Where are the boundaries?

[Fred]

Often we hear the argument regarding most popular sport between AFL and nrl people with state populations of states used as one argument for nrl and number of states used for the AFL. But are state boundaries a good measure for drawing lines in the stand ? We know AFL bleeds far across the Murray and places like broken hill in NSW are as AFL as inner Melbourne. And what of the Northern Territory ? There's the so called Barrasi Line but is still relevant? If we could draw a map now of each codes dominance , what areas would be shaded AFL, what nrl and what areas would be shaded to represent an evenness of both codes.

To be clear for this exercise I don't want stupid arguements saying Brisbane and Sydney are joint AFL/nrl based on crowds of swans etc or Melbourne or Perth classes as both because nrl is played there. It is about what is the predominant sport in that area. So Wagga Wagga maybe could be classed as both ?? Albury would be AFL etc . Gold Coast , although a strong AFL presence , would still be nrl. Get the drift. Realistic analysis please and please say why you think it. I am
Interested in the NT as to what that would be classed .

[Dogs]

The lack of Boundaries are in your head champion, go beyond the border, you have nothing except west of Melbourne to Adelaide

[Swans4ever]

I think what u ask should also include soccer, not so much RU. Soccer is just as prominent in any suburb regardless if its AFL dominant or RL dominant. E.g. East suburbs melb AFL hart land, west Sydney NRL hartland, but both soccer hartlands. Just as many junior soccer clubs as AFL or NRL.

[Dogs]

I think what u ask should also include soccer, not so much RU. Soccer is just as prominent in any suburb regardless if its AFL dominant or RL dominant. E.g. East suburbs melb AFL hart land, west Sydney NRL hartland, but both soccer hartlands. Just as many junior soccer clubs as AFL or NRL.

Nice Swans4ever, you are a soccer fan right, just prooving KE's numerious comments in other threads in here about most swans fans. They don't even understand the game of AFL in Sydney, they just buy a membership to think they are cool or part of the pack.

Soccer is a great game, don't get me wrong. Especially when you are 6 or 7. Stick to that when your young. My young bloke played it until this year. Then he realised chasing a ball around and kicking a ball with everybody else is really a sub 8 year old challenge. Much like a AFL game at the top level really. Now he wants a challenge to get a try, not a game where if you are ok at sport you play AFL and dominate, he wants a challenge to score points.

[piesman2011]

I dont think there are boundries as such just areas on influence with lots of cross over.

[Raiderdave]

Victorian rules area of influence outside of its heartland stretches up to a thin strip about 100K's deep into NSW
Vicky Kicky is played in most towns in the MIA ... & is a bit stronger as you head west , & weaker as you head east into the south west slopes where it stops dead , & i mean litterally .. dead at Wagga

head 10K's toward Gundagai .. or Junee from wagga & its RL territory from there in every city town & hamlet .. all the way to cape york
theres pockets of VFL support , but nothing really note worthy

this is the state of play
this is the way it was 100 years ago ... nothing much has changed

& in a 100 years time
guess what ?

[Fred]

So it's pretty much the same for NSW. The barrasi line so to speak. Fair enough Dave and thanks.

Doggy, I think you've forgot west Australia and tassie lol. Also see Dave's post. Living in qld there is a lot of support for AFL I south east but nrl still the main sport when you look at what's on tv apart from actual games. Papers are okay though with good mix.

Soccer ? I think there is a general soccer presence across the country ... It's there . I think both nrl and AFL would like the support soccer has outside heartland. Swans probably have this in Sydney and suns definitely .

[cos789]

If you want an analytical study first you have to be clear on your criteria.
The dominant code as to particpiation and or professional popularity.
In WA, SA, Victoria and Tasmania AFL is clearly domiant in both participation and popularity.
In the NT and Riverina it's AFL ahead of NRL.
In Canberra it's a pretty mixed bag with RU ahead of NRL and AFL.
Queensland is NRL throughout the state but AFL has strong representation in Brisbane, GC and Cairns and RU is also strong in Brisbane.
NSW is the only state where soccer is dominant in the participation stakes and by a large margin. Recently that has been converted into greater professional popularity and move towards AFL and RU having a strong Sydney popularity. NSW is clearly a NRL state at professional popularity level but there are areas that are owned by other codes like the Riverina, Sydney Hills and Coffs by AFL, North Shore by RU and WS by soccer .

