Bernie Vince taking a diving mark during the Round 3 AFL match between Port Adelaide Power and the Adelaide Crows at AAMI Stadium. GSP Images
Switching on the TV on Easter Monday, I found myself watching parts of Geelong’s blockbuster AFL clash with Hawthorn at the MCG. I had little idea of what was going on, but one thing that caught my eye was how long players from each side spent prostrate on the turf.
Since I originally hail from western Sydney – where AFL penetration ranks somewhere between zero to non-existent – I wouldn’t know my fullback from my full-forward.
Needless to say, my interest in the game was minimal, but it didn’t stop Channel Ten’s commentators from breathlessly announcing just how much the “traditional” clash was part of the fabric of Australian culture.
This came as news to me – since I don’t think I’ve ever taken notice of an Aussie Rules match before – and I’d have thought nothing more of my dabble in this strangely foreign sport were it not for a couple of articles by Roar reader Luc Knight last week.
If Luc was looking to stir up the masses, he certainly managed to do just that with a piece entitled “Why football struggles for support in Australia.”
His contention was a noble one – that diving is a blight on the round-ball game.
However, many readers took Luc’s claim that diving was holding back football in Australia as a thinly-veiled attack on the game.
He followed it up with another piece called “Diving in football the best advertisement for other sports,” and this time he quoted Melbourne Victory skipper Kevin Muscat for good measure.
Now, I think it’s great that Luc has shared his personal thoughts on football, and just like Kevin Muscat, he’s certainly entitled to his opinions.
But I don’t agree with his assertion that diving is what’s holding back potential supporters from pouring through A-League turnstiles.
If Australians find going to ground so culturally offensive, I wonder why there were around 70,000 fans inside the MCG on Easter Monday when both Geelong and Hawthorn players seemed to tumble over with dizzying frequency.
And of the many problems currently plaguing the A-League, diving would have to rate somewhere between lousy weather and the lack of hot pies at the concession stands as a genuine concern for Football Federation Australia.
None of this would bother me if it weren’t for the fact that so many within the AFL – from the likes of Andrew Demetriou to the most casual of supporters – seem to consider it their personal duty to lecture football fans on why the round-ball code will “never be the Number 1 sport in Australia.”
Most A-League fans couldn’t care less whether football is the Number 1 code or not, but I can guarantee that it gets incredibly tiresome to hear from folks who have little interest in football about what it should do to attract more fans.
If a few Brazilian prima-donnas trying to milk fouls in the Asian Champions League is enough to put some Australians off ever watching the round-ball game, I can’t help but point out that football will go on without them.
Far from football needing to change to suit the sensibilities of a few disgruntled Australian hold-outs, it’s certain Australians who need to come to grips with the fact that the game is already pretty popular around the globe – with or without their support.
And those who claim that they won’t watch the A-League because of diving are probably being a bit disingenous – I’m Australian, I dislike diving, but the sheer drama of an average football match far outweighs the occasional instances of play-acting.
With the World Cup finals just over fifty days away, long-suffering football fans can expect another flood of barely disguised anti-football rhetoric to hit our media.
But personally, I’d rather see some so-called “divers” go around than watch another game of Aussie Rules.
Justin Mahon
Roar Rookie
I grew up in rugby country and played both versions of the game - badly. My brother on the other hand went to the right school and played representative rugby union. I get the difference between the two and agree with one exception: In my view, while an average game of rugby league is always better than an average game of rugby union, the very best game of rugby union is a superior product to the very best game of rugby league. Sadly a rugby union game of this quality (multiple phases, tactical kicking and tries) is so rare now as to me almost 'Loch Ness' like in its mythology. AFL on the other hand - it may as well be form Mars to me.
Justin Mahon
Roar Rookie
A public lifetime of documented and broadcast douchieness?
