather than worry about the world. AFL and all its international talk all sounds a bit like short man syndrome.
September 23rd 2010 @ 10:37am
Redb said | September 23rd 2010 @ 10:37am | Report comment
You miss the point. Neither of the rugby codes has been able to dislodge the AFL from its heartland states either.
It is quite difficult to ‘take over’ from incumbent sports in OZ. There are however other opportunities the AFL can explore in the world as well as building on its presence in NSW/QLD, where it is a fair way in front respectively.
September 23rd 2010 @ 11:58am
JVGO said | September 23rd 2010 @ 11:58am | Report comment
When did the Rugby codes try to dislodge AFL from the Southern states Redb? I must have missed it. Was it some time ago?
September 23rd 2010 @ 1:52pm
Redb said | September 23rd 2010 @ 1:52pm | Report comment
Check the original comments.
September 23rd 2010 @ 1:56pm
AGO74 said | September 23rd 2010 @ 1:56pm | Report comment
No redb – you miss my point. I’m not talking about your opinion but the AFL’s opinion through its advertising stupidity with “game that made Australia” seems to be of the opinion that it has taken over Australia.
September 23rd 2010 @ 2:45pm
Redb said | September 23rd 2010 @ 2:45pm | Report comment
No AOG74, you introduced a marketing slogan. Check the original comment.
September 23rd 2010 @ 3:55pm
DB said | September 23rd 2010 @ 3:55pm | Report comment
Redb It also holds true WRT soccer ruling the world