FAQ

From the Past: Origins of the Umpire Part 1

admincms — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 09:46:16 -0500

Where is the Umpire?

by Keith Campbell, exclusive for AFANA

In other football sports the Referees with the sin bin and send-off rule have much greater authority than the umpires in our game and their laws are not so open to interpretation. It all began in the Melbourne Football Club rule set ^[1] laid down in the first season in May 1859 which listed 10 rules. There was no mention of an umpire to control the actual game. Obviously the Captains were required to do the job. Was this planned or an oversight? This situation was partially resolved 12 months later in May 1860, when more rule revisions ^[2] were introduced and Rule 11 was added, and the term "Umpire" was used for the first time in official rules:

Rule 11 read as follows:

In case of deliberate infringement of any of the above Rules by either side, the Captain of the opposite side may claim that any one of his party may have a free kick from the place where the breach of Rule was made; the two Captains in all cases, save when Umpires are appointed, to be the sole Judges of infringements.

The July 1859 Geelong Clubs rule set ^[3] had already included the definite use of umpires; however the Melbourne Football club had the ascendancy politically in the Colony so its rules had won the day for now.

The use of the term umpire was a link to the game of Cricket. It appears that players were appealing about the rules during the matches to the respective captains. The action of appealing would have brought to the captains attention that a protocol officially designating another official to control the matches was needed. At that time and in later years a lot of shouting would go on when the players were claiming marks and disputing decisions.

In these early years there were only a few games being played each season, and there was plenty of experimenting going on with the rules and the officials. If an umpire was present he was to be provided by the 2 teams involved in each match.   In 1866 delegates of the 4 clubs playing regularly in Melbourne met and issued a new rule set ^[4] written by Henry Colvin Harrison. This rule set also saw a change of name for this new sport to Victorian Rules Football.

Rule 12 of this new set read:

Before the commencement of a match each side shall appoint an umpire, and they shall be the sole judges of goals and breaches of the rules. The nearest umpire shall be appealed to in every case of dispute.

As the process of trial and error continued with the rules and the game generally it has been found that these rules were already in practice before they were added officially. We can only ponder how impartial each club umpire appointment would have been. As football historians have noted this was the first instance of the 2 central umpire system. It appears that the captains wanted to concentrate on playing by this period.

This rule met opposition from at least 2 of the 4 clubs in July of 1866, as was reported by The Australasian ^[5] at the time. The newspaper report said they now wanted a single field umpire independent of the competing teams.   Probably compromise probably ruled the day, and the rule was retained by the all of the clubs. There was no formal body set up to govern the game at this time for a binding decision anyhow.

There were informal meetings being held by the clubs during each season to discuss revisions. We now move forward 8 seasons to 1874.   Delegates from the now expanded to 6 clubs in Melbourne met and drew up another rule set revision ^[6] based on their past experiences with the existing rules.

Rule 2 was changed to read:

The Captains on each side shall toss for choice of Goal, the side losing the toss, or a Goal, has the kick off from the centre point between the Goals. When half the time arranged for play has expired, the sides shall change ends, and the ball be thrown in the air by the Umpire in the centre of the ground.

This revision saw the field umpire now getting involved in the half time re-start for the first time. Prior to this a kick-off from the centre spot was the usual half-time re-starting. The throw up of the ball would be around permanently in the game from this point on.

Rule 11 was changed to read:

In case of infringement of any of the above Rules, any player of the opposite side may claim that any one of his party may have a free kick from the place where the breach of Rule was made. The Umpire’s decision shall in every case be final, and the Clubs disputing the same shall lose the match.

and Rule 12 to:

Before the commencement of a match each side shall appoint a Goal Umpire, and they shall be the sole Judges of Goals and of cases of the ball going behind Goal. A Field Umpire shall also be appointed who shall decide all other matters, and may appeal to the Goal Umpire.

These 2 rules reduced the number of field umpires to 1 and increased the field umpires authority, and added 2 goal umpires. Rule 11 made it quite plain that the field umpire had the power to disqualify a club if necessary or abandon the game for players disputing his decisions. Perhaps we can say now his powers were at their greatest at any time in the games history. The reduction back to 1 field umpire was not a surprise. However a fundamental problem still existed. Who was to provide the same umpire who technically had to be neutral in his decisions?

It appears that older independent players were eventually recruited for the job by the individual clubs. The adding of 1 goal umpire from each side saw very closely observed decisions being made in the goal area. It is interesting that the field umpire could also appeal on disputed goals after discussion with the goal umpire.    Another new football word was about to created. The “behind” as in going behind the goal. The field umpires duties had been reduced by the adding of goal umpires who would likely keep the scores from their own end we think, and/or pass them over to the field umpire.

His duties ^[7] in 1874:

Inspect the football supplied.
Supervise the toss of the coin with the captains
Start the match
Control the match
Throw the ball in from the boundary
Half time re-starts
Finish
Keep the time on the usual 2 x 50 minute halves from a pocket watch.
Possibly obtain the scores as well from the goal umpires?

At that time the game itself was played slowly by today’s standards so the umpire would have had time to carry out his duties. Apparently the umpire used to walk quickly around following the game, making rulings on decisions and disputes, and throwing the ball in went it went out of bounds. However change was coming for the field umpire as more marking and longer kicking in the sport was on the horizon. His life on the field was about to get busier.

[1] 1859 Melbourne Football Club Rule set - State Library of Victoria

[2] 1860 Melbourne Football Club Rule set - Everything you wanted to know about Australian Rules football – Graeme Atkinson – The Five Mile Press

[3] 1859 Geelong Football Club Rule set - Ibid

[4] 1866 Victorian Rules set - State Library of Victoria

[5] The Australasian newspaper July 7 1866

[6] 1874 Victorian Rules set – State Library of Victoria

[7] The authors own observations

Footy FAQ: History of the Finals Format

admincms — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 12:28:21 -0500

The AFL season consists of 22 rounds, with most games being played between Friday night and Sunday afternoon. At the end of the 22 weeks of season play, the top 8 teams in the standings face off in 3 weeks of “finals” matches. Finals are the term used in Australian football for post regular season matches and culminate in the Grand Final in Week 4. The teams are seeded 1 thru 8 according to the order of their finish in the “minor premiership” or regular season. These finals are:

Week 1: The top two matches are called "Qualifying Finals": #1 hosts #4, and #2 hosts #3. Winners advance to week 3. Losers play in week 2.

The bottom two matches are called "Elimination Finals": #5 hosts #8 and #6 hosts #7. Losers are eliminated, winners play Week 2.

Week 2: The matches this week are known as Semi-Finals: The higher seeded losers from Week 1 host the lower seeded winners from Week 1. The losers of this weekend are eliminated. The winners advance to week 3.

Week 3: This week is the Preliminary Finals: The top seeded winners from week 1 host the winners from week 2. Teams that met in week 1 can't meet again in this round requiring a "crossover" in some cases. The two winners from this week advance to the Grand Final.

Week 4: Grand Final. Winners from Week 3 meet at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) for the premiership (what Americans might call the championship).

For example, in 2005, the standings, or ladder as it is called in Australian Rules was:

Adelaide

West Coast

Sydney

St. Kilda

Kangaroos

Geelong

Melbourne

Port Adelaide

Therefore, the first week of finals was:

1st Elimination Final: Port Adelaide defeated the Kangaroos, eliminating the Kangaroos

2nd Elimination Final: Geelong defeated Melbourne, eliminating Melbourne

1st Qualifying Final: St. Kilda defeated Adelaide, relegating Adelaide to a semi-final and St Kilda advanced to the Preliminary Final

2nd Qualifying Final: West Coast defeated Sydney, relegating Sydney to a semi-final and advanced to the Preliminary Final

The second week was the Semi-Finals:

1st Semi-Final: Adelaide defeated Port Adelaide, eliminating Port and advancing to the Preliminary Final

2nd Semi-Final: Sydney defeated Geelong, eliminating Geelong, advancing to the Preliminary Final

The third week was the Preliminary Finals:

1st Preliminary Final: Sydney defeated St. Kilda, eliminating St. Kilda and advanced to the Grand Final

2nd Preliminary Final: West Coast defeated Adelaide, eliminating Adelaide and advanced to the Grand Final.

Week 4: Grand Final: Sydney defeated West Coast for the “premiership”, as the championship of the AFL is known.

The above system was introduced in 2000, and it is the last (to date) of many systems which were tried over the years, going back to the beginning in 1897.

In 1897, the top 4 teams played off in a round robin series, with the best performed side - Essendon which won all 3 of its games - being declared the champion with no Grand Final. From 1898-1900, a more complex system was played which allowed all 8 teams to participate. The top 4 and bottom 4 teams were then divided into two sections - A and B. The position of each team in each section determined who from Section A would play whom in Section B. At the end of the series, the top two from each Section would play off in a final. However, if the team who finished first prior to the finals series failed to earn a spot in the semi-final, it had the right of challenge, where by it could play in a Grand Final against the best-performed team of the round robin series. For example, in 1898, Essendon finished first but won only 2 of its 3 sectional games while Fitzroy and Collingwood won all 3 of their games. Fitzroy defeated Collingwood in the next finals match, but Essendon had the right of challenge to play Fitzroy in a Grand Final, with Fitzroy winning.

From 1901-1906, the round robin series continued. At the end of the season, there was a preliminary ladder, which determined the matches of the round robin series. When that series was concluded, the top 4 teams would meet in semi-finals, with the winners advancing to the Grand Final. The round robin series was abandoned after 1906 and only the top 4 played off in semi-finals and a Grand Final.

In 1931, a new finals system was introduced. It was suggested by Richmond secretary Percy Page and developed by Ken McIntryre who worked as a solicitor, teacher, and historian. The Page-McIntyre finals system is still used in a modified form today. From 1931-1971, it was still a top 4 system:

First semi-final: 3rd vs. 4th, loser eliminated

Second semi-final: 1st vs. 2nd

Preliminary final: loser of 2nd semi-final vs. winner of 1st semi-final, loser eliminated

Grand Final: 2nd semi-final winner vs. preliminary final winner

In 1972, a final 5 was introduced and Ken McIntyre again worked out the details, resulting in the introduction of an elimination final and a qualifying final as well the semi-finals, preliminary finals, and the Grand Final. The structure was:

Elimination Final: 4th vs. 5th. Loser eliminated

Qualifying Final: 2nd vs. 3rd

First Semi-Final: QF loser vs. EF winner, loser eliminated

Second Semi-Final: Minor premier (first place at end of season) vs. QF winner, winner to Grand Final

Preliminary Final: 2nd SF loser vs. 1st semi-final winner, loser eliminated, winner to Grand Final

Mr. McIntyre was called upon yet again at the end of 1990 to work out a Final 6 for 1991. A second elimination final was introduced and so it became:

First EF: 5th vs. 6th, loser eliminated, winner advances to semi-final

Second EF: 3rd vs. 4th, loser eliminated, winner advances to semi-final

QF: 1st vs. 2nd, with result determining which team played in which semi-final

1st SF: QF winner vs. winner of 1st EF, loser eliminated

2nd SF: QF loser vs. 2nd EF winner, winner advances to GF, loser to PF

PF: winner to Grand Final, loser eliminated

The final 6 lasted only a few years as the league introduced the Final 8 in 1994, but it was a bit different from the current model. The top 4 had a “double chance” meaning they could lose once and still eventually make the Grand Final, but with 8 teams came the need to determine which of the bottom 4 would be eliminated and who would advance. In 1999, the final year of this particular model, the standings at the end of the season were:

Essendon

Kangaroos

Brisbane

Western Bulldogs

West Coast

Carlton

Port Adelaide

Sydney

Under this original Final 8 system, it was 1st vs. 8th, 2nd vs. 7th, 3rd vs. 6th, and 4th vs. 5th.