Justin Mahon
Roar Rookie
I am off with a mate to a game in a couple of weeks. He is a great guy and his team will win so it is a no risk opportunity to get out and enjoy a beer together without the kids :-) #blessthem I am not expecting to care a great deal about the game however. Its a mess as you say. I can see no structured tactical dimension in it at all and the 'skills' on show are equally as spurious. However I am looking forward to appreciating its obvious, but spasmodic athleticism between add breaks (sorry, goals) and other stoppages. Agree it is better at the ground than on TV.
Justin Mahon
Roar Rookie
Oh stop it Mike. AFL is a mans game. No one ever 'games' the rules to gain an advantage. Your just a bitter soccerina! :-)
seanoroo
Roar Rookie
Im suprised AFL supporters are even bothering to comment on this, seriously have some dignity, ive read the article havnt read any comments, feel ashamed to even make a comment and if you are in anyway a follower of AFL dont get sucked into this b*llsh*t designed to obviously boil the blood of the diehard fans.
Stephen
Guest
The last sentence of Mike's article sums up his preferences quite concisely.
Michael C
Roar Guru
Alders - Glad you enjoyed it. it's even more fun to play......... alas the Great Britain Bulldogs were unable to battle the ash plume to make it over to Farum in Denmark to take on the Vikings.......they're traditional rivals dating back to about 1994.
Tom
Guest
Great article. Agree 100 percent. Don't like sissy games like AFL where men are constantly touching each other in tight clothing all seems a bit suss if you ask me.
MV Dave
Guest
Interesting article in todays Age; http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/afl-puts-kane-cornes-on-notice-for-diving-20100420-srpx.html "AFL puts Kane Cornes on notice for 'diving' "
Norm
Guest
I'll take your word for it Axel.
Axel V
Guest
Norm. you have to see the Lord of the Rings, it's arguably the greatest movie(s) of all time.
Norm
Guest
Oh dear Guzzle my life is incomplete because you’ve described Rings as a classic and I haven’t seen it. Well let me tell you what else I haven’t seen, the AFL International Cup because mainstream media avoid it like the plague.
JF
Guest
"Is this what the northern states are full of? I never want to go there." If only the rest of your Victorian brothers felt the same, then we wouldn't have to endure the thousands that migrate to Queensland each year.
Alders
Guest
I am no AFL fan but isn't it the worlds second largest live spectator sport. I went to the Essendon v. Melbourne game last year. It was the first game I had been to. 45,000 people for two teams having rubbish seasons. it was amazing. Great atmosphere and the crowd was right into it. I still don't follow the game (I don't have the sports channels to watch it in the UK) but it was a joy to watch.
Alders
Guest
What I relief. It just wasn't the same.
Mike Tuckerman
Expert
I didn't write the title, and having attended a handful of AFL games in the flesh, I can assure you that my opinions on the game are not based on the sum total of eight minutes of action.
Anthony
Guest
Did we touch a raw nerve with soccer fans, eh??
Gazza
Roar Rookie
Norm said " as I never watched Lord of the Rings" I suspected as much, not suprised really, one of the all time classics, should really do your self a favour Norman.
Gazza
Roar Rookie
Well thats great Mike, you watch 8 minutes of AFL football and then write a article called "There’s more diving in AFL than football". That 8 minutes sure proves your point.
Farqwar
Guest
Who is trying to squash the A-League into the ground? Quote from Strewth, who I was originally debating with, " the A-league is already heading the same way as the NSL .......perhaps you should migrate to somewhere that cares about soccer" And I'm not about to start a debate about the Media, who have enormous vested interests in AFL/League, as it will never end. But lets just say they are not about to lend football a hand. I would argue that the crowds at the crunch end of the season of mid 20 000 was pretty good for where the a-league is at, and the atmosphere was second to none. If Sydney can keep playing like that, chuck in two Marquees and an ACL, the game in Sydney will continue to grow. Thats all I want. The HAL doesn't just need to win over the general public, it needs to win over old NSL fans and fans who just want to watch a world class standard of football. Give it time. The a-league will never be the premier domestic comp in the world but a standard around the J-league, Eredivisie is achievable and would be well supported.