Well there's a real buzz around crowds of late. The afl is continuing to have great attendance at matches while the NRLs crowds are slightly below par and should be better. It's sending our afl members into a real tizzy and I feel, for the sake of a clearer perspective, these forums really require a sociocultural evidence based analysis explaining reasons behind the afls fantastic attendances. 
I think providing such clarity on the matter will help everyone understand and lessen the amount of trolling/off topic posters, so please, don't hesitate to give me a big thanks for my research below!
west and south Australia - Perth and Adelaide
I had to put Perth and Adelaide together because, well, to be brutally honest they're shitholes. I mean this in the kindest possible way but comparatively speaking when you do ur research they're not equal to the eastern cities in terms of population, education standards, economy, infrastructure and importantly entertainment options. There is just shit all to do in these so called cities. Actually they prob don't even deserve city status as they're more like big regional towns. And what do people in big regional towns all get into on the weekend? You guessed it, FOOTY! And why? Yep you guessed it again, because because footy's great and there's jack shit all else to do! Now NRL fans we all should acknowledge the afl should be commended for putting teams in these cities, just imagine the weekend crime rates if there was no footy on on the weekends in these fairly bland big regional towns?
victoria - Melbourne
Ahhh Melbs, where it all began, afl heartland! The so called 'cultural city'. This is a city where research tells us the populace essentially has two core interests 'the arts' or 'sport'. And there's a significant polarisation there I.e you're either into one or the other. Also The evidence tells us weather in this city is for want of a better word 'European'
actually let's just call it how it is, dead set shithouse. It's cold and grey which psychological research tells us leads to depressed moods. There's a real human need to get out and do something to lift these moods and what better way over the past 100 years to do it than to get out and watch marngrook! Jolly good but we must commend rugby league here for putting the much hated cheating Melbourne storm in to give the poor melbournites a code of footy where the athletes are stronger, faster, more powerful and tougher.nsw - Sydney
Sydney is Australia's undisputed leading city. There's heaps to do and see, the climate is exquisite and the local surrounds are beautiful. There's sports arts nature entertainment you name it it's in this city! The afl saw how amaze balls Sydney is some decades back now and, with the swans they've had one lonely old team in a city of four million plus for decades! It's been a godsend for sydneys minority of melb Perth and Adelaide expats who have taken to attending the games along with some of Sydney's poncy Chardonnay sipping 'rugby league is too rough for me' wankers. The type that don't even watch the game when they're there and believe you me folks, I've been to some swabs games and you can really see it!
A good move by the afl to tap into a city of four millions minority and soft cock market
qld - Brisbane
Basically Brisbane is a smaller, more humid and sweaty version of Sydney so please refer to the above Sydney analysis
So in sum, sociocultural research tells us the reasons afl has good crowds can be very well explained for the following reasons
1. It's been established in cities where there's jack shit all else to do
2. It's been established in a city which is cold and miserable and the 'fans' are getting into it for good reason, to lift their mood and because they are not into the arts
3. It's been established in a massive city where a minority of expats and poncy Chardonnay sippers can revel in their uniqueness in not following the more superior athletes in rugby league.
liar extraordinaire 
