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Periodically we see some concern over the state of certain attendance figures in Australia’s various football codes, and it’s time some of these critics had a good look at the figures and their place in the big picture.
Its that time of the year when all AFL clubs have lodged annual reports and we can finally get a handle on what they’ve been up to off the field for the last year or so.
The second AFLW season is less than four weeks away. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the opening round.
Much has been made of the recent Australian rules game between the Gold Coast Suns and Port Adelaide in Shanghai. There was a lot of hype from the AFL, mockery from other codes and some local confusion over the intricacies of the game itself.
There’s been more than a few voices complaining that, in this embryonic stage, the media coverage given to the AFLW competition is disproportionate, undeserving and unwarranted.
On October 7, 2016 the AFL confirmed that it had finalised its purchase of Etihad Stadium for an unspecified amount of money, however a number of reports guess the figure to be at between $150 million to $200 million.
This off-season I thought we’d take a look at women in football, whether playing or in administration.
In this final part of the series we look at the events through another Brisbane and Sydney failure, the demise of Fitzroy, introduction of more teams and the gradual shift of focus to the north of the country after the 1996 Grand Final.
Here continues my series of the timeline of the nationalisation of the VFL to the AFL.
Some time ago I started to work on a timeline of the expansion of the VFL across the country and came up with this. The first part covers the period 1977 to 1984, the second part covers 1985 to 1990.
While the AFL season and football in Australia may be over for another year, next week the United States will play host to an annual event that is the largest Australian football tournament in the world.
While the AFL season and football in Australia may be over for another year, next week the United States will play host to an annual event that is the largest Australian Football tournament in the world.
The AFL season in Australia may be over, but the international footy continues with various national and international tournaments being played overseas over the next few weeks.
In the first 2015 edition of the Bigfooty International Podcast series, I talked to Brent Fischer, president (and a player) of the Minnesota Freeze Australian Football Club in the United States.
Prior to being sent to the Dardanelles and on to Anzac Cove, many Australian Units completed training in Egypt, and many a match was played during this time in the heat and sand outside Cairo.
This weekend there will be the largest Australian Football tournament in the world – and it won’t even be held in Australia. It’s the 17th USAFL National Championships in Dublin, Ohio.
Australian rules football at an international level is often regarded with some amusement by the association football, rugby union and rugby league crowds, primarily because of its lack of competition outside the country.
With all the Aussie rules seasons over, the centre of Australian football moves to London and the 2014 Euro Cup.
For the first time at the AFL International Cup, the United States will be sending two women’s sides to take part – the Freedom and the Liberty. I had a brief chat with their coach Leigh Barnes about how preparations are coming along.
As we head towards the 2014 International Cup, I had a brief chat with Matthew Bishop, the coach of the United States mens Australian Football side, the Revolution.
The AFL will “takeover” – or you know, just rent, publicly available stadiums that governments and stadium managers are more than happy to rent them. You want exlusive use of a stadium? Buy the damn thing.
It's time for the FFA to step up - or stand aside
thats the funny thing about the Hindmarsh stadium issue – there was a two day break between AFLX and Adelaide United ad the ground turned up rubbish. Allianz had AFLX the night before and was fine. People want to blame anything, they should be blaming the ground maintenance and ground managers.
Its not unknown for the MCG or Etihad to stage 3 AFL games across a weekend, and its not unknown for “AFL grounds” to have soccer fixtures played on them mid AFL season, or an origin match midweek. Theres no exclusivity for these places.
Five quick takes from AFLX
No such thing as an A-league ground. Ground used by the A-league maybe, but as all these stadiums are public venues – except Docklands, which is fully owned by the AFL – then the Government or ground manager (the same in the case of Hindmarsh stadium) can rent it to whoever they like.
Five quick takes from AFLX
“The crowd at the Sydney edition of AFLX really drove the point home – this is supposed to be the AFL’s tool for expanding into the land of the rectangular stadium, but you could get a bigger AFLX crowd by hosting the tournament in my backyard.”
There was nearly 10,000 at the game – reflected in photos taken in the shade on the broadcast side of the stadium, as opposed to the very sparsely populated sunny non broadcast side visible on television.
Five quick takes from AFLX
171,000 on a secondary channel isnt bad at all. 82,000 on Fox is well ahead of most AFL preseason ratings.
