Talking Footy

Australian Rules Football is very strong in the NT. When I was in Alice Springs in June this year, I couldn't get over just how ingrained into the culture the game is in the NT. Was wonderful to see shops filled with AFL merchandise, different games being broadcast in the same timeslot on Channel 10 and ONE and most impressive of all, how the Indigenous, in particular and non-Indigenous population embrace the great Australian game.

Rugby League I gotta say was unheard of in my travels through Central Australia.

Yep, no matter what the RL fans say, NT is another Australian Rules stronghold no doubt about it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian ... _Territory

Wiki says "7% of all Northern Territorians in 2007 participated in Australian rules football, the highest participation in Australia (and second worldwide only to Australian rules football in Nauru). The sport also produces more professional Australian rules footballers per capita in the Australian Football League than any other state or territory."

Wow

Notably, Wiki has little information on RL in the NT with no data on participation rates at all.

That's hardly surprising with the number of Aboriginal legends in the AFL far outstripping the number of them in the NRL.

I've always thought of NT as AR with the constant flow of players following the pathway to AFL.
Now it's even more pronounced with the NT Thunder moving from the QAFL to the NEAFL where they are in a national competition and doing well. The Thunder matches are attracting some crowds approaching those of the AFL up there.

There's a team playin in Darwin during their dry season? >

Yes, we had this debate on LU and you lost as usual.

Oh that's a nice pick up, Intentcity.

ParraEelsNRL wrote:

Yes, we had this debate on LU and you lost as usual.

Lost?

Australian rules has many many times more leagues and participants in the NT than RL, with many many more professional players, and the NRL.

Who lost?

You lost.

ParraEelsNRL wrote:

You lost.

Lol,

What, weren't facts included? Did El D just delete all facts like he usually does?

What, like the facts you used trying to say Packer done this that and the other and then you were shown up, the thread died then.

Yes I did.

I said AFL was bigger around the desert areas and RL is bigger in Darwin.

ParraEelsNRL wrote:

Yes I did.

I said AFL was bigger around the desert areas and RL is bigger in Darwin.

rl may be bigger in Darwin than rl in the desert but AR is still king in Darwin with more clubs, more teams and more spectators. And now with the NT Thunder moving from the QAFL to the NEAFL, AR is getting even more popular.

A good indicator would be to get a look at the season coverage of both codes in the Darwin newspaper.

Topper wrote:

A good indicator would be to get a look at the season coverage of both codes in the Darwin newspaper.

No need for that. Which code attracts the biggest crowds in Darwin? The AFL holds the record. Enough said.

17,500 - 08/02/03: AFL Pre-Season: ATSIC v CAR

http://austadiums.com/stadiums/stadiums.php?id=69

Super Rugby holds the record for the biggest crowd at Darwin's rectangular stadium.

4,000 - 04/02/11: Super Rugby Trial: Brumbies v Reds

http://austadiums.com/stadiums/stadiums.php?id=301