Australian Football - AFL

Monday 21st of May, 2012.

Welcome to this site wherever in the world you may be, especially if you are currently at Washington, United States.

AFL – Australian Football

Australian Football, also affectionately known as Aussie Rules or Australian Rules Football is the most attended sporting league in Australia. It is also the highest rating sporting competition on TV in Australia.  The AFL is currently in the top five most attended sports leagues in the world in terms of attendance per match, with an average attendance of over 38,000 people.

Although there are many minor leagues throughout the country, The AFL (Australian Football League) is the Professional Australian National Competition.  It comprises 16 teams which play 22 home and away rounds between March and September each year. This is followed by a four-week finals series which end up in two teams playing off in the Grand Final for the Premiership.

If you are not familiar with the Game – Take a look at these Videos and you’ll see why it is so popular.

If you are passionate about this great game – GOOD FOR YOU – then take another look and let the bristles on the back of your neck stand up one more time.

Whilst the AFL has gained considerable media, financial and supporter strength over the years it is not popular in all areas of the country. Yet with the advent of new teams about to emerge on the Gold Coast and a second team in Sydney, Aussie Rules continues to grow and flourish and become a truly National Competition.

AFL Finals Series

At the end of the regular season of play the top eight AFL teams on the ladder qualify for the play-offs in the final series.  The AFL Grand Final is the finale of the AFL season and is the deciding match that determines the premiership champions. Held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, (MCG or simply called “THE G”) the event attracts an attendance close to 100,000, making it the biggest non-international club championship on the planet. The Geelong Football Club have been a dominant force over the past 3 years, taking out their first flag in 44 years in 2007.  The following year (2008) they made the AFL Grand Final, but were beaten by am impressive Hawthorn outfit.  However they bounced back to win last year’s 2009 AFL Grand Final against the St Kilda Football Club.

Brownlow Medal

Named after Charles Brownlow, an early player with the Geelong Football Club and the driving force behind the establishment of the Victorian Football League, the Brownlow Medal is the honour given to the “fairest and best” player in the Australian Football League. The recipient is determined by umpires during the regular season of play. Finals Series matches are excluded. The 2009 Brownlow Medallist was Geelong’s midfield champion Gary Ablett Jnr.  He is also one of the favourites for the 2010 award.

The Coleman Medal

Named after John Coleman, the famous Essendon Full Forward of the 1950′s, The Coleman Medal is awarded each year to the leading Goal Kicker in the AFL.  It is awarded for goals scored in the home and away part of the season only.  Finals matches are excluded.

Norm Smith Medal

Awarded to the best player on Grand Final day, the Norm Smith Medal is one of the Australian Football League’s most prestigious player accolades. The prize is a tribute to legendary Melbourne player and coach Norman Smith, who passed away in 1973. Geelong forward, Steve Johnson was awarded the 2007 Norm Smith Medal, Hawthorn Champion Luke Hodge won the 2008 Norm Smith Medal, whilst Paul Chapman from Geelong took out the 2009 North Smith Medal.

Australian Rules football is now recognised as the only national competition.  After a decade and a half of a struggle outside the VFL (Victorian Football League)  the AFL Australian Football League has come of age.

Let me explain:

Australian Rules football was developed by 2 junior players in the  Mid 1800 ‘s .  They needed to find a way of keeping fitness levels of cricketers up during the winter.  They came up with what we know today as “Aussie Rules“.

Played only in the State of Victoria initially, in 1897, the Victorian Football League or VFL was born. This competition was for elite players from Melbourne and surrounding areas.  It was soon thriving and attracting crowds of 60,000 at the 6 games played on Saturday afternoons in Melbourne suburbs.

The game spread to other States of Australia but never had the same profile as in Victoria. Players from the state of Victoria would compete against the best in the nation from the other states but it soon became apparent that Victoria was clearly dominant sometimes winning games by outstanding margins.

By the 1970 ‘s the rules were modified to allow players to represent the state they initially came from.  This allowed all players from other states who were Playing in the VFL to “Go Home” and represent their own state.  It had a dramatic effect on the competition and bought a renewed interest in the Game from the other States.

The Governing Body decided to move one of the teams in the VFL to Sydney.  In a bold move in 1982, South Melbourne football club was moved to Rugby League heartland in Sydney.  By the late 80 ‘s which had entered the competition from the other states were -

West Coast Eagles in Western Australia

Crows, Adelaide South Australia

Brisbane Bears (later Lions) Queensland.

(Port Adelaide and Fremantle were inclulsions later)

By 2000 the game went really national with a 16 team competition including 5 teams from outside Victoria.

The VFL changed its name to the AFL (Australian Football League), most people eagerly supported this move and embraced the new League except maybe for some die hard traditional Victorians.  They didn’t like the idea of the Premiership Cup going outside the borders of Victoria for the first time since 1897.

West Coast won 2 premierships in 1992 & 1994.  Adelaide won 2 in 1997 & 1998 and Brisbane won back to back premierships in 2001, 2002 & 2003.  Port Adelaide in 2004, Sydney in 2005 and West Coast again in 2006.

Now with new teams about to enter the competition from the Gold Coast and Western Sydney, our game has changed, and without doubt for the better too.  Just don’t tell too many Victorians.