Every once in a while, someone gets up the gumption to e-mail me and ask me just which AFL club I follow. As chairman of AFANA, I try very hard to be impartial when it comes to "company" business. After all, we represent fans of every footy club, cover 2 countries in detail [the web reaches the entire planet however], and have to deal with the AFL and all 16 clubs at one time or another.
For the record, I am a charter member of the West Coast Home Supporters and have followed the Weagles (as Tim Murphy refers to them) since they entered the AFL in the late 80's. Before that, I really moved between several clubs without really having a clear favorite. Although I have been to Perth and the headquarters of the Eagles and to Melbourne several times, I have never actually seen them play in person. Bad luck I guess. :-( Never at the right place at the right time. (I have seen other AFL matches including a Grand Final.)
Among AFANA's members, volunteers, and contributors we have supporters of Collingwood, Essendon, Carlton, North Melbourne, Hawthorn, and on and on. In spite of that, we all get along fairly well, I might add. What we all share is passion for a sport. For some of us, a sport we have only glimpsed on television, maybe never seen in person. Living 14 or more hours by air from it's home, you only do this if it really matters to you. That's what has made AFANA a success. And what will continue to make us a bigger success in years to come.
-Rob
AFANA Chairman and father of a 4 year old. More on that later...
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Hey goodluck with the blog.
I rate the Weagles side of 1992 one of the best I have had the pleasure to watch. I hope you get to see them in person soon. Malthouse was, and is, a great coach.
Alex (Tasmanian Essendon member)
Posted by: Alex Hidell at August 27, 2003 03:01 AMRob,
Top work with the blog & AFANA site. I will be having a beer or two with Tony aka After Grog Blog this Friday.
Chris - Essendon to the heart, living in Sydney.
Posted by: Chris at August 27, 2003 08:22 AMThanks, Alex. Yes, 1992 was a year to remember and Malthouse was at his best in those years. What he did with Collingwood the past two seasons is noteworthy, too. One of these days, I'll be in Oz at the right time...
Thanks, also, Chris. Enjoy that beer and have another for me. I appreciate the vote of support from Tony and folks like yourself. AFANA's web site has some great contributors that help me out.
Cheers,
Rob
Posted by: Rob de Santos at August 27, 2003 11:38 AMI was unfortunate to not know anything about footy when the '92 and '94 WCE sides took the flag. Well, barely in 94. It wasn't until '95, when I went to Melb'n, that I finally 'experienced' footy, and Carlton dominated the season. I did see the Rd 14 match between them and Richmond when I was there, and enjoyed it all. Since then, footy 'till I die. :)
At the time, I was just enjoying the coverage that we had, and was with AFANA since its conception, that I really didn't barrack for a side. I just lapped it all up, with the exception of Richmond and Fitzroy (I didn't know the strife Fitzroy was going through at the time, and 2 kids at the Carlton/Richmond match really put me off of Richmond), until my flight back to Omaha, Nebraska from Tulla. I happened to be at the airport at the same time the Richmond side was there on their way to Perth to face WCE. Without too much fuss (basically that I'm on my way back home, I'm an int'l footy fan, and enjoyed their match) they agreed to a) take a picture with me, b) give me one of their Sherrins, and c) autograph it (the entire 1995 side). Since then, Richmond has become one of the best sides for promoting footy, and I appreciate all that they've done (even though I still just go with the flow and enjoy the coverage).
It's still hard to pick one side, but you know, with liking every side, you can't go wrong with being chosen to toss the coin on that last Saturday..
Happy in Las Vegas/Sacramento, CA
BL.
Posted by: Brad L. at August 28, 2003 06:16 PMHey Brad,
Glad to know you are still with us. I love to hear how fellow fans over here came to the sport. For me it was watching this strange sport with no pads on this new thing called cable TV and ESPN back in 1980. I'll blog on that one of these days soon.
It would be easy, as a WCE fan, to wish I was back in '92 or '94. Fortunately, the current side is quite competitive and if they can win this weekend, could finish 4th or 5th going into finals. I can live with that. We have a real chance from there to get to a Preliminary Final. And that's just one step away.
-Rob
Posted by: Rob de Santos at August 29, 2003 12:49 AM