An AFL side made up of rugby league stars

Barry Glasgow from Tullibigeal played for Wests in the late sixties could pot field goals from anywhere on the pitch.

The Link, I agree on the futbol highlights, some of the long range 'cannon ball' type shots from players such as Torres are a joy to watch. Redb

England in about 2002 with a 30 metre rolling maul against the brutal All Black or Stinging Springbok pack at home at Twickenham with 80 000 fans bringing them home. brings a tear to even an old hard head aussies eye. Maybe Geelong should watch them.

The Link - tell you what, if you watch some of the Geelong 'multiple phase' goals they're setting up!!! (I was thinking Rugby either code at their best watching Geelong on Friday night).

Following on from this i'd say each code has a wow factor that can impress even rusted on supporters of other codes; AFL - Huge Marks - Speccies NRL - Huge Hits Futbol - Long Range Goals Rugby - Multiple Phase Try's (think French Rugby at its best), Long Range Goals

To land flat on your back after taking (or in most cases, attempting to take) that once in a century speckie is one of the more totally body numbing experiences I can recall in my life (especially when it happens well into your 30s!).

The Link - kinda ironic, Falou is looking for a hard landing (i.e. on the ground), Lloyd would kinda prefer a softer one (on top of some other poor bugger who absorbs the firmness of the ground).

p.s. can't compare something that Lloyd didn't have to do against something that Falou had to - different pressure and defensive tactics.

The catch wasn't even that special from a RL perspective, let alone AFL. Good but not that good I agree. Its the holding onto it and the placement (upside down and behind his head) that made it special. MC - yeah no one punching it away, just as no one is trying to stop Lloyd from holding onto it and placing the ball on the ground Lloyd and Falou's efforts were both fantastic, I agree Pip.

Ah pip, we just had to illustrate a couple of AFL 1 grab marks bringing the ball to the ground. Issie's grab was great, no doubt. but, the reality is that running with the flight in that instance was absolutely beneficial with respect to the momentum to land it. The biggest thing for NRL fellows to have the faith to do is to catch it in their hands, in Issie's case, he was probably high enough that it wouldn't really matter, but, often the guy on the ground even tries to catch it on his shoulder blade (rarely works) rather than taking the grab in the hands - - but, then, the next phase is to absorb a tackle and not cough it up, which, I guess a chest grab in the arms is more protective of the ball. For the defender. But, for the attacker hoping to run on with it or land a try, using the hands and outstretched arms might be more of an option??

I have to say guys, I don't really like this sort of comparing. Folau's try was fantastic, and should be just enjoyed for the great try that it was. I agree that it's a tough thing to do in RL because you pretty much have to run with the flight of the ball - and that is something we definitely all admire in aussie rules as well. And we all love speckies in aussie rules as well - let's leave it at that!! :) ps things like plucking the cherry out of the air and trying a banana on the 6th tackle are all things that have been rife for the trying for years

try Aaron Edwards : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYqC6MPA_zI

Matty Lloyd mark, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p70LE0C6l8Q

The Link - how many opposition players were leaping from the other direction seeking simply to punch the ball away?? oh, that's right, everyone was perched perfectly for him to ride on. It looks good, but the degree of difficulty actually wasn't that great. But, yes, Issy benefitted from AFL training that Storm have done - - the x-training that usually happens involves RL guys instructing on tackling......only thing is, RL tackling is far less regulated than AFL tackling, and probably 85% of RL tackles would concede a free kick.

Try this link and scroll down to mark of the year... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Lloyd

pic of Lloyd's mark. I dont have access to youtube but it is on there as well. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/5b/LloydM

Folau's speccie was indeed a good mark and he did hold the ball to the ground, but I would warrant that the 'sit' he had rarely happens in AFL where players wait for the ball and players gather underneath making it easier to get a ride. Try running with a pack of players all leaping at the same time and mid air having the balance and judgement of the ball in flight to mark it whilst other players all around you are attemping to punch the ball away. I'm not taking anything away Folau's mark, but Matthew Lloyd took a mark last year which was much higher against Melbourne and he held the ball to the ground. It was good but not that good. Redb

There was nothing 'common' about Folou's try in last years origin, it derserved the plaudits. The catch (or mark) was good, but unlike AFL, that only resulted in half the job being done. To then hold onto the ball after the catch (not necessarily required in AFL) and place the ball behind his head (again not required in AFL) took extreme skill. I agree that there is something to Issy being in Melbourne in terms of cross pollination of skills however.

sheek you raise a very interesting topic in manhood. Given the recent events in Rugby League and generally in male dominated sports over the last few years it is certainly timely to ask what does constitute manly behaviour ( no pun intended). It seems to me that it is easier to identify what it is not than what it is. Perhaps this difficulty in being able to clearly delineate what comprises the attributes of a man has been a major negative impact on societal wellbeing. Addressing the issue of male sport star conduct in isolation from the moral norms of the broader community is a futile exercise.

He most certainly would do that. Kelly was one of the very hard men of rugby league. He wasn't dirty. Anything he did was in front of his opposite. He believed in the old rituals of manhood. Back in the late 60s, when I was just starting to follow both rugby codes, & Kelly's career was winding down, league scrums were almost as genuine as union scrums. They had a thing known as' loose head' feed, which is basically having the free head closest to where the ball is fed. As far as Kelly was concerned, his team had the loose head, whether they were entitled to it, or not. This was part of his ritual against other props. If he respected you, he didn't contest the loose head. Otherwise, you had to prove your manhood by standing up to him.