From the results of the Qualifying Finals in Week 1, a revised seeding of the final 8 standings was determined and this, in turn, determined who progressed straight to the Preliminary Finals, who had to play in the Week 2 Semi-Finals, and who was eliminated.

So the first week of finals in 1999 was:

Essendon vs. Sydney - Essendon won

Kangaroos vs. Port Adelaide - Kangaroos won

Brisbane vs. Carlton - Brisbane won

West Coast vs. Western Bulldogs - West Coast won

This made the final 8 standings:

WINNERS:

Essendon

Kangaroos

Brisbane

West Coast

LOSERS

Western Bulldogs

Carlton

Port Adelaide

Sydney

Had Essendon, the first placed team at the end of the 22 rounds lost, they would have become the top ranked loser and would have gone to the Semi-Finals, with the other 3 teams below them moving up a rung and Sydney, despite losing would have become the 4th ranked winner. The Bulldogs, Eagles, and Brisbane would then have been below Essendon on the “Losers’ ladder. This would have made the Kangaroos and Brisbane the top 2 winners, allowing them to advance to the Preliminary Finals in Week 3 without having to play in the Week 2 Semi-Finals.

However, as it was, Port and Sydney were eliminated, while Carlton (6th) had a second chance with their win over Brisbane. Essendon and the Kangaroos, by virtue of being the top two teams at the end of the season and winning their first finals, advanced to the preliminary finals without having to play a semi-final in Week 2. Because the 5th placed West Coast defeated the 4th placed Bulldogs, they moved up a rung compared to the end of season standings. But because the Bulldogs finished 4th and Brisbane 3rd at the end of the season, they still had another chance in the semi-finals. As a result, the Semi-Finals games of Week 2 were:

Carlton vs. West Coast

Brisbane vs. Western Bulldogs

Carlton and Brisbane won those games, eliminating West Coast and the Bulldogs, which made the Preliminary Finals:

Carlton vs. Essendon - Carlton won

Kangaroos vs. Brisbane - Kangaroos won

The Grand Final was then contested between Carlton and the Kangaroos with the Kangaroos winning the premiership.

However, there was a huge storm of controversy afterward with many believing that the West Coast Eagles had gotten raw deal, by being forced to travel to Melbourne to face Carlton when, by all rights they, as the higher ranking and winning team, should have hosted the final at their home ground. Part of this was due to the AFL’s contract with the MCG, which stipulated that at least one final per week had to be at the ground, regardless of the teams involved. The MCC Trust was totally implacable on this point and had the law on their side since the contract was agreed to by the AFL. Also, no team below 6th had ever advanced further than a preliminary final.

And so the AFL revised the Final 8 structure for 2000, which is the current model. The fight with MCC continued for several years, especially with the emergence of clubs based outside of Melbourne such as Brisbane and Adelaide as regular finals contenders.

The AFL and MCC finally resolved the matter, with the AFL being allowed to “bank” finals over a period of 5 years, which allowed it more flexibility and the ability to grant home finals to interstate teams who earned the right to do so. The higher the ladder position and winning the first week of finals virtually guarantees a home final.

Footy FAQ: Footy Words You Need To Know

Lisa Albergo — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 19:24:10 -0500

This is a "dictionary" of terms common in Australian football. While there is a some general Aussie slang here, our emphasis is on footy. For general references to Aussie slang see these two sources: http://www.koalanet.com.au/australian-slang.html and http://www.australiatravelsearch.com.au/trc/slang.html

A/C: acromio-clavicular joint, the shoulder joint; severe injury to the A/C joint can sometimes require a reconstruction and sideline a player for the season

ACL: anterior cruciate ligament - one of several ligaments which support the knee and connect the knee joint to the other leg muscles. A ruptured ACL requires a knee reconstruction and will sideline a player for 12 months

Advantage paid: umpiring decision in which play continues after an infringement if the team with the ball is infringed upon; rather than stop play to award the free kick, the umpire allows play to continue so as not to disadvantage the attacking team.

Ball Magnet: player who accumulates a large number of possessions of the ball is said to be a ball magnet

Ball on a string: same as ball magnet, a player might be referred to as having the ball on a string or even said to have "brought his own ball to the game".

Barrack/Barracker - to cheer for a team, one who supports a team. Origin believed to come from the world wars when army personnel stationed in barracks in Melbourne attended games or their barracks were close to the playing grounds

Blinder: excellent performance. E.g., Nathan Buckley had a blinder of a game with 32 possessions and 4 goals

Blue: bad mistake, or a fight

Boil Over: an unexpected upset in which a team not expected to win by any stretch of the imagination pulls off a victory

Brownlow: highest individual honor a player can win. Named for long-time Geelong Football Club servant Charles Brownlow (1862-1924). See AFANA FAQ - Major Awards for more detail

Clanger: extremely bad mistake during play, such as kicking the ball to an opposition player

Claret: blood

Coathanger: an illegal around the neck tackle. Also refers to the Sydney bridge

Complete Package: refers to a player who can do just about everything - goals, run well, catch the ball, tackle, etc. from just about anywhere on the ground. Often will be used to describe a new recruit.

Corky: bad soft tissue bruising in which small blood vessels break under the skin and bleed into the muscle tissue - most common on thighs and calves

Cotton Wool: a player coming back from injury or an older player whom the club is trying to protect may be said to be "wrapped in cotton wool" - e.g., given lighter training loads and/or limited game time.

Crook: not well, ill, or can refer to an injury, e.g., a crook knee, a player might also say he or the injury is not too flash

Daisy-cutter: low to the ground kick of the footy - also called a wormburner

Dirty: to be angry about something or with someone. E.g., the coach was dirty on the umpires for perceived bad decisions during the game. Filthy can also be used in the same vein.

Disposal: when a player in possession of the ball rids himself of the ball by hand or foot. An effective disposal finds a teammate. An ineffective disposal misses its intended target or ends up with an opposition player

Draw: the schedule, or a tied game

Find The Sticks: a player skilled at kicking goals is said to know how to find the sticks. Usually refers to a player other than the forwards.

Fixture: schedule of games

Flag: the premiership or Grand Final win. Refers to a time before premiership cups when clubs were awarded a "premiership" flag instead.

Hammy: hamstring

Kick A Bag: Refers to a player (usually a forward) who kicks a large number of goals in a game. E.g., Barry Hall kicked a bag with 10 goals.

Ladder: the standings

Leather poisoning: a player who gets the ball a lot during the match is said to be risking leather poisoning. Similar to ball maget or having the ball on a string (see above)

Lower colors: to be beaten by a direct opponent in a game - comes from old naval sailing time when a defeated ship would lower its country's flag from the mast to signal surrender

Minor Premier: team which finishes the season in first place. Does not guaratee a Grand Final win or even making the Grand Final as they still have get through the finals series.

On The Pine: sitting on the bench during a game

PCL: posterior cruciate ligament - another knee ligament; injury to this ligament will not sideline a player for a year, but can put a player out for 2 weeks or more, depending on the severity of the injury

Pepper The Goals: when a team has numerous scoring chances, usually said when all those scoring shots result in more misses than goals

Pill: the football. Some commentators will also refer to the ball as the "nut"

Poster: scoring shot which hits the post, also called hitting the woodwork

Pull The Pin: retire, also hang up the boots or call it a day

Purple Patch: a run of good form. Can refer to a player during a game, eg., Chris Judd had a purple patch in the third term with 10 possessions a two goals; can also refer to a team having a winning streak such as Essendon in 2000 when they had a purple patch in winning their first 20 games

Rainmaker: high soaring kick of t he ball

Reco: short for reconstruction, such as a knee or shoulder reco - and will most often put a player out for the season

Screamer: massively high mark (see speccie)

Shattered: to be extremely disappointed

Slot: to kick a goal; can also refer to a new player - via draft or trade - fitting in well with his new team. E.g., former Lion Jason Akermanis slotted in well with his new teammates at the Bulldogs in 2007

Speccie: (also spekkie) when a player leaps high in the air to catch the ball - i.e., a spectacular mark. Also known as a screamer

Spoil: to foil a player attempting to take a mark. E.g., Matthew Lloyd set himself to take the mark, but Ben Rutten punched the ball away to spoil him.

Spray: severe scolding, usually from the coach to a player or the team - also called a rocket or ear-bashing

Straight Kick: when the difference in the scores is one goal - or six points - commentators will often say the difference is one straight kick

Torpedo: long, high, spiral kick of the ball. Very difficult to catch and is primarily used when kicking for goal from 50 meters (55 yards) or more

Whinge: to complain

White Line Fever: crossing the boundary line onto the field of play turning mild mannered individual into Dr. Jekyll

White Maggot: less than flattering term used by fans to refer to the umpire (this expression may be a bit inappropriate now as the AFL introduced new umpire uniforms several years ago to prevent them from blending in with teams which have a lot of white and blue in their uniforms)

Wooden Spoon: euphemistic award for the team finishing dead last in the standings

From The Past: Origins Of The No-Offside Rule

admincms — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 08:53:30 -0500

NO OFF-SIDE RULE - DID IT MATTER?

By Keith Campbell, special to AFANA.com

A notable absentee from the original 10 rule MFC set of May 1859 is the English football off-side rule. Various football historians have written historical and sociological accounts of the reasons why it was not included.

The Rugby School rule code of 1845 had on-side and off-side provisions in its rule set at that time. Here is the off-side rule designated No 9 in the “to be important” 1848 Cambridge School rule set:

9. If the ball has passed a player and has come from the direction of his own goal, he may not touch it till the other side have kicked it, unless there are more than three of the other side before him. No player is allowed to loiter between the ball and the adversaries' goal.

Of course the last sentence in the above rule is the crux of the matter. In our game the opposite occurs with our Centre Full-Forward position because there is no off-side. The player in this position then and today in the modern game does indeed still “loiter” in front of the Goals. In the first seasons the players would mostly gather in scrimmages but a player or two would “sneak down” in front their goals hoping to “mark” a kick out of the pack. Position play as we know it had not evolved yet but it was coming. This is the origin of the term Goalsneak.

The off-side topic would have come up with the talks at the time; however it was never incorporated into the rules that were finally drafted. It is now known that that Wills and his contemporaries at the 1859 meeting had copies of the rules of the various English games in front of them. That omnipresent figure of Tom Wills would have reached in at this point in the rule discussions and recommended the off-side not be adopted. This was confirmed years later by Colvin Harrison who writing about Wills said “He very sensibly advised us to work out a game of our own”.

Tom Wills writes in circa 1860 about the game he helped to create:

“I think the ground should be free to all, so that the captain of each side could dispose of his forces in any position he likes; Tom Wills has eloquently expressed his thoughts on the off-side rule in the opening few words. We also like the USFooty Aussie Rules football players’ description of the game in 2005: “It is a 360 degree sport, where you can be tackled from any direction.”

What the player was saying in part was that the defenders do not have to be behind the ball to be on-side as in Rugby. Leading Australian historian Geoffrey Blainey in his excellent early history of the game "A Game of Our Own- Revised Edition 2003"- Canvases the idea of an off-side rule perhaps running unofficially at times, however the early match reports do not record any evidence of it. To answer the original question about the off-side rule – No, it did not matter because a great football sport was created without it.

We noted in a forum post on this site a comment was made about why the AFL umpires currently are not wearing the traditional white. That topic will be looked at from a historical aspect in a future article. Any questions about the background of the rules and later laws are invited. The author is available as KeithC on this site.

Ed note: Additional installments in this series will be published periodically.

Television Coverage Q & A

admincms — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 17:13:24 -0500

Here are some answers to questions and comments we get frequently here at AFANA.

If you have a question please let us know by contacting us and if your question seems relevant to others, we may add it here. This information in this FAQ has not been fully updated in a long time. Some old questions are kept for reference purposes.

