AFL has been all but absent from the news over the off-season. It’s been a welcome and well earned breather for even the most ardent football follower.
Only bad news makes the headlines in summer, so any respite is good on several levels.
Absence, as we know, makes the heart grow fonder. Too often in recent years we haven’t had the opportunity to miss it.
The sad and shocking death of Phil Hughes, occurring on the same day as the AFL draft, served almost as a full stop to the never-ending football news cycle of 2014.
The Australia versus India Test series followed, as Steve Smith and Virat Kohli dominated headlines, for more than just their batting prowess on helpful pitches against mediocre bowling. The steady diet of the ever-popular BBL was spliced in among the Test action, ensuring cricket stayed in the public consciousness.
The A-League continues to do solid business with both fanatic and casual football fans, with many an entertaining goal-fest amid some gritty 0-0 draws.
Of course, all eyes have been on Australia in the Asian Cup as they’ve smoothly and efficiently made their way through to the final with a minimum of fuss.
And nothing ignites the nation quite like an Aussie surge through the tennis Australian Open, especially when led by either a genuine threat for the title or a precocious ‘young gun’. For too many years, we’ve had neither.
Now, with the irrepressible Nick Kyrgios leading the way, we might have a few of both.
We’ll also have the Cricket World Cup to distract us over the next two months, as long as the event can avoid the feeling of interminability that has overshadowed the most recent editions. They might come up with the perfect formula for the event one day, but it will likely be more luck than design.
The Essendon drugs saga seems to be spluttering along to a tame conclusion…or is this merely the calm before the storm?
Leadership groups are being named, and captains announced. New faces, like Taylor Walker and Tom Rockliff, have taken up the skippering cudgels at their respective clubs, while Matthew Pavlich will keep on keeping on at Fremantle.
The excuses for underperforming clubs halfway through the season are yet to get an airing. Every player is either the fittest they’ve ever been, or is on a specifically tailored program to ensure they peak for the season proper.
It’s only when a side has two wins from nine rounds that we’ll start hearing about limited pre-seasons, injury-interrupted preparations, and a lack of continuity in training harming the performance of a struggling team or player.
Free agents or experienced players at new clubs are always leading the way, not just on the track but off it as well. Each draftee is a bargain, proving the doubters wrong and showing they should have been taken much earlier.
We always find out about a player or two at each club that “doesn’t say much, but when they do, everyone listens.”
Are we ready to start talking footy again, or are we happy to accept or ignore the platitudes that are thrown our way?
Personally, I’m loving the quiet time, and enjoying the focus being on world class sporting events. Hopefully it lasts another month at least.
The NAB Cup will stoke the fires in the right way, and our passions will be burning brightly come Round 1. Hopefully the off-field nonsense will take a hike, and our roaring debates will all be about what we’re seeing on the field.
TomC
Roar Guru
You know what? Stuff the off-season lull. I'm not interested in the cricket world cup, and the methodone of the A-league only works for so long at sating my full blown AFL addiction. The Asian Cup was a new and exciting high, but now it's over I'm jonesing for a proper fix. When Pearce Hanley got injured, it was terribly disappointing, but there was also this weird sense of relief that stuff was happening that impacted on the 2015 season! How twisted is that?
Josh
Expert
Ditto.
Josh
Expert
I dunno, I haven't watched a game of cricket this summer without thinking, "Gee, I miss AFL." Nothing else compares.
Martyn50
Guest
BBL is over so now back to proper cricket. The Asian cup was a minor success as it was not up against any of the major football codes. Try playing it as a proper winter sport and see what happens. No hope against the AFL, and NFL
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
Didnt want or need a break from the footy, but then I enjoy the game
Michael huston
Guest
Personally, I'm usually so consumed with the footy season that I've learnt to have an off switch as soon as September finishes (particularly because of last year!) I tend to not really care too much about the off-season, whose injured/not injured, whose been recruited/traded... if it makes a difference on the football field come April - September, then it matters. Otherwise what's the point in getting caught up in footy news when nothing can be done about it for several months? On that note, October was quite possibly the worst month of my Swans-supporting life. First came the GF, then my favourite player (Malceski) leaves the club, then we're banned from the trade period. Ps, how boring was this years Australian Open? In the women, it's obvious Serena Williams is the GOAT, so anyone other than her winning is very irrelevant. And the men... geez. Australian or not, couldn't stand the trio of Kokkinakis, Kyrgios and Tomic. Rafa never really looked like winning, and Federer basically signalled his imminent retirement. Zzz... Bring on the AFL season please!
Don Freo
Guest
The AFL void is probably an indication of just how compelling the cricket has been this season...and still is. Not the WC...that runs second to the rest of the Shield season where, in WA, we get ball by ball radio coverage of every game, even when it is interstate. The WC just adds to it, especially if Shaun Marsh and NCN are added to the squad if injury robs us of Clarkey and Faulks. Nonetheless, I'm hanging out for the Dockers-and the Eagles.
clipper
Guest
As Barnum said 'always leave them wanting more' - it's much better to have a clear gap in summer rather than have a meaningless pre season tournament that no one is interested in just to scrape a few more dollars out. Unless you can have a serious international game like Soccer or Rugby, that's the way it should stay.
peeeko
Roar Guru
Yeah, nah best pre-season training eva” - love it!
punter
Guest
How sad!!!!, Not everyone thinks that way fortunately.
db swannie
Guest
The Essingdrug saga must be a figment of people's imagination . I for one am enjoying the constant ,twists & turns ( & it's very much in the media) & the living in denial by the Hirdasians .
Cameron Rose
Expert
Ill-informed drivel from the little I've seen over the years. I steer well clear.
Cameron Rose
Expert
I doubt it was a deliberate attempt from the AFL, as it had been full steam ahead from grand final day to the draft. More of a happy accident I think. With the new fan-friendly fixture, and the appetite whet by absence, there should be a great feeling to the opening of this season, as opposed to the lacklustre one from last year.
Jeremy
Guest
AFL has been all but absent from the news over the off-season. Really? You can't be a regular viewer of Fox Sports News or Sky News.
John Ryan
Guest
Leederville like Subiaco home of over priced rubbish, pay through the nose stuff from Beer to Chips, given the ingrained racism in Perth you should have a wonderful time being abused and ripped off at the same time
John Ryan
Guest
No rest from the AFL in Perth either,they manage to drag it into everything,annoying if you not an AFL nut I avoid it as much as possible
Ryan Buckland
Expert
Could. Not. Agree. More. Undecided as to whether it was a deliberate thing amongst AFL circles, or a product of a busier-than-usual cricket season. But either way your absence makes the heart grow fonder is true for me this year. I'm super pumped for 2015 - two weeks' time (The Indigenous All-Stars v WCE game, after work on a Friday, in one of Perth's bar & restaurant hubs Leederville) cannot roll around quick enough.
Cameron Rose
Expert
Some interesting points raised GD, and I agree with most of them. There felt like no break at all between the grand final and the draft. It was suffocating. Too many commentators make it all about themselves for my liking. Soccer commentary is outstanding. Understated, yet educated. Loud and excited when needed, but overall blending in beautifully with the game itself.
Cameron Rose
Expert
I've hardly watching the ODI's too Ash. They're good to have on as background music while doing other things, and perhaps the first few weeks of the World Cup will be the same, but I sense my interest will sharpen at the business end.
Cameron Rose
Expert
I don't really follow any soccer myself (although have paid attention to the Asian Cup, and will be watching tonight). I like to get more time on the golf course in the summer!