The Sydney media is putrid. They should have taken the Melbourne media’s stance and just totally ignored the other code. Most of this is driven by the fact that the NRL subconciously see themselves as the inferior code. It has a lot to do with the roots of the game. The well off played Union, the majority of the country played soccer and they were scrambling for the leftovers. That mentality came with them when the game came to Australia. By the time it arrived, Aussie Rules was already well established, union was here as was soccer. They were all of a sudden fourth in line. Almost quite literally the only reason the game survived was because most Sydney councils banned Aussie Rules from using their cricket grounds, meaning the game was effectively snubbed out overnight.
Yep a national disgrace that they banned the Australian game in favour of an imported sport from some mud patch in northern England. I always laugh when i read about the afl invading ‘rugby league heartland’, do they realise Australian football was played in nsw and qld before their imported sport came in and invaded? And how does something Australian invade Australia anyway…
Sydney jealousy that Melbourne invented it’s own sport, you can bet if AFL came out of Sydney it would be celebrated as Australia’s greatest invention.
My understanding is that Union is already well established and ingrained in the US. There are over 2500 clubs, more than 100k registered players, and they have fielded a national squad in six of the seven World Cups played. Now they haven’t really threatened in any of them, but at the very least the sport has a healthy presence there, and most major US colleges now have programs.
So I guess I’m sorta perplexed at who they might win over with this stunt. Most Americans with any kind of casual interest in rugby will just assume Union is the default and probably wouldn’t be able to see enough subtle differences in what is happening here. I suspect the attitude would be something like “well why is this special? Cause there’s some Australian teams playing each other?”
Of course, a lot of people would probably just turn it on and go “Oh, what’s this, Sydney vs Brisbane? Is this what Australian Rules Football is?”
I hate Union.
I don’t see the need to pop into the Union thread and say, ‘I hate Union.’
Doesn’t really add much to the discussion, and even if it did…it’s not exactly the forum for it.
Been a Storm Member since their…Whadaya call it? Inception? Inauguration?
Since they started.
They’re a great club.
Home Storm games are awesome.
They don’t completely Suck, which is a nice counterpoint to my AFL side…
But anyway.
The game itself is great.
Lends itself to magic moments, and intelligent players and acts of courage and self-sacrifice.
I don’t know what more anyone wants from a game.
Edit: ohhh, the people running League…on that we can agree. But…gosh, there’s a few AFL admins I’d put in the handbasket, or cannon, first.
Mrs Fox and I are Storm Members, but we don’t seem to get to many games. They really do seem to care about Members though and their communication is first class.
Union is OK. When we lived in Sydney the Company Mrs Fox worked for had a box at the Randwick Stadium and we saw many Wallabies games. They did have a good team then though.
I just don’t like the game.
I’ve said here before that the best description I’ve heard of the game is two southern hemisphere sides trying to kill each other, with a northern hemisphere referee trying to stop them from touching each other.
I don’t get it.
I don’t want to get it.
I’ve sat next to lifelong fans of the game and asked ‘what was that for?’
And been told, ‘farked if I know.’
But if other people like it, then….fine. Good on ‘em.
I’m sure they don’t care that I don’t like it.
I watched a Rebels v Tahs preseason game (my first) in Moorrabbin this year and was shocked how big these boys are. They would of made great AFL footballers if they choose it.
Then you have that ridiculous advantage rule that lets play go on for 5 minutes and 15 phases before the referee decides " Sorry chaps, the attacking team have made a stinking pile of dog doo doo out of the advantage I have given them and somehow failed to progress the ball up field at all. As such, I have been forced, after much critical self thinking and deliberation to recall you all back to the point of the initial infringement. Sorry for all that wasted time and effort chaps, but keep a stiif upper lip and all that. There’s a bunch of good fellows.".
What a crock of expletive deleted. That alone is enough to turn me off the game, and I have regular discussions on this with a mate at work that actually referees this crap. Get control of the advantage rule and I would consider watching more of the game, but when you are wasting anything up to 20 minutes in a game to unnecessary ball play, only to recall it anyway, you have lost your way.
To win that game, in that fashion with that try (not to mention the one they scored a minute earlier wasn’t a dud either), is nothing short of sensational.
