kenny weir Posted September 27, 2011 Report Share Posted September 27, 2011 I don't have a dog in this race - far more interested in the following day's National Rugby League final between the NZ Warriors and Manly. We'll for sure be cheering on the Warriors. AFL Grand Final: As far as I can tell, it's too close to call. Could be a ripper! But I'll be cheering for Collingwood. I work as a sub-editor for the Geelong Advertiser, which is normally a Mon-Sat rag. But we'll be doing a Sunday edition - if the Cats win. So I'm on standby, and may have to head down the highway and to work if the Cats get up. Geelong is the only regional city with an AFL team. It's hard to describe the sheer craziness of it all. Despite player drafts, salary caps and professionalism on so many levels, people really do live and breathe it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted September 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2011 Bumping the thread to remind that tonight's the night! This morning's USA Today says that the game will be on ESPN2 starting at midnight eastern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim McG Posted October 1, 2011 Report Share Posted October 1, 2011 Australian NO RULES football. This is one weird-ass sport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenny weir Posted October 1, 2011 Report Share Posted October 1, 2011 Australian NO RULES football. This is one weird-ass sport. That pretty much sums up the attitude of many Australians to US football - in which only one sidebar player on each teams puts foot to ball. There's a stack of rules, Goody, but it took me many years to get to grip with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted October 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2011 After one quarter, it's Geelong 27....Colingwood 26. Great first quarter! Both teams scored four goals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted October 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2011 At halftime it's Collingwood 57....Geelong 54. (9.3.57 8.6.54) At one point in the second quarter Collingwood led by 18, but Geelong finished the half very strong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted October 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2011 What a game! After three quarters it's Geelong 85....Collingwood 78 (13.7.85 12.6.78) Midway through the third quarter, the announcer mentioned that there had already been ten lead changes in the game. It looks like the big rain storm that was predicted isn't going to happen. The rain started, but it wasn't as bad as they had feared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted October 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2011 Geelong wins the championship 119 to 81! Geelong Cats 18.11.119....Collingwood Magpies 12.9.81 Collingwood ran out of gas. They failed to score a goal in the fourth quarter. This is Geelong's third championship ("premiership") in the past five years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted September 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2012 This year's Grand Final will be this Friday night (9:30 pm pacific, 12:30 am eastern), Saturday afternoon in Australia. My favorite team the Hawthorn Hawks had a good year, and finished first in the regular season with a 17-5 record. They will face the Sydney Swans, who finished third with a 16-6 record. I assume that the game can be heard at the 3AW link in post #50 above. I recall last year or the year before that I found a second broadcast of the game on the internet as well. I also expect that it will be shown on ESPN3.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertoart Posted September 25, 2012 Report Share Posted September 25, 2012 If you type in 'AFL Grand Final 'live steaming' into google just before the start of the game, you should get a nice surprise. Otherwise there will be live radio coverage here. My link Go Swannies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted September 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2012 Thanks freelancer! That's what I'll do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertoart Posted September 25, 2012 Report Share Posted September 25, 2012 (edited) Sometimes getting the 'stream' can be frustrating, but I expect for a Grand Final it should be more easily available. I often watch this way if my team (Richmond Tigers) play interstate, and if it's not on TV. Hawthorn should win, if they play to talent and form. But Sydney are a great side, so it has the potential to be a cracking game. You have excellent taste in sport, if a 'footy tragic' like myself may say so Last year was a super game as well. It was also the cause of much comment because of the pre-match performance by Meat Loaf Talkback radio was in uproar for weeks after the game. I don't think old 'Meat' will be let back in the country again - for not being able to sing in tune on our biggest day. Edited September 25, 2012 by freelancer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted September 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2012 Here's an article on the Globe & Mail's website about a Canadian who will play in the game for Sydney. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/more-sports/canadian-mike-pyke-has-become-big-star-down-under/article4571223/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertoart Posted September 28, 2012 Report Share Posted September 28, 2012 (edited) Great story about Mike Pike. There is a bit of history with overseas players coming to the AFL. It is kind of a continuation of the connection some visionary Football thinkers made between Australian Rules and Irish Gaelic football. Because of similarities between the games, during 1980's some Irish Gaelic football stars were encouraged to give Aussie Rules a go. One player in particular, Jim Stynes, became a champion. Several Irishman have since become successful players, and now recruiters have broadened their scope towards other sports. I guess the logic is that exceptional athletic skills can be transferrable with the right attitude and good coaching. Many AFL players now also extend their careers by going to the US as Gridiron kickers and have some success. The weather will have an impact on the game today. It will be windy and possibly wet. So kicking for goal will be more difficult. Good foot skills and getting first use of the ball will be important. I think the last time it rained a bit on Grand Final day was 2008, that's when Hawthorn won their last flag Edited September 28, 2012 by freelancer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted September 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2012 Freelancer, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League have an Australian punter experienced in footy (though I don't know if he ever played in the AFL) named Josh Bartel. http://www.cbc.ca/sports/football/cfl/story/2012/06/14/sp-cfl-hamilton-tiger-cats-josh-bartel.