Need an AFL team...

ONE · 20 Oct 2009, 05:35 PM

So it turns out that the only good thing to come out of the digital TV switch in my area, has been the introduction of a world news station that happens to show AFL a few days a week.
I've given the sport a go and have become totally hooked, but've found it hard to identify with a team. This is partly due to the fact that they're only showing the best matches so both teams come out looking like champs, and partly because I haven't yet distilled what it means to be a supporter of any given club.

Their reputations are a complete mystery to me...I must have a team...I must know more!

Caesar · 21 Oct 2009, 01:09 AM

Depends what you're looking for in a side. Here's a bit of a 'stereotype' list for each club, with some massive generalisations - I'm sure others will expand, hopefully it'll give you an idea of who you might be interested in.

St Kilda Saints
Pretty diverse following, reflecting the suburb. Range from the arty 'free spirits' to the middle class who've moved in as part of the gentrification of the area. Perpetually rubbish team who've picked up twice as many wooden spoons as anyone else, but made the Grand Final for the first time in aeons this year. Club with a lot of character. My family's traditional team.

Sydney Swans
Formed from the transplantation of South Melbourne in the 1980s. Is somewhat of a toff's club - the Sydney fanbase who support them tend to be from the eastern and northern suburbs, made up of people who aren't interested in rugby union and are too 'sophisticated' for rugby league.

Melbourne Demons
Someone over on BigFooty described them once as 'a winter plaything for Melbourne Cricket Club elitists'. Fans would disagree, but they're probably the bluest of the blue-blood teams. Struggled a lot on the field in recent years.

Carlton Blues
Long, storied history - traditionally a working class club from inner-city Melbourne. Massive gentrification in recent decades and now it has a somewhat elitist reputation. Perpetual cellar dwellers in recent years.

Adelaide Crows / Port Adelaide Power
Two-team town so I'll group them. Port are percieved to be the 'working class' club, the Crows by default get tagged with a bit of a middle class label. Port's a big club that has maybe underperformed a bit in the past.

Collingwood Magpies
THE working man's club. Hated by everyone who doesn't support them.

Essendon Bombers:
Middle-class club. Lot of private school old boys in Melbourne have fond connections with them. Collingwood's deadly enemy.

Fremantle Dockers / West Coast Eagles
The two Western Australia clubs. Dockers are the working class club, West Coast (based in Perth) are considered to be more elitist. West Coast have been relatively successful over the years; the Dockers are a perpetual joke.

Hawthorn Hawks
Middle class club, big focus on drawing in the parents and 2.3 children. I don't think I've ever met anyone who goes to Hawks games who doesn't go as part of a big family day out.

North Melbourne Kangaroos
Not a big club, has struggled a lot in recent years financially and on the field. Was some talk of them relocating to the Gold Coast but this was scrapped.

Brisbane Lions
Merger club, don't really know much about their 'ethos' - the old Fitzroy Lions were a blue-collar club and Collingwood were their deadly enemies. Strong club, hugely successful in recent years with several back-to-back Premierships although a taper off since then.

Geelong Cats
Non-metro Victorian team; not really sure what their 'identity' is to be honest - someone else will have to chip in. Massively successful in recent years, just won their second Premiership in three seasons.

Richmond Tigers
Another inner-city Melbourne working class team. Not too sure about them really.

Western Bulldogs
I don't know much about their culture really. Somebody else will have to chip in.

There's also the new Gold Coast team (coming next season) and the Western Sydney team (the season after). Good choices if you want to get in on the ground floor.

ONE · 21 Oct 2009, 12:06 PM

Wow...thanks for such a thorough response. It's enough to at least remove some clubs from the running.

krudmonk · 21 Oct 2009, 02:32 PM

Don't pick Collingwood.

As for Port and the Crows, PA was the big club in the SANFL and tried to enter the AFL alone. The fans of all the smaller South Australian clubs banded together to support the Crows in the new national comp and now the tables have been turned on Port Adelaide.

RichardL · 21 Oct 2009, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krudmonk

Don't pick Collingwood.

As for Port and the Crows, PA was the big club in the SANFL and tried to enter the AFL alone. The fans of all the smaller South Australian clubs banded together to support the Crows in the new national comp and now the tables have been turned on Port Adelaide.

...and Port Adelaide have a really horrible club song, as naff and "modern" as their shirts.

ONE · 21 Oct 2009, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krudmonk

Don't pick Collingwood.

As for Port and the Crows, PA was the big club in the SANFL and tried to enter the AFL alone. The fans of all the smaller South Australian clubs banded together to support the Crows in the new national comp and now the tables have been turned on Port Adelaide.

At the risk of making them seem attractive in a forbidden-fruit sort of way, what makes Collingwood so hate-able?
I have to admit that as a Newcastle United fan, they do appeal to me on an extremely superficial level...

Caesar · 21 Oct 2009, 07:56 PM

There's no one reason really. They've been a very successful team over the years, which never helps. They have traditional rivalries with a lot of teams - Essendon, Carlton, the old Fitzroy Lions, Richmond. Their fans tend to be exceptionally rabid and one-eyed, even for football fans.

In recent years there's been a lot of discontent over perceived favourable treatment given to the club by the AFL - for example, they're the only team that gets away without having to wear a proper clash jumper when they're playing away from home, because their black and white stripes are "sacred"

. Also, their President (Eddie Maguire) is one of the most annoying people in the country.

All in all they're just one of those teams that if you don't love them, you hate them.

Caesar · 21 Oct 2009, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ONE

Wow...thanks for such a thorough response. It's enough to at least remove some clubs from the running.

Don't write off clubs just based on my assessment - a lot of those are just glib stereotyped one-liners. A lot of the clubs have storied histories going back well into the 19th century - Melbourne is one of the oldest active clubs of any football code in the world.

Best to get a few opinions and then do some research on the ones that sound interesting.

krudmonk · 21 Oct 2009, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ONE

At the risk of making them seem attractive in a forbidden-fruit sort of way, what makes Collingwood so hate-able?
I have to admit that as a Newcastle United fan, they do appeal to me on an extremely superficial level...

The closest parallel I can think of is the Toronto Maple Leafs: obnoxious fans, media obsession, level of success doesn't match up...

ONE · 22 Oct 2009, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caesar

Don't write off clubs just based on my assessment - a lot of those are just glib stereotyped one-liners. A lot of the clubs have storied histories going back well into the 19th century - Melbourne is one of the oldest