Contents:
1. I can't find the network or the times Aussie Rules is on the TV!

2. We got no warning that footy was leaving Fox!

3. Will Setanta show more than one live game per week?

4. There are too many commercials on Setanta and all they do is promote their own programs. They should show interviews and other halftime coverage, too.

5. Why can't we get the Fox Footy Channel in the US (or Canada)?

6. When will Canada get live coverage?(Now!)

7. Why is there no coverage on (my) cable systems?

8. When will Setanta or MHz Networks be on Comcast (or Time Warner, etc.)?
I don't get satellite OR can't have it OR don't want it.

9. How does ITVN work? How can I get it? Does it work in Canada, too? (ITVN and Setanta Broadband No Longer Available but NexTV and GekTV are)

10. Will the live coverage continue next season (2009)? Do they have a long term contract?

11. Setanta is too expensive for what you get.

12. Does Setanta Broadband carry AFL matches? (Discontinued)

13. The match selection is awful. Why are we seeing {fill in the teams} all the time?

14. The matches should be on at better times.

15. The announcers should be American so Americans can understand the game better.

16. I'd use the afl.com.au service but the quality is low. BitTorrents is better.

17. Why does the AFL charge for access to the online video? It should be free.

18. If the AFL (or AFANA) was doing it's job we wouldn't have lost coverage on Fox Soccer Channel!

19. The AFL doesn't care about fans in North America or they would fix things. They should be on TV nationally.

20. We need footy to get back on Fox (or ESPN). And what about OLN or Spike? or IN DEMAND pay per view? or Comcast On Demand?

21. Why can't Fox Soccer Channel show footy? Fox Sports World Canada did in 2006!

22. The AFL should pay their way onto a major US network.

23. If ESPN Asia-Pacific win the pay-tv (cable/satellite) rights in Australia does that mean they will begin airing in the US again?

24. Why isn't Setanta part of the sports channel packages?

25. If only the AFL didn't want so much money they could get on ESPN, right?

26. Why do I have to pay for footy? It should be free.

27. Why can't we get The Footy Show?

28. The quality of footy on MHz Worldview / MHz Networks via Globecast satellite or my local cable is terrible.

29. Is Setanta Sports shown in any bars or pubs?

30. Will HD (High Definition) telecasts of the AFL be available soon? For the Grand Final?

31. Will there be another exhibition in North America after the 2008 season?

32. Why was information so sparse from AFANA regarding the lead up to the exhibition?

33. AFANA was too critical of the exhibition. You wanted it to be something it wasn't.

34. You have no clout with the AFL. You didn't {fill in the blank} like I expected you to.

I can't find the network or the times Aussie Rules is on the TV!

AFANA provides the schedules at this web site four ways: on the left hand column (half way down) of every page is a 7 to 10 day summary of the schedule. Our TV schedule page has a full schedule as far out as we know it. Our Calendar has a full summary (current and historical) of the schedule in a monthly format. To find out which networks cover the sport, see our TV Info page for a summary.

We got no warning that footy was leaving Fox!

AFANA reported extensively on the pending demise of coverage on Fox Soccer Channel (formerly Fox Sports World) and Fox Sports Net in our TV and Media newsletter. We reported as far back as the summer of 2004 (we helped break the story in the TV industry) that FSWLD would become FSC and planned to drop all non-soccer coverage. We got a one season reprieve in 2005 and again we told our readers that it wouldn't continue into 2006. So if you didn't know, then maybe (hint, hint!) you should be reading our web site.

At the beginning of the 2007 season Fox Sports World Canada lost coverage due to the new live deal with Setanta that included Canada. However, when Setanta Canada couldn't get launched in time, some coverage was moved to Rogers Sportsnet. Now that Setanta Canada is up and running, all coverage in Canada is on Setanta Canada only.

Will Setanta show more than one live game per week?

Yes, Setanta has said they will air at least three games per week, time permitting in their schedule, and subscription support being sufficient. The other five matches will be aired on a delayed basis as scheduling permits. The remaining games will be added to the schedule on a gradual basis when scheduling allows. Given the cost of getting the feed for a match (even delayed) and editing it for repeats, additional matches beyond 3 won't be aired until schedule time permits at least two airings of each match. Setanta is committed to air all the matches live by the end of their contract with the AFL in 2011.

There are too many commercials on Setanta and all they do is promote their own programs. They should show interviews and other halftime coverage, too.

Setanta is a pay per view channel and as such does not have the same need to sell advertising so naturally they promote their own programming. When they air these "commercials" it is in a break in the live programming by the originating network. They don't add any time or shorten any breaks in live programming, they just fill the gaps. You get the live programs just as they are aired by the originating broadcaster in Australia and with their commentators (good or bad!). As of 2007, Setanta has reached agreement with the host networks and the AFL to air most of the pre-game, half time, and post-game comments when their scheduling allows sufficient time to do so. You will not see the Australian commercials due to copyright issues (as well as the fact they advertise products you can't buy in many cases).

Why can't we get the Fox Footy Channel in the US (or Canada)?

Foxtel closed the Fox Footy Channel at the end of the 2006 season and any future AFL coverage on Fox cable in Australia will be on the new Fox Sports 3 channel. Since there is significant overlap between the Fox Sports 1, 2, and 3 channels with what they air in the US and on their Canadian affiliates it is highly unlikely that Fox Sports 3 will ever air in the US or Canada.

When will Canada get live coverage?(Now!)

Without much notice, Setanta Canada went on the air on 9 August 2007. Canadian footy fans can now get live coverage on a very similar schedule as US fans. Setanta does have live rights for Canada in 2007-11. Costs in Canada are similar to the US: CAN$14.99. The channel is available on many cable and satellite systems including Bell ExpressVu ch. 420, Shaw Direct (formerly Star Choice), Shaw, Rogers, EastLink, Cogeco, and SaskTel. See our TV schedule page for more details.

Why is there no coverage on (my) cable systems?

Contrary to what you may think, there is limited coverage on cable but only on those systems which carry MHz Worldview and now some Cox, Comcast, RCN, Verizon FiOS, and AT&T U-verse cable systems. Both Setanta Sports and MHz Worldview are newer channels and as such, have limited but growing distribution. The management of both channels have assured AFANA that they are working to improve this situation. We went through similar adjustments with Prime Sports in 1988, ESPN2 in 1996, and Fox Sports World in 1998 (and even with then new ESPN on the new fangled thing called cable in 1980). AFANA understands though, that if you don't get it this year, that is all that matters at this moment. See the next question.

When will Setanta or MHz Networks be on Comcast (or Time Warner, etc.)?
I don't get satellite OR can't have it OR don't want it.

Setanta and MHz Networks management have assured us they are working hard to get on cable. However, a subscription sports channel is still a foreign concept to many of these companies so it may take some time for Setanta. Even though cable has had single pay channels for years in the form of HBO, etc. the concept is perceived as "a-la-carte" programming and they are skittish about it. The Setanta business model means they have to negotiate not only carriage on the cable system but revenue sharing with the cable company which is more complex. The good news is that if it works on DirecTV, DISH Network (as of Aug. 1st, 2007); Cox Communications (as of Oct. 8, 2008 in limited areas of the country initially), the others will follow sooner rather than later. (In November, 2008, some "all digital" Comcast and RCN Cable systems added Setanta Sports, AT&T U-verse did likewise in December, 2008, and most recently Verizon FiOS. Home2US satellite has also added Setanta). See our TV Info page for more on all the sources of coverage. If you subscribe to Cox, Comcast, RCN, Verizon, or AT&T U-verse call your local cable system office and ask if you can subscribe to Setanta Sports. If they don't know, ask them to find out or to add service in your area.

For MHz Networks it is simply that they are new and their programming is different so it takes time to introduce it to local stations and cable companies and gain distribution. As the digital conversion moves forward, they are adding many new outlets. As of February 2010, MHz is on local TV or cable in these cities with the same schedule as we list for MHz Worldview: on WNVC (digital ch. 30.1), Comcast, Cox and RCN cable, as well as Verizon FiOS in Washington, DC; and on MPS on Time Warner ch. 76 in Minneapolis, MN and Comcast Ch. 20 / St. Paul Neighborhood Network in St. Paul, MN; WEIU (digital ch. 50-2) in Charleston, IL; KCSM (digital ch. 43.2) in San Francisco, CA; KBTC in Seattle / Tacoma, WA (digital ch. 28.4) or Centralia, WA (digital ch. 15.4); WYCC-TV (digital ch. 20.3) in Chicago, IL; WHTJ-TV (digital ch. 41.3) in Charlottesville, VA; KUEN-TV (digital ch. 9.2) in Salt Lake City, UT; KBDI-TV (digital ch. 12.3) in Denver, CO; WDCQ-TV (digital ch. 19.1 or Charter Cable ch. 433) in Flint, MI; WCVE-TV (digital ch. 23.3 and Comcast ch. 202) in Richmond, VA; Student Cable ch. 182 at Stanford Univ, CA; WCEU-TV (digital ch. 15.3 and Brighthouse Cable ch. 1153) in Orlando, Daytona Beach, and Melbourne, FL; KLVX-TV (digital ch. 10.1) and Cox Cable (ch. 114) in Las Vegas, NV; KMOS-TV (digital ch. 6.3) in Warrensburg, MO; KSMQ-TV (digital ch. 15.2) in Austin / Rochester, MN; WLAE-TV (digital ch. 32.2) in New Orleans, LA; KTWU-TV (digital ch. 11.2) and Cox Cable (ch. 671) in Topeka, KS; WYBE-TV (digital ch. 34.3 and 35.3) in Philadelphia, PA; WNEO-TV (digital ch. 45.3) and Time Warner (ch. 367) in Youngstown, OH; WEAO-TV (digital ch. 49.3) and Time Warner (ch. 367) in Akron, Canton, and Cleveland, OH and Time Warner (ch.85) in Massillon, OH; WGPT-TV (digital ch. 24.2) in Moline and Quad Cities, IL; KVCR-TV (digital ch. 26) in Los Angeles, CA; in Miami, FL on Adelphia, Atlantic, Bellsouth, Comcast, and Strategic Tech cable; and DirecTV (international package only, ch. 2183 and requires special dish); all with the same schedule as MHz Worldview. More schedule info on these outlets will be added as it becomes available. Please check http://www.mhznetworks.org/mhzworldview/carriage/ for the latest in affiliate updates.

How does ITVN work? How can I get it? Does it work in Canada, too? (ITVN and Setanta Broadband No Longer Available but NexTV and GekTV are available)

(As of mid-February 2008 it appears that ITVN has ceased operations and is no longer an option for footy fans. Sorry. Setanta Broadband is no longer carrying the AFL either due to rights issues. Setanta is now available via NexTV, GekTV, and ConnecTV all at similar terms using similar technology to ITVN -- see the TV Info page for more details.This item will be updated shortly.) ITVN delivers it's television signals over broadband (DSL, cable, etc.) Internet: (Internet TV Network). When you subscribe, ITVN ships you a box to connect to your broadband router and to your television and a remote control. The router and box are connected by an ethernet cable just the way a PC would be. Then you use either a standard audio and video cable or an S-video cable to connect the box and TV. Once everything is connected and configured (sometimes manual configuration of your router is required but their US based telephone tech support is generally good.) you can choose to subscribe only to Setanta Sports or add some of their other services such as other TV channels, radio stations (US, Canadian, and international including Australia). The cost for football via ITVN is identical to that on DirecTV, about $14.99 per month and the first month is currently free. (The radio package is about $9.99 per month). You do not connect this box to your computer, it is for television to your TV set from the internet. (Although if your computer video card has a TV input that would probably work.)

To get it use our links to ITVN. The service is available to Canadian fans, too, but be sure to check on customs issues with the shipping of the box.

