If you only tuned into the two A-League games broadcast on free-to-air TV each week, you could almost be forgiven for thinking that the competition is in rude health.
When Western Sydney’s on-loan Tunisian striker Amor Layouni skipped between Louis D’Arrigo and Craig Goodwin five minutes into stoppage time of the Wanderers’ exhilarating clash with Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium on Sunday afternoon, there was a sense of inevitability about what was to happen next.
After coming on at half-time, the Swedish-born striker troubled the Reds at every turn, so it was no surprise to see him literally bunny-hop the ball over Goodwin’s attempted tackle, side-step Ben Warland and calmly stroke home the equaliser to make it 4-4 in a truly crazy game of football.
Layouni was the stand-out in a game stacked with talent, as the likes of foreign stars Javi Lopez, Zach Clough and Hiroshi Ibusuki went head-to-head, with their equally well-travelled counterparts Morgan Schneiderlin, Romain Amalfitano and Wanderers debutant Layouni.
The A-League is a much better standard of football than we ever give it credit for – a point amply illustrated by the equally impressive displays turned in by homegrown heroes Alexandar Popovic, Ryan Kitto, Brandon Borrello and Calem Nieuwenhof on the day.
So why is it still such a struggle to market the A-League beyond the die-hards who turn out and tune in every week?
Bruno Fornaroli’s goal in the Melbourne Derby on Saturday night is the sort of storyline the A-League should be pouncing on.
Once destined to become Melbourne City’s greatest-ever player – until the City Football Group chose to back the instantly forgettable Warren Joyce over the man who scored 48 league goals in just 70 games for them – Fornaroli celebrated wildly after scoring against his former club less than 40 seconds after the half-time break.
Bruno Fornaroli. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)
And his goal was to prove crucial, after Josh Brilliante’s deflected long-range drive for Victory was matched by a blistering Mat Leckie response, which flashed past Paul Izzo at the near post.
When the full-time whistle finally blew, Victory fans behind the goal celebrated their 3-2 win like they’d just won the league. In truth, all they’d done was move off the foot of the ladder.
But it was another absorbing free-to-air fixture played out in front of a febrile atmosphere, and not for the first time in recent weeks, there was plenty to like about the broadcast coverage from Network 10 and Paramount+.
Commentators calling the games in stadiums and not from a Sydney studio, proper pre-and-post-game panels, thoughtful sideline analysis? It’s almost as if it’s possible to cover the league professionally after all.
If bringing the versatile Robbie Thomson back from France was one of Paramount’s smartest decisions, then signing the razor-sharp Daniel McBreen to a full-time contract isn’t far behind.
Archie Thompson has improved out of sight in Melbourne, while Max Burford has been terrific on the sidelines in Adelaide and enjoys a breezy rapport with former Reds legend Bruce Djite.
Archie Thompson slams VAR for ruining the game
In short, there’s plenty to like about the coverage we’ve been seeing recently – and both free-to-air games this weekend were hugely enjoyable.
But we can’t pretend everything else is hunky-dory. The Paramount+ signal dropped out once again during Sydney FC’s 1-1 draw with Brisbane Roar, with the broadcaster later tweeting it was due “to a technical issue with a third-party provider”.
Expansion clubs Western United and Macarthur continue to draw the lowest attendances in the league, while the Australian Professional Leagues’ ruinous grand final decision has only resulted in fans staying away from marquee fixtures like the Melbourne Derby.
The league already relies heavily on catering to a select few clubs, with the likes of Sydney FC, Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City enjoying the lion’s share of free-to-air fixtures.
The TV games have been fine. Unfortunately for the A-League, it’s everything else that needs drastic improvement.
Para+Ten ISUZU Subway support Australian Football
Roar Rookie
Football encompasses international fixtures at all times of the year, cold, wet, and in heatwave conditions. For Clubs and Country, 12 months of the year. More fixtures are on the calendar for Rugby League, Rugby, and Football. You are being naive thinking that, football (or any code) is purely a winter sport now.
Para+Ten ISUZU Subway support Australian Football
Roar Rookie
I said to do a feasibility study for four stadia not all! Pretty sure four will suffice. If you don't want to use it fine, but it's there if need be.
ac
Guest
This was the comment of the year. If people just concentrated on the actual football instead of everything else - i think you are right. Its like going to a movie and no one talks about the movie but concentrates on the seats, the food, the people in row 5. Nothing about the Movie.
