BAAAAAAAAAAAAAALL! - The Fever AFL Thread

 The wind will be a huge factor. How bad is it over there today?

Wind's not too bad out in the northern suburbs, but it's raining. Metservice says gusts of up to 40kph expected.

We have the wind, the rain and the AFL!

Well that's a fucking disgrace isn't it...

What a fantastic night for sport, haven't been to a game in those conditions for ages. Ground must have had a bit of dew, players seem to be struggling to keep their footing.

Thought it was a decent game, even if it was quite scrappy. Combination of the dew and smaller ground wouldn't have helped. Thought it was telling they only tried bouncing the ball whilst running a couple times, both for almost no bounce.

Also hope the older lady taken to hospital from Aisle 7 is ok. Flew all this way to support the Swans and has a turn or something in the 2nd minute of the game.

Well done Wellington and well done St Kilda and the AFL. 

I had a great night, sure it wasn't a "spectacle" of a match mainly because of the wet/slippery conditions but the crowd atmosphere more than made up for it. It's not everyone's cup of cocoa and that's ok too. But me, I'll definitely be back!

AFL NZ Have a Go Day is on TODAY at the Basin Reserve- 10am-2pm

Come along and try AFL 9's, KiwiKick (Kids), and try your hand at AFL Skills

Perfect for kids on the holiday break

Looks like Key has fallen off the Phoenix bandwagon.

Also interesting to read it described as damp. I think you would be struggling to get much better conditions for a game in Wellington this time of year. Wonder what would have happened if the normal wind & rain turned up.

I really enjoyed that was a great night out, the sport was entertaining, and just good all around.

As for the "damp" conditions, this is what happens when you play evening sport in Wellington, even if it has been dry during the day. Haven't seen a game in the rain, but will look out for one on Sky this year and see what it is like.

I have to say the Swans seemed to be a lot better at catching the ball, and this was the ultimate factor in the result. St Kilda couldn't "catch a cold" as was yelled from behind me.

 That game was tailor made for Stephen "Tip Rat" Milne. His suspention cost Saints that game. Watters would be legit fuming.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/teams/wellingtons-westpac-stadium-serves-up-slippery-conditions-as-kiwis-learn-about-our-game/story-e6frf9n6-1226629610903 

I think I'd support AFL and football- both 360 degree, pasing based games that rely on a lot of speed, fitness, precision and skill and less so brute strength. In a team that is clicking the ball can move swiftly in all directions over a vast distance, it isn't a line of people moving forward and back. AFL an odd sport that is much much better at the ground than on TV.

But the Swans and St Kilda, yawn and double yawn the commentators attempts at education. A fad perhaps and there is a base of people who have been to Aussie and supported it, plus travelling fans.

It's your own fault for getting a reputation for supporting teams- if they'd come to Auckland we'd kill them off right quick. 

novelty factor for the AFL and the 'Nix has a too many cooks problem, as well as a lot of talking down to the fans, as opposed to being one of them. Ringmasters, not headmasters, please!

I don't know why we have to get a NZ side in the AFL. That's a silly comment. There's very little tradition of the game in NZ and it's called AUSTRALIAN rules football. It's just another case of our market being mined by Aussie professional sport and the TV networks. Are there even any Kiwis in the AFL like there were in the NRL and the A league?

 AFL has a much chance of catching on in NZ as I had last night of winning division one in lotto.

Plus it is a growing sport here. It's only a matter of time before more are playing in the league. But yeah a nz team is a long way off. It is something the AFL is considering in the long term though, I've heard a lot of rumours that they're eyeing up Wellington. Would be interesting if it ever did happen. 

I don't think I'd be a season member, but is certainly go along to the odd game and follow results. When I was watching it the other night, I was enjoying it, but also thinking itd be a lot more exciting if you actually supported a team (I chose a team, but in the end didnt actually care who won). So a Wellington team would make for some exciting games. 

The AFL has been taking games to Canberra for 10 ys and they still don't have a team. The AFL will be looking very long term, maybe 20 yrs or so before even thinking about a team in Wellington. They have the foundations to think long term and plan accordingly.

Yep that's the key, they can absolutely afford to play a long game. Build the sport in a region (both participation and/or fans), then eventually create demand for a team. It's a long long way off. If they started one now, I suspect it'd fail miserably. 

Kids and women. And 2-3 games a year for the next decade. 

It'll be 10-15 years before we'd get a team here. If ever. Baby steps.

Has possibly been mentioned earlier in the thread but there is also a hell of a lot of money in AFL as compared to other sports in Australia and New Zealand. As far as the long term goes, that is going to have more and more of an effect. It'll take a while if it does ever happen, but I wouldn't be surprised if the code slowly creeps in to the New Zealand psyche over the next few years.

Late post but I went to the game in Wellington. I enjoyed the end of the match when St Kilda had a chance to snatch victory and we had moved to seats a lot closer to the action. For the first 3/4 of the match it was just so disorganised, messy and hard to watch. I understood what was going on but I'd rather not watch 30 headless chooks run around chasing a time bomb.

C-Diddy out the front in the tips. Bombers vs Cats tonight, 1st vs 2nd huuuge game.

Ahhhh feck - I've been on the West Island so prob further behind now lol. That's ok... I can do it!!!

Man....how bad are the Sainters? I keep tipping them too.

Anyone keeping an eye on Eddie Macguire foot in mouth? I do feel a little sorry for him, don't think there was anything sinister in it

Uh OH Naughty boy

'carn you Lions!!!

Sorry bringing this back.....WTF on my Saints....25 all at 1/4 time vs Cats then lose by close to 100 points. Disgraceful.

The season is pretty exciting though. Hawks or Cats looking good

And Yellow fever derby! Lions vs Sainters....Believe or burn

Aka: Lions vs Saints (proudly brought to you by GlaxoSmithKline) lol

Buddy Franklin looks to have earned himself a week or two off!

FINALS TIME!!
Some intersting games coming up.

Would pick the hawks and Cats to go through. The Richmond Carlton game and Pies vs Port will be good games. Would love to see the Pies knocked out (Does Kiwi Pie still hang around on the forum?)

Anyone see the news of the Saints setting a dwarf on fire? Yikes! And C-Diddy, is the tipping finished? Doesn't look like we can pick for the finals?

Tipping done and dusted for another year. No finals tipping :-(

Had a good laugh when Richmond were knocked out of the finals by a team that should of not even been there. That has got to sting.