Reports on the quality of the signal have generally been positive but quality is dependent on the speed of your broadband connection and the load on their servers. Quality matched what we expect on cable but wasn't quite up to DirecTV. The speed is adjustable. ITVN may affect the speed at which other users in your household can use other internet services including the web however in one home with 3 PCs including 2 in active use, we did not notice much effect at all unless someone tried to make another streaming connection or download a large file. Some users have noted that the box may not respond to the remote instantly but instead has a slight lag. You can turn off or disconnect the system when not in use. Since this is a "cutting edge" technology, it works well for most fans but not in every situation and on every internet connection. AFANA welcomes other reports of user's experiences with ITVN and we have several user comment threads on the site from subscribers. The quality is dependent not just on their signal but on the speed and quality of the internet service provided by your internet provider. Buying your provider's fastest service will help.

Will the live coverage continue next season (2009)? Do they have a long term contract?

Setanta has a five year contract for the current coverage (through 2011) and Setanta has said if the subscriber growth justifies it, they want to continue. The flip side is that if growth isn't sufficient we may lose the coverage. Like any deal, both parties (AFL and Setanta) will reassess it at the end of each season. If they get sufficient subscription growth it will continue, if not it won't. If there is one thing AFANA has learned since we started in 1995, there is never certainty in the coverage of any sport. Reports suggest that Setanta paid about US$8 million for the rights for 5 years in North America, Ireland, the UK, and territories. That would be a record amount for the AFL for foreign coverage.

Setanta is too expensive for what you get.

AFANA understands that fans don't want to pay for footy. We have been doing it though from the very first day footy appeared on ESPN in 1980. However, Setanta is a bargain relative to the standalone cost of live coverage. Roughly speaking, to cover over 75 games a season (22 weeks including an extra week in the split round plus 4 weeks of finals, the NAB Cup, and the 150th Year match) and feed about 225 hours of live video from Australia to the USA, redistribute it via satellite, cover the ground staff costs, etc. simply can't be done for much less than $20 a minute. And probably more.

Figure that you will pay a 100% markup to the pay per view distributor for their profit and operating costs in collecting the pay per view fees and the fees for each cable or satellite company that participates. Now take all that, add a small profit margin and divide by the number of footy fans that will subscribe in the US. AFANA guarantees that it is vastly more than the $105 (~$15 x 7 mos) per season it is costing you to subscribe to Setanta.

AFANA worked on several live packages over the years, even tried to market several. There never was any way we or any reputable TV company could have been doing this as cheap as Setanta is doing it now. So, while three matches per week may seem too little at $3.75 per week, it isn't. Ask Premier League fans how much they pay per week and you'll see what we mean. We benefit from the fact that Setanta can spread the fixed costs over all their live programming in multiple countries thereby reducing the cost of the product to footy fans.

Does Setanta Broadband carry AFL matches? (Discontinued)

Update 3-28-08: Setanta Broadband now carries AFL coverage Update: As of early July, 2008 coverage on Setanta Broadband ceased due to rights issues. Effective with Round 1, 2008, Setanta Broadband now carries the same live, delayed, and repeated matches as shown on Setanta USA (refer to the Setanta US schedule on our TV pages for that information). Subscriptions cost US$14.99 per month or $149.99 annually and may be purchased by following the highlighted link. Setanta Broadband can be viewed via computer or fed via a media center to your television. Available download speeds are 300 kbps or 600 kbps.

The match selection is awful. Why are we seeing {fill in the teams} all the time?

Since the live coverage on Setanta is new they are still finding their way with match selection. To a large degree though the choice is dictated by which matches fit their available time slots. AFANA will continue to share with both the AFL and Setanta our feedback on match choices all season. Our 2006 fan survey reaffirmed that every AFL club has a substantial following in North America. Other scheduling considerations include: ladder position at that point in the season and which clubs were on the previous one to three weeks. Even if Geelong is top of the ladder, we don't want them aired *every* week and Melbourne, at the bottom, never on. This isn't fair to anyone. Another consideration is the traditional rivalries and "blockbusters" which many fans wish to see. AFANA continuously monitors the clubs chosen, the source networks used, and the time slots selected and that information is fed back to the AFL.

For the Highlights and Match of the Week, match selection has traditionally been done by AFL Films on the Sunday (US time) prior to the next round or about 13 days before we see it. Effective with 2007, AFANA and the fans began choosing which matches MHz Networks airs on the Match of the Week chosen from the three that Setanta aired live or on delay. For the AFL Films produced Highlights, beginning with 2007, no longer features a particular match but instead cover all 8 matches in more depth and have more news of the league and the clubs than in the past.

Remember though, you may not want to see a particular club again, but we can assure you there are fans that do. Even those on the bottom of the ladder.

The matches should be on at better times.

There is no question that the better the time slot, the more people watch. Unfortunately, prime time coverage of footy will always be hard. With live matches, the AFL will cater to the home audience and that means more night matches which are on during the middle of the night US time. With taped coverage, MHz Networks schedules their matches and repeats in prime time and during the day. A peek at this year's schedule should convince you they are doing a good job of this now. MHz Networks will be airing the Match of the Week during prime time in 2008. AFANA is working with Setanta to see that the repeats are on at more reasonable times.

The announcers should be American so Americans can understand the game better.

We agree but it seems it will be a long time coming. First we have to show the coverage is self supporting and then we may be able to convince the AFL and the networks that having an American doing commentary would benefit selling the game to fans here.

I'd use the afl.com.au service but the quality is low. BitTorrents is better.

AFANA has continuously raised the quality issues with the AFL and will continue to do so. We can't endorse illegal sharing of match video by BitTorrents but we understand why frustrated fans are doing it. The best thing you can do to help us get improvements is to also tell the AFL and Telstra BigPond that the quality needs to improve if they want you as a subscriber. AFANA has made the AFL aware, and will do so again, that the changes to the service in 2006 and 2007 have made it unreliable for non-Windows XP and non-Windows Media Player users. Audio listeners with non Windows based computers should search our site for references to VLC and read the comments with those threads for help. Fans should also consider NexTV or GekTV.

Why does the AFL charge for access to the online video? It should be free.

Unfortunately, since the AFL has contracted out the operation of it's web site to Telstra and Telstra paid three cows, two chickens, and many millions of dollars for the rights, the money has to be made back somehow. Further, Telstra has guaranteed the AFL and all the clubs (except Essendon which opted out) so much per year in revenue (reportedly about A$500,000 per club per season) so that means advertising and subscriptions. Thus the charge for overseas fans. There is the legitimate need to pay for the server cost which is substantial, particularly to feed the video. AFANA does appreciate this is a problem for some fans. We'd also note that the if they made it free, then foreign TV networks such as Setanta might want it for free, too.

For now there is an alternative, you can get Setanta's coverage via GekTV, NexTV, or ConnecTV at $14.99 per month. Follow the links on our TV info page. There is one other option: if you live in the area of an America One affilaite, their coverage is mostly over the air and therefore free.

If the AFL (or AFANA) was doing it's job we wouldn't have lost coverage on Fox Soccer Channel!

It wouldn't have mattered what the AFL or AFANA did, Fox wanted FSC to be all soccer so all other sports were going to go. They said so publicly before they changed the channel name (back in February of 2005) and we reported that in our TV and Media newsletter as early as the summer of 2004. Whether changing to all soccer was a good business decision doesn't matter. Even if it was wrong, it is unlikely FSC will revert to the old format or take footy back. Their management isn't fond of Aussie Rules and has made it clear to AFANA and the AFL they didn't want it any longer. The loss of footy on FSC was not a decision made by Rupert Murdoch to slight AFL fans, it was a decision of his management at FSC that top management at News Corp decided not to override.

The AFL doesn't care about fans in North America or they would fix things. They should be on TV nationally.

While there are still folks at the AFL who think any money spent on promoting footy outside Australia is wasted, there are fewer and fewer of them. AFANA was founded in 1996, in part, due to the realization that North American footy fans cannot rely solely on the AFL to make things happen here. Fans have an obligation, too, to let networks and the AFL know we want our footy. We are one of your ways to do that and that's why we ask for your support.

The AFL would prefer to be more widely distributed on US TV but the reality is that this isn't Australia and to most network programmers here they are a niche sport from a country far away. They aren't on satellite because they (the AFL) don't care about us, but because the bigger TV networks here aren't interested (and yes they have been asked). Things won't get better until we build the fan base to several times what it is now -- and that's what AFANA is trying to do.

Both Setanta and MHz Worldview are national just not in very many homes. But then when footy went on ESPN2 in 1996 it was in 2% of American homes. When footy then went to FOX Sports World in 1998 it was in 1% of American homes. And AFANA heard pretty much the same complaints then as we hear now about Setanta and MHz. So we have to be patient and see if things improve or not and what choices are out there for future seasons.

If AFANA feels the AFL has a better chance somewhere else, you can trust we'll lobby hard to get them to do just that. We also work directly with the AFL to make sure no stone is left unturned so if tomorrow we felt some channel with better distribution was a real chance, we'd bring it to the attention of the AFL right away. Our recent efforts to find a temporary home in Canada for footy in 2007 (when Setanta Canada's launch was delayed), should be evidence of this.

We need footy to get back on Fox (or ESPN). And what about OLN or Spike? or IN DEMAND pay per view? or Comcast On Demand?

Unfortunately, none of those channels is interested in the sport at the moment. All of them were approached in 2005-2006 and all declined. AFANA works closely with the AFL to make sure no stone is left unturned. And we'll do it again next time it is necessary. For each of the past several seasons we have provided the AFL with lists of all of the potential channels that might carry footy. All were contacted and in 2006, only Setanta and MHz were interested.

Much as older fans want a return to the early days of ESPN and the coverage of those years, it isn't going to happen anytime soon. In Demand (or Comcast On Demand or Time Warner On Demand) are always a possibility but at this point we think it unlikely Setanta will on-sell the live matches to anyone else. If they did, the single game price would probably be almost as much as a full month of Setanta since In Demand or the cable company would take half of the revenue. (Note: As of November, 2008 some Comcast systems now carry Setanta Sports).

Why can't Fox Soccer Channel show footy? Fox Sports World Canada did in 2006!

(Note: FSWC chose not to continue coverage in 2007 and the rights to Canadian coverage are now held by Setanta.) Fox Soccer Channel (FSC) (formerly Fox Sports World) is owned by Fox Sports, a subsidiary of News Corp. Fox Sports World Canada (FSWC) is owned by Global TV, a subsidiary of CanWest MediaWorks. Global licenses the Fox Sports World name and content from FSC but makes their own programming decisions and follows Canadian content guidelines and regulations. Even though FSC dropped footy, the Global management likes the sport and decided to continue airing the sport and get the programs via another source rather than from FSC. So while it may seem that they are simply two sides of the same coin, they are in fact different channels controlled and programmed by different people in different countries. Further, the AFL licenses the programming by country so the AFL itself could choose not to license one or the other. In this case, FSC chose to drop the sport after the 2005 season, but FSWC chose to continue thru 2006.

The AFL should pay their way onto a major US network.

The suggestion for the AFL to pay their way on ("time-buy" in TV parlance) might work and has been thought of except that the cost would be so prohibitive the AFL would have to abandon promoting footy anywhere else in the world, and they aren't going to do that. Now if they had a sponsor to pay for it, that would solve the problem, but again they don't. So time buys are out, too, for now -- unless you happen to know a wealthy sponsor (please tell us!). Given what the AFL can now get in rights fees for North America and the UK (US$1.6 million per season), it would be foolish for them to go this route.

If ESPN Asia-Pacific win the pay-tv (cable/satellite) rights in Australia does that mean they will begin airing in the US again?

