World Footy News

No practice game is ever a waste, and the critics who see the NAB Challenge as a series of glorified practice games are probably right, though missing the point. Three points, actually.

Firstly, players got to show their wares as they jostle for starting positions in senior AFL line-ups for Round One in just two weeks’ time. They also gained valuable match fitness and awareness prior to the real show beginning.

Secondly, the fans who had patiently or impatiently waited since last September to watch their beloved game waited no more. It might not have been the start of the real deal, but a game with your own club to support is cherished by fans of all clubs. Practice match or not it is a wonderful experience for the footy tragic when they see or hear their team in actions again after such a long and seemingly endless wait. 

But this series, whilst dispensing with the concept of a mini season with a final overall winner, managed to play a role that is vital to the game nationally. They took the game to the people across the length and breadth of our nation. Fans that would not otherwise see an Aussie Rules match of the highest order could possibly reach one of the locations across Australia where games were played.

The following is a list of all results of the “18 Games in 18 Days” showing also the variety of locations which experienced the excitement of AFL football at the elite level.

Game 1: February 12th Simonds Stadium, Geelong –              Geelong 16 8 104 d Collingwood 1 13 15 102

G2: February 13th Etihad Stadium, Melbourne –                         Hawthorn 1 22 13 154 d Brisbane 3 5 23

G3: February 14th Etihad Stadium, Melbourne –                         Melbourne 1 13 11 98 d Richmond 1 10 15 84

G4: February 15th Eureka Stadium, Ballarat –                            Carlton 1 14 7 100 d North Melbourne 14 9 93

G5: February 16th Richmond Oval, Adelaide (SA) –                   Adelaide 18 11 119 d Port Adelaide 9 5 59

G6: February 17th Metricon Stadium (QLD) –                              Gold Coast Suns 1 11 15 90 d Essendon 13 11 89

G7: February 18th Arena Joondalup (WA) –                                 West Coast Eagles 2 20 10 148 d Fremantle 10 4 64

G8: February 19th Simonds Stadium, Geelong –                         Western Bulldogs 10 7 67 d St Kilda 1 7 5 56

G9: February 20th Star Track Oval, Canberra (ACT) –               Sydney Swans 2 15 7 115 d GWS Giants 11 9 75

G10: February 21st Aurora Stadium, Launceston (TAS) –        Hawthorn 18 10 118 d Nth Melb 7 11 53

G11: February 22nd Norm Minns Oval, Wangaratta (VIC) –      Richmond  1 17 13 124 d Collingwood 1 10 7 76

G12: February 23rd Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville (QLD) – Brisbane 1 14 13 106 d Gold Coast  8 11 59

G13: February 24th Etihad Stadium, Melbourne –                         Adelaide 1 13 12 99 d Carlton 9 7 61

G14: February 25th Etihad Stadium, Melbourne –                         Port  Adelaide 1 11 15 90 d Essendon 9 11 65

G15: February 26th Etihad Stadium, Melbourne –                         Fremantle 15 7 97 d Western Bulldogs 9 15 69

G16: February 27th Blacktown Sports Park, Sydney (NSW) – West Coast Eagles 10 12 72 d Sydney Swans 5 7 37

G17: February 28th TIO Traeger Park, Alice Springs (NT) –      Geelong 14 13 97 d Melbourne 3 9 3 84

G18: March 1st Robertson Oval, Wagga Wagga (NSW) –         GWS Giants 7 11 10 139 d St Kilda 10 11 71

All teams can claim to have gained something from the experiences of these NAB Challenge games, whilst some will bemoan injuries suffered in the pre-season competition. But that is the life of AFL football. At the end of the day it is the fans, paying or otherwise, who benefit from seeing their heroes in action, finally.

Whilst five games were played at Etihad Stadium and two at the revamped Simonds Stadium in Geelong, the other ii games were spread across the remaining states and territories of the nation. Regional centres such as Ballarat, Wagga Wagga, Townsville, Launceston, Alice Springs and Wangaratta treated local crowds to the highest level of football, as did urban centres such as Joondalup, Blacktown, Gold Coast, Richmond in suburban Adelaide and Canberra.

The 2014 season commences on Friday 14th March when the Collingwood Magpies play last year’s runners-up, the Fremantle Dockers.