Will I ever understand AFL?

[doug3030]

I grew up in Qld in the 60's and 70's as well Doug, and I played 3 years of Aussie Rules at high school. Great sport to play, total fitness a must and a rough and tumble game without the same opportunities for niggle that there are in RL and RU.

Where abouts in Queensland?

I grew up in Brisbane and I can honestly say that I had heard of a sport called Aussie rules but I had never seen it played or knew any more about it than that. As far as I am aware they did not even televise the VFL grand final in Queensland at that time.

[Uncle Al]

Meanwhile I will stick to my favorite position - half full on the fence.

Never heard of that position, but love it! Conjurs up all sorts of pictures in my mind.

Alan...

[crowie]

Now Dougy,
You know were I grew up but I have never liked any form of of football EXCEPT in when Queensland is playing State of Origin for my maroon blooded reasons and very proud of my birth place...

Now back to your AFL question; I do enjoy the TV spectral of the sport and find it so much more entertaining than any other football code; the athleticism & skill of the players is to behold.
What I don't like is the "BOOING" of the fans against the other teams; just doesn't seem Australian....

Anyways, my tuppence worth....though it bought a lot more lollies from Con in the early 1960's.... Cheers, Peter

[crowie]

Meanwhile I will stick to my favorite position - half full on the fence.

Cheers Doug

It must have been a pub close to home in a good neighbourhood with strong reliable fences to help support your amble home....

[AlexS]

Had never watched an Aussie Rules game until I went into the army, where you play everything. Once I'd played a couple of games it all became clear, and I much preferred it to Rugby & Soccer. As Poppa says, you need excellent fitness, and it's a much more interesting game to play and watch.

[Boringgeoff]

When I came to WA from NZ as a 20 year old I had never heard of Aussie rules, did notice the goal posts looked a bit strange but hadn't got round to asking about them. Working at Lake Varley and the first Sunday off went with the crew to the footy....well that was a learning experience, but there was more learning to come. Next Saturday night we were at the nearest watering hole, the Newdegate pub, and me full of yummy Swan Lager, mouthing off about what a strange game Aussie Rules is, got ironed out by a player and as I picked myself up off the floor (accompanied by raucous laughter) was advised to "learn the game and keep your opinion to yourself in the meantime".
The following Sunday I was roped in to play for the local team, needless to say I was pretty hopeless and got ironed out a couple more times during the game.
Geoff.

[Sawdust Maker]

Aussie Rules is a game best watched live and in person - By that I mean at the ground as there is a lot more going on then they can ever hope to catch on a TV screen

[rustynail]

The ONLY football game in the world that has no offside.

[doug3030]

The ONLY football game in the world that has no offside.

Not according to wikepedia, to quote from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relati...rules_football

"In both games, players must dispose of the ball correctly, by hand or by foot and the ball must not be thrown. Gaelic football deems the open hand tap to be legitimate disposal, whereas Australian rules enforces the handpass or disposal with a clenched fist.
Unlike other forms of football, both games are notably distinct because of the absence of an offside rule.
In both games, a player must bounce (or Solo in Gaelic) the ball while running."

This wikepedia article also shows that I was incorrect in saying that Aussie Rules is the only game in which you get a point for missing, as this also happens in Gaelic Football.

Cheers

Doug

[rustynail]

Not according to wikepedia, to quote from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relati...rules_football

"In both games, players must dispose of the ball correctly, by hand or by foot and the ball must not be thrown. Gaelic football deems the open hand tap to be legitimate disposal, whereas Australian rules enforces the handpass or disposal with a clenched fist.
Unlike other forms of football, both games are notably distinct because of the absence of an offside rule.
In both games, a player must bounce (or Solo in Gaelic) the ball while running."

This wikepedia article also shows that I was incorrect in saying that Aussie Rules is the only game in which you get a point for missing, as this also happens in Gaelic Football.

Cheers

Doug

Not quite that simple. In Irish football a player is offside and will be penalized, if he enters the small square before the ball.
In AFL it is no crime to be offside.

[doug3030]

Not quite that simple. In Irish football a player is offside and will be penalized, if he enters the small square before the ball.
In AFL it is no crime to be offside.

Well it seems they do not call that offside under their own rules. to them it is a technical foul. See http://www.leinstergaa.ie/_fileuploa..._Football_.pdf

"RULE 4 - TECHNICAL FOULS ... 4.9 For an attacking player to enter opponents’small rectangle before the ball enters it duringplay."

What happens in Aussie Rules if someone takes a mark and is preparing to have his kick and the defender standing on the mark waving his arms around and pulling funny faces at him oversteps the mark? Under the rules it is not offside but you could argue that it is offside because he went somewhere he should not have and incurred a penalty for doing so.

As far as I am aware, the term "offside" does not appear in the rule book for either codes, yet players can be penalized under the rules for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but it is called something different.

Cheers

Doug

[Sawdust Maker]

That's why Hockey is a betterer game than soccer - they got rid of the offside rule

[rustynail]

Well it seems they do not call that offside under their own rules. to them it is a technical foul. See www.leinstergaa.ie/_fileupload/Playing_Rules_of_Football_.pdf

"RULE 4 - TECHNICAL FOULS ... 4.9 For an attacking player to enter opponents’small rectangle before the ball enters it duringplay."

What happens in Aussie Rules if someone takes a mark and is preparing to have his kick and the defender standing on the mark waving his arms around and pulling funny faces at him oversteps the mark? Under the rules it is not offside but you could argue that it is offside because he went somewhere he should not have and incurred a penalty for doing so.

As far as I am aware, the term "offside" does not appear in the rule book for either codes, yet players can be penalized under the rules for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but it is called something different.

Cheers

Doug

The term "offside" was a military term for being behind enemy lines. The term was then used in sport for the same purpose. A player standing too close to an opposing player does not fit the description.

[doug3030]

The term "offside" was a military term for being behind enemy lines. The term was then used in sport for the same purpose. A player standing too close to an opposing player does not fit the description.

Really? Then when a rugby league player is playing the ball after a tackle and a player other than a marker is not back 5 metres and the referee blows the whistle and calls "offside", who is he talking about? Maybe things have changed now as things tend to do, but we used to call it "offside".

[Simplicity]

I don't like guns at al.l
BUT guns in use at an AFL game on the field
Viewed from behind bulletproof glass.
I'm there lol