The Adelaide Crows have become the first team to win an AFLX tournament, with an eight-point victory over visitors Geelong in the final at Hindmarsh Stadium on Thursday night.
Final score
Geelong 47
Adelaide 55
We’ll get our first taste of the newest format of Australian Rules Football – AFLX – tonight, in the first of three six-team tournaments. Join The Roar for live scores updates and a blog of AFLX Adelaide at Hindmarsh Stadium on Thursday night, starting from 6:40pm AEDT.
Tonight we’ll see the Adelaide Crows, Port Adelaide Power, Fremantle Dockers, West Coast Eagles, Geelong Cats and Collingwood Magpies go head to head in search of being the first team to claim victory in an AFLX tournament.
The six teams are being split into two pools of three, with those pools then playing a round robin – so two matches per team.
At the end of the night, the highest finishers in each pool will play off in the ‘grand final’ of the evening, with the winner taking home the trophy.
So, what do we know about AFLX? Well, if you’re looking for the basics of how the rules work, you can read them here on The Roar.
Basically it’s AFL on a small scale, with probably a far too excessive amount of hype factor thrown in for (hopefully good) luck.
Silver footballs, ‘zooper’ goals worth ten points, rectangular stadiums – it might be a bit hard to recognise the code at first.
Will we get any real insight tonight into the clubs and players who take the field, and how they might go when the real thing starts? Probably not, in all honesty.
Still, colour me intrigued at least. I doubt the first appearance of AFLX will be at all what we want to it be – but perhaps with enough tweaks over time and less red cordial spread around in the AFL Executive room, this could grow into something worthwhile.
In terms of the squads named, they’re fairly light on established talent, but there’s a number of draftees we may get to see in action for the first time tonight.
Andrew Brayshaw, Jaidyn Stephenson and Jarrod Brander are three in particular that I’ll be keeping my eye on tonight.
| Thursday 15 February – Hindmarsh Stadium | ||
| Pool | Match | Time (AEDT) |
| A | Port Adelaide vs Geelong | 6:40 PM |
| B | Adelaide vs Collingwood | 7:08 PM |
| A | Geelong vs Fremantle | 7:36 PM |
| B | West Coast vs Adelaide | 8:04 PM |
| A | Fremantle vs Port Adelaide | 8:32 PM |
| B | Collingwood vs West Coast Eagles | 9:00 PM |
| GF | Pool A winner vs Pool B winner | 9:33 PM |
In terms of clubs being willing to name star players, Port Adelaide have made the biggest inclusion by bringing in Robbie Gray. They’ve also got Trent McKenzie, whose thunderous kick will be perfectly suited for this form of the game. Plus, they’re at home, albeit not a home they’re used to. I’m tipping the Power to be the first AFLX champs.
Join The Roar for live scores updates and a blog of AFLX Adelaide at Hindmarsh Stadium on Thursday night, starting from 6:40pm AEDT.
Perry Bridge
Guest
Even in supers/masters footy - a few years ago we had a 9's pre-season comp - - no zooper goals in that one and I think you could only kick at goal from inside the arc so no concept of super..ahem..zooper goals. But - it was fun. Kind of meaningless and a fun way to get the cobwebs out (but by the time the grand final came around - which we won - on a warm Feb day it was hard work.) re AFL X - it's a start - I do hate the loss of the 50/50 restarts and having no ruckmen. But it's good to see the AFL having a serious crack at this format (reduced numbers on rectangular field) that has been so important to grass roots Aust Footy overseas for the last 30 years. One stand out though - how patchy is that Hindmarsh surface!!
Professor Chaos
Guest
I would rather watch Sarcasta ball over this garbage. I love how a zooper for a goal is named after sponsor.
Cat
Roar Guru
Only got to see the GF, didn’t mind it. Fast game. Kelly round 1 debut.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
Alright, time for some Aerials skiing action.
Josh
Expert
That's good, because I don't plan to stop 'em.
Josh
Expert
That's all she wrote folks. Will take me a while to put thoughts together on the new code, but it was definitely somewhere in the middle between unwatchable and actually good. I'll have some quick takes from AFLX on Saturday night, of course, so keep an eye out.
Josh
Expert
20' - Late goal from the Cats, but it doesn't matter, Adelaide are the winners of the first night of AFLX!
Geelong: 47 Adelaide: 55
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
I have a friend in the crowd tonight and he just messaged me - verbatim - "this isn't much fun".
Josh
Expert
19' - Mitch Duncan nails the coffin closed with a late miss.
Geelong: 41 Adelaide: 55
Josh
Expert
19' - Alex Keath almost gets a game-sealing goal but has won too far. Crows will win though.
Geelong: 40 Adelaide: 55
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Just got back home. Drove past Hindmarsh - legitimately good looking crowd, but a lot of fans leaving. Mainly Port fans. Also, just saw that burn about living in Adelaide further down the page, Joshua. You're lucky I'm immune to jibes about Adelaide!
Josh
Expert
16' - Cam Ellis-Yolmen gives the Crows some breathing space with another goal.
Geelong: 40 Adelaide: 54
TomC
Roar Guru
This isn't much fun.
Josh
Expert
15' - Some quick scoring. Adelaide extend their lead with another goal, but Tom Hawkins responds with a 10-pointer.
Geelong: 40 Adelaide: 48
Josh
Expert
14' - Another goal for the Crows and they're in a good position.
Geelong: 30 Adelaide: 42
Josh
Expert
13' - Couple of minor scores of the Crows makes the margin one goal.
Geelong: 30 Adelaide: 36
Josh
Expert
10' - Tim Kelly goes for the ten-pointer, and gets it! Puts the Cats in striking distance.
Geelong: 30 Adelaide: 34
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
I’m starting to like these zoopas.
Josh
Expert
10' - Crows lead by 14 at the halftime break thanks to a late behind from Kyle Cheney.
Geelong: 20 Adelaide: 34
Josh
Expert
9' - Alex Keath with a long-range shot, just a behind.
Geelong: 20 Adelaide: 33