Footy? What is this thing you call footy?
I was introduced to the sport of Australian Rules Football over 15 years ago. Living in the States I knew nothing about it - I hadn't even heard of it before. Footy wasn't quite love at first sight - oh, who am I kidding, YES IT WAS!!!! I didn't understand it but the non-stop action was terrific, the goal umpires were a riot, the collisions (no pads!) were incredible, and the whole bit about jumping on someone's back to get to the ball was mind-blowing! It didn't take long for me to fall hook, line and sinker! Yibbida! Yibbida!
What is footy, my American friends? It's not soccer. It's not rugby. It's not American football. It's a football code of it's own. To most Americans, if you say something about the goal umpire wearing a coat and a hat making funny hand gestures to signal a goal, the light bulb goes on, followed by the question, "Do the players wear really short shorts?" Ahhh, see there! You DO know your footy!
To the untrained eye, the game seems random at first. Players run all over the field with no particular plan, they kick every so often to anyone on either team, they punch the ball, they have periodic jump balls, the boundary markers are mostly ignored, and, well, it's just peculiar. Nothing about it is familiar to those of us who live and die by American college or pro football. But we watch because it's intriguing. The adventure draws us in, and before we know it we recognize a play! And then another! And then we realize it's not random at all, that players are in position to help their teammates, there is a strategy, it's a lot more complicated than it appeared at first, that they're not wearing pads yet they're still taking hits!! It's a sensational game and I dare you to watch and not get hooked!
And anyway, what else are you going to do in the NFL off-season? I hear the complaints about how everyone is going to miss football. There is no reason to miss football! Pop on-line and listen to or watch a footy game! The AFL season is opposite the NFL season. You can have your football and footy, too!!
Out of respect for an awesome football code and a country and its people who have captured my heart and my imagination, I created this site. Australia, Australians, and footy are in my blood, a fact I'm quite proud to share with the world!
That said, I don't claim to be a footy expert! I'll happily admit that I'm a novice fan with an ongoing quest to understand the game. Some years I've been fortunate to have video, many years I've only had audio. This site isn't intended to be an AFL primer or a historical account of the club, rather it's just a place to come to celebrate some fun I've found along the way. It's a place for fans of any country -- all countries! -- to join in, speak up, speak out! Enjoy the footy as we discover the wonders of Punt Road -- the mighty Richmond Tigers!
Oh, and please -- talk to me!!! I'd love to hear your stories, opinions, thoughts, and ideas!
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