Talking Footy

AFL sinks boot into rugby's heart
Date November 10, 2012 Read later
Peter FitzSimons

THE FITZ FILES

CANE toads from the north, AFL from the south, NSW is being squeezed. And yes, of course, as the most native of all games, the AFL is a far more welcome entrant in these parts than the wretched cane toad but it has been amazing to me in recent years just how quickly Aussie rules has advanced. At the top level, we've seen of course the arrival, consolidation and success of the Swans, not to mention the recent landing of the GWS Giants, while at the grassroots level Aussie rules goal-posts have been sprouting on sporting fields across Sydney like spring mushrooms after rain. The latest thrust is coming at school level. As the principal of St Aloysius, Father Chris Middleton, noted in a newsletter this week the AFL NSW/ACT - after meetings with several school associations, including IPSHA, CAS and GPS - has announced a winter AFL competition for 2013. In the first year, this comp will involve just two age groups - Year 5/6 and Year 7/8 and will be played on Saturday mornings. As those groups move through the school, however, of course the competition will become more widespread and inevitably will have a major impact on those schools more traditional football code of rugby. And who can blame those schools? For it is the AFL NSW/ACT who will administer the comp, book and pay for grounds, provide officials and qualified trainers at their own expense, also give coaching support and even pay half the cost of the uniforms!

"It is a very attractive package," Father Middleton notes. "It reflects an approach to supporting schools that is far and away superior to that provided by football or rugby …

"Rugby, despite its historic ties with schools, has a very poor record over recent years in communication with schools and with providing substantive support. It is as if schoolboy rugby is taken for granted. Both codes have much to learn from the professionalism and energy of the AFL.

"While football numbers would be relatively unaffected by the introduction of AFL, rugby would be disproportionately affected. Our best guess is that if AFL were to be a full Saturday sport, we would be reduced to fielding probably one team per age group in rugby. Partly, this reflects the appeal of Aussie rules; partly, it goes to the failure of rugby in NSW to effectively nurse the game at the grassroots. At times, the game appears to sink under the weight of technicalities in its rules."

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/the-fitz-fi ... z2C2vWgJpu

Beaussie wrote:

Love hearing stories like this. So proud of the forward thinking AFL administration. Well done lads. Australian Football welcomed in the IPSHA, CAS and GPS schools. Rugby League still not welcome. =D>

AFL sinks boot into rugby's heart
Date November 10, 2012 Read later
Peter FitzSimons

THE FITZ FILES

CANE toads from the north, AFL from the south, NSW is being squeezed. And yes, of course, as the most native of all games, the AFL is a far more welcome entrant in these parts than the wretched cane toad but it has been amazing to me in recent years just how quickly Aussie rules has advanced. At the top level, we've seen of course the arrival, consolidation and success of the Swans, not to mention the recent landing of the GWS Giants, while at the grassroots level Aussie rules goal-posts have been sprouting on sporting fields across Sydney like spring mushrooms after rain. The latest thrust is coming at school level. As the principal of St Aloysius, Father Chris Middleton, noted in a newsletter this week the AFL NSW/ACT - after meetings with several school associations, including IPSHA, CAS and GPS - has announced a winter AFL competition for 2013. In the first year, this comp will involve just two age groups - Year 5/6 and Year 7/8 and will be played on Saturday mornings. As those groups move through the school, however, of course the competition will become more widespread and inevitably will have a major impact on those schools more traditional football code of rugby. And who can blame those schools? For it is the AFL NSW/ACT who will administer the comp, book and pay for grounds, provide officials and qualified trainers at their own expense, also give coaching support and even pay half the cost of the uniforms!

"It is a very attractive package," Father Middleton notes. "It reflects an approach to supporting schools that is far and away superior to that provided by football or rugby …

"Rugby, despite its historic ties with schools, has a very poor record over recent years in communication with schools and with providing substantive support. It is as if schoolboy rugby is taken for granted. Both codes have much to learn from the professionalism and energy of the AFL.

"While football numbers would be relatively unaffected by the introduction of AFL, rugby would be disproportionately affected. Our best guess is that if AFL were to be a full Saturday sport, we would be reduced to fielding probably one team per age group in rugby. Partly, this reflects the appeal of Aussie rules; partly, it goes to the failure of rugby in NSW to effectively nurse the game at the grassroots. At times, the game appears to sink under the weight of technicalities in its rules."

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/the-fitz-fi ... z2C2vWgJpu

[/quots

Beaussie wrote:

Love hearing stories like this. So proud of the forward thinking AFL administration. Well done lads. Australian Football welcomed in the IPSHA, CAS and GPS schools. Rugby League still not welcome. =D>

AFL sinks boot into rugby's heart
Date November 10, 2012 Read later
Peter FitzSimons

THE FITZ FILES

CANE toads from the north, AFL from the south, NSW is being squeezed. And yes, of course, as the most native of all games, the AFL is a far more welcome entrant in these parts than the wretched cane toad but it has been amazing to me in recent years just how quickly Aussie rules has advanced. At the top level, we've seen of course the arrival, consolidation and success of the Swans, not to mention the recent landing of the GWS Giants, while at the grassroots level Aussie rules goal-posts have been sprouting on sporting fields across Sydney like spring mushrooms after rain. The latest thrust is coming at school level. As the principal of St Aloysius, Father Chris Middleton, noted in a newsletter this week the AFL NSW/ACT - after meetings with several school associations, including IPSHA, CAS and GPS - has announced a winter AFL competition for 2013. In the first year, this comp will involve just two age groups - Year 5/6 and Year 7/8 and will be played on Saturday mornings. As those groups move through the school, however, of course the competition will become more widespread and inevitably will have a major impact on those schools more traditional football code of rugby. And who can blame those schools? For it is the AFL NSW/ACT who will administer the comp, book and pay for grounds, provide officials and qualified trainers at their own expense, also give coaching support and even pay half the cost of the uniforms!

