AFL considers Celtic team

All very interesting. I live in the West, an hour by train to central if an AFL game is played in the city, 20 minutes by bus, 30 minute wait for a bucket of chips costing $5:50 at half time, and all that back again. Not very entertaining. Olympic park isn't that much easier and with the price of petrol a day out with the grandkids driving starts to look like a raid on the credit card. On the other hand I could go to Blacktown, fairly close, and be entertained watching the sport of my choice, with the added option of perhaps a decent game of cricket in the off-season, instead of the hour on the train, etc. etc. The whole point of it surely isn't about league versus aussie rules, isn't it about entertainment? C.

True Tah ............Celtic Crusaders was an existing team playing in the semi professional league competition below super league. They applied and have been accepted for promotion. As you are aware English club rugby is growing in leaps and bounds but surprisingly league is sharing in some of this growth in rugby. Celtic Crusaders are one of two teams targeted to be added to an expanded super league competition. Rugby in both codes in Uk is growing.Both league teams are noticeably outside the traditional boundaries of league in northern England.

"if soccer is so highly skilled, how come about 1 in 10 ’shots’ actually manage to score? ANd that includes own goals and penalty goals in the score column." Because if football the goal is a restricted size and guarded by an athletic gymnast with the ability to use his hands. In AFL the goal(s) extend from the ground to infinity. To score takes the ability to kick a ball between two unguarded posts. Should this prove too difficult, you'll receive a point anyway for missing.

I cant blame any young player wanting to go and play professional sport. At least nixon seems to want to do it properly.

Redb, the new team is called the Celtic Crusaders in the English Super League. Are they going to tap into Celtic support of Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Cornwall, Brittany and Isle of Man?

Belfast Mark, Dublin Dave, I see Ricky Nixon (AFL player agent) has acknowledged a need to engage the GAA before approaching players. Unbelievably he is now accusing other AFL agents/clubs taking covert action to lure players to the AFL. Redb

Dublin Dave Donal O'Neill is no longer a part of the GPA, he left quite a while ago over the militant direction taken with the threat of strike action last year.

Interesting that there has not been one negative comment about the new expansion team for the English SuperLeague called the Celtics who are from Wales? Redb

MC Email despatched. Redb

KB - well, reality is in much of the world it ain't flat enough to build AFL venues,......if you venture too far from the centre square you MAY WELL FALL OFF!!!!!! and the other reality is that much of the world doesn't have enough open flat space - - such that again, should you venture too far from the centre square you'd end up painting your face all over a brick wall. so, can you blame for us types to be a little sceptical about the 'real' dimensions of the rest of the world - - - where 'land area' is more a theoretical measure useful to disseminating satellite images rather than actual life on the surface.

chris and G Mastro - you guys have gone off the rails a tad. Could I just point out though, that supporting AFL as a localized sport in a globalised world is actually one of the primary attractions for some. 'Our game' IS our game. It's kinda nice that. It's a bit like those people who prefer to live in a small town - a 'community' - - and choose to shop locally - - to support local businesses - - despite the fact that they could perhaps save a couple of dollars by buying online. It's a bit about really being a 'part of it'. It may well be all about being a whale in a small pond as someone once put it (KB et al). But - - there's a certain sense of security within that small pond. It'd be nice if a few more aspects of our life/economy might be a little more independant of for example the US stock market and sub-prime crisis that sees our banks hike rates irrespective of our reserve bank......alas, a minnow in an ocean.........a bit like a single soccer player/local club in the ocean of the 'world game'.

Chris, you're wasting your time it's like trying to explain freedom to a Nth Korean... ;) They want to be part of the world, but think its flat and if they venture too far out they may fall over the edge.. ~~~~~~ KB

G Mastro - one last thing. above you asked 'how does it feel to support a minor sport'. I have to rasie the question, how does it feel to support a localized sport in a globalised world. Your envious, are arent you. That is all.

