AFL is a joke

[Guest downunder123]

Why do South Australians think AFL is any good. Apart form the game being a joke, the atmosphere at a game is hopeless.

 

Nealry every SA person I meet asks "have you been to the footy yet".

 

Well, yes I have - its so dull there is no banter like at football games in England.

 

What makes me laugh is loads of the fans have picnics before the match. hmmmm as if when you go to a match you wanna go for a picnic.

 

Whats wrong with downing 8 pints of lager before the match and then going into a stadium full of excitment and atmosphere and shouting loads of abusive chants (banter) at the other fans?? Instead you just get a load of families creating the most horrific atmosphere ever in World sport and the funny thing is although all south australians reckon its a well good sport, if you actually look at the crowd none of them are even hardly watching the actual game.

[Guest guest569]

everyones entitled to their own opinion and everyones opinion is different. If you don't like it then don't watch it . Easy !!!!

[lorluc]

Why do South Australians think AFL is any good. Apart form the game being a joke, the atmosphere at a game is hopeless.

 

I sometimes watch the local footy, Reynella Wineflies, as my daughters boyfriend plays for them...the game is growing on me...slowly...very slowly....

 

Have never been to an AFL match, but my husband and son went to see the Crows once, and said it was the most dull sporting event he has ever been to....the atmosphere is awful and instead of supporting their team, always on their backs!!!!!!!!!!!

 

But at the end of they day, this is the game that South Australians have grown up with and so be it....but as an aussie admitted to me recently, the 'real' game of football will take over one day as the main sport here...

[Northern Mick]

Yes you're right about the atmosphere being quiet compared to football games in England but that doesn't really make AFL a joke does it?

 

I personally prefer to watch games on TV rather than going to AMMI stadium because of the atmosphere but I also reckon it's a good thing that families are able to go together to watch their team and the women and kids feel safe doing so. I also think it's pretty cool that families set up barbecues outside the ground before the game and make a day of it. It's different to what I was used to for years in England so I liked it when I first saw it.

 

It's just different mate, thats what makes living in oz interesting for a lot of people.

[Guest bambam]

down under 123, very very saddened to read your immature post on AFL, obviously everyone has their own opinion and the opinion to voice it on forums like these just think it is very sad and a little shallow to slate the national sport of the country you want to welcome and embrace you. I have only been here since sept 09 i have been to hindmarsh to watch Adelaide United (soccer) and the atmosphere thre isn't the best but i guess its what you make of it. I have watched soccer in th UK for 25 years and along with rugby union it was the sport for me, but what has crowd participation got to do with anything? I have been to AAmi stadium about 4-5 times and i love the sport, its nice to be able to go somewhere with the whole family and not have drunken youths shouting abusive songs from one terrace to the other, the picnic/bbq's outside the game are a great idea as far as i am concerned and tipify the Aussie way of life. I for one have been totally obsessed with the game of Aussie rules and the family based activities that go along with it.

 

Like i said at the beginning of my post this is my opinion only, but i think if you give it a chance it will grow on you, how annoying is it to sit at a soccer match and it ends 0-0 after 90 mins, doesn't happen with this sport lol!

 

Have you tried playing it!?!?

[Guest downunder123]

Bam bam - When you say "what has the crowd participation got to do with anything"? Of course it has... and as for drunken banter in terraces- there is this thing in life called "laughing". Im sure if you went to a match with loads of atmosphere where there are loads of chants between fans being thrown back and fouth you would laugh more times than watching a 2.5 hours AFL where laughing and joking would probably mean a steward asking you to leave the ground.

 

 

Also, id rather sit at a 0-0 english soccer match where there is a good atmosphere than an AFL game where although the match ends something like 57-47 no one can really remember who scored what - you even get points for missing the posts hmmmm thats good.

 

Bambam/Northern mick - if you wanna take your family for a bbq or picnic you are allowed to do this anytime in life. WHich do you think would bring a more exciting atmosphere to a sporting stadium:

 

1. A load of families who all they wanna do is have a picnic/bbq and wave a crows flag a couple of random times for no real reason.

2. Go out with your mates for a load of beers before the match with the intention of having a good laugh whilst watching a sport, hence creating a loud, funny and enjoyable atmosphere.

[Guest me123]

you so dont want to intergrate do you....AFL RULES

[Guest bambam]

don't get me wrong i love a beer and have been a few times with the lads and i have had a great time without getting smashed off my face and abusing everyone! they don't want football hoolaganism here its pretty simple really if you don't like it don't watch it and leave the game/supporters as they are!

 

Downunder 123 can i ask how long you have been here and how old you are?

[Guest STINKY FEET]

I went to my first game at AAMI stadium ysterday. Agreed, it's not the same as watching Manchester City ( substitute with the name of your favourite football team) BUT it's not supposed to be.

 

It's different and that's that. Just like everything here- embrace the bits you love about Australia. It's part of the culture. I enjoyed it for the experience. It's refreshing to see people setting up bbqs outside the ground and making a day of it. I would go again but can't see me getting a season ticket - I'll stick with watching City on Foxtel.

 

Cheers Clare

[Northern Mick]

The Aussies don't have a culture of singing and chanting at sporting events full stop, it's not just AFL. Aussie supporters in stadiums support their teams differently to how football fans around the world do. Like I said before, it's just different.

 

This doesn't make the sport of AFL a joke though. It's a great sport to watch if you get a game between two evenly matched sides. Some matches are good, some are boring, just like in our football. It takes a while to learn the rules and the various players but it's worth it if you can get into it.

