Aussie Rules Grand Final Thoughts

[SirFozzie]

(The game is on FSW live now, currently in pre-game festivities)

Hey.. I love the team spirit in this type of thing.. with both teams fight songs being played. you could actually hear the fans singing it, even over the MCG's sound system (which was using the cast from a Queen-inspired play).

The Brisbane Lions vs Collingwood Magpies

The Lions are trying to repeat as Grand Final champions, the equivalent of our Super Bowl.

The cool thing about the way the Aussie Rules Playoffs works, is it actually rewards teams that play well during the year. Even though the naming system they use is goofy, it works

The top 8 teams make the playoffs.

In the Qualifying Finals: The 1st placed team from the final season Standings takes on the 4th placed team, and the 2nd placed team takes on the third place team. The games are played at the higher ranked team's home field. The winners of this game have a bye to the Preliminary Finals, the losers go to the Semi Final.

The Elimination Finals pit the 5th placed team against the 8th placed team, and 6th vs 7th. The losers of these games, are out, the winners move on to the semi final.

The semi finals pits the two Qualifying Finals losers vs the Two Eliminination Finals winners, the Qualifying Finals losers have homefield. The winners, advance to the Preliminary Finals..

The four teams from there battle it out in two rounds (The Preliminary Finals, and The Grand Final, which is now on)

Watch the game, I'll check in to explain Aussie Rules to some of you folks if need be ;0


Foz

[21C]

Hey, Foz.

I'm currently watching the game in Australia. I'm just a bit downhearted that my Swans team lost last week to the Lions. The Swans played it tight for 3 quarters but just ran out of gas in the last quarter.

[SirFozzie]

So you rooting for Collingwood? :)

[Calis]

I know little to nothing about Aussie Rules, but what the hell, I'll give this a watch!

So give us some info, who's the favorite here, who are the guys to watch? Details! :)

[SirFozzie]

Collingwood is the slight favorite. I'm not up on the best players, but the announcers are pretty good.

4 25 minute quarters :)

[21C]

Quick word of advice, Foz. Nobody in Australia "roots" for a team. "Rooting" is colloquial for "screwing". We tend to use the word barrack or support.

Actually I'm going for the Lions. They are probably my second favorite team.

Players to watch for are Nathan Buckley ( one of the co-MVPs of the year ), Shane Woewodin and Chris Tarrant for Collingwood ( the Magpies or Pies ). Michael Voss and Alastair Lynch are players to watch for Brisbane.

[SirFozzie]

Heh. Whoops!

(makes note to self not to do THAT again)

I'm barracking for Brisbane myself.

(1st quarter over, 5 goals (worth 6) 5 behinds (worth 1) 35 for Brisbane, 3 goals 3 behinds 21 for Collingwood)

[Calis]

Well I don't know much as I said, but I believe this is what you'd call an ass whooping? :)

[SirFozzie]

42 points can be made up.. it's just a really good lead.

But Brisbane looked dominant at portions of that 2nd quarter.

Nice to have a stadium that seats 90,000 plus for the grand final, neh? :)

[soapy]

I'm an Australian, don't hold that against me. Most people hate Collingwood, apart from their supporters of course, and Brisbane winning means that they must now be considered the greatest team in AFL history - what's more they have three Brownlow Medalist midfielders, the equivalent of having MVPs at QB, RB and WR. My team Melbourne hasn't won the premiership for 40 years, so the wait continues. Thank god the Broncos look good this year.

[SunDancer]

Ok guys...can you explain what Australian Rules Football is, and why is it pretty much big in the oceania region, but no wheres else? Is the level of "support" equal to Football here (the Packers supporters) and soccer in Europe/South America? What is the system like in the league structure (does it use a regulation system like soccer, or it is a one-league structure like US Sports leagues). Where do the players come from (like in US-High School to college then drafted to pros?), and how are transferred done (dop they have the draft, free agency and trade system in US, or a transfer system like soccer)?

[SirFozzie]

I'll take the field basics and such from a Play Aussie Rules site, and combine it with my own observations:

AN AUSSIE RULES PRIMER

What is Australian Rules Football?

Australian Rules football, or 'footy' as it is colloquially known, is a physical contact sport unlike any sport played in America, but which combines the best elements of Ice Hockey, basketball and football to make for a fast paced, exciting and highly skilled game.


The Field

Aussie Rules is generally played on an oval field between 135 and 185 meters in length and 110 and 155 meters in width, although the sizes of grounds do vary. The Melborne Cricket Grounds (commonly known as the MCG, where the Grand Final is held every year) is considered to be the perfect ground. The boundary is marked with a white line drawn a few meters from the fence and the roaring crowd. At each end of the ground there are four posts consisting of two shorter outer posts and two taller inner posts. The inner posts are called the goal posts, the outer posts are the behind posts.