Crosscoder, " you think we go into raptures of tries from kicks all the time,you haven’t spoken to a rugby league fan" ....:-) Ahh but I already know this will be a concern to RL fans. Go back up the thread re comments from Cosmos Forever and myself. The Swans got 59,000 to their last game, whilst i dont think they play attractive footy (too much tackling) it's obviously sufficiently more entertaining than what the NRL is serving up as this was the biggest crowd for a club game in Sydney this year. Unlike the NRL with Melb Storm as the uber team, in the AFL Geelong play a brand of football that is exciting and very watchable. They play in Sydney in a few weeks you should demonstrate your cross code ability and go. They are probably the best football team in the country of any code. Do yourself a favour. Redb

RedB. Modified to open up LOL.How is a kick to the in goal opening up the game. The major criticism ATM is too many kicks in the game(ie bombs).It is all very well to score from a jump) but it is a running game,ie every player has the opportunity to score not a restricted few.Any rugby league supporter prefers a running backline move resulting in a try,not a lottery type try from a kick. Yes the Storm does get tips from AFL,conversely AFL does also from rugby league clubs particularly tackling. If you think we go into raptures of tries from kicks all the time,you haven't spoken to a rugby league fan. BTW tries from kicks have been around for ages, John Peard was an expert. The 5 tackle and a kick rl as you describe,resulted in large rl crowds in Sydney last weekend,and involved some brilliant backline tries,where players were rewarded for holding on to the ball. The so called "opening up"' as you describe AFL has resulted in reduced crowds in Sydney for the Swans.

Michael C, I appreciate your standpoint. We could run around in circles all day, you do make some valid points (I think we both make some valid points). So lets agree to disagree. GMastro, your a absolute bogan and that is all you are. I will not participate in a debate with you. Some of the things that you have said are stupid and naive, a lot of people on this forum (including AFL supporters) would think the same. Its quite obvious you are stuck in a time capsule. I feel sorry for you champ. I think that if you left Victoria for once in your life and travelled, your opinions may change. ANyways, go and enjoy a can of VB. Dont forget your stubby shorts.

Crosscoder - I was jesting about Inglis and Izzy - - other than the point that as Storm boys who HAVE regularly done training sessions with AFL clubs - - they, or any NRL player - would be best placed to 'convert'. I'm hardly suggesting they would. However - - higher representation and 'travel' is only a clincher for so many people. You can have too much of a good thing. Why do so many promising basketballers give it away for footy - - give away a sport in which they can represent their country at Olympics as well as regular international comps, can potentially make big money overseas etc - - to, instead play an expanded suburban/state Australia only competition? [another one debuted for North Melb on Sat night, Todd Goldstein, 202cm ruckman - - was in the Under 18s AIS basketball camp in Jan 2006, with 71 others of Aust top U18 and U16 basketballers - including Patrick Mills - - he looked very good for us on Sat night.] And, the same argument applies for cricket too, why would you give away cricket to take up footy when you can earn the baggy green in cricket, wouldn't everyone aspire to that?? It's not all purely rationality. Anyway - - we know the NRL is facing pressures like never before to retain good players, with the expanding Superleague in England(France/Wales), with professional Union and European pro-Union - the pressure imparted back on NRL salaries has seen the NRL players paid more as a ratio of game revenue than AFL players. It's a major driver to find new revenue streams for the NRL - - especially club memberships and increasing attendances. btw - - Moonee Ponds is a fabulous place to live - - probably, in my opinion, the best suburb in Melbourne, so close to Flemington, Showgrounds, the much cleaned and improved Maribyrnong river, Puckle St for strip shopping and Highpoint for Mall shopping, ......etc.

Crosscoder, Saw the highlights on a TV morning show of a Slater try last night - took the mark, jumped over the line. Your code is being modifed to open up, more like AFL. The Storm boys obviously tired of the dour contest of 5 tackle kick rugby league, regularly sneak over Punt Road to the MCG for a peak at the big game in town, They obviously like it as increasingly the Storm are playing RL AFL style. :-) Redb

MichaelC Inglis and Izzy have still a lot of work and challenges with the NRL and playing tests for their country.The money on offer from English Super League including the French club Les Catalans clubs and more than likely a new Welsh club Celtic(oops not that Celtic word) Crusaders next week,together with French union clubs,is a lot more than AFL would pay and they would be able to visit Europe instead of Moonee Ponds.Rugby league players from Oz have been going to England for yonks,you appear to think this is something new,yet new exciting players sprout up, more so than ever this year thanks to the under 20 comp.

Dublin Dave, thanks for your views. cheers Redb