Last week there was an interesting article published in the Fairfax press. Titled “Arabs and Israelis learnt to kick a footy“, written by John Harms who attended the pre-match dinner for the Round 21 Collingwood vs Sydney match. There he met two people in particular associated with the Peres Peace team (attending the AFL International Cup).
Simon Jacobs, the team coach from Brighton England is a Gunners fan, with a degree in PE. He fell in love with an Australian woman and with Australian rules football. He married the woman. He now coaches footy. He raves about the game; about the opportunity it gives players to demonstrate sporting skill, athleticism and courage.
The other person was Tanya Oziel, a Sydney mother. She described he young son suddenly taking up footy: “The other kids had never met a Jewish boy,” she says. “It was brilliant. Hiam’s footy friends became his friend friends. He just loves it, and I could see the power of this game.”
“Team sport?” I suggest to Tanya. “No, footy,” she insists. She is adamant, “Just footy.”
“Why just footy?” I ask.
“I don’t know,” she says. “There is something in this game. No other game will do it.”
This sparked some little discussion on another thread, and a couple of us came to the conclusion that 1 percenters as they are called in Australian Footy, and in particular, the shepherd, might be the (an) explanation of where she is coming from.
In last week’s Fairfax press, another article was published pertaining to women and footy. Titled “Girls just wanna have fun … with a footy“. This time it focused on a Turkish immigrant’s daughter who, along with her father, fell in love with the game, and so she played it and is now an AFL women’s development officer.
And, in this article, we find the following paragraph:
“Then she found it was the sport she was best at and also the place where she made the most lasting friendships of her life. The symbolic act in footy for Chyloe is the shepherd, putting your body in line for a collision to protect a team-mate in the knowledge that she would do the same for you.”
Yup!!!, I think we’ve narrowed it down. What is regarded a ‘sacrificial act’, because, in a stats and scoreboard outcome oriented game, to provide a shepherd effectively removes yourself from the ball, and the chance to take possession – and to score yourself – rather, instead, you put yourself in line to take a hit, and you clear the path for your teammate. It’s a selfless, often a courageous action, and is perhaps the epitome of ‘team’ sport.
Perhaps.
And perhaps I’ve satisfied my personal search for the ‘spirit of the game’.
Michael C
Guest
hmmm, 1 percenters...............that sounded like my chances with the ladies............... ..........thus explaining the strong memories of the Matilda's calender................... btw - it never made me care one bit about seeing the young ladies playing soccer - - - actually, that was around the time that 'Black and White' magazine was reaching prominance, and some of those 'art' spreads of athletes...........I remember Trish Fallon and her basketball......... (I was dating a would be photographer at the time, so, that publication was a vital 'reference' tool).
Koala Bear
Guest
Comrade C, you're the one who brought up the Matilda's Calendar :D Tho I did see a mate's copy of the August and September months.. Unfortunately those two months are permanently stuck together now .. Never to be seen again.. :D ~~~~~~~ KB
Michael C
Guest
KB - what's this talk of ladies, and deep down fluff............. I'm sure I don't know where you're going with this. ;-)
Koala Bear
Guest
"1% of the spirit of the game." Comrade C, I am just paying homage to all of the "1% centers" of all Australian ameteurs. I just thought you as an Australian and have stated in the past .. Only Australia is of your immediate concern and not so concerned what happens outside our shore.. Therefore, if we a talking about good old nice Australian "Fluff Stories" .. The Matildas touched my heart; worthy of a mention as 1% centers. I would also acknowledge the ladies Netball, Cricket, Hockey etc.. with some wonderful "Fluff Stories" there as well ... ;) Deep down I am sure you would agree.... :) ~~~~~~~~ KB
Michael C
Guest
KB - or the netballers, or women cricketers........and, like the Matilda's, are slowly making advances on getting some form of financial reward beyond merely token. That's lovely KB...........but, why are you bringing it up on this tab? I'm not talking about soccer, I couldn't (for the purposes of this thread) give a stuff about women soccer players, or netballers, or cricketers. If you want to dwell on them, then compose your own article............hmmm....have I still got that old Matilda's calender???? btw - - an interesting expansion relative to the "Girls just wanna have fun" article was the references about learning 'courage'. This perhaps is interesting in the whole 'mummys boy' assumptions around junior soccer. But, also interesting when we consider what 'qualities' we want kids to learn from sport.........and what 'lessons' can or should be learned at a given age. The need to learn how to fall, to land, to be tackled, to take a bump, to show courage..........