The Ball

The ball is an oval bladder covered with smooth leather, tanned for day use or colored visible yellow for night. It is slightly larger and rounder than the American or Canadian ball, as it was not designed to be thrown. The T.W. Sherrin Company, of Collingwood manufactured the famous Sherrin football until the past few years.

PLAYERS & POSITIONS

A team consists of 18 players with four interchange players (substitutes) allowed on the bench. Free substitutions are allowed at any time during the match, through a "gate" in front of either bench. Players are deployed in five lines of three across the oval, with the remaining three players assigned to follow the ball as it moves around the ground. Each player lines up on his opposite (for example, Fullback on Full forward). The players in each line are usually designated as being in either the left, center or right position in each line, relative to the direction of attack.

The three players assigned to follow the ball as it moves around the ground are known as "followers" Their positions are referred to as:

Ruckman: The Ruckman contests the 'ball-up' (Usually very tall and athletic).

Ruck-Rover: The Ruck-rover attempts to receive the ball from the Ruckman and deliver the ball into attack (A good combination of speed and height).

Rover: One of the hardest working players on the ground, the rover traditionally scouts the packs and sets up play by clearing the ball into attack. (Usually small, very fast and never tires)

Although the players have designated positions, they are free to move anywhere on the ground, (no offside rule) when play is in progress. There is no "goalie" in Aussie Rules.

SCORING

A ball kicked between the two larger goal posts without being touched is a goal and scores 6 points. The ball is then returned to the center circle for a "ball-up."

If the ball passes between the goal posts by any other means or through the behind posts then it is a behind, and it scores 1 point. If the ball hits the goal post, a behind is scored. If the ball is forced, or carried, but not kicked over the scoring line anywhere between the goal posts, a behind is scored. Following a behind, the ball is kicked back into play from within the goal-square. The opposing fullback usually delivers the kick.

The score is given in three numbers. For example: 8.9 (57). The first number is the number of goals scored, worth 6 points each. The next number is the number of behinds at 1 point each and the final is the sum or the total score.

STARTING THE GAME

The game commences with each player standing in their designated position. The main umpire (referee) bounces the ball in the center of the ground. This can be compared to a tip-off in basketball, and the opposing ruck men leap to gain possession of the ball. The game then progresses in a wild free-for-all until a goal is scored and the ball returns to the center for another bounce.

POSSESSION AND DISPOSAL OF THE BALL

Kicking

Kicking can pass the ball quickly and effectively. This is different from American Football in that a kicking tee is never used and a kick is often taken while the player is running at or near full speed.

Handball

The ball may not be thrown, but is passed by holding it stationary in one hand, while punching it with the free hand.

Tackling

Aussie Rules is a physical game, and players can be either 'bumped," from the ball using the hip and shoulder (left) or tackled by grabbing any where above the knee or below the neck (right).

Marking

A "mark" is another name for a catch, and can be taken over the head or against the chest. The ball cannot touch the ground, and must travel at least ten meters in the air. A mark entitles a player to an uncontested disposal of the ball. Marks are one of the spectacular elements of the game, as players' leap up on opponents backs to take 'screamers'.

RULES
Yes, there are some rules too! Some of the main rules are:

You cannot push a player in the back while he has the ball.

You cannot run more than 15 meters with the ball without bouncing it or touching it to the ground.

You must make a reasonable attempt to dispose of the ball when tackled.

You cannot tackle a player not in possession of the ball.

Finally, rough play outside of the laws of the game is severely penalized.

[SirFozzie]

Now, my observations:

The level of support that I've seen at the Aussie Rules Games, is a combination of Pro and College. Pro in the sheer amount of folks there are, College in the level of support. It's quite common for you to barrack (not Root, which you saw up above is an Aussie colloquialism for Fucking) for a team because your father barracked for them because your grandfather barracked for them.

Collingwood, the loser in last night's grand final, could be called the Buffalo Bills of the Aussie Rules league, with a dash of the Curse of The Bambino Red Sox thrown in to. They have played in 12 Grand Finals since 1958, and only won once. Think of what that must do to their supporters.

There is no promotion/relegation system, the 16 teams are based all over Australia, with every region having at least one team. They do have a draft and free agency setup, with some players coming from local college and town teams, but most players in the Premiership advance from a semi-professional Under 18 league run by the AFL.

[SunDancer]

Thanks Fozzie. Just curious, are the salaries of players and staff of those top-players of Europe soccer and Pro Leagues?

Does Australia greatly support other sports at all? Could American Football be a success with a good reserve of cash and marketing to get it fleeting?

[rdo]

The salaries of players in the AFL are miniscule compared to football players in Europe or the US. The salary cap for an entire team (25 players) is only 6.25M AUD (higher for Brisbane and Sydney). The highest paid player is (i think) Anthony Koutoufides of Carlton who makes between 500-600K AUD a year.

The level of support for Aussie Rules is largely regional. It is definitely the number 1 football code in Victoria, SA, WA, NT and Tasmania, but it is probably number 3 behind Rugby League and Rugby Union in NSW, ACT and Queensland.