No. While it might make it somewhat more likely, the rights for each region and country are negotiated separately and just because ESPN Asia-Pacific wants footy in Australia (who doesn't??) it doesn't mean the managers of ESPN in Bristol, CT want it for the USA. In fact, they don't. So, while it makes it easier and more likely, it doesn't make it very much more likely at all. (Note: Foxtel and Austar kept the Australian rights for 2007-2011 so this question is now moot.)

Why isn't Setanta part of the sports channel packages?

Setanta has chosen as it's business model a subscription service. It's dollars and sense. If a channel is part of the "Sports Pack" then the revenue is only five to twenty five cents per subscriber per month. If however, they are subscription they get half of the monthly take or about US$7.50 per subscriber. It's easy to see that it takes a lot fewer subscribers to be viable at seven dollars than at seven cents.

If only the AFL didn't want so much money they could get on ESPN, right?

Nope. The issue isn't just money. The AFL historically lost money on the international TV coverage and only recently have the rights fees become significant. The problem is that networks such as ESPN want to either show a) the core American sports such as American football, baseball, ice hockey, and basketball or b) show something they own and keep 100% of the revenue for. Programs such as BASS fishing or internally produced programs, for example. The card game (e.g. p*ker) programs as one example, are money generators so they get air time even though some people don't consider it to be a sport. The AFL would need significant sponsorship to get on ESPN which it does not have -- even if ESPN was interested and they aren't. Yes, they have been asked every year for several years through to 2006 and consistently have said no.

Why do I have to pay for footy? It should be free.

We get this a lot, particularly from Australian ex-pats. Unfortunately, sport television here is different than down under. We've been paying for footy coverage in the US ever since it first appeared on US television in 1980 on ESPN. (And yes, you pay a hefty chunk of your basic cable or satellite fee for ESPN.). What has changed is that we now pay explicitly for Setanta. It was AFANA's assessment, which we published (and later shared with both fans and the AFL as far back as 2001) that sooner or later we would end up with footy as pay per view. There never was any chance we would get live coverage any other way. The costs of feeding the signal over to North America and then distributing it make it impossible to avoid charging for it unless you happen to know some generous sponsors. If you do, let us know, too.

Why can't we get The Footy Show?

We could get The Footy Show if a network here thought it would have a sufficient audience to justify the cost of licensing it. Remember, unlike the AFL highlight programs, it is a commercial program and it's not going to be given away for free. There is also the likely concern about the humor in the program being understood by North American audiences. Since over 70% of the viewers of the AFL programs are now American or Canadian born, any potential network would look at that. AFANA has always had this and other football programs on the table as possible future items for our "wish list" but with so many years of fighting just to keep any coverage at all, it hasn't made sense to push for this just yet. We may sometime in the next few seasons.

The quality of footy on MHz Worldview / MHz Networks via Globecast satellite or my local cable is terrible.

When MHz Worldview / MHz Networks first began distribution on a national basis the service was at too low a bit rate or too compressed so that matches sufferred from substantial digital pixellation and digital artifacts. AFANA brought this to the attention of MHz management on several occasions. Subsequently, the bit rate was increased early in 2007 on the MHz Worldview channel. If you still experience this problem, please let AFANA know and we will pass that on to MHz Networks.

Is Setanta Sports shown in any bars or pubs?

Yes, it is, though most of the bars and pubs may not know the channel carries Australian football. They may also be confused by the difference between Setanta Sports (via DirecTV) and the Setanta pay per view choices. If the bar gets Setanta Sports via DirecTV or DISH Network then they get the Aussie rules coverage and don't have to pay anything more. Remember, you don't have to sell the pub on Australian football, you just need them to put Setanta up on a TV at the right times. Setanta has a Venue Finder online you can check for a local establishments where you can watch footy. AFANA will have a package of downloadable materials available soon to assist you in dealing with local pubs and getting them on-board.

Will HD (High Definition) telecasts of the AFL be available soon? For the Grand Final?

We do not expect HD coverage of the AFL to be available this year, including of the Grand Final. Once the HD transition is further along in the US and begins to take further hold in Australia, we imagine that HD coverage of the AFL will happen in due course. Setanta may well launch an HD feed in the next year or two. Many of the matches are recorded in high resolution digital now so it is feasible. One obstacle to live HD is the increased transmission cost of the signal in HD. Given how expensive live coverage is, it's not financially feasible for 2008 but perhaps is more likely for 2009 or 2010.

Will there be another exhibition in North America after the 2008 season?

The AFL discussed a possible exhibition for January, 2008, in Los Angeles but the logistics and financing weren't there. There was some discussion of an exhibition in 2009, possibly in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida but nothing was announced. After the Los Angeles match in 2006, we were told that it might be 2 to 4 years before another match is held in North America. We can't confirm that an exhibition will be played in the US in 2009 or 2010 and the AFL hasn't made any official announcement.

Why was information so sparse from AFANA regarding the lead up to the exhibition?

AFANA did not receive full cooperation from the organizers either before or during the 2006 exhibition and despite repeated requests, information was hard to come by. Hopefully, the organizers will be better listeners next time around and be more cooperative with media outlets including AFANA.

AFANA was too critical of the exhibition. You wanted it to be something it wasn't.

What we were critical of was the poor organization, terrible cooperation with the media, and that the organizers ignored our warnings of potential problems, some of which we published 2 or more years earlier. We were not alone in our assessment, but only we published the criticism. Other web sites and some major Australian media wouldn't publish what they really thought for fear of offending the AFL. You count on AFANA for being straight with you and we were. We would also point out that we felt that some of the rumored fees paid to UCLA for hosting the event were enough to fund footy in North America for several seasons. If that much was to be spent, more should have been expected and achieved. We don't believe holding an exhibition just to placate a few Los Angeles based Aussie ex-pats is, by itself, enough to justify the costs involved. The future of footy in North America deserves more than that. If $1 million is to be spent, then we should see real, tangible benefits to the sport here not just expensive entertainment for a few.

You have no clout with the AFL. You didn't {fill in the blank} like I expected you to.

We only have as much clout as our members and supporters give us. To get the AFL or anyone else to pay attention to fans requires that you support what we do, including financially. Even then, if the AFL or media companies do not see any value in working with us or the fans agenda doesn't match their own, they may choose to ignore us. The good news is that the AFL does listen to us, but that doesn't mean they always do what we want them to. It's getting better slowly. Today, AFANA has a better working relationship with the AFL than at anytime in our history.

AFANA Wiki's

admincms — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 10:23:52 -0500

AFANA Wiki's

Footy FAQ - Information on the rules, how the game is played, and where, when, and who plays it. Learn all about "footy" aka "Aussie rules" football.

From The Past: Origins Of The Laws of Australian Football

admincms — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 08:39:37 -0500

FROM THE PAST

By Keith Campbell, special to AFANA.com

This will be the first in an occasional series of brief articles covering the origins of the rules and later the laws of our great game of Australian rules football. Before we get into the rules and laws it is timely to remind all of the fans of our sport about one person often overlooked in discussions about our own favorite football code. That Footballer and Cricketer person is of course:

Thomas Wentworth Wills (1835 to 1880.)

Tom had a big influence on the creation of the sport. He was the driving force in the critical formative years from 1857 to 1860. Despite all of the Rugby influences in Melbourne at the time Wills said "No, we will have a game of our own." The Australian Football League does acknowledge his place in the game in their Hall of Fame inaugurated in 1996.

First up there is a copy below of the first known rule set of our game, which apparently disappeared and was not actually re-discovered until 1980 in the MCG archives. They laid down the basics of our game today, and are kept under glass at the MCG Museum. Perhaps in the future a framed copy of this set of May 17 1859 will hang in the club rooms of every Australian rules football club worldwide. These rules are a very important part of the games heritage.

These ten rules were originally known as "The laws of the Melbourne Football Club- As played in Richmond Paddock, 1859." #

1. - The distance between the Goals and the Goal Posts shall be decided upon by the Captains of the sides playing.

2. - The Captains on each side shall toss for choice of goal, the side losing the toss has the kick off from the centre point between the goals.

3. - A goal must be kicked fairly between the posts, without touching either of them, or a portion of the person of any player on either side.

4. - The game shall be played within a space of not more than 200 yards wide, the same to be measured equally on each side of a line drawn through the centres of the two goals, and two posts to be called the "kick off posts" shall be erected at a distance of 20 yards on each side of the Goal posts at both ends, and in a straight line with them.

5. - In case the ball is kicked "behind" Goal, any one of the side behind whose Goal it is kicked may bring it 20 yards in front of any portion of the space" between" the" kick off posts", and shall kick it as nearly as possible in line with the opposite Goal.

6. - Any player catching the ball "directly" from the foot may call "MARK" .He then has a free kick no player from the opposite side being allowed to come "inside" the spot marked.

7. - Tripping and pushing are both allowed -but no hacking-when any player is in rapid motion or in possession of the ball, except in the case provided for in Rule No 6.

8. - The ball may be taken in hand "only" when caught from the foot, or on the hop (bounce). In "no case" shall it be "lifted" from the ground.

9. - When a ball goes out of bounds (The same being indicated by a row of posts) it shall be brought back to the point where it crossed the boundary line, and thrown in at right angles with that line.

10. - The ball, while in play, may under "no circumstances be THROWN".

#The revisions for these rules commenced immediately after the first scratch match in May 1859, but that topic is for another time.

Ed note: Additional installments in this series will be published periodically.

Footy FAQ: Miscellaneous / Trivia

admincms — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 22:07:50 -0500

8. Miscellaneous/Trivia

Miscellaneous/Trivia
- Football Periodicals and Publications
  1. Football Record
  2. Inside Football
- Videos of Australian Rules Football
  1. Australian Football Video
  2. Football Record Video
- Fantasy Australian Rules Football
  1. Play-On Premiers
- What is the ___________ Conspiracy Theory?
- What are the Docklands, and why are they driving everyone mad?
- Football Traditions
  1. Going onto the ground after the game
  2. The Aussie Meat Pie

This section contains information that does not easily fit into any of the other sections of the FAQ. Proposals for further additions are welcome.

Prices here and elsewhere in this FAQ are quoted in Australian dollars, which are worth roughly $0.70 - $0.75 US.)

Football Periodicals and Publications

Football Record

140 Harbour Esplande
Docklands, Vic. 3008
Australia

Official Publication of the AFL. Issued weekly during the season in TV Guide format. $3.50 ea.
Each week, there are 8 editions published, one for each match of the round. The only difference between the 8 editions are the team inserts and team information for the two teams each edition is covering.

Inside Football

International Publishing Group (IPG)
GPO Box 107
Sydney,NSW 2001
Australia
(2) 9327-1266

Major football newspaper. 36 issues/year (weekly during the season, with off-season specials) in tabloid newspaper format. $4.95 ea.

For subscriptions: address above

Videos of Australian Rules Football

These sources of Australian Rules Football Videos are known. They provide VHS tapes in the PAL-B or NTSC format.

Australian Football Video

Australian Football Video Pty. Ltd.
PO Box 456
South Yarra, Vic. 3141
Australia
1-800-035-665 (within Australia)
AFANA Video Sales

AFANA has teamed with Australian Football Video Pty. Ltd. to make any Australian football video you can think of available in the U. S. and Canada. They'll play in your DVD player, too. Follow the above link to see what is available and place an order.

Fantasy Australian Rules Football

Two companies offer Fantasy Australian Rules Football Games as commercial services that are played weekly by mail. Details of one company is provided, contact information for the other one would be appreciated. Fantasy Leagues are also run on the net.

Play-On Premiers

Play-by-Mail Sports
PO Box 14219
Melbourne Mail Centre
Victoria 3000
Australia
Phone: (03) 9326 9711

PO Box 427
Greymouth
New Zealand
Phone: (03) 768 9379

Players act as coaches of a team, signing players to their club. Each league consists of 12 teams competing against each other in weekly games. Results are based on the real life scores and statistics of AFL players from that weeks games.