Michael C
Guest
Lazza - The human interest at present is that we might be right on the cusp of 'one of these players' making it to the AFL.....it's a little exciting, it's a little like the anticipation of which rose bush will come to bloom first............now, you may support a code with more rose bushes, but, these are OUR rose bushes............no disrespect to other amateur 'green thumbs' so to speak............but, they can romance their games/codes on their own tab or whatever.........it's a bit feeble saying that we can't value our dedicated amateurs because they aren't the only dedicated amateurs in the world of sport??!?!?!? Surely, in amongst the saturation 'elite' AFL coverage, we should celebrate now and then when the 'for the love of the game' folk get a bit of a run ahead of the 'for the love of money' folk. re your 3.5 states comment: and a Wallaby only has to compete against players from the NSW and to a lesser degree QLD private schools development pathway....................but that's not the point. and so, a rough breakdown on state of origin for the 713 listed senior and rookie players for the year (noting that many rookies ended up playing games). Vic 48% Tas 3% NT 3% SA 15% WA 19% Ireland 1% QLD 7% NSW/Act 4% - - - it may not sound like much, but, just over 80 players from NSW and QLD, or, 11% of AFL listed players this year come from a couple of states that you are writing off as a source of players. (I know it's not apples with apples - but) so, 8 HAL clubs with 23 man lists, that's 184 players - - how many overseas lads?, what proportion of them would be NSW/QLD? (granted, those that are overseas), How many players in the NRL or Super 14s come from Victoria, SA, WA and Tas? We (the AFL) could concievably hold a reasonable national state of origin carnival - - - on this year, Tassie would most struggle for a 'SoO' line up, NSW/ACT with about 32 players - would get a competitive unit on the field. NT would perhaps merge with QLD (as the NT side will enter the AFLQ going forward, that might be appropriate) - thus, with almost 70 players - they'd have a very good side. So, how would the Victorian RL or RU state of origin side go? Note - tonight, the 40 man squad (to be reduced to 26) for the AFL All Australian team was announced. Reality is, these guys perhaps more deserve to represent Australia than the Wallabies, i.e. they are more representative and have beaten off more people to gain their 'jumper'. Alas, those with 'international' bias will claim that having no one to play somehow makes a difference. Well - - again, with Australia trouncing Bangladesh in the cricket - - sometimes it should more be based on having someone worthy to play against.
Koala Bear
Guest
If you are looking for a fairy tail romance, unselfishness, dedication, love and just for the sheer enjoyment of playing a game by a bunch of amateur women .. Look no further than our own Matildas and their never say die courage as amateurs; playing most recently in the FIFA Women's World Cup in China. All are great Australian Women Athletes; who just play for the love and joy to represent Australian in the round ball game known as Football... ~~~~~~~ KB
Redb
Guest
Lazza, Are you really such a turbid soul that you can't see the International Cup for what it is? I pity your life, such bitterness. The South African Captain reckons it will be 3-5 years before a South African is playing in the AFL, perhaps another ten years before there are 10 players. Oh but you can always read your favourite Roy Masters again hes has his finger on the pulse, something about soap opera in NRl v AFL last drivel, mean article.. Gee let me think, Round 22 , a game with two players trying to reach 100 goals, one does he is hero to thousands, one gets 99 goals, Adelaide do enough to finish 4th, North and Collingwood implode, St Kilda from out of nowhere manages to get 4th in the last game of the season in front of 46,000 fans. yeah no soap opera there :-) Redb
Lazza
Guest
Bruce, I'm sure that's all true but you'll find that the Australian amateurs who run Gaelic Football, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse etc here in OZ are all dedicated as well? Some people have 'minority' interests and that's fine. As a 'human interest' story there's only one thing missing. None of these players have ever made it to the AFL? When a Palestinian, South African or Pacific Islander makes it then I'll be impressed. It's not like the AFL is overly competitive like the EPL or NBA? You only have to compete against athletes from 3.5 States to get a starting berth?
