Note: I use 'AFL' to refer to the Australian Football League and not the game of Australian Rules football; although other people increasingly use the term 'AFL' to refer to the sport.
I went to the Southern Football League Premier division grand final here in Hobart last weekend. Clarence upset Lauderdale (Clarence are coached by Grant Fagan, brother of Brisbane Lions' coach Chris). It was a great occasion, a packed crowd at North Hobart Oval, Tasmania's traditional "league headquarters". I should write a post about that instead, really.
I realised during this week, the lead up to the AFL Grand Final, that I am pretty fed up with the AFL. Every week here there is another twist in the saga of the new Hobart stadium which has been mandated by the AFL. We don't need it, can't afford it.
There was so much that was great about the local 'granny' that AFL just doesn't provide. Affordable tickets, food and drinks. The freedom to move around the ground to different vantage points. A PA system that was feeble and only in action when there was actually an announcement, so you could chat to your mates. And a program of three games; colts, womens and then mens.
AFL is a big business in Australia, yet pays no tax. It is a loud voice on social issues of countering racism, fostering respect for women, condemning use of illegal drugs and acceptance of all sexual preferences and gender identities. But it fails its own proclaimed standards constantly (eg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr.was paid between 2 and 5 million A$ to play at yesterday's grand final).
The league dominates news reporting, and has made an art form of dropping distracting news tidbits any time another sport gets a bit of traction. Once all newspapers in footy states (WA, SA, Vic and Tas especially) had big rosters of football journos. Now the AFL itself employs a lot of those people; which means criticism of the league tends not to come from the mainstream.
Anyway, back to me. I was feeling shirty and when people asked if I had big grand final plans I said no not really. I had a lot of negativity and didn't want to impose it on anyone else. So I dodged the entertainment and breathless excitement of the lead up; and switched on for the first bounce with the TV on mute and ABC radio synced up. the ABC panel were unanimous tipping Geelong.
I have a natural dislike of this Geelong team so I was backing Brisbane. Coco sat on my chest and started chewing her blanket. And… I slept through the first half. Scores were low and level at half time, seems it was an old fashioned arm-wrestle with pressure through the roof and no-one able to break free. Which is great for the purists but my unconscious brain said very clearly to me "you do not need or want to watch this".
I watched the third quarter, which was again very even for most of it, until Brisbane kicked a few unanswered to get out to 19 points up at the last break. I took the radio off for a run; in that time Brisbane kicked more goals and by the time I got back in front of the TV; Geelong were gone. There is nothing in sport like a massive occasion that is dead as a contest yet must roll on because it's on the clock. Brisbane were ecstatic, Geelong were pathetic.
Bailey Smith is a flashy young Geelong player who left the Bulldogs last year to play in a better team. He appeared to love the limelight then had a mental health crisis where he hated the limelight but now again seems pretty keen on the limelight. He has limelight issues. Anyway he's a star of the side and played badly and his team lost – and I am not proud of this but it made me happy. Get a haircut son.
Seeing the handshakes after a game, especially a big one, is really important to me. As soon as they cut away to an interview the TV was off.
I'm happy for Chris Fagan the coach, he seems to be a good guy and he's from Queenstown in Tasmania like two of my best mates. It’s nice that the brothers both won against the odds.
That's it for male footy until next season. But AFLW (womens) has been going for the last six weeks and continues today. I feel much more positive about it. Go Tiges.