Free start-up packs including rules and sample turns are available.

What is the ___________ Conspiracy Theory?

Fill in the blank with your favorite struggling suburban-Melbourne-based AFL club. There is a view that has formed amongst football commentators and followers that Melbourne has too many AFL teams (nine currently; ten if you count in Geelong, as many do). They point to the financial difficulties and low levels of support for several Melbourne-based clubs as the basis for their view. The problem with having too many teams in one city, it is stated, is threefold:

a) AFL revenue is directed through the equalization fund to 'prop up' teams that are essentially net losers of revenue to the competition.

b) Expenditure on debt reduction, promotion and junior development of the game is therefore reduced.

c) Player payments are restricted in growth to that manageable by the financially weaker clubs. This contradicts the current move to greater professionalism and players receiving an equitable share of revenue growth.

The AFL to an extent subscribes to these views, with its preferred option being a merger of Melbourne-based clubs.

Opponents of this view state that tradition is the basis of support for clubs, and therefore tradition should be the basis of participation, rather than on economic viability. Original members of the VFL should therefore receive preferential treatment over that of recent expansion teams. Currently, preferential treatment is given to Sydney and Brisbane due to their ability to increase revenue through increased TV rights, and to promote footy in traditional Rugby League states.

The conspiracy theories generally state that (insert name of suburban Melbourne football club here) believe that because of their struggling status, the AFL is trying to make the team fold. The main catalyst of this debate in recent times was Fitzroy. The announcement of Port Adelaide's AFL license, dependent upon a reduction in teams, further increased such speculation.

Prior to Fitzroy, the main subjects of debate as to continued participation were Footscray (who actually announced a merger with Fitzroy in 1989) and Richmond. Both were saved through public fund drives; this has not been uncommon in VFL history.

Fitzroy was saved for a few years by investment cash from a business consortium led by the Bank of Nauru. When that money ran out early in 1996, the club finally accepted an offer of merger from the North Melbourne club. But when the Nauru party lost patience and sent in an outside administrator to run the operation (according to Aussie bankruptcy law), the League vetoed the merger and obliged what remained of the club to merge with the Brisbane Bears. Ironically, Fitzroy refused a VFL offer of relocation to Brisbane in 1987, which prompted the founding of the Bears.

An attempt to merge the Melbourne and Hawthorn clubs into a "Melbourne Dawks" organization was rejected in an emotional special meeting (and near riot) of the Hawthorn members after the 1996 season. Shortly thereafter, the Demons received a large cash infusion from mining magnate and Lubavitcher Hasidic Rabbi Joseph Gutnick, and named him club president. Subsequent intense efforts on the part of Hawthorn management have given the club some of the best membership numbers in Victoria, and an improved team on the field (at least in 1997).

What are the Docklands, and why are they driving everyone mad?

Colonial Stadium (now known as Telstra Dome) is an ultramodern 52,000 seat retractable-roof stadium which was completed in 2000. It is located in an area which once contained railyards between Spencer Street Station and the docks on the edge of downtown Melbourne. The new stadium was justified as an Olympic venue for preliminary soccer matches during Sydney 2000. The AFL immediately saw benefit in making the smaller, cushier stadium its second home in Victoria. There will be seats for everyone (still unusual in Australia), some with computer terminals allowing wagering and food purchases without leaving them; the lowest levels are movable to accommodate most any outdoor sport. There are luxury suites in numbers previously seen only in America. Channel Seven was one of the primary investors in the ground and the AFL is now headquartered there.

The league raised $30 million by selling its television rights long-term to Seven Network (?), and by offering up Waverley Park and its surrounds for sale, and plans to use it to take over Docklands 25 years after the Olympiad for roughly ten cents on the dollar. Essendon, St. Kilda and the Western Bulldogs have volunteered to move in, and Hawthorn will be forced into the MCG. (The site happens to be near the end of a main artery to the western suburbs known as Footscray Road.)

What's so bad about a gorgeous new ballpark? Lots of people have already found something to hate about this:

Football has always been considered "the game of the people", from the time people showed up in incredible numbers to watch club matches in the 19th century. Most people are thus disturbed by the notion of an American-style stadium so blatantly designed to attract corporate executives and others not necessarily tied to a club ("theatre-goers", "the Chardonnay set") and take their money. More are disturbed by the prospect of paying twice over (or more?) for entry to the park plus use of one of those seats - if they can get one; the Dome's small size means only 5,000 seats available on game day, so supporters will almost have to buy club memberships to enter, or purchase tickets for reserved seating in advance. The AFC insists that the extra money all this will pry loose is needed to guarantee the future of the game.

And the Dome has been surrounded by controversy from Day 1. First up was n industrial strike which delayed the complettion of the ground. Then the AFL insisted on opening up the park for business against advice that it was not fully ready. A number of planned ticketing booths were scrapped from the origninal plans and for weeks, massively long lines to admit those with tickets and for those wishing to purchase tickets frustrated fans and management and brought the ground under heavy criticism.

And the playing surface, 6 years on, is still under fire. Part of the problem has been the roof which often remains closed when there is no game, depriving the grass of much needed sunlight. And even with the roof open, there is one section which is blocked from sunlight by psrt of the roof. The stadum management has worked diliigently to correct these problems, but many players still complain about slippery conditions at the ground as well as the hardness of the surface.

The Dome's management has addressed some of the surface problems by installing special turf and routinely replacing sections of that turf. However, the hardness of the ground is another issue. Part of the problem is the fact that the playing surface sits directly above an underground parking lot with its concrete roof several feet below the playing surface.

Waverley Parkwas abandoned by this plan. Ironically, Waverley was originally VFL Park, built in the late 1960s as a new home for the state league, expandable to 120,000 seats with a full second deck in place, containing a large, engineered playing surface, with its own commuter rail line, and no more worries about cricketers! The transit line never happened, though, so the best access was by freeway, which troubles people in a city which relies on public transit, and anyone who dislikes parking in mud. Most of the second deck never happened. The local climate inspired the nickname "Arctic Park." And the MCG's improvements made it instantly second-rate. On the other hand, your $13.50 entry fee got you a free bench seat, it was more than good enough for watching football (just don't get too close to the crowned field, or you won't see the other wing), and St. Kilda and Hawthorn were good geographic matches for it. In fact, so many people have moved east that Waverley is now in the geographic center of metro Melbourne.

Hawthorn didn't want to leave Waverley. Period. Club president Ian Dicker and his board were happy with it, and believed that moving the club away would shut out their traditional working-class supporters. (For a fair number of Australians, the membership ticket is the only luxury they can afford themselves.) The AFL made clear that Waverley was history, though, and made the MCG very attractive for Hawthorn.

The people who run the MCG want a bigger piece of the action already. But this plan would have to take games from it to move them to Telstra Dome, unless they promised big enough crowds to justify moving them back. And the MCG have that deal with the AFL for 40 years' worth of games, until 2030. Up until 2005, Carlton Football Club refused to negotiate on a deal it did with the league to host 16 games at Optus Oval each year through most of the next decade, so that Carlton could pay off their new Legends Stand. However, in 2005, the Calrton board decided it was in the best financial interests of the club to abondon Optus Oval (now MC Labour Park) in favor of splitting games between the Dome and the MCG. This was due to the fact that their home ground had a capacity of less than 30,000 and no lights for night games.

Football Traditions

Going onto the ground after the game

In the tradition of suburban support for AFL clubs, it is customary for many spectators to go onto the ground (after a prearranged signal from ground officials) at the conclusion of a game and have a kick of the football with friends, etc.

Maybe this appeals to our desire to be like our Footy heroes - knowing we've kicked a footy on the same ground these footballers have lifts our own pride or whatever... -- Adam East

Unfortunately for the fans, many grounds have moved to end this practice, most notably Subiaco Oval in suburban Perth. The usual justification given is preservation of the playing surface, which in some cases is already heavily used.

The Aussie Meat Pie

Meat pies are to footy what hot dogs are to baseball. These Aussie finger pies, traditionally with a stewed beef filling in pastry crust, are served with a liberal dash of tomato sauce (pronounce "ketchup"), and usually accompanied by beer. Some food companies (Four 'n' Twenty especially) build their product marketing around this tradition. Four 'n' Twenty has been making pies for over fifty years now, and despite the fact that they make over 400,000 every week, they always seem to run out by three-quarter time.

Footy FAQ: Significant Players in the AFL

admincms — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 22:05:06 -0500

7. Significant Players in the AFL

The high-scoring nature of Aussie Rules means that forwards, and especially full forwards, tend to be the more glamorous positions on a team. Spectacular players who take high/exciting marks, or who kick lots of goals or get a lot of possessions of the ball, are the most widely known players.

However, that doesn't mean there aren't others in any given team who are just as flashy or equally skilled. Pace midfielders with skills to burn are just as exciting to watch as they tear through the opposition lines.

Then are the defenders, most of whom go about their business with a minimum of fuss but are as just as important as the goalkickers. And let's not forget the tall ruckmen who seem to get taller, more skilled and mobile at ground level, and can be pretty handy in front of goal.

Space doesn't allow for an exhaustive list of stars, but players to pay attention to include:

Adelaide
Brett Burton
Andrew McLeod
Mark Ricciuto (retired 2007)
Tyson Edwards
Simon Goodwin
Ian Perrie (retired 2007)
Ben Rutten
Nathan Bock

Brisbane
Simon Black
Michael Rischitelli
Daniel Bradshaw
Nigel Lappin (retired 2008)
Michael Voss (retired 2006)
Jonathan Brown
Luke Power

Carlton
Brendon Fevola
Eddie Betts
Nick Stevens
Anthony Koutoufiides (retired 2007)
Lance Whitnall (retired 2007)
Heath Scotland
Chris Judd (traded by Eagles 2007)

Collingwood
Nathan Buckley (retired 2007)
Paul Medhurst traded froim Fremantle 2006)
Alan Didak
Josh Fraser
Scott Burns (retired (2008)
Dale Thomas
Shane O'Bree
Anthony Rocca
Scott Pendlebury

Essendon
James Hird (retired 2007)
Matthew Llloyd
Jason Johnson (retired 2008)
Brent Stanton
Dustin Fletcher
Scott Lucas
David Hille
Mark McVeigh

Fremantle
Aaron Sandilands
Peter Bell (retired 2008)
Matthew Pavich
Matthew Carr
Jeff Farmer (retired 2008)
Shaun McManus (retired 2008)
Paul Hasleby
Rhys Palmer
Luke McPharlin

Geelong
Tom Harley
Matthew Scarlett
Gary Ablett, Jr
James Kelly
Cameron Ling
Steve Johnson
Brad Ottens

Hawthorn
Shane Crawford
Sam Mitchell
Luke Hodge
Mark Williams
Peter Everitt (retired 2008)
Lance Franklin
Chance Bateman
Trent Croad
Jarryd Roughead
Cyril Rioli

Kangaroos
Glenn Archer (retired 2007)
Brent Harvvey
Shammon Grant (retired 2008)
Adam Simpson
Daniel Wells
Nathan Thompson (retired 2008)
Hamish McIntosh
Drew Petrie

Melbourne
David Neitz (retired 2008)
Russell Robertson
Aaron Davey
Jeff White (retired 2008)
Cameron Bruce
Aaron Davey
Brad Green
James McDonald

Port Power
Brendon Lade
Dean Brogan
Warren Tredrea
Shaun Burgoyne
Dominic Cassisi
Steven Salopek
Chad Cornes
Kane Cornes
Danyle Pearce
Daniel Motlop

Richmond
Matthew Richardson
Jowl Bowden
Brett Deliedio
Kane Johnson
Nathan Brown

St Kilda
Robert Harvey (retired 2008)
Justin Koschitzke
Fraser Gehrig (retired 2008)
Nick Riewoldt
Nick Dal Santo
Lenny Hayes
Stephen King (traded by Geelong 2007)
Sam Fisher
Leigh Montagna
Stephen Milne

Sydney
Adam Goodes
Brett Kirk
Tadgh Kennelly
Michale O'Loughlin
Barry Hall
Leo Barry
Kieren Jack

West Coast
Ben Cousins (deregistered and delisted 2007)
Daniel Kerr
Darren Glass
Dean Cox
David Wirrpunda
Quinten Lynch

Western Bulldogs
Luke Darcy (retired 2007)
Chris Grant (retired 2007)
Scott West (retired 2008)
Jason Akermanis (traded by Brisbane 2007)
Adam Cooney
Daniel Giansiracusa
Lindsey Gilbee
Brad Johnson
Daniel Cross
Nathan Eagleton
Brian Lake

Retirements of note
Tony Lockett, hulking full-forward from Sydney, all-time leading VFL/AFL goalkicker who finished with 1357 career goals.
Garry Lyon, from Melbourne at mid-season.