AFL X-cess: That's too much, man
“mindlessly zealous”
God forbid anyone should think positively about anything.
AFL X-cess: That's too much, man
You should check to see what else was on during the match compared to last year.
AFLW is its own game that needs to evolve naturally
Ikon Park is also the training facility for Carltons mens side, Northern Blues, and Carlton VFLW. Whitten Oval, Casey and Olympic Park have similar usage needs. Norwood Oval is used for SANFL games, and as Norwoods senior, reserves and under 19s training facility.
Dockers defeat cold Pies in front of record AFLW crowd
Cat, The AFL is directly responsible for the state footy in Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, ACT, Queensland and Northern territory – each of these are direct subsidary bodies of the AFL
AFLW is its own game that needs to evolve naturally
No it didnt. Its going to be closer to 12-13 million. Half of that 25 million from the league its entitled to under its franchise agreement – just like every other club in the league.
The A-League needs expansion before it's too late
Never is a long time. The Swans took 30 years to be successful. The AFL wont have forgotten that – which is probably why they announced a generational, 20 year plan at the start. Not a 6 year or bust plan.
The A-League needs expansion before it's too late
Close. The Swans were sold to private enterprise with the VFL/AFL covering losses and repossessing licenses until 1993 when the license was permanently returned to the AFL, where it remains.
The A-League needs expansion before it's too late
point is – it happens – and these were AFL footballers.
Rain and rotten luck can't keep Carlton from securing AFLW win
Presumably someone from the AFL. Official crowd was 4,952.
Rain and rotten luck can't keep Carlton from securing AFLW win
Tasmania is hardly the Rome of the AFL. its more like the Emporer is fiddling while a small town in the south of italy is burning.
Footy in Tassie at crisis point
The AFL doesnt have a responsibility to womens sport. The AFL has a responsibility to Australian Football, and its own grass roots.
If you want to see how girls and women have been inspired then by far the biggest part of AFLW is its impact on grassroots community clubs – 700 new club teams for girls and women in 12 months, and near on 1,000 since AFLW was announced. 76% increase in registered club players alone last year. Those figures dont include Auskick, social footy or school participation either.
Rain and rotten luck can't keep Carlton from securing AFLW win
“forced”. Like the AFL owes other sports any kind of leeway. The AFL isnt responsible for the negligence or incompetence of other codes in promoting their own. Hell, even Netball rebranded and is actively using AFL clubs as a booster for their comp.
Rain and rotten luck can't keep Carlton from securing AFLW win
1991 at the Western Oval, Carlton kicked 1.10 for the game. The only goal scored by Mark arceri late in time on in the last quarter.
Rain and rotten luck can't keep Carlton from securing AFLW win
yeah BBL matches rating a million a session wont have hurt AFLW at all right
Five quick takes from AFLW Round 1
if the mens league went for half the time, it would be entirely possible.
Lions get their revenge in AFLW Grand Final rematch
depends on the household. clearly not yours.
Two big questions that will determine the future of AFLW
With the AFL covering the costs of everything – no tv rights revenue, no gate revenue and who knows how much is covered by sponsors at the moment – its a little hard to tell whether women are being paid fairly or not at this juncture.
Its ridiculous to believe that the attention on womens footy would remain at the tempo set last year when it was brand new launch event (which incidentally is why AFLX is getting coverage at the moment).
Womens season launch was held the week of the competition starting. The same thing happens for the mens H&A series and the finals series. Some club coverage has been below par though – Adelaides coverage has been excellent, Carltons has been good, Brisbanes has been ok. At the other end though, Melbourne and the Dogs have been disappointing, Collingwood has been very scattered in its AFLW coverage.
Two big questions that will determine the future of AFLW
Theres at least 20 years before we get another Sydney or NSW team – and Im not convinced we ever will have another team at that..
WA3 is a non started while the WAFL hold AFL licenses. The AFL wont hand them another, they dont really want the WAFL holding the ones they have.
Where should the AFL expand to next?
AFL Committees have reported at various times since the early 80s that they dont believe a national team is feasible financially in the AF:L
Where should the AFL expand to next?
it’ll be settled in the end. just like Osullivan and Rehns cases were.
Close case set to present a legal headache for the AFL