Growing up in the heartland of Australian Rules footy, way back when today’s football was better known as soccer, the round ball code was often referred to as wogball, a sissy sport and ‘Shocker’, among other names and labels.
Today, the World Game has indeed become a rather mainstream sport Down Under, thanks largely to the ever growing A-League movement, which is now well entrenched in the Aussie sporting landscape.
Nonetheless, today, as was the case back then, the army of round ball code detractors down south – and no doubt a similar scenario exists north of the border in Rugby heartland – often still refer to one of soccer’s (oops, I mean football’s) so-called flaws. That is, the lack of goals scored during a game.
We loyal disciples of the beautiful game, however, know full well that the low-scoring nature of the game is in fact a part of its mass appeal. The steady, and at times tense, buildup before the collective energy of the tribe explodes as the ball finally hits the back of the net, releasing unbridled celebration right round the stadium, and in other parts of the city, country and the world.
There’s nothing quite like it. Right? Nothing.
However, watching history being made in this morning’s first semi-final in the 2014 World Cup, when Germany scored five goals within the opening half hour and went on to record an astonishing 7-1 win over Brasil, it got me thinking.
If you had to compare apples to oranges, how many AFL goals would be equivalent to a solitary football goal?
In my opinion, if a team was to score six goals in a match, it would be unheard of. A true rarity. Let alone the seven that Germany scored earlier today. It does happen, but it’s almost as seldom as Billy Brownless saying not to a ‘frothy’ or Eddie McGuire having a day off from any football, media or business commitment.
Rare as hen’s teeth, right? But it does happen.
In AFL scoring terms, that’s then equivalent to a 180-point scoreline. For those who aren’t familiar with the AFL code – do such people exist in Australia, even in NSW? – a goal in footy is worth six points. This translates to 30 goals even.
Therefore, a goal in football is probably the equivalent of 30 points in AFL or five goals.
So, putting it into an AFL context, could you imagine the Geelong Cats slamming five goals in one attempt past a hapless and disjointed Hawthorn Hawks? What would be the reaction?
Everyone would be going out and celebrating as though it was the turn of the Millennium New Year’s Eve again. They might even collectively paint their hair the same colour as their flamboyant mayor, Darren Lyons.
Getting back to more serious matters, five AFL goals to one football goal is not the correct answer. Rather, it purely forms part of an opinion. A differing view.
In much the same way that two people, who could be standing next to each other and watching the same game, might see the match from a completely different perspective, this hypothetical will no doubt open up an interesting discussion.
After all, it’s the different opinions and viewpoints and the match related discussions that ensue – that could last hours, days and even months – which make football or whatever you would like to call it, the greatest game in the world.
Much to the envy of all those haters of the beautiful game.
bryan
Guest
They didn't understand the game,they were just there to be good mannered! They would probably have the same reaction if an American took them to an NFL game,or an Irish person took them to a Gaelic Football game. An Australian who had never seen a "Football" game (though I doubt any exist) would also have the same reaction.watching that code. I took my wife to a car race once---------she was bored to tears!
Flick
Roar Rookie
The haters will never be happy, recently i was at a soccer game that was so boring that people started looking for something to do and as we know idle hands are the devils playthings. Trouble brews. the mexican wave can only satisfy for so long.
Flick
Roar Rookie
2.75 goals up is not that dangerous.
King Robbo
Guest
Roughly there are 26 goals in an afl game, compared to around 2.75 in the world cup. So approximately one football goal is 9.5 goals in afl. As johnny warrens said, being 2 nil up is a dangerous scoreline in football, I dont think being 19 goals up is such in afl. mmm maybe I will need another mathematical formula
Brisvegas
Guest
"For those who aren’t familiar with the AFL code – do such people exist in Australia, even in NSW?" Well there's me for one. I don't even know off hand how many players make up a team. Though I do know you get 6 points for a goal and 1 for a near miss. I find the rules totally bemusing. I've tried to watch it a few times, but after 15 minutes I lose interest. Mind you, that's about 10 minutes longer than I can watch rugby league. As for the actual article - I have no idea how it translates to AFL or league or union or any sport really. I just know it's a sensational scoreline that rarely happens, especially among two top international sides.
Justin Mahon
Roar Rookie
Exactly - it is the maintenance of suspense in all but the rarest of matches that makes it work. The very thing football is criticised for in the southern parts of Australia (more so than the north in my experience as a Sydney boy living in Melbourne) is IN FACT the secret to its success.
Paul
Guest
The haters will never be happy. If a game defies the "low scoring" stereotype, they'll just label it as poor defending. I think it's best to ignore them and focus on what we love. I was recently at an AFL game which was high scoring. Trouble was, most of that high scoring was by only one of the teams. By quarter time you knew who was going to win. To make it all the more embarrassing, I brought along some overseas relatives to show them a game that was unique to our country. They looked bored. It was a stark contrast to the A-League Grand Final I had the pleasure of being at only two weeks earlier, that I wish I could have brought them to.
c
Guest
There is no comparison between the games just look at their market penetration . Having said that this morning’s semi was a boring as bat sh@t and I lost valuable sleep time
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Beautifully put, Tonci Prusac. 100% agree. I'd rather have 0-0 for 90 minutes in Football; than 115-85 after 80 minutes in AFL. Uncertainty, high risk/high reward, tension ... that's what excites me in sport. And, quite simply, no team sport does tension like football.
Mato Sagolj
Guest
Very well expressed without offending any sports fan. Furthermore, I'd be interested to know what the average goal count per game would be in football if the goals were as wide as in AFL relative to the pitch size, with four posts, no goalkeeper, no determined height limit and if for every 4th time one of the four posts were struck (considering difference in squad size) a goal was awarded.
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
1 football goal = 1 football goal 1 AFL goal = 1 AFL goal No more comparison is required