Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy Beware...American attempting to answer... When a player carries the ball on the run, the ball must touch the ground every 10 metres. This can be done by the bounce (which is most effective for keeping a run alive), or simply by touching the ball to ground. The player can be tackled while running with the ball, at which time the player must release his hold on the ball (failure to do so results in a free kick awarded to the tackler). The tackle can only be applied above the waist and below the shoulder...so to "take someone out", the tackle must be applied judiciously. If I've gotten any of this wrong, I'm sure my Aussie colleagues will correct me.
Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy The comprehensive laws of the game are documented here: http://www.afana.com/af_faq_sec2.shtml http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=aboutthegame There was a PDF document friendlier to read, and not a lot of legalese. Unfortunately, I can't locate it anymore. If I find it, I'll post it here.
Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy The tackle can be applied from the knee to the armpit - below the knee is a trip, over the shoulder is a high tackle. Players can also be shoulder bumped, even if not is possession of the ball - so long as they are within 5 metres of the ball (having said that you cannot completely drill someone if they are standing there not participating in play)
Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy OK, here we go. This is required reading material before posting anything on Australian Football: http://afl.com.au/cp2/c2/webi/article/126188am.pdf Also useful historical background: http://afana.com/af_faq_sec1.shtml
Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy Hey...I've noticed that the pitch at Telstra Dome is in much better condition this year...even with the additional rugby and soccer traffic. What are they doing different to take care of the playing surface?
Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy One of the main reasons why I think this law is in Aussie Rules is to prevent the player from Tucking the ball in and running American Football Style. Having to bounce the ball means that the player must keep the ball held hands out which creates more opportunities for the defence to jar the ball loose. Otherwise we'd see less open play and more ball-ups as more players would go down in tackles without releasing the ball. Phil
Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy I think it's more a case of the ground surface having time to settle down now it's 4 years old. The first couple of years, the surface was terrible and they were constantly having to re-lay parts of the ground, but now the only thing we hear is about the hardness of the surface and the toll it takes on some players who play there more often.
Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy There have been many complaints from Brisbane Lions on the state of the surface at Gabba. Specifically they compain that the cricket pitch is never taken out, and the surface is always uneven for the football season. How valid is this concern? An unbiased answer please, no matter how much you may hate the Lions. Is the situation different at MCG? Do they completely take out the cricket pitch and put grass sods when football starts, and repeat the process for preparing the cricket pitch when cricket starts? Also, do they ever play cricket at Telstra dome?
Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy Yes, there has been some games there. The ICC are going to play the ICC Super Series (AUS v World) there in what will be winter in AUS. Cricket has also been played in Telstra Stadium (the re-configured Stadium Australia aka the Olympic Stadium) in Sydney, but not very often.
Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy A followup question to the Australian stadiums issue a while ago. Can someone list the stadiums where grounds are shared between Australian football and first class cricket (specifically international cricket - one day or tests)? So far I have: Gabba MCG Subiaco AAMI How about: Optus oval Skilled I'm not including the random locations in Darwin, Canberra, and Tasmania (Launceston or Hobart??) that are used as publicity events by the AFL. OK, so Andy I saw your reply that both Telstra Dome and Telstra Stadium are used for international cricket. Thanks for that. How about SCG (Sydney Cricket Ground)? Do the Swans split their time between the new Telstra stadium and SCG, and if so why? Does Rugby (League/Union) get preferential use of Telstra stadium over Swans? Apart from Telstra stadium, are any of the stadiums above used for the 2 Rugby football codes as well? Is Suncorp stadium used for Rugby Union internationals in Brisbane, and if yes, is it shared with cricket? Similar question about Aussie stadium in Sydney. I noticed the Adelaide oval for the Union match last weekend, although I'm not too familiar with the popularity of any Rugby code down there. Is AAMI the stadium of choice for international cricket in Adelaide, or Adelaide oval? Sorry, I realize these are too many questions. Answer what you can. Basically, I'm interested in understanding how facilities are shared between so many football codes and cricket. I suppose the easiest way would be to take each stadium mentioned here, and list the sports it is used for in a matrix. For example: MCG: Cricket, Australian Football Telstra Stadium: Rugby Union, Rugby League, Australian football, cricket ........... ...........
Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy Chandu, most of the major stadia in AUS are used by ALL the sports you mention played at local and international levels. eg The MCG has seen not only Cricket & AFL, but Football (Soccer), Rugby Union & Rugby League. In the precincts of the City of Sydney the two major stadia are: Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) - all sports; Sydney Sports Ground (SSG) - 3 football sports but not AFL nor cricket. In the Olympic precincts of Homebush Bay the stadia, amongst very specific facilities such as the SuperDome (NOT The Telstra Dome which is in Melbourne) for indoor sports & concerts are: Telstra Stadium (aka Stadium Australia - the Olympic Stadium) - all sports above including cricket; Sydney Show Ground - all sports above (IIRC except for Rugby Union - but it could easily be used for such). Also, through-out the suburbs of Sydney there are many sport-specific stadia (eg Parramatta Stadium - all 3 non-AFL football codes have used this facility). Same would be very true of all capital (Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart, Darwin) & major regional (eg Newcastle in NSW) cities of Australia. Other posters can help out in naming these & the sports played therein. Cheers.
Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy The swans have a long-term (but not exclusive) agreement to use the SCG. WRT to your question on Telstra Stadium, in short NO. All sports have to bid for use of (& schedule) the Telstra Stadium but you'll find that there will be some jockeying between the competing sports around each's "more important fixtures". Aussie Stadium is the Sydney Sports Ground (with naming rights sold) in my previous post. Adelaide Oval is the premier Cricket ground. Impossible for one person to give you this info as there's so many of such facilities through-out AUS. Cheers.
Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy OK, I can talk about the grounds in Adelaide and Melbourne. Adelaide first. The first major stadium in SA is the Adelaide Oval. This beautiful ground has been fenced off from the North Adelaide parklands since the 1880's. It has grown to be one of, if not THE most picturesque cricket grounds in the world. The South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) have signed a 99yr lease with the Adelaide City Council to manage the ground. Besides cricket, second tier (South Australian National Football League - SANFL) Aussie Rules football is played at Adelaide Oval, as is the odd Rugby International (2 in the 2003 RWC, 1 this yr vs. the Pacific Islanders). No AFL games are played at the Oval, the AFL has a deal with the SANFL than AAMI Stadium is the only stadium in SA that will host official AFL games. In the late 1960's there was conflict between the SACA and the SANFL - the ruling body for Aussie Rules in SA (this is before the AFL set itself up as the 'overlord' of Aussie Rules in Australia). This conflict was caused by the SANFL bring the majority of people through the gates at the Oval, as football is played more often and is more popular than cricket. However the SACA refused to let the SANFL have much say in the running of things. Both sides can be blamed for being stubborn and stupid stuffed coats. The upshot was the SANFL spat the dummy, borrowed some cash in 1971, and built their own stadium in the sea side suburb of West Lakes.....called Football Park - opened in 1974. This way the SANFL could control the running and revenue streams without interference from the Blue Blazer brigade at SACA. Over the years, the facilities have been upgraded, extra seating/corporate boxes installed and the naming rights sold, but AAMI Stadium (nee Football Park) is just that.....a park for football only. It has hosted a soccer match Australia against Argentina in the early 1990's (1992?), but since the formation of the Adelaide Crows (1991) and P*rt P*wer (1997), the stadium has been used exclusively for footy, in a minimum of 22 games a year, plus any pre-season matches, and home finals for Adelaide and P*rt.....and of course the SANFL Grand Final. No cricket is played here. Incidentally, the SANFL and the SACA long ago patched up their differences, and all the SANFL Finals games proceeding the Grand Final are played at the Adelaide Oval, as well as the big 'match of the round' games. Soccer is played at the recently renovated Hindmarsh Stadium. Rebuilt at a cost of >AU$40m for the 2000 Olympics, this 16,000 all-seat venue was in danger of becoming a white elephant. The Adelaide side in the National Soccer League (NSL), Adelaide City FC, was deeply unpopular with the majority of football fans in Adelaide. When they dropped down a league into the state league at the beginning of last NSL season (03/04), Adelaide was left without representation in the NSL for the first time since the league was created in 1977. In 5 weeks though, the local governing body (SA Soccer Federation) together with a rich local businessman (we love you Gordon Pickard!) created a new team for all of South Australia to support......Adelaide United FC. This team captured the imagination of the locals, and played out the season to a packed stadium (ave 12,500 for the season), eventually finishing third (from 13). They will be back next year in the reformed local soccer league, the Australian Premier League.
Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy Melbourne: The Melbourne Cricket Ground is the be-all and end-all in this town. The ‘G’, as it is colloquially known, is the equivalent to a cathedral for sports fans. Run by the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC), the G is in the process of being upgraded with a new northern half, to bring capacity back up to 100,000 seated spectators for the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Check out the following sites for information: www.mcg.org.au – follow links to ‘re-development’ http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=84839 Cricket was first played at the MCG in the mid to late 1800’s, and continues to be played there now. The Boxing Day Test is an institution not only in this city, but in world cricket. Crowds of 70,000 plus watch the first days play. Almost all sports have been played at the MCG. Soccer (World Cup Qualifying agony for Australia), Bledisloe Cup Rugby, a Rugby League State of Origin game between NSW and QLD, and of course Australian Rules Football. Without the massive crowds that the AFL pulls through the gates, the MCC could not have afforded to borrow money to pay for the Great Southern Stand (1991), and the new redevelopment (due completion 2005). The State Government and the AFL tipped in for both of these as well, but without the sustained usage by the AFL, it would not have been economically viable. The AFL has a contract to play a minimum of 41 games of regular season football per year at the MCG. It also has a contentious contract to play 1 finals game at the MCG every week of the 4 week finals series, regardless of which teams might have earned a ‘home final’.** See Note Below Eerily similar to the South Australian experience, in the late 1960’s the MCC and the Victorian Football League (VFL) – the forerunner to today’s AFL had a major falling out over the way the stadium and its revenue was being controlled and distributed. Again, similar to the SANFL, the VFL spat the dummy, borrowed some money, and built VFL Park, a 75,000 seat stadium (expandable to 120,000) in the outer South Eastern Melbourne suburb of Waverly. Unfortunately, with no public transport, in a cold and rainy valley and with big distances between the seats and the play, the people of Melbourne never really took to VFL Park or “Waverly” as it came to be known as. In the late 1980’s the VFL and the MCC patched up their differences, and the Great Southern Stand at the MCG was the result. In the late 1990’s, the AFL resolved to sell Waverly to property developers, and build a boutique 55,000 seat state of the art roofed stadium on Melbourne’s Docklands Redevelopment Project. Since it opened in 2000, the Docklands Stadium has become known as Colonial Stadium (after the Colonial Investment Group) and lately Telstra Dome, after the telecommunications company Telstra. It has hosted soccer, rugby union (hosted 6 or 7 RWC games), rugby league (Melbourne Storm), boxing, concerts and cricket. The advantage the Dome has over the MCG is that it is roofed, thus allowing cricket to take place with the aid of a ‘drop in pitch’ in the middle of a Melbourne winter. Skilled Stadium has gone through many names, but went by the moniker of Kardinia Park, Geelong until the naming rights thing took off in the mid 1990’s. Geelong moved to what is now known as Skilled Stadium from its former home ground – Corio Oval in 1941. It is a football only ground, and is the training and administration base of the Geelong AFL and Geelong VFL sides. It is currently undergoing a redevelopment which will see additional undercover seating and other amenities added, as well as increasing capacity to approximately 28,000. Optus Oval (35,000 capacity) used to be known as Princes Park. It is located in the inner northern Melbourne suburb of Carlton. It is home to the Carlton Cricket Club, the VFL Headquarters, but predominantly is known as the Social, Training and Administrative base of the Carlton Football Club. It is somewhat antiquated, lacking some rudimentary amenities such as a video replay screen. The AFL had a contract with Carlton to play 9 games a year there, but Carlton has allowed this to be reduced to 6 in exchange for some $$. Carlton is currently in the process of investigating a move to make either the Telstra Dome or the MCG their ‘Home Ground’. Optus Oval is widely regarded as holding them back financially, as corporate facilities and ease of access for fans are not up to modern standard like the Dome or the G, thus hampering their drive to recruit members and sponsors. Unfortunately, they borrowed heavily to redevelop the ground in the mid 1990’s and are somewhat hamstrung by the repayments. If they don’t play there, they will still have to pay upkeep for the arena. Home Football Teams: MCG – Melbourne, Richmond, Hawthorn, Collingwood. Telstra Dome – Essendon, St Kilda, North Melbourne, Western Bulldogs. Optus Oval – Carlton (with the blockbusters vs Essendon & Collingwood @ MCG) Skilled Stadium – Geelong. (with 3 big games vs ESS/COLL/CARL @ the Dome) ** For example, in week 3, there are 2 preliminary finals. The winners both go into the Grand Final, the losers eliminated. The Grand Final is ALWAYS at the MCG, kind of like Wembley Stadium used to be in England, however, with only 2 Prelim Finals, one HAS to be at the MCG due to this contract. If Adelaide and Brisbane both have earned the right to a Home Prelim Final, only one will get it. The ‘lower ranked’ team in that finals series will have to forfeit home ground advantage to fulfill the contract. Now, if Adelaide was this team, and they were to have played their home game against say Collingwood, but now have to move it to the MCG….Collingwood’s home ground no less!!!!, you can see how this contract really riles the supporters of Non-Victorian teams. It has happened like this on 3 occasions since the National Competition began in 1990.
Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy Wow, you guys are great. Thanks very much for such comprehensive answers. It is bizzare to know about the deal to play stipulated number of finals (playoffs to those of us in America) matches at the MCG. Imagine if Fremantle and Sydney have to fight it out against each other at the MCG, and if it's not even the Grand Final. Such a hypothetical scenario is possible, and can turn off some of the passionate fans. Nothing like a "real" home-field advantage for a do-or-die football match. Now, can someone explain my original question about the Gabba few posts ago (7 posts to be exact) that started all this stadium conversation? Is there any Queenslander on this board?
Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy Has anyone ever thought of putting together a tour of the "historic" VFL grounds? After walking through Punt Road Oval after the 2001 Grand Final I became intrigued by how the game must have been before it became such big business. I'd love to explore the older venues such as Glenferrie Oval and Windy Hill and Brunswick Street. Which of the old grounds still exist and how easy would they be to get to?
Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy No, it has happened to West Coast twice and Adelaide once. In the 2002 finals series, we should have played the 2nd Semi Final at home, after losing away to Brisbane in week 1 (Bris = 2nd v Adel = 3rd). Melbourne beat the Kangaroos (6th v 7th) in the 2nd Elimination Final. As the higher ranked team, we should have hosted Melbourne at Football Park, but because P*rt also lost their week 1 final, and they were ranked no1 at the end of the home and away season, they got to play their Semi Final at Football Park against Essendon, and we had to play a “home” game at the MCG……Melbourne’s home stadium no less! This deal really **********s me to tears, and proves the AFL doesn’t give a ********** about the Non-Victorian clubs and the integrity of the competition. At least we won! (Lost the Prelim the next week to Collingscum)
Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy Most grounds that are multi-use arenas in Australia now use the ‘drop in pitch’ technology. This involves removing all the centre wicket area, and replacing it with ‘normal’ turf, to match the rest of the ground. The centre wickets and the replacement turf are mounted on slabs that can be lifted out by a small crane. I have not heard the Lions players say that the ‘Gabba centre wicket area is too solid under foot. I have heard them complain about the surface of Telstra Dome, as recently as last season. This season however, it seems as though the Dome management has produced a more user friendly playing surface, and there have been no complaints from any clubs or players.
Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy Also bear in mind that there have been no major big-name concerts at Telstra Dome this season compared to winters past. Bigger music acts are preferring to play venues such as Rod Laver Arena and Vodaphone Arena, thereby relieving the Telstra Dome floor from the pressure that a 60,000-plus attendance of a major concert (not to mention the staging plans) would have on that venue. As for test cricket being played at Telstra Dome, I know there was some there in 2000, the first year of the venue itself, when they played a one-day match between Australia and Pakistan, but I cannot recall any other tests being played in the years since. The MCG is seen as a much more preferrable venue for tests and one-dayers.
Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy The ICC is holding an Australia v Rest of the World series here in October, with the 6 day test in Sydney (despite them having the worst per capita attendance @ tests of the Australian mainland capitals) and 3 ODI's in Melbourne at Telstra Dome. http://www.cricket.com.au/cricketaustralia/mediacentre/release050704_4.jsp
Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy How does an Aussie Rules footie compare to an Rugby Union ball? Are they the same size and weight, and what about grip are there pimples on it like on a Rugby ball? Whould you say, out of experience, that Aussie Rules footies are easier to kick?
Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy Rugby balls are more rounded on the ends, and more bloated around the centre circumference than a 'Sherrin' - a brand of AFL ball. An Aussie Rules footy is much easier to kick than a Union ball IMO, and with a lot more accuracy over distance.
Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy The thing I've been wondering is, is it easier to kick an Aussie Rules ball than an American Football? The reason I ask is, in American football it's typical for a punter to only be able to kick around 35-40 yards. However in Aussie Rules we routinely see kicks going over 50 meters (55 yards). Subjectively an Aussie Rules ball and an American Ball looks almost identical (at least on TV), although it does seem to me that a Sherrin is a bit more "bouncy" and perhaps "spongy"?