 

So yeah, it is nothing like going to the game on a saturday afternoon in England with your mates and to be honest I miss that as well but this is sporting life in oz. Get used to it or don't bother with it.

 

You might prefer the Netball at ETSA stadium?

[scooterdan]

Personally i like AFL!! I am Crows member and enjoy going to the game (I'm also an Adelaide United member so i'm not biased!)

 

Whats wrong with making a day of going out to watch the footy..... i wouldnt mind a bbq before the games sometimes!!!

 

If u dont like it dont go and leave the seats for someone who does.....but that doesnt make the game a joke!!

 

Dan

[Guest 20legend]

i have to agree with the downunder123 on this one, the atmosphere at the ground is non existent. I went to a Crows match the other week with a few aussies and they were tellin me beforehand how good the atmosphere will be so I was asking this guy on the way what chants do I need to know and he looked at me blankly and said well we have a club song and i said ok whats that then and he said well we dont sing it in the stadium, whats that all about. Theres nothing like walking to the football stadium in England on match day, with chants coming from inside the pubs near the ground, police on horseback trying to control the local scallys. I went to the MCG with a few mates that had come over from Manchester a few months ago, they went lookin for aggro and lobbed a few coins but not much happening Im afraid.

 

yeah not sure what the deal is with picnics and barbeques outside the ground

 

Oh well at least premier league starts this week, Im off now to watch ID or Football Factory

[Guest bambam]

20legend "went lookin for aggro and lobbed a few coins but not much happening Im afraid" tell me your joking, lol what a bunch of jerks! its the odd ones like you and your friends that give us brits a bad name!

[Guest needtogonow]

Oh, how I miss the beer swilling, swearing hooligans in the UK who give our country such a great name.

 

"NOT"

[Guest Tterrier81]

here's one that most of you will have used in england

 

"if u dont like it go back to your own country"

 

simple

[Diane]

You might prefer the Netball at ETSA stadium?

 

Not been to a netball match, but went to one of the Adelaide 36-ers basketball games and that was a great atmosphere, chanting, cheerleaders, giant boxes of tissues carried around if any of the players acted a bit "wussy" (or sookie lala as I think is the local term!!)- stamping of feet, counting down the seconds, it was wild! .... perhaps give that a try?

[adelaidenow]

AFL Granny's with knitting needles at the game make a great atmosphere!

[Guest bigmouth]

good post downunder123- I agree with you also. The atmosphere at AFL is the worst in the world. Those comments by Bambam dont make sense either - atmosphere's created at major sports defo makes a massive massive difference.

[Guest cornish Busdriver]

The difference between AFL and a soccer is that AFL has real men with great big nuts playing at such a fast pace, at full contact and with more passion than yo could ever imagine and not some pansy soccer ass who takes dives and cries with the slightest touch.

AFL is an event that you can take the family to without having some beered up, loud mouth moron who thinks he clever for starting a fight and cant handle his beer.

Could you imagine soccer player playing at an AFL pace with that amount of contact, they wouldnt last 1 bloody minute.

So before you critisize another countrys great sport and pick faults with it look at your own first.

I never watched soccer cause to me its just over paid, over rated players with no nuts kicking a ball around with a much as excitement as watching paint dry not to mention the moronic and pathetic fans that has been given the game a bad name cause of there so called banter that leads to fights during and after the game.

[Guest Nikkic]

Been to both, AFL and Premier League and I think the AFL is awesome. 95,000 at the MCG is an awesome sight. Its got the banter but you do it with the people sittiing around you not singing it to the opposite side of the ground!

 

I have noticed a few posts from just people looking to do a bit of stiring, I think may be this is one of those times!

 

I sometines think they sing songs at those Premier League games because they can be so boring!

[adelaidenow]

The difference between AFL and a soccer is that AFL has real men with great big nuts playing at such a fast pace, at full contact and with more passion than yo could ever imagine and not some pansy soccer ass who takes dives and cries with the slightest touch.

AFL is an event that you can take the family to without having some beered up, loud mouth moron who thinks he clever for starting a fight and cant handle his beer.

Could you imagine soccer player playing at an AFL pace with that amount of contact, they wouldnt last 1 bloody minute.

So before you critisize another countrys great sport and pick faults with it look at your own first.

I never watched soccer cause to me its just over paid, over rated players with no nuts kicking a ball around with a much as excitement as watching paint dry not to mention the moronic and pathetic fans that has been given the game a bad name cause of there so called banter that leads to fights during and after the game.

 

So how on earth are you qualified to comment

 

I don't post on crochet forums, as I have never crocheted, maybe you shouldn't talk about a sport you have never watched!

[adelaidenow]

Been to both, AFL and Premier League and I think the AFL is awesome. 95,000 at the MCG is an awesome sight. Its got the banter but you do it with the people sittiing around you not singing it to the opposite side of the ground!

 

I have noticed a few posts from just people looking to do a bit of stiring, I think may be this is one of those times!

 

I sometines think they sing songs at those Premier League games because they can be so boring!

 

Just so you know, Liverpool started the singing in the 60s to Beatles songs, that's where football chants originated.

[Guest 20legend]

you cant compare AFL and football (soccer) as sports, soccer is played by very technically gifted athletes where AFL is just a game of kick and catch which anyone with half an ounce of skill can do.

[adelaidenow]

There is a skill, its not an easy game by any means.

[mydearboy]

Just so you know, Liverpool started the singing in the 60s to Beatles songs, that's where football chants originated.

 

what a load of bolderdash!!! football chants and songs have been around since the 1890's with norwich having the first recognised one i believe