Bruce Walkley
Guest
The real point here is that this competition exists, and it's particularly gratifying to see the Peres Peace team taking part. In Australia we look on this event as a bit of a diversion from the real thing every so often, but the leagues which send teams are run by very dedicated people. Go to www.worldfootynews.com, which provides links to the Australian football sites in the US, Denmark, Japan, Ireland etc, to see what I mean.
Dave
Guest
Guys Not having a crack at the actual story just the way the reporting is done. As said twice already what Dipper and co have done is brilliant and long may it continue.
Michael C
Guest
Dave - it's funny - - obviously a perspective thing - - but, for me - I get sick of the 'breaking story' syndrome in Melbourne re the AFL. In that, all these journos are trying effectively to break the next big drama, the next major ground shaking story. Usually, from a glass half empty perspective. And any such story is milked for all it's worth, including by SEN. Such stories are re-visitied from a new angle over and over............that is annoying, really annoying. But - - it's the nice, romantic, and perhaps 'fluff' stories that too often are absent, or under promoted. These 2 stories feature in my article here are stories that I have not heard a mention of or reference to from elsewhere. And - - if there is a 'unique' little niche aspect to the game itself that can appeal, then, there's all the greater a chance that a unique place for the game will develop................especially in nations that do NOT hold animosity towards something eminating from Victoria as those dastardly Sydneysiders have managed to pollute NSW and QLD with. btw - - remember - - while only soccer can offer 208 affiliate nations, presently, only Australian (RUles) Football can offer only one fully pro-league and 16 totally amateur nations having a crack at a 'cup' that most people have no idea exists..............romance is where you look for it, I'm just pleased that a couple of journos have managed to look a little rather than just looking for the next 'train wreck' to report on.
dasilva
Guest
Dave Well most of people in Adelaide are divided in to Crows or Powers supporters and I have read some unflattering articles about football by certain SA illuminary Graham Cornes now and them but i concede the point that I'm not from melbourne :)
Redb
Guest
Dave, lighten up fella. These threads of footy romance as it begins to intertwine with international communities is important to many Australians. I'm sure there are similiar threads about futbol you could write. I dont rate baseball that highly but enjoy the romance Americans attach to their game mostly illustrated through movies. Who can forget "If you build it they will come". Fenway Park, Yankee Stadium,etc,etc. Anyone think Buddy Franklin hasn't got idol status with Hawthorn fans. Just a 6 foot 6 bloke off the field, on the field he is almost legend at just 21. Wouldn't be surprised if he's able to dodge bullets by now. :-) Redb
Dave
Guest
dasilva You obviously dont live in Melbourne. MC Not having a go at the concept, nor the "personal journeys", as l said it is terrific work by Dipper and co and long may it continue but...the usual media angle of it can only happen because its AFL l can do without.
dasilva
Guest
dave That seems a bit of persecution complex. Just because someone is saying good things about AFL doesn't mean they are criticisng Football. No ones saying romance in sports is an exclusive domain of AFL. Chill man.
Michael C
Guest
Dave - don't go being so narky about it - everybody in this world is living their personal journey, and, for these people, these are their personal discoveries - - - I'm not suggesting that any of it applies broadly at all. I also recognise that every game will have it's 'hook', and even each game can have a different 'hook',.........the standard AFL question is what's your preference, a goal from 60 out or a speccie.............some people are greedy and nominate a speccie 60 out and then the goal. but - - anyway, this is the footy tab, and we're allowed a little romanticism......these articles actually stood out like a saw thumb because they were A. a little romantic and B. not just about the 'elite' professionals......and personally I've recognised the romance of soccer ('cos how else can you 'love' a nil all draw). btw - the article wasn't so much about the mechanics of the Peres team or the history of Peres teams, it was more about the couple of people the journo talked to. You're being a little overly picky.
Dave
Guest
MC Interesting articles and points raised but...the same can be said for football (more women and girls play football than AFL in Oz so what is the 1% for them?). Arab-Israeli teams have played football together on many occassions. Why football? There have been Arab-Israeli Basketball teams also from the Peres Centre. The article failed to mention this in its attempts to have AFL romanticised to an even greater level in Melb. BTW I think it is terrific what Dipper and co did and it should occur again next time but please spare me the...it could only happen because its AFL drivel.