Well, so almost ends the footy season. All that remains is for England to win the rugby league and the Wallabies to win the rugby union.
Of course there is the A-League ahead but seriously, the only men who play footy in the summer are those brutes in the north of England who just completed their season at a sold out Old Trafford.
Reports were that the Super League grand final on Saturday night between the Leeds Rhinos and the Wigan Warriors resulted in a world record of pulses per minute, beating the former record held by some Mexican drive through in Cancun.
Funnily enough, the same night at the Etihad also in Manchester, there was a world record for number of miserable Englishmen taking out their frustrations on a South American nation in a non-Falklands dispute.
I digress.
Having just completed my second full footy season back home after a 13 year foray into the best that Europe could offer, dare I say it, I think the only full AFL match I watched in 2015 was the big dance.
And upon learning I only watched one game in 2015, it prompted me to either sort out my priorities for 2016 early – or dig deeper and question what’s missing.
I understand that there are a few factors that would be cause for such a lack of AFL airtime on my respectfully large flatscreen this year. A new wife that wants to do things together on a weekend for one. And two, the Bombers really are atrocious.
Three, my new found love of the Sharkies.
I attended six Sharks matches this year and turned down free tickets to the Swans home semi final to party hardy with the locals at the Cronulla RSL.
Unfortunately the Cowboys snuffed out any hint of a party that night, in the same way the Kangaroos punched the guts out of any Adam Goodes swansong. Nothing lost, nothing gained.
But really, what I really think was the issue for 2015 was that the AFL was so bloody boring.
Sure, I live in Sydney and had I been living in Melbourne I would have gone to no less than all local Bombers fixtures, training sessions, press conferences, court hearings and airport check ins for away fixtures. However living in league heartland and escaping that all encompassing media coverage, I have started to view AFL in a different light.
League, its 80 minutes with a quarter hour half time break, is frenetic. It is powerful, strategical and skilful.
All these attributes can be found in Aussie rules too. However I find myself more than happy tuning in at half time of the AFL, checking the score to see if the game is worth completing before either getting myself a frothie and settling on the lounge or packing my pipe and opening my latest hardback.
Nothing lost, nothing gained.
The point is, the game seems to be too long. Moments of brilliance are irregular and more commonly the ball is delivered into flooded 50-metre circles with clean possession less common than what I remembered. Has my patience run out?
Now just because I support the Bombers and Sharks – don’t let that mislead you about what I get up to on weekends and classify ‘entertainment’. I used to be a regular at Swans games in the past. I like to see them do well when the Bombers are not.
I fear there is a few years of cheering the Red and the White before I have much to cheer about in my Red and Black. A live event at an AFL game is absorbing, even in Sydney – well at the SCG at least.
Why didn’t I go to any of the other Swans games that were to choose from in 2015? It would have to be something to do with the price.
So here I am left at the end of the season. I am too cheap to spend the dough to go to a team that is not my number one and too busy watching rugby league on TV because – to be honest – it’s pretty damn good.
Can I really be the only one? Am I the only one that has found 2015 AFL a bit on the nose?
What am I missing? What is it that I should be looking for in 2016 that will bring back the love no matter how many premierships the Hawks win?
Help me AFL Roarers, what have I been missing?
Dufeyz
Guest
It's a pain in the arse to get to anywhere in Sydney. One-off clashes will get packed crowds, but usually we just don't bother. I attend every home game for my team - the panthers - but if they were playing the Sydney roosters, it would be a minimum 90 minute drive to just get to the city. Then, on top of that you have parking, food, ticket prices. So it's stupidly expensive. Also, it's a great TV sport. You don't need to be a member to have a subscription to foxtel. Brisbane is a one-team town. If there are 4 Sydney games on, with an average crowd of 13K, you're already beating Brisbane. I'm sure rabbitohs and bulldogs average a lot higher than 13K btw. Our sporting venues are crap. ANZ stadium is a shithole. Sydney Football stadium is the best we have, but again it's a pain in the arse to get to. There are many reasons why there aren't many bums on seats. Most of us are watching at home.
rob
Guest
Nah you missed nothin... boring predictable season
AR
Guest
"AFL rules the roost at club level by some way, League has Origin, Union has the internationals sewn up." Probably true.
