Syndey Swans!

[89Hen]

WOW! That's all I can say after watching the replay of the Aussie Rules Football Grand Final last night. I've always kind of liked the Aussie game, but found myself glued to the tube watching last night... even Mrs 89 was watching. Such a simple game (rules-wise) but it's 100x better than rugby or soccer. Over 90,000 in attendance to see the Sydney Swans end a 72 year championship drought with a 58-54 win over the West Coast Eagles. WC came back from a 20 point halftime defecit to take a 10 point lead only to have Syndey take it back for good.

If you get the chance to watch a game, do it.

AFL (http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=home)

http://afl.com.au/cp2/c2/webi/article/231504al.jpg

[ISUMatt]

I agree this game was on live Saturday at 11pm and I was watching it, taped the last 2 quarters and watched it Sunday morning... I didnt know anyone here liked the AFL so I stayed quiet!!

[89Hen]

These guys make NFL players look like pu$$ies too. Did you see when the Swan player split his head wide open? He walked off the field holding his blood soaked head, got a bandage put on it, and came right back in the game.

http://www.couriermail.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,1658,433723,00.jpg

[Marcus Garvey]

Anyone know any good websites that can explain the game to the ingnorant masses, of which I'm a member?

[ISUMatt]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_rules_football

Scroll down some you will find them

[89Hen]

Anyone know any good websites that can explain the game to the ingnorant masses, of which I'm a member?
That's the beauty of the game IMO. You can literally watch one half of a game and have a pretty darn good grasp on the rules. The subtleties of course take some more watching.

In a nutshell your objective it to get the football between the uprights using a punting type kick. You can run with the ball (but you must bounce it every 15m), you can pitch it to another player using an underhand volleyball serve type motion (hammer), you can kick it soccer style if its on the ground... but mostly you want to punt it to another player. Any punt that is caught (a mark) before touching the groud results in a free kick for the recieving player (either side). They only give you a couple of second to put it back into play. If you catch a punt in your offensive zone (50m), you get more time to set up to try to score a goal. Kicking it through the middle two uprights is a 'goal' which is 6 points, through the outer uprights is a 'behind' which is one point.

One of the funniest things is that punching or pushing a player in the face is a foul, so the players try to egg on their opponents to do this sometimes after the play has gone by them. Sometimes they will smack their opponents with a forearm to the ear, which seems to be a little more accepted. :spank:

[ChickenMan]

I've seen a few AFL games on the tube and have to admit... they are VERY entertaining. I'd like to see more of the AFL... is there a cable/dish outlet where the games can been seen on a regular basis?

[89Hen]

I've seen a few AFL games on the tube and have to admit... they are VERY entertaining. I'd like to see more of the AFL... is there a cable/dish outlet where the games can been seen on a regular basis?
I have a local station called 'MHz' that carries all foreign programming (mostly news). They regularly carry AFL games even have a wrap-up show weekly.

[blueballs]

There's one night in September... We're sure to remember...Footie's such a part of this ole town... And we know that you won't let us down...There isn't any doubting...We'll be in the shouting...Footie's such a part of this ole town... And we know that you won't let us down...

[ISUMatt]

I caught the grande FInale on FSC Fox Soccer Channel I know alot of the FSN channels have a weekley AFL Highlite show but since their seson just ended, there may not be any AFL for aehile now