[Fred]

Nice summary.. I guess it puts into perspective the arguement some use re NSW and qld make up 55 percent ... That only works if you count all of NSW as nrl ???

[Swans4ever]

Doggie Style you are a fool, I don't support soccer. I don't criticise it just for the sake of it either, grew up on Syd Nth Shore and moved to Melb Eastern Subs-I was just stating a fact, because I admit the obvious doesn't mean I support or watch the sport, nor do I bag the sport. I don't think RL or RU are bad sports either and I attend Storm and Swans games regularly - I don't have any time or patients for small minded and dim witted wankers like you and Raiderdave. You blokes spend too much time smelling your own farts and drinking your own bathwater. You hershey highway riders.

[Swans4ever]

PS Dogs my son plays AF and if there was RL at ALL where we live and he wanted to play I would let him. But he would always play because it is the harder game which requires far more skill fitness, mental and physical toughness. You can get hit anywhere in a 360% radius not coming at you in one direction. Clearly you have never played the game or seen a game played. And don't worry your little Johnny will play AF at school in the Paul Kelly cup and just like Kieran Jack he'll want to play AF!

[Raiderdave]

If you want an analytical study first you have to be clear on your criteria.
The dominant code as to particpiation and or professional popularity.
In WA, SA, Victoria and Tasmania AFL is clearly domiant in both participation and popularity.
In the NT and Riverina it's AFL ahead of NRL.In Canberra it's a pretty mixed bag with RU ahead of NRL and AFL.
Queensland is NRL throughout the state but AFL has strong representation in Brisbane, GC and Cairns and RU is also strong in Brisbane.
NSW is the only state where soccer is dominant in the participation stakes and by a large margin. Recently that has been converted into greater professional popularity and move towards AFL and RU having a strong Sydney popularity. NSW is clearly a NRL state at professional popularity level but there are areas that are owned by other codes like the Riverina, Sydney Hills and Coffs by AFL, North Shore by RU and WS by soccer .

ah cussy
what you don't know could fill a phone book

participation means squat .. soccer being the proof
its only played by large numbers because it is a soft easy game to play .. popularity is what people talk about at work , watch on TV , jumpers & other gear they own, define themselves as a fan of a club at the elite level..& to a lesser extent .. play , or have their kids play.

RiverinaVicky Kicky is not ahead of RL in the Riverina
in Wagga its about even .... fumbleball is popular/dominant in the far smaller hamlets in & around Wagga down to Albury , these include Coolamon, Ganmain , the Rock .. Lockhart, Mangoplah amongst others ... these towns are tiny .with populations of barely 500
the bigger towns ... are all RL strongholds
Young , Cootamundra , Temora , Tumut , Harden, Gundagai, Leeton .. Griffith ,Yenda , West Wyalong amongst others .... some of these have populations of over 10,000 ( Griffith 30,000) while most have 7,000
& while vicky kicky is played in many of these places .. it is dwarfed by RL.
it is a VFL myth .. that the Riverina is a bumbleball strong hold ... in reality .. it is not.


