Woeful opinion piece.

Impeccable timing!! Demetriou was just back at work after paternity leave!!!! From AFL boss perspective - he can't sign blank cheques to the FFA/FIFA...whomever!! Back in 2008 the AFL offered support - you have the MCG and we keep Docklands. FFA renegged - very publicly - from Oct 2009 on. When AFL found out this, ALONG with secret plans (not disputed) to convert MCG and lock AFL out for min 16 weeks - - no wonder the AFL started wondering what else the FFA had up their sleeves!!

Agree (1 people agree)    Disagree (0 people disagree) Report this

The real blame (cont'd ptII)

(how do others get to write longer responses?) Now if the object is to WIN then any 0-0 draw becomes bereft of purpose. My advice to Mr Demetriou is to back the WC bid and if some clubs die then maybe they can look back on their actions when AFL had rep games (albeit at state level) and ask themselves how much they supported it. Or did they pull players to save them for club duty thus stifling the growth of the game they "love". THEY are to blame for the AFL's position NOT the AFL itself!

Agree (0 people agree)    Disagree (0 people disagree) Report this

The real blame (cont'd)

Now should the English have created this game played on an oval field with four posts at each end then it could be argued that after the time it has been around (150 years) it may now be rivalling the game supported by FIFA. In truth all games are a bit silly when you look at them. In both Rugby codes you have to get the ball forward by passing it backwards (makes sense - NOT), Cricket can go for 5 days and still be a draw and football (assoc) can be beautiful even if nobody scores (to be cont'd

Agree (0 people agree)    Disagree (0 people disagree) Report this

The real blame

I read with interest the comments written by all respondents to this column and despite a lot of poppycock a few points are being missed. Firstly, Andrew Demetriou is bound to protect the interests of the fans of Aust football, its players and clubs. Secondly and most poignantly our gaze must be fixed upon the AFL clubs themselves. Aust Football invented the Origin concept in the 60s for rep footy to be played. It was the CLUBS who pulled players from these games thus halting the growth of AFL.

Agree (2 people agree)    Disagree (0 people disagree) Report this

?

"NRL crowds are in freefall ". How are they? The NRLs crowds are rising every year.

Agree (0 people agree)    Disagree (3 people disagree) Report this

World Cup Bid

Hosting the World Cup in 2018/2022 will NOT mean that the AFL season will be cancelled. There is a suggestion that hosting such a huge tournament will mean other codes will have to cancel their planned season's outright, the suggestion is that you have to have one football code but not the others, this is a false dichotomy. The World Cup is the biggest sporting event in the world (bigger than the Summer and Winter Olympics combined) and if our bid is succesful, all sports and the Australian economy generally will benefit from the revenue and upgraded infrastructure that an event of this magnitude would bring to Australia in the long term. The misleading campaign in the tabloid press is a direct result of a fear and smear strategy being instigated by fringe elements within other football codes in Australia i.e AFL, NRL who fear that the inevitable rise of the world game in this country will lead to the decline of their own sports. NRL crowds are in freefall and the conduct of NRL players has been rightly scrutinised over the past 12 months. The AFL is facing an identity crisis also.. while crowd numbers are steady in the traditional AFL heartland, the league has been exposed for its inability to modernise and expand or develop a sustainable framework for the future. The truth is, like it or not, Football is growing in this country and will one day be the number one sport in Australia... globalisation makes this outcome inevitable. Hosting a World Cup, the largest ever sporting event in the world will be in our long term interests... so I urge you all to forget the doom and gloom of the naysayers and get on board to support this once in a lifetime bid!

Agree (5 people agree)    Disagree (1 people disagree) Report this

afl

Andy D, don't be a disgrace. We all know there is one world game. I'm a Leaguey mate, but it ain' t league, it ain't union, but it SURE AS SHITE AINT AFL. Pull your head in and support the bid(s). LETS WIN THIS THING. Maybe even give Melbourne a decent major event other than the farkin tennis or the C'pov garbage games. LETS GET THE FOOTBALL WORLD CUP IN AUS.

Agree (4 people agree)    Disagree (1 people disagree) Report this

Planning should be the focus

Firstly, I believe planning should be the key focus of all sporting associations involved. While the FFA have done well to turn the football infrastructure into a positive state in recent years, I reckon the queries brought up by Andrew Demetriou are valid. Aside from the top level directors there is a perceived lack of experience and structure in the footballing community. The AFL may not be a worldwide sport, but its management rivals those with higher reputations hence their should be more communication and interaction between the associations. Furthermore, effective planning also takes into worst possible outcomes and the requirement of contingency plans to handle them. While I do believe that the two codes will be able to sort it out, with the AFL being able to cope with an 8 week compromise to the AFL season, the possibility of a lost season still exists. It's not just a matter of "it's just one season", over 300million of lost revenue is on the cards which is needed to cover 115million in players salaries and another 100 million in operating costs. It's unreasonable to ask a sporting body which affects over 20,000 employees to take a year off work when the majority the criticizers of the AFL would fail to do the same. But that is just addressing the idiots who do not think before exclaiming the AFL should die.

Agree (5 people agree)    Disagree (8 people disagree) Report this

Don't be Arrogant !

The comments of Matt Hall and others are totally unfair and inciteful ! A soccer world cup in Australia is bound to cause enormous damage to Australian Football and other codes, this is the deliberate intention of the FFA and their supporters. Demitrou and other AFL officials are employed and responsible to look after the interests of our Australian game. They have already been extraordinarily accommodating by firstly supporting the bid and then moving aside for the MCG for it’s rival foreign code. Now the FFA are now making further arrogant demands on the AFL, which are sure to increase, and are placing the code in danger – the AFL are not the villains ! Even though it is the worlds oldest football code , an indigenous game like our Australian football is under enormous threat of survival especially due multi-national financial muscle, media exposure behind soccer and the fact that on arrival no migrants know of our game. Instead of showing some respect for the culture of this country they are quick top ridicule it.

Agree (4 people agree)    Disagree (29 people disagree) Report this

Andreas Demetrius

You have to have a laugh with Andrew(Spaaaarta)Demetrius! He knows that he wont be around by the time the 2018 World Cup comes around. He has to be seen to be doing something. What better way than spreading the fear.

Agree (18 people agree)    Disagree (1 people disagree) Report this