Ricky Nixon's Club 10

Ricky Nixon is a former VFL player who has become the football manager (read "agent") for many high-profile AFL players. He introduced a concept called Club 10, which featured a new marketing symbol used in product endorsements by the members. This idea had been floated for a while by the AFL, and Club 10 was formed when negotiations between the AFL and Nixon broke down. The AFL is now forming its own list of 25 up-and-coming star players for similar promotions.

The original "members" of Club 10, which no longer exists were:

Gary Ablett Snr (Geelong)
Gavin Brown (Collingwood)
Wayne Carey (North)
Jason Dunstall (Hawthorn)
Glen Jackovich (West Coast)
Tony Lockett (Sydney)
Stewart Loewe (St Kilda)
Garry Lyon (Melbourne)
Gavin Wanganeen (Port Power)
Greg Williams (Carlton)

All of these original Club 10 members are how retired, the last being Gavin Wanganeen, who retired mid-season 2006.

Footy FAQ: Major Awards

admincms — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 21:58:43 -0500

6. Major Awards (updated August, 2006)

Major Awards
- The Brownlow Medal
- The John Coleman Medal
- The Norm Smith Medal
- The Sandover and Magarey Medals
- The Dr. William C. McClelland Trophy
- State Of Origin Football
- The All-Australian Team
- Club Awards
- Norwich Rising Star Award
- Premiership Cup and Medallions
- Ansett Australia Cup
- Teal Cup/Commonwealth Bank Cup
- Australian Football Hall of Fame

The Brownlow Medal

The Charles Brownlow Trophy was instituted in 1924 for the "Fairest and Best" player in the VFL home and away season. The trophy itself is an ornate lacquered medallion, no larger than an American silver dollar coin. It has been awarded every year since except the Second World War years of 1942-1945.

It perpetuates the memory of Charles Brownlow (1862-1924), who served both the Geelong Football Club and the old VFA/VFL for over forty years. A jeweler/watchmaker by trade, he played with Geelong in the VFA prior to the formation of the breakaway VFL (1896). After his retirement as a player, he coached the club and was later appointed secretary of the Geelong Football Club. Many committee meetings were held in his shop after hours. For many years, the old VFL was run not by an independent commission, but rather by club officials appointed to various roles on a VFL committee. Brownlow once served as vice-president of the VFL while still on Geelong's committee and even filled in as president (1917-1919) when one O. M. Williams stepped down from the position. Brownlow fell ill in 1923 and passed away in January, 1924. After his death, the medal named for him was created and the inaugural winner in 1924 was Geelong player Edward "Carji" Greeves (Geelong 1923-33).

The medal is awarded as follows: the field umpires in consultation after each game award six votes; three votes to the best player, two to the second best and one to the third best. These votes are collected and kept by the AFL until the week before the Grand Final. The award ceremony is a huge black-tie dinner affair with players and their wives, girlfriends, partners, etc, dressed to the nines. The whole affair is televised with the votes being counted round by round. The player gaining the most votes from the season is awarded the Brownlow medal. Players who are suspended can during the season can still garner votes, but are ineligible to win the award.
Two examples of this are:
In 1996, Brisbane's Michael Voss, Kangaroo Corey McKernan, and Essendon's James Hird tied for the medal but McKernan was ineligible due to an early season 1 game suspension for tripping.

In 1997, Bulldog Chris Grant polled 1 vote more than St. Kilda's Robert Harvey but was also ineligible due to suspension and Harvey won by default.

Should two or more players have the same number of votes then two or more medals are awarded. This replaced a countback system used in 1931-1981, in which ties were broken by counting numbers of "three" votes among the tied players, then "two" votes, etc.

In 1980, the countback system was scrapped and retrospective medals were awarded to all players who had lost under the old system.

The 1998 Brownlow Medal was won for the second consecutive year by on-baller Robert Harvey of St. Kilda with 32 votes, which ties him for the highest total ever awarded. His winning margin of eight votes over midfielder Nathan Buckley of Collingwood was also one of the highest ever.

The John Coleman Medal

The Coleman Medal was instituted in 1981, and is awarded to the player who kicks the most goals during the Home and Away Season. The Medal honors John Coleman, a spectacular forward player for Essendon (and later a dual premiership coach of the same club), who many feel would have been the game's greatest ever player had a knee injury not prematurely ended his career after just 4 1/2 years. Coleman kicked 537 goals in only 98 games.
In 2004, it was decided to award retrospective medals to the leading goalkickers from 1955 (a year after Coleman's retirement) to 1980.

Tony Lockett (St. Kilda/Sydney) won a record 4 Coleman Medals - 1987, 1991, 1996, 1998. Hawthorn's Jason Dunstall won it 3 times in 1988-89 and 1992, as did Geelong great Gary Ablett 1993-95.

In an ironic twist of fate, because Geelong and Carlton played off in that year's Grand Final, the AFL decided to present the Coleman Medal for the only time after the Grand Final. Ironic because Gary Ablett, the 1995 winner, was held goalless in that Grand Final by Carlton's miserly defense.

The Norm Smith Medal

The Norm Smith Medal is awarded to the player voted best on ground during that season's Grand Final. Norm Smith was a player for Melbourne and Fitzroy, and coached South Melbourne as well as the previous two teams. He coached Melbourne to an incredible 6 Premierships between 1955 and 1964. The Medal was first instituted in 1979.

In 2001, restrospective Norm Smith Medals were awarded to the Grand Final best on ground players for 1965-1978. A panel from the football publication AFL Record was selected to determine the winners. It was decided to go back only as far as 1965 because of a lack of video footage prior to that. In a way, it is somewhat fitting as 1964 was Melbourne's last premiership, and won under the coaching of Norm Smith.

The Sandover and Magarey Medals

The Sandover and Magarey Medals are the equivalent "Fairest and Best" medals from the Westar Rules (WAFL) and SANFL competitions respectively.

The Magarey Medal for 1998 was won by Andrew Osborn of South Adelaide, with 16 votes. Most remarkably, he may be the first player ever to win such a medal without a single best-on-ground vote.
A number of Magarey Medalists also played AFL football: Malcolm Blight (won 1972, played for Kangarooos), Tony McGuinness (1982, Adelaide Crows), John Platten (1984, Hawthorn), Greg Anderson (1986, Essendon & Adelaide), Andrew Jarman (1987 & 1997, Adelaide), Gilbert McAdam (1989, St Kilda & Brisbane), Scott Hodges (1990, Adelaide), Nathan Buckley (1992, Brisbane & Collingwood),
Josh Francou (1996, Port Adeliaide), Ryan O'Connor (2001, Essendon & Sydney).

Notable VFL/AFL players who won the Sandover Medal:
Hayden Bunton Sr (1938-39, 1941, Fitzroy), Graham "Polly" Farmer (1956-57, 1960, Geelong), Barry Cable (1964, 1973, North Melbourne), John Ironmonger* (1983, Fitzroy), Steve Malaxos (1984, Hawthorn & West Coast), Mark Bairstow (1986, Geelong), Ryan Turnbull (2001, West Coast), Jaxon Crabb (2005, West Coast)

John Ironmonger is currently the coach of the Golden Gate Kangaroos in the USAFL

The Dr. William C. McClelland Trophy

The McClelland trophy was inaugurated in 1951. It was awarded to the club accumulating the highest number of points over three levels of competition (Senior, Reserves and Under-19). This was maintained until 1990, when the move to a one team national competition was undertaken. The McClelland Trophy is now awarded to the Minor Premier (i.e., the team finishing on top of the ladder after the Home and Away season.) The trophy was instituted to recognise the service of Dr. McClelland as a player, club delegate for Melbourne and VFL President from 1926 - 1955.

The Essendon Football Club won the McClelland Trophy in 1999 for finishing the Home and Away season on top of the ladder with 18 wins from 22 starts.

State Of Origin Football

State of Origin Football was instituted in 1977. Games between the different states had been played since the early origins of football; however, the situation arose where the VFL had acquired many of the star players from other states as these players were attracted to Victorian teams and their higher salaries. State of Origin was born out of the intense interstate rivalries, and allowed footballers to play for their "home" state.

Players were allowed to come from anywhere in Australia to play for their home state as opposed to the previous system where the State team was chosen from the players in the respective state league regardless of where the player originally came from. This now meant that WA and SA could challenge Victoria to interstate football games and field their best players, who were likely to be playing over in the VFL.

The definition of where a players home state was changed almost yearly however, meaning some players were forced to play for different states according to the rule changes (e.g., where you were born, where you played your first Senior football game, where you were at age 16, etc.) This was seen to undermine the credibility of State of Origin Football. An additional factor was the creation of the National Competition, where WA and SA, the two main instigators of State of Origin football, were seen to have had practically State of Origin teams in the Adelaide and West Coast football clubs (an altogether incorrect idea, however).

In its prime, State of Origin football saw games of the highest quality, and in front of large crowds, it is the closest to an All-Star game that Australian Football has.

The AFL, wishing to regenerate enthusiasm for State of Origin Football, moved in 1995 to set one weekend aside during the middle of the season for two State of Origin Games, involving Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, and a composite "rest of Australia" side known as the Allies which allows some of the big name stars not originating from the Big Three footballing states to play at that level in a legitimate way (as opposed to playing for one of the Big Three or missing out altogether).

To qualify for a state team, a player had to have lived in and played the majority of his junior career in that state. Five medals can be awarded during a State of Origin game.

The EJ Whitten Medal - Awarded to the best Victorian player in a State of Origin match.
The Simpson Medal - Fairest and Best in Westar Rules Grand Final OR best player in an interstate game in WA. (Doesn't have to be a WA player.)
The Fos Williams Medal - Awarded to the best South Australian player in a State of Origin match.
The Graham Moss Medal - Awarded to the best Western Australian player in a State of Origin match.
The Alex Jesaulenko Medal - Awarded to the best Allies player in a State of Origin match.

Ted "EJ" Whitten was a champion player for Footscray (now the Western Bulldogs. A gregarious character, he was a great proponent of state footy and loved nothing better than "sticking it up em" in beating bitter rival South Australia

Fos Williams was an icon of South Australian football, and more specifically the Poirt Adelaide Magpies, which still exist in the SANFL. His son Mark is currently the coach of the AFL's Port Adelaide Power.

Graham Moss was a fine ruckman for Claremont in WA and for Essendon.

Alex Jesaulenko was a Carlton champion, who is best remembered for the towering mark he took in the 1970 Grand Final win over Collingwood. He also coached both Carlton and St. Kilda.

For 1999, only one State of Origin game was played between Victoria and South Australia. State of Origin games are being suspended for the foreseeable future, to ease AFL scheduling during the Olympic year of 2000 and to give the AFL time to reevaluate the concept. Top players would rather rehab minor injuries than play for their state mid-season, and public enthusiasm for State of Origin was on the wane. Some clubs were also becoming more and more reluctant about having their star players risk injury in the state games.

On May 29th at the MCG in Melbourne:

Victoria "Big V"121South Australia "Croweaters"67

5.3	11.9	13.12	17.19
4.1	7.2	10.5	10.7

E. J. Whitten Medalist: Brent Harvey (Kangaroos)
Fos Williams Medalist: Andrew McKay (Carlton)

Victoria:
Coach: Robert Walls
Backs: Justin Leppitsch (Brisbane), Stephen Silvagni (Carlton), David King (Kangaroos)
Half-backs: Rohan Smith (Bulldogs), Anthony Koutoufides (Carlton), Wayne Campbell (Richmond)
Centres: Scott West (Bulldogs), Brett Ratten (Carlton), Peter Riccardi (Adelaide)
Half-forwards: Brad Johnson (Bulldogs), David Schwarz (Melbourne), Chris Grant (Bulldogs)
Forwards: Nigel Lappin (Brisbane), Matthew Lloyd (Essendon), Andrew Thompson (St. Kilda)
Followers: Peter Everitt (St. Kilda), Garry Hocking (c)(Adelaide), Nathan Burke (St. Kilda)
Interchange: Brent Harvey (Kangaroos), Angelo Lekkas (Hawthorn), Andrew Leoncelli (Hawthorn), Matthew Allan (Carlton), Trent Croad (Hawthorn), Chad Morrison (West Coast)
Emergencies: Jeff White (Melbourne), Ben Graham (Geelong), Tim McGrath (Geelong)

South Australia:
Coach: Graham Cornes
Backs: Brett James (Adelaide), Sean Wellman (Adelaide), Ben Hart (Adelaide)
Half-backs: Mark Ricciuto (Adelaide), Darren Mead (Port Adelaide), Byron Pickett (Kangaroos)
Centres: Craig Bradley (c)(Carlton), Todd Viney (Melbourne), Craig McRae (Brisbane)
Half-forwards: Scott Camporeale (Carlton), Matthew Robran (Adelaide), Nick Daffy (Richmond)
Forwards: Warren Tredrea (Port Adelaide), Luke Darcy (Bulldogs), Josh Francou (Port Adelaide)
Followers: Matthew Clarke (Adelaide), Nigel Smart (Adelaide), Matthew Rogers (Adelaide)
Interchange: Nick Holland (Hawthorn), David Pittman (Adelaide), Darryl Wakelin (St. Kilda), Tyson Edwards(Adelaide), Peter Burgoyne(Port Adelaide), Andrew McKay (Carlton)
Emergencies: Matthew Nicks (Sydney), Anthony Ingerson (Melbourne), Brenton Sanderson (Geelong)

The All-Australian Team

This team is selected yearly, since 1991, and selects the 18 best players by position for the year (as well as 3 interchange players and coach and umpire of the year). It is determined by a panel after the Home and Away season, and is merely a tribute to some of the better players for that year. Unlike the Brownlow, players that have been reported and found guilty are still eligible to be included in the team.

All-Australian selections for 2005 were:

Backs:Halfbacks:Centers:Half forwards: Forwards:Followers:Interchange:

David Wirrpanda (West Coast)	Ben Rutten (Adelade)	James Clement (Collingwood)
Joel Bowden (Richmond)	Trent Croad (Hawthorn)	Luke Hodge (Hawthorn)
Nick Dal Santo (St. Kilda)	Scott West (Western Bulldogs)	Lenny Hayes (St. Kilda)
Mark Ricciuto (capt) (Adelaide)	Matthew Pavlich (Fremantle)	Shannon Grant (Western Bulldogs)
Brad Johnson (Western Bulldogs)	Barry Hall (Sydney)	Peter Everitt (hawthorn)
Dean Cox (West Coast)	Luke Ball (St. Kilda)	Ben Cousins (West Coast)
Leo Barry (Sydney)	Kane Cornes (Port Adelaide)	Simon Goodwin (Adelaide)
	Brent Harvey (Kangaroos)
Umpire	Darren Goldspink

Begun in the 1980s, an Australian team took on Ireland in a hybrid rules game, using elements of both Aussie Rules and Gaelic Football and using the round Gaelic football. It has been a regular fixture on the post season calaendar since 1998 with the 2 countries alternating annually as hosts. In 2005, Essendon Coach Kevin Sheedy was selected to coach the Australian team and, instead of taking the All-Australian side, he and his panel selected players nore suited to the hybrid game, many of them renowned for their speed.

For 1999, the Players Association selected a "team of the last 25 years." Those honored were:

Backs:Halfbacks:Centers:Half forwards: Forwards:Followers:Interchange:Coach:Captain:

Gary Ayres (Hawthorn)	Stephen Silvagni (Carlton)	Guy McKenna (West Coast)
Bruce Doul (Carlton)l	Peter Knights (Hawthorn)	Francis Bourke (Richmond)
Robert Flower (Melbourne)	Greg Williams (Carlton)	Keith Greig (Kangaroos)
Gary Ablett (Geelong)	Wayne Carey (Kangaroos/Adelaide)	Malcolm Blight (Kangaroos)
Dermott Brereton (Hawthorn)	Tony Lockett (St. Kilda/Sydney)	Kevin Bartlett (Richmond)
Simon Madden (Carlton)	Robert Harvey (St. Kilda)	Leigh Matthews (Hawthorn)
Shaun Rehn (Adelaide)	Wayne Schimmelbusch (Kangaroos)	Nathan Buckley (Collingwood)
	Michael Tuck (Hawthorn)
David Parkin (Carlton)
Leigh Matthews (Hawthorn)

Club Awards

Most teams have an award for the best and fairest or club champion, honoring the best player for the club in that year. The process of selection for each club for this award varies greatly.

AFL club champions for 2005 were:

Adelaide	Simon Goodwin
Brisbane	Jason Akermanis
Carlton	Anthony Koutoufides
Collingwood	James Clement
Essendon	Jason Johnson
Fremantle	Matthew Pavlich
Geelong	Joel Corey
Hawthorn	Luke Hodge
Kangaroos	Brent Harvey
Melbourne	Travis Johnstone
Port Adelaide	Warren Tredrea
Richmond	Joel Bowden
St. Kilda	Steven Baker
Sydney	Brett Kirk
West Coast	Ben Cousins
Western Bulldogs	Scott West

Norwich Rising Star Award

Named for a commercial sponsor, the Rising Star Award is given to the best rookie for the past season. "Rookie" is defined as a player under the age of 21 who has been selected for less than ten games prior to the season in question.

1993	Nathan Buckley*	Collingwood
1994	Chris Scott	Brisbane
1995	Nick Holland	Hawthorn
1996	Ben Cousins	West Coast
1997	Michael Wilson	Port Adelaide
1998	Byron Pickett	North Melbourne

1999	Adam Goodes	Sydney
2000	Paul Hasleby	Fremantle
2001	Justin Koschitzke	St. Kilda
2002	Nick Riewoldt	St. Kilda
2003	Sam Mitchell	Hawthorn
2004	Jared Rivers**	Melbourne
2005	Brett Deledio	Richmond

*Nathan Buckley was originally drafted by Brisbane and won the award there before deciding he wanted to return home to Victoria and joined Collingwood.

**Rivers teannate Aaron Davey, an exciting and speedy goalsneak, was a red-hot favorite to win the award in 2004 but missed out after missing 4 late season games with a hamstring injury.

Premiership Cup and Medallions

The club that wins the Grand Final are referred to as the Premiers. The winners get the right to fly a pennant, much as winning baseball clubs do in America. Since 1959, a silver Premiership Cup has been awarded, which the club keeps in perpetuity. (A notable exception was the Centenary Cup of 1996, which was plated in gold).

At the start of the following season, the "reigning premier" holds a pregame ceremony at which the premiership flag is unfurled and hoisted. The ceremony is held at the team's first home game of the year.

Premiership medallions are awarded to each of the team's players that played in the Grand Final; this is similar to the awarding of championship rings here, except that no non-participant may be voted a medal, which magnifies the pain of late-season injuries and form slumps.

Ansett Australia Cup The NAB CUP

The NAB Australia Cup is the event of the pre-season. It is an annual practice tournament involving every AFL club, with all matches played at night , and throughout Australia; the winners are referred to as "night premiers." The grand final is played at Telsta Dome in Melbourne on the Saturday night 2 weeks before the first home-and-away matches. The Michael Tuck Medal is awarded to the best on ground during the grand final. In 2005, Geelong won the NAB Cup, but the Michael Tuck Medal was awarded to Adelaide's Simon Goodwin. It is the first time in preseason cup history that the medal went to a player from the losing side.

The tournament is employed by the AFL as a means of experimenting with proposed rule changes, just as America's National Football League does during its pre-season. For instance, in recent years, a goal kicked from 50 meters or beyond is worh 9 points instead of 6 points. This includes goals kicked from 50 meter penalties which bring the player from outside 50 to within close range.

The preseason cup is a single elimation tournament with the losers going on to play practice games in far-flung and remote areas of Australia which otherwise might never see a live game. The preseason tournament, whether it be NAB Cup or practice games, also gives coaches a chance to get a look at the draftees and rookies selected in the previous year's end of season drafts.

TAC Cup The NAB Under 18s Tournament

An annual Under-18 football tournament, with representative teams from each state (including country and city Victoria) selected from the best teenage footballers in the local leagues. The tournament is meant to be a showcase of the young talent available, and attendance is considered mandatory by AFL scouts. This was originally known as the Teal Cup. The name was changed to the TAC Cup due to a sponsorship offer from the Traffic Accident Commission of Victoria, a state agency which investigates accidents, offers collision insurance, and sells safe driving through attention-getting commercials and an AFL club sponsorship. THat sponsorship has since been assumed by the National Australia Bsnk (NAB),, which also sponsors the Under 16's, which allows everyone to get a look at the next generation.

Australian Football Hall of Fame

The Hall was established at the MCG in 1996 (the centennary of Aussie Rules) to honor exceptional players of Australian football, wherever or whenever they played. The Hall of Fame also honors administrators, umpires, and media people who have made outstanding contributions. The first class numbered 100 inductees, and ten Legends of the Game, the "greatest of the great."

Among the 1996 inductees were North Melbourne player and administrator Allen Aylett, St. Kilda's Darrell Baldock, Malcolm Blight (played for North Melbourne, coached Adelaide and St. Kilda), Francis Bourke (Richmond), Albert and Harry Collier (Collingwood), George Couthard (Carlton), Syd Coventry (Collingwood), Bob Davis (Geelong), Robert Flower (Melbourne), Edward "Carji" Greeves (Geelong and the first Brownlow winner), Simon Madden (Essendon), just to name few.

The original 10 Legends are: Ron Barassi (played for Melbourne & Carlton, coached Carlton, North Melbourne, Melbourne, and Sydney), Hayden Bunton Sr (FItzroy), Roy Cazaly (Hawthorn & St. Kilda), John Coleman (Essendon), Jack Dyer (Richmond), Graham "Polly' Farmer (Geelong), (Essendon), Leigh Matthews (played for Hawthorn, coached Collingwood, Brisbane), John Nicholls (Carlton), Bob Pratt (South Melbourne), Dick Reynolds (Essendon), Bob Skilton (South Melbourne), and Ted Whitten (Footscray).

Inductees can be elevated to Legend status in subsequent years. Some inductees later elevated are: Ian Stewart (St. Kilda), Darrel Baldock (St. Kilda), Kevin Bartlett (Richmond), Gordon Coventry (Collingwood), Jock McHale (player and coach of Collingwood), and Barrie Robran (champion player in the SANFL),.

To be eligible, a player must be retired for at least 3 years.