ACT
Rugby League is by far .. the most popular code in the ACT & surrounding areas ... if you got the fans of all 16 NRL clubs together in one place & placed this up against the brumbies ... it would be 10 to 1 in favour of RL .. same for fumbleball , the TV ratings year in year out .. with RL taking 4 out of the top 5 spots every year ..while the other 2 codes can't crack a spot in the top 20 . is proof definitive


Sydney
there is not an area in Sydney or NSW that the VFL.." owns " .. or soccer for that matter
the fact that the Swines can barely muster 50K veiwers on TV for their games in Sydney indicates the support for that code is very .. very thin .. past the 25K who attend games.
Soccer isn't much better .. & you'll find even kids that are playing soccer on sat mornings , they are tuning into the NRL on the TV that night as they don't identify with the game they play .. they play it only .. because mummy doesn't want johnny hurt playing the sport their heros... Benji Marshall .. SBW.. Jarrod Hayne.. play

this is whats what in NSW .. the ACT .. & QLD
cussy stick to commenting on the bumbling mess that is Victorian rules in the dispshit states it is stronng in .. but refrain from commenting on it anywhere else

for its obvious .. that you know jack crap about it
K champ ?

[Stewie]

If you want an analytical study first you have to be clear on your criteria.
The dominant code as to particpiation and or professional popularity.
In WA, SA, Victoria and Tasmania AFL is clearly domiant in both participation and popularity.
In the NT and Riverina it's AFL ahead of NRL.In Canberra it's a pretty mixed bag with RU ahead of NRL and AFL.
Queensland is NRL throughout the state but AFL has strong representation in Brisbane, GC and Cairns and RU is also strong in Brisbane.
NSW is the only state where soccer is dominant in the participation stakes and by a large margin. Recently that has been converted into greater professional popularity and move towards AFL and RU having a strong Sydney popularity. NSW is clearly a NRL state at professional popularity level but there are areas that are owned by other codes like the Riverina, Sydney Hills and Coffs by AFL, North Shore by RU and WS by soccer .

Sydney
there is not an area in Sydney or NSW that the VFL.." owns " .. or soccer for that matter

Broken Hill begs to differ. Being closer to Adelaide than Sydney, they know what the superior code is, AFL.

They don't have time for that English crap rl.

[Raiderdave]

PS Dogs my son plays AF and if there was RL at ALL where we live and he wanted to play I would let him. But he would always play because it is the harder game which requires far more skill fitness, mental and physical toughness. You can get hit anywhere in a 360% radius not coming at you in one direction. Clearly you have never played the game or seen a game played. And don't worry your little Johnny will play AF at school in the Paul Kelly cup and just like Kieran Jack he'll want to play AF!

vicky kicky is hardly any harder to play then soccer
thats why its played by skinny little white boys .. too frail to play RL in NSW , QLD & the ACT... I mean .. seriously , how could any of these little sheilas ( 40kgs ringing wet)
take a hit up ( ball in hand ) & be met with several 90kg forwards.. & this is the U13's & expect to get up

I see smaller kids in RL .. smaller half backs , dummy halfs , wingers.. etc do this all day .. taking it up to bigger Polynesian kids , chopping these bigger blokes down in tackles all day
now that takes guts ... mental & pyshical toughness

a singlet wearing tight shorts fumbler met with the same ... would defile his undies in the same situation
& their mummies wouldn't approve
so its softer .. easier games for them to play

[Raiderdave]

If you want an analytical study first you have to be clear on your criteria.
The dominant code as to particpiation and or professional popularity.
In WA, SA, Victoria and Tasmania AFL is clearly domiant in both participation and popularity.
In the NT and Riverina it's AFL ahead of NRL.In Canberra it's a pretty mixed bag with RU ahead of NRL and AFL.
Queensland is NRL throughout the state but AFL has strong representation in Brisbane, GC and Cairns and RU is also strong in Brisbane.
NSW is the only state where soccer is dominant in the participation stakes and by a large margin. Recently that has been converted into greater professional popularity and move towards AFL and RU having a strong Sydney popularity. NSW is clearly a NRL state at professional popularity level but there are areas that are owned by other codes like the Riverina, Sydney Hills and Coffs by AFL, North Shore by RU and WS by soccer .

Sydney
there is not an area in Sydney or NSW that the VFL.." owns " .. or soccer for that matter

Broken Hill begs to differ. Being closer to Adelaide than Sydney, they know what the superior code is, AFL.

They don't have time for that English crap rl.

Broken Hill .... is a town , not an area you ********* cockhead