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Published: April 2nd 2005
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I’ve finally found something to take way my craving for football, and it is…………. Footy, Aussie Rules Style!!
Perth has two AFL teams, the West Coast Eagles, and the Fremantle Dockers.
I chose to support the Eagles as they last won the cup in ’94 like my beloved Dundee United, they’re also the closest team to us as although both team share the Subiaco Oval for match days, the Eagles are based there and the Dockers are down in little Italy, a.k.a. Freo, where Fiona works, some 20KM’s away from the City.
Anyway, the season started last week and the Eagles were away to Adelaide, with my support behind them, via the TV, they won in South Australia for the first time in 10 years, my support being the only difference to the previous games, so well done me.
This week was the first home game of the season and the Eagles took on the Geelong Cats at Subi, Geelong are from just outside Melbourne and are quite a few tipsters favourite for the title this year and were last weeks highest scorers with an impressive 160 points, compared to the Eagles 64.
I managed to
Subiaco Oval
The home of Football get a couple of tickets in the 45,000 sell-out so Frank and I headed off for a few pints on the way to the game.
It’s a real exciting game to watch, 18 a-side with plenty of action, it’s was hard to follow the game live for me, as opposed to on TV, but I really enjoyed it, you get beer while watching the game so that’s a plus.
There are a few rules, like rugby players can take a 'mark' if the ball travels more than 15 feet and doesn't touch another player, you can hit an opponent anywhere below the neck, there are no yellow or red cards, players can 'block' other players who don't have the ball etc etc.
It's really a free-for-all and fights break out every 20 seconds or something, the object is to kick a goal, between the two middle posts to score 6 points, if you aim wide there is another post at each side, these 'behinds' gain you a consolation point.
A defender can put it behind if under pressure, regardless of what post it goes through they attacking team get only one point. If a player is
tackled he must release the ball, if not it's a free kick to the opponent.
The umpires (3) play a big part, if the ball goes out of play then it's the umpire, with his back to the game, that throws the ball back in to play and everyone goes in for it, magic stuff like. After a goal or a breakdown in play, the game is restarted by the umpire bouncing the funny shaped ball on the deck and everyone goes in for it, great entertainment.
The Eagles came from behind to win 12.12 (84) - 8.14 (62) in a close game and the umpires got pelters as they left the pitch, just like Fortress Tannadice, the atmosphere was good, it’s real family friendly with loads of women and kids with plenty of entertainment before the game and at half time, it’s a full day out.
Next week it’s the derby ‘away’ to the Dockers and we’ve managed to bag a couple of tickets so I’m really looking forward to that.
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anonymous
non-member comment
C'ARN the mighty EAGLES!!
Shaggy, nice to see you like the Eagles!! GOOD choice Mate!! I am born and bred in Fremantle but when Freo Dockers joined the AFL in 1995, there was no way I could abandon the mighty Eagles and Join the Freo Dockers Supporters.. lots of my friends did, but there was something inside me ''that just could'nt do it'' I love the Eagles, and I am so PROUD that our wonderful coach John is with us today, he was once our MIGHTY CAPTAIN and now our brilliant COACH.."How perfect is that?" I sincerely hope we are in the GRANDFINAL this year 2005 !!! because that would give us an awsome BUZZ for ALL US DEDICATED WEST COAST EAGLE SUPPORTERS!!!!! all the best-cheers LIA - LiA