Perry Bridge
Guest
Golden point makes absolutely no sense - when kicking a field goal is all that is needed - if it's a windy night straight down the ground then one team has a massive advantage. That's why Aust Footy would never employ such a short sighted rule. The skills of Rugby League are very limited in variety and scope. However - the stop start nature of the game allows for frequent replays/slow motion etc. This highlights skills that RL folk seem to go 'ape-droppings' over but AFL folk look at and say 'meh' because in most passages of play those sorts of skills are exhibited over and over somewhat routinely. The AFL broadcasts really need to improve their slo mo's/replays.
andyl12
Guest
One awesome aspect of the 2015 season was that it brought an historic threepeat for Hawthorn, a team that was almost merged into extinction in 1996. Such a rags-to-riches story should be an inspiration for all the struggling clubs in the AFL- we may one day look back on 2015 as the year poor clubs realised they can get to the top with hard work and smart decision-making.
sticks
Roar Rookie
I do think so sports prophet. Is Sydney actually Rugby league heartland ?, could have fooled me, take away Brisbane's crowds and very good finals crowds and i wonder how much League crowds dropped in Sydney ?, overall it is around 4% AFAIK they couldn't even sell all the tickets to the GF.
jax
Guest
Love the kicks in AFL btw. Couldn't edit the comment above.
jax
Guest
The kicks and stoppages in union bore me just like they do in AFL.
jax
Guest
"Golden Point makes more sense in a final than in any other game." The team receiving the ball has the advantage. Why does it make more sense to give one team a leg up? . Extra time, especially in a final.
jax
Guest
The commentating is terrible for the most part. Cometti said he had the most fun when he was at 9 and it shows as times. The producer calls the shots and the commentators move their lips.
jax
Guest
You nailed it. If we want the game to grow quicker than it is currently we need to shorten the game and change some of the rules so as to simplify and quicken the game with less or quicker stoppages. We much watch 10-15m of stoppages per game which is wasted time. International growth is painfully slow at this rate. The AFL needs some T20.
Sports Prophet
Roar Pro
I don't think so sticks. Just saying how I thought it was. Who am I supposed to be trolling by the way? AFL fans? I am an AFL fan.
Sports Prophet
Roar Pro
Not really AR. I did watch games, I just couldn't bring myself to watch a full one. Regularly it would be turned off at half time, or lacked any story that I wouldn't tune in until half time. On the contraire about the Swans, I am a Bomber through and through. I can handle the Swans as well and they don't have to be winning for me to be supportive. Remember, I did turn down tickets to a final. I think a couple of the first comments maybe Understood me best. There were too many blowouts and recent seasons where we were blessed with some pretty tight competition. You did get me right on supporting the Bombers though, depressing.
Liam
Guest
I cant speak for the NRL; don't follow it. What I can say is that Cometti feels like he's phoning it in, and has for the last three/four years. Auskicker of the Week is an utterly painful segment; a kid being fed responses from off the camera, whilst Hamish McLauchlan asks them stupid questions over and over, every game that he's there for. Admittedly, the commentary has been one of my pet hates over the past few years. The have developed along the same lines as reality television; it has become more about the commentators than the games they're calling. I suppose they have had to, as the games themselves haven't been the most interesting.
DB
Guest
I watched the NBL on the Weekend (Melbourne United V Illawarra Hawks) and loved it. It's just Rugby league leaves me cold. A lot of hype and not much substance. but you are probably use to that being a Rugby League fan.
Me Too
Guest
I'm the opposite. Can watch league on good days, but union has a far greater skillset on display. League seems a simplified (dumbed down?) poor cousin. Also there is nothing in league (or AFL) that comes close to matching the excitement and spectacle of the rugby world cup. Give me those fifteen minutes of unbelievable defence by the wallabies last week, over the broncos almost hold out in the gf anyday - incomparable! AFL rules the roost at club level by some way, League has Origin, Union has the internationals sewn up.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
The author would have struggled to attend all bomber court hearings the last few years.
Richard Maybury
Guest
There are aspects of Union that I like but for shear skill, it has to be League. Also Union is a bit too stop and go and boot it down field.
Richard Maybury
Guest
Golden Point makes more sense in a final than in any other game. At the moment it is standard practice if any game is drawn hence my comment about RL fans knowing what comes next. I cannot explain what commentators say sometimes. Some of their drivel is meaningless. RL games are nearly always compelling and don't have to be close games. Watch SOO3 if you want a good example. Queensland's skills in this game were pure magic. I know that many AFL fans have adopted this turning over every few minutes approach to watching sport and considering they are AFL fans, that is entirely understandable however, I suggest that you try watching a full game, you will be amazed at how enjoyable they really are. I think the NZ tour of England will be the next games shown on tv so there is an opportunity for you.
DB
Guest
Yeah, nothing compares to falling over a line for highlights