Mauritian AFL team fails to take flight – A Metaphor

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Mauritian AFL team fails to take flight – A Metaphor

Authored by: Cam Homes
on Friday, September 18 2015 @ 02:12 pm ACST

Harley, again you've managed to whack another nail on the head when it comes to developing and growing Aussie Rules internationally, how true it is that the vast majority of Australians have no idea that footy is played outside of Australia. Educating the average Aussie footy follower about what is actually happening around the world is so important.

If I was given a dollar every time when I mention that I "attempt" to write stories for WFN and then have to explain that there are at least 30 to 35 countries across the world that have more or less stable and regular local Aussie rules competitions and am told "Gee! I didn't know that" or looked at as if I'm "bullsh--ting" I could almost have paid for one of the Laos Elephant fellows to come to play at Wanneroo AFC in WA. Might not have been able to get him home again :-) tho'.

Those Aussies that I speak to, who are aware that Aussie Rules is played elsewhere, usually have the view/idea that it is largely groups/clubs of expats getting together for footy, a BBQ and a beer, (not necessarily in that order either) and convincing them that there are many leagues and clubs all over that are actually not necessarily the case, especially in Europe, USA, Canada and Oceania, is not an easy task.

As an example, only recently when Hideki Myasaka, President of AFL Japan asked WFN to publish their "Invitation to contest the Japan Cup, 6th August. WFN" I privately suggested that he try sending invitations directly to amatuer and country leagues across Australia, and forwarded the email addresses of the two local leagues near me, namely the Whyalla League and Spencer Gulf League, so he could at least make a start.

Hideki duly did as suggested and I know he received a reply from the Whyalla League as he forwarded it on to me and in it the Whyalla League president expressed utter surprise that Aussie Rules is played in Japan, but at least promised to notify the clubs about the invitation. He also noted that given more advanced notice, acceptance of the invitation could well be considered in the future. (possible end of season trip alternative to Bali or such).

I think the Wanneroo/Laos Elephants exercise is an effective way in educating Australians about footy internationally and at the same time the value in growing the game in Laos is immeasurable.

Just imagine 50 Australian leagues/clubs repeating that excercise with players coming from France, Sweden, Croatia, Japan, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, India, Canada, South Africa, Indonesia, Italy the list goes on, and the hundreds, even thousands of Aussies learnimg about the game being played overseas and what a huge boost in growing the game back in the home countries when those players return home and relate their experience and pass their new found knowledge onto the folks at home.

The mind boggles!!!!!! And then do it again next year! WOW!!!

Mauritian AFL team fails to take flight – A Metaphor

Authored by: Harley Vague
on Friday, September 18 2015 @ 10:56 pm ACST

Frustratingly the solution is simple. All players, clubs, leagues, umpires and associations are linked electronically to some degree if only from a league to club presidents.. If somebody took charge to develop a hierarachy then information could be broadcast quickly, easily and at no real cost. Anything from rule changes and insurance to mouthgards for players; Leagues could broadcast patways, representitve selection or camps etc But the league could broadast it's own news including overseas developments in much the same way it releases press statements now. It would be an extremely simple matter to offer invitations from overseas clubs or facilitate any other interactions. If all overseas clubs were also linked electronically then they could similarly invited to Australia. When I say "linked electronically" it's as simple as an email list and a send button.
Imagine by 2017 that the AFL can send an email that travels to every state league then to every affiliated league and then to each club and then to each player, umpire an official; that the email is headlined "2017 AFL International Cup" All of a sudden you have the attention of how many people?

Mauritian AFL team fails to take flight – A Metaphor

Authored by: Harley Vague
on Saturday, September 19 2015 @ 11:37 am ACST

To return to Tijs paper and there is the subject of lack of information and the supply of skewed information. We have long since lost the local dissemination of news by the local tabloid to have been replaced by national newspaper and national television interests which find it expedient and strategic to confine news distribution to what serves their pecuniary interest. Contrast the news of today with that of over a century ago. The SMH used to cover Australian Football in Sydney with the same (or more) gusto than RU. The public in Austalia and NZ would flock to games of (Colonial) football against the English because of the coverage in newspapers. Today the power base has largely moved to Sydney and thus a lot of Tijs sentiments reflect this and it is important to address this broad misrepresentation . Yes, NRL as a professional sport is important and we constantly hear about the threat of soccer but the reality is that soccer dominates the participation numbers in NSW only. The "threat" is to NSW and to the dominant professional code, RL and their participation numbers aren't flash. The threat is inaccurate reporting. Go to the ABC and I've found NRL finals promoted nationally but not the AFL finals. Similarly I've found the Swan's final missing from the NSW headlines, yet AFL attendances were multiples greater in magnitude. There is little fuss made when 90,000 attend a season AFL game. Maybe we are to used to this.

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