I’ve got no issue with stating rl is far far more international than Australian football. I have no doubt there are people within the afl charged with looking to expand into new markets including overseas. I do believe your average afl fan really doesn’t care and I for one dislike the China games. But I do give credence to the afl, as a business, having a doctrine to expand the game. I know many an Nrl fan critical of the nrl admin for not doing the same re expansion and being too risk adverse.NRL&NFLweLaughATafl wrote: ↑Sat Aug 17, 2019 9:18 amWhen Toronto Wolfpack was announced AFL fans both on the Roar and here said it wouldn't last more than a year. Even wooks is saying they are 3rd division team when they are clearly top of the 2nd division and close to making the Super League.Fred wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 7:28 pmWho are these AFL fans playing it down? This whole rivalary thing seems to stem from the class wars that existed between rugby league and rugby union, having spilled over with the deminiahing role of Rugby Union, onto Australian Rules. I’d be surprised if 1 percent of afl fans outside of nsw and qld where the rugby codes are followed know of the Wolfpack or Canadian rugby league let alone super league.
Me personally, I would not care less one way or another whether there was a professional Australian rules club outside of Australia ... why would I?
Also. This comment
“People are now into a game in Canada that never had any following before” is true and is a great observation
This is the very reason the afl put a team in Western Sydney .... there is now a presence where once there was minimal. Let’s hope both grow and prosper.
You can deny it all you like. But AFL is very jealous of other football codes having international growth.
If AFL don't care about trying to go international.
Why do they play games in China?
Why do they have an amateur international cup?
Why has AFL played exhibition matches in NZ?
(which were cancelled early due to lack of support)
Why are the Giants are talking about an exhibition game in America?
Other codes are absolutely smashing AFL internationally, because AFL just isn't an internationally marketable sport. AFL knows this, which is why they are trying all these exhibition matches, AFL X so you can play AFL on football fields in overseas countries.
All these things flop but AFL keeps trying lol..
NSWRL cup has has Fiji in the comp in 2020 now too. Yet AFL is still only able to put new teams in Australia.
So no issue there.
I was just pointing out your comment re: having presence in Canada for RL through the Wolfpack being a good thing could be equally said for GWS being in western Sydney.