Para+Ten ISUZU Subway support Australian Football
Roar Rookie
GP - Lobby for it. I have no issues with it. Football won't stand in your way. We could use it too, for football's blockbuster events.
Para+Ten ISUZU Subway support Australian Football
Roar Rookie
Not true, the land it sits on belonged to the Victorian state government, I know you think that doesn't count, but I sure would have liked it, if it was gifted to me. What, no ventilation? Does everyone have to breathe in Co2?
Grem
Roar Rookie
https://chinahandsmagazine.org/2016/04/22/chinese-soccers-lofty-goals/ China sucks at football like we suck at league. Lots of people on their backsides watching, but not that many playing.
Grem
Roar Rookie
https://chinahandsmagazine.org/2016/04/22/chinese-soccers-lofty-goals/ It appears China’s love of sports like basketball and football is a bit like how NSW and Queensland love league. Lots of people on their backsides watching it, but not playing it.
Grem
Roar Rookie
Firstly, I wasn’t comparing different talent pools, but your twisting of my comments made me read up on football in China. It’s hard to get actual numbers, but it appears that football in China is more like the NRL in Australia. It is the most popular sport in China for people who sit on their backsides watching it. The numbers of those who play it appear to be poor. https://chinahandsmagazine.org/2016/04/22/chinese-soccers-lofty-goals/
chris
Guest
All that money and nothing worthwhile to spend it on.
Redondo
Roar Rookie
Of course you're right Scout but, before I take your advice, let me just make one last observation. The lead articles on the AFL tab last week listed the top-ranked aussie rules footballers - 10 a day, counting down from number 50 to number 1 on Friday. That's about 10% of the world's pro aussie rules footballers covered in 5 articles and one short list. The equivalent articles listing the top 10% of the world's footballers, at 10 a day, would run for over 3 years. The winner would quite likely have retired by the time the top 10 article was published. I point that out because there's a reason all the tabs here are named after sports, with one exception - the AFL tab. It's named after a competition because, for aussie rules, that's all there is. But, as Philip Larkin once said: "... saying so to some Means nothing; others it leaves Nothing to be said."
Redondo
Roar Rookie
It turns out Rollerball wasn't science fiction.
chris
Guest
Poverty, opportunity and their athletic dominance.
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
Pacific Islanders are about 1% of the Australian population but account for 50%+ of all NRL players. Arguably, the NRL has never been in a healthier state, speaking financially, and in coming years are likely to match the AFL's $4.5 billion TV deal.
jbinnie
Guest
Lionheart - Doesn't it surprise you that not one of our learned journalists (political) have thought to ask the question, with the proposal to raze the Gabba and rebuild it at huge and taxpayers expense (not to mention the education factor). The question. Cricket and AFL are not contested in the Olympic Games so why should those sports be benefited by such wasteful largesse. We have "mausoleums" to such tomfoolery dotted all around Brisbane, QE11 stadium, the Entertainment Centre and Chandler, all built for the Comm. Games and left to "fade away" ever since. Odd,is it not? jb
AR
Guest
Oh dear. please...you can mount silly arguments, but really, all of this information is available from a quick Google search. Docklands stadium - with air con ! - was built entirely with private money, NOT government money. If the private ALeague club owners want to fund new stadiums themselves - with air con ! - I have no problem with that.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
thats the problem with the internet, its given everyone a voice to talk about what ever they want (when they shouldn't have any on topics they know nothing about) skimming through nearly 300 posts, to see actual football people going back and forth with afl/rugby/cricket posters who are blatantely baiting them, still amazes me. ignore the non football posters, its not that hard lol
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
better late than never Ashram. if you got to the app store on your LG tv, you should find the paramount app finally available to install - they implemented it only this week
Redondo
Roar Rookie
Quite likely something to do with poverty and opportunity: African-Americans are just 13% of the US population but account for 60% of NFL players. And the south-eastern states where the NFL is hanging on have the heaviest concentrations of African-Americans.
Para+Ten ISUZU Subway support Australian Football
Roar Rookie
Yes, you are absolutely right; how disgusting is that; thanks for letting me know.
chris
Guest
Interesting article. Lots of parallels can be drawn with rugby league here. Falling participation rates, and areas that are poorer and/or less educated making up the numbers. In the US, the south eastern corners provide most of the college winners and on a socio-economic scale these are the poorest states in the country. Collision sports have a lot of work to do to arrest these declines.