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted September 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2012 After one quarter, the score is Hawthorn 4.5.29....Sydney 1.4.10. At 25 past the hour I tuned in; and Freelancer, your link asked me for $29, so that was out. The 3AW site wasn't working. That's happened in previous years, I assume due to too much demand. It took me some time, but I found the Sydney broadcasters here: http://tunein.com/radio/2UE-954-s16558/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted September 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2012 The second quarter was a complete disaster for Hawthorn. Sydney scored six goals, and Hawthorn scored only one behind. At halftime, the score is Sydney 7.4.46....Hawthorn 4.6.30. The announcer has just referred to 3AW, so I guess I am getting a network feed of theirs. Apparently their announcer I liked, whose name was Rex, has retired. Maybe Freelancer knows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted September 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2012 Wow! At three-quarter time, it's Sydney 10.5.65....Hawthorn 9.10.64. Sydney continued its scoring streak with the first two goals of the half. But Hawthorn then responded with five straight goals. They scored the last three in the time it took me to warm my left over pizza. Sydney then scored a goal to stop Hawthorn's streak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted September 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2012 Darn. I typed up my summary, and then hit the wrong button. Here we go again. It was a great fourth quarter with the lead changing hands. But in the end, Hawthorn kicked behinds when they needed a goal for the lead. Final score - Sydney 14.7.91....Hawthorn 11.15.81. The Sydney Swans are the world champions! Congratulations Sydney and Freelancer! Attendance was over 99,600. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertoart Posted September 29, 2012 Report Share Posted September 29, 2012 The second quarter was a complete disaster for Hawthorn. Sydney scored six goals, and Hawthorn scored only one behind. At halftime, the score is Sydney 7.4.46....Hawthorn 4.6.30. The announcer has just referred to 3AW, so I guess I am getting a network feed of theirs. Apparently their announcer I liked, whose name was Rex, has retired. Maybe Freelancer knows. Well I don't quite know how to begin to tell you about good old Rex Not retired exactly, more kind of 'moved on' by his network 3AW and Channel Seven. Or maybe he changed networks and it didn't work out. But I heard recently that he commentates still for one of the AFL in-house affiliates. Rex was/is an interesting character to say the least. He was a moderately successful Footballer of the Sixties/Seventies, who had quite a long career despite not being a true champion. He was around the periphery of the Sports-media world here for a long time - until somewhere along the line he started a fishing show on TV and became kind of a cult figure. As you know his commentary style, this will make sense I guess Anyway, with the combination of the fishing show and his Football commentary, he went from cult figure to a very big mainstream celebrity, for quite a while. Eventually age and over exposure got the better of him. As he began his footy career at my team Richmond, and he remained a Tiger supporter all the way, I have a soft spot for him despite the fact that he was a very conservative right winger outside of football, very much like a shock jock kind of personality. 3AW is the king of the shock jock airwaves here in Melbourne. His professional demise also may have been hastened by being blackmailed by his long term 'mistress', which was all over the media at the time, and Rex did not handle it well. My link On his fishing program, he was famous for kissing the fish and throwing them back in the water, as a gesture of respect and good conservation He was fun to listen to as a footy commentator, and he has quite a few disciples who now try to follow his 'gonzo' style of calling. Grand Final this year was a classic. Glad you got to hear it. Will it be played on TV at all over there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertoart Posted September 29, 2012 Report Share Posted September 29, 2012 Freelancer, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League have an Australian punter experienced in footy (though I don't know if he ever played in the AFL) named Josh Bartel. http://www.cbc.ca/sports/football/cfl/story/2012/06/14/sp-cfl-hamilton-tiger-cats-josh-bartel.html It looks like this guy made the move straight from country football (I think that translates to Minor Leagues in the US at least), to Canada. But the other Aussies in the story (playing in the US) are all well known ex-AFL stars. I think this trend will only get bigger. And now with the success of Mike Pike it might be a two way street. Cross cultural sporting exchanges like this might be good for these blokes. Knock a bit of Cosmopolitanism into them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted September 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2012 Freelancer, I remember one of the Sydney Grand Finals, I think it was the one won by six points, where a player has the ball late in the fourth quarter, and Rex pauses and takes a deep breath and shouts, "Run, ya bahstud!" We don't have that in the United States! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertoart Posted September 30, 2012 Report Share Posted September 30, 2012 (edited) Freelancer, I remember one of the Sydney Grand Finals, I think it was the one won by six points, where a player has the ball late in the fourth quarter, and Rex pauses and takes a deep breath and shouts, "Run, ya bahstud!" We don't have that in the United States! Australia's funny like that. But it's becoming more circumspect with regards to larrikins like Rex. My link It will be interesting to see if Hawthorn make the Grand Final again next year. If they do, I don't think they'll lose it a second time. Edited September 30, 2012 by freelancer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted September 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2012 Freeelancer, I see that your link to Rex Hunt's issues goes back to 2006. You must have quite a memory to adequately google that! I'm surprised that Rex was only 57 in 2006. He sounded older than that to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertoart Posted October 1, 2012 Report Share Posted October 1, 2012 Freeelancer, I see that your link to Rex Hunt's issues goes back to 2006. You must have quite a memory to adequately google that! I'm surprised that Rex was only 57 in 2006. He sounded older than that to me. Me too. Me too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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