Australian Football = Australia's Game
Josh Jenkins: The passion of AFL fans is unmatched anywhere in the world
May 7, 2015 7:06pm
JOSH JENKINS
The Advertiser
SPORT brings out people’s emotion as much as anything in life.
The passion AFL fans have for their teams is unmatched anywhere around the world — they will be there for their team, rain hail or shine.
This was never more evident than on Saturday when a few thousand Western Bulldogs fans braved the wintry weather to witness one of the Dogs’ greatest victories of the modern era.
Six days earlier, the Bulldogs’ young brigade dominated us and ignited a flurry of talk of how much coach Luke Beverage had improved the club.
At the SCG, in conditions suited to Sydney’s finals-hardened bodies, the young Dogs again gave every inch of themselves to secure a win for the ages.
Immediately after the match, an emotional Robert Murphy stated the win over the Swans was the best he had been involved in.
That stands for a lot considering the years of finals appearances Murphy was involved in when the Dogs were oh, so close to reaching a grand final.
Murphy was visibly emotional during the post-game chat. He held back any tears but they weren’t too far away — and rightly so.
Many had bludgeoned the Bulldogs for being in disarray — they had a sacked coach and departed captain — but Beverage and Murphy had other ideas and the performance at the SCG was mesmerising.
Players across the league took to social media to congratulate the Bulldogs on such an epic win.
The Dogs players were beside themselves with joy.
Young defenders Michael Talia and Fletcher Roberts had taken care of Lance Franklin and Kurt Tippett while Lin Jong, Jake Stringer, Luke Dahlhaus and Jack Macrae led from the front.
Prized recruit Tom Boyd — who has played only 14 career matches — competed like it was his last game in tough conditions for a 200cm forward and opposed to premiership defenders Ted Richards and Heath Grundy.
Emotion from the opposite end of the spectrum was also displayed across the fifth round of footy.
Brisbane coach Justin Leppitsch was searching for words in his press conference after the Lions’ huge loss to Gold Coast in the Q-Clash. Coaches can be as emotional as anyone — putting in countless hours to prepare their team as best they can.
When the end result is a resounding and unexpected loss, despair and disappointment can become obvious.
What began as a positively emotional evening at the MCG celebrating legendary coach Michael Malthouse’s record-breaking career ended in sadness as Malthouse inauspiciously acknowledged the crowd despite his Carlton line-up copping a 75-point defeat at the hands of arch-rival Collingwood.
The Showdown is yet another example of the emotion that can be brought out through AFL matches.
On the street I will often hear “old-school” Crows fans begging we beat Port Adelaide, even ahead of winning finals matches — something I can’t fathom.
Bragging rights between Crows and Power fans are considered like a pot of gold in this town and unfortunately for the “19th Man”, it is Port who have the upperhand until the next Showdown.
Emotion is what makes the game great.
It creates debate, controversy, news, opinion among other things.
It actually puts people in jobs.
Hundreds upon hundreds of radio personalities earn plenty of money answering passionate calls from both elated and humiliated supporters depending on the result of any game.
Emotion drives our sport — the fans have a great balance between passion and competitiveness but knowing where the boundaries are.
We see regularly in international soccer how riots can begin because passionate fans take things too far.
Our fans are emotional and vital to the continued growth of the game but our fans are also measured and fair — for the most part.
Of course, some clubs have larger fan bases than others but all 18 clubs have at least a bunch of the most loyal fans you could hope for.
At Adelaide, we have a group called the Crows’ Supporters Group.
It is a conglomerate of members, who attend the majority of our home and interstate matches, build the banner we run through as well as run sausage sizzles, help out at club functions and always attend and support club initiatives.
They are well known by the player group and without their support, the Crows would lose an integral part of the organisation.
Continue to support your team as hard as you can because going through the lows makes riding the highs so much more rewarding.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl ... 7343778108
![:[]](./images/smilies/th_iwstupid.gif "With Stupid"){kind=small}
liar extraordinaire 
I don't know anymore im just so confused by the sheer pervasiveness of racism throughout that code 