"It is a very attractive package," Father Middleton notes. "It reflects an approach to supporting schools that is far and away superior to that provided by football or rugby …

"Rugby, despite its historic ties with schools, has a very poor record over recent years in communication with schools and with providing substantive support. It is as if schoolboy rugby is taken for granted. Both codes have much to learn from the professionalism and energy of the AFL.

"While football numbers would be relatively unaffected by the introduction of AFL, rugby would be disproportionately affected. Our best guess is that if AFL were to be a full Saturday sport, we would be reduced to fielding probably one team per age group in rugby. Partly, this reflects the appeal of Aussie rules; partly, it goes to the failure of rugby in NSW to effectively nurse the game at the grassroots. At times, the game appears to sink under the weight of technicalities in its rules."

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/the-fitz-fi ... z2C2vWgJpu

Raiderdave wrote:

Beaussie wrote:

Love hearing stories like this. So proud of the forward thinking AFL administration. Well done lads. Australian Football welcomed in the IPSHA, CAS and GPS schools. Rugby League still not welcome. =D>

AFL sinks boot into rugby's heart
Date November 10, 2012 Read later
Peter FitzSimons

THE FITZ FILES

CANE toads from the north, AFL from the south, NSW is being squeezed. And yes, of course, as the most native of all games, the AFL is a far more welcome entrant in these parts than the wretched cane toad but it has been amazing to me in recent years just how quickly Aussie rules has advanced. At the top level, we've seen of course the arrival, consolidation and success of the Swans, not to mention the recent landing of the GWS Giants, while at the grassroots level Aussie rules goal-posts have been sprouting on sporting fields across Sydney like spring mushrooms after rain. The latest thrust is coming at school level. As the principal of St Aloysius, Father Chris Middleton, noted in a newsletter this week the AFL NSW/ACT - after meetings with several school associations, including IPSHA, CAS and GPS - has announced a winter AFL competition for 2013. In the first year, this comp will involve just two age groups - Year 5/6 and Year 7/8 and will be played on Saturday mornings. As those groups move through the school, however, of course the competition will become more widespread and inevitably will have a major impact on those schools more traditional football code of rugby. And who can blame those schools? For it is the AFL NSW/ACT who will administer the comp, book and pay for grounds, provide officials and qualified trainers at their own expense, also give coaching support and even pay half the cost of the uniforms!

"It is a very attractive package," Father Middleton notes. "It reflects an approach to supporting schools that is far and away superior to that provided by football or rugby …

"Rugby, despite its historic ties with schools, has a very poor record over recent years in communication with schools and with providing substantive support. It is as if schoolboy rugby is taken for granted. Both codes have much to learn from the professionalism and energy of the AFL.

"While football numbers would be relatively unaffected by the introduction of AFL, rugby would be disproportionately affected. Our best guess is that if AFL were to be a full Saturday sport, we would be reduced to fielding probably one team per age group in rugby. Partly, this reflects the appeal of Aussie rules; partly, it goes to the failure of rugby in NSW to effectively nurse the game at the grassroots. At times, the game appears to sink under the weight of technicalities in its rules."

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/the-fitz-fi ... z2C2vWgJpu

[/quots

Beaussie wrote:

Love hearing stories like this. So proud of the forward thinking AFL administration. Well done lads. Australian Football welcomed in the IPSHA, CAS and GPS schools. Rugby League still not welcome. =D>

so .... we've got snoody .... nerdy ... weedy ..... private school boys.. barely able to catch & pass & really only play for the time alone with each other in the showers ... who's snobbish parents would never allow them to mess with those rough lads who play a real sport in Rugby League anyway
.... swapping shorts that are 4 times too big for them .. for shorts 4 times too small... in a sport where you can get away with no skills
seems they deserve each other

piesman2011 wrote:

Good to see that AR is making in roads into NSW schools.

ParraEelsNRL wrote:

I'm sure there's not in your deluded little vault, aye Vatman?

Stewie wrote:

ParraEelsNRL wrote:

I'm sure there's not in your deluded little vault, aye Vatman?

Seriously, I haven't seen one school here with rugby posts. Not even the posh schools such as Scotch College and Prince Alfred College have them. Instead they've got two football ovals =D>

Raiderdave wrote:

Stewie wrote:

ParraEelsNRL wrote:

I'm sure there's not in your deluded little vault, aye Vatman?

Seriously, I haven't seen one school here with rugby posts. Not even the posh schools such as Scotch College and Prince Alfred College have them. Instead they've got two football ovals =D>

so ...... theres not one School In Canberra that has vicky kicky posts up
not one

hows that for Australia's so called " national game "

rejected by its capital

Raiderdave wrote:

Stewie wrote:

ParraEelsNRL wrote:

I'm sure there's not in your deluded little vault, aye Vatman?

Seriously, I haven't seen one school here with rugby posts. Not even the posh schools such as Scotch College and Prince Alfred College have them. Instead they've got two football ovals =D>

so ...... theres not one School In Canberra that has vicky kicky posts up
not one

hows that for Australia's so called " national game "

rejected by its capital