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Yesterday I looked at which Australian sporting teams are the most loved and the most loved to be hated combining the points scoring systems of Good News Week with that of Red Faces to evaluate the teams on strength of nickname, strength of team, strength of opposition, media coverage, uniform, trophy cabinet, historical achievements and X-Factor. This is part two of that analysis.
Australian Football/ International Rules Side
Nickname: Galahs (8)
Strength of Side: Only team in the world (10)
Strength of Opposition: Non existent (0)
Media Coverage: Excellent especially in the Southern States (7+10/2 = 8.5)
Uniform: Non Factor (2)
Trophy Cabinet: Not sure if they even have one (-3)
Historical Achievements: More off field drama than on field (1)
X-Factor: Seeing everyone in the AFL on the same side (4)
Total points: 30.5
It’s nice of the AFL to give Australian football players the opportunity to represent their country, but ultimately it doesn’t mean much. Not having a fantastic international setup is a very small price to pay when in return you have one of the strongest and most vibrant domestic sporting competitions in the world.
Rugby Union Side
Nickname: Wallabies (10)
Strength of Side: Good (9.5)
Strength of Opposition: Some tough sides, some good sides and then the bottom falls out (8)
Media Coverage: Round the clock or is it round the dial? (7)
Uniform: Was iconic until they played with it (4)
Trophy Cabinet: Not as full as it once was (5)
Historical Achievements: Hosted two World Cups, won two World Cups, gave prominence to Alan Jones (12 for the World Cup but -3 for Alan Jones)
X-Factor: Ella, Ella, Ella (15)
Total: 67.5
The Wallabies are always there and there abouts. Their problem is that in Australia, the game is just a sport while in New Zealand it’s a way of life. That is difficult to counter and always will be, which is why the Bledisloe Cup is so overwhelmingly in New Zealand’s favor. Every once in a while a freak player will spring up out of nowhere. Think Campese, think Tim Horan, think John Eales. Australia’s most dominant period coincides with the playing career of the person nobody actually calls Nobody. They won two World Cups and defeated the Lions in 2001 with him in the middle of it all, and their decline fits neatly with his retirement. As far as World Cups go, they won two, and overachieved at 2003, which balances out their underachieving in 1995 and 2007. Now that rugby has gone professional, the team has a higher profile courtesy of an increased playing schedule – although some would say too increased.
Rugby League Side
Nickname: Kangaroos (10)
Strength of Side: Untouchable (10)
Strength of Opposition: Great Britain and New Zealand (2)
Media Coverage: Strong in the northern states, tapers off a lot elsewhere (9)
Uniform: Classical Green and Gold (8)
Trophy Cabinet: Not much on offer but whatever there is, it has it (10)
Historical Achievements: 1982 Invincibles, Brad Mackay scoring three tries on debut (9)
X-Factor: Makes news when they don’t win. (8)
Total: 66 points
When the Invincibles strutted their stuff in 1982 it was a big deal, but in hindsight it was something of a tipping point for the international game. International rugby league was diminishing while intensity in State of Origin was gathering steam. You’d be hard pressed to find a player to go on record about it, but no doubt all of them would prefer to be selected for either NSW or Queensland over Australia. State of Origin is the cream de la crème, locking horns for 80 minutes of sport played at the highest possible level, while Test football has about much intensity as a Gold Coast Seagulls match. They get bonus points for Ricky Stuart being the inspiration behind this, but lose points for Channel 9 not showing the World Cup games live. The least national of the mainstream national teams.
Soccer/Football Side
Nickname: Socceroos (Open), Olyroos (Olympic), Joeys (Junior) (11)
Strength of Side: Good (11)
Strength of Opposition: Rest of the World (11)
Media Coverage: At its peak, stops the nation (10)
Uniform: Not sure what you call it, but it will never live this or this or this down (1)
Trophy Cabinet: Pretty bare but they have all those pennants they swap before the game (7)
Historical Achievements: Two World Cups and a litany of sob stories (8)
X-Factor: Charlie Yankos (Argentina and Israel), Ned Zelic getting us to Barcelona, Aurelio Vidmar against Argentina, Mehmet Durakovic against Canada(10)
Total: 68 points
Ever since John Aloisi poked the ball past Fabián Carini to send Australia through to the 2006 World Cup, Australian football has enjoyed a dream run. This was a sport that went from being unable to do anything wrong, to a sport that now enjoys somewhat of a Midas touch. Old habits die hard and the letting go of Guss Hiddink and their performance at the 2007 Asian Cup was old school ASF. It is the world game and has the true international competition that none of cricket, rugby league or rugby union has. And it also has the higher profile that the Boomers or Davis Cup team don’t have. It has the best nicknames of them all, is truly national and boasts significant grass roots participation. If Australia qualifies for the World Cup, the nation comes to a halt to watch their games, which would be good if they were on free to air TV.
Cricket Side:
Nickname: Nil (-1)
Strength of Side: World’s Best (11)
Strength of Opposition: Biggest Opponent is themselves (10)
Media Coverage: Round the clock (9)
Uniform: Classical White for the Tests and classical canary yellow for the pajama game (10)
Trophy Cabinet: It maybe full but the things they want the most are the things which aren’t in there (10)
Historical Achievements: Introducing us to sledging (8.94)
X-Factor: Every boy growing up wants to be them which is handy as most in the team have never grown up(10)
Total: 67.66
Truly national, other sports may have a domestic competition which includes all six states, but none are cared about as much as the Sheffield Shield. Is there such a thing as being too good? If so this team is guilty of it. The team must wonder what it can do right – the most celebrated Test series’ are all ones which they lost. They are Goliath and no one cheers for that guy, which is why people are liking the fact that Australia are now coming back to the pack. Not enough time here to discuss what happened at the SCG in India, but suffice to say it perfectly illustrated everything people hate about them. There seems to be more people wanting to see this Australian side lose than any other Australian side. Tall poppy syndrome or do they deserve it?
For those keeping score at home we have:
Soccer/Football 68
Cricket 67.94
Rugby Union 67.5
Swimming 66.66
Rugby League 66
Women’s Hockey 63
Women’s Basketball 60
Netball 50.5
Tennis 50
Women’s Water Polo 48
Men’s Basketball 47
Men’s Hockey 44
Softball 36
Men’s Water Polo 35
AFL 30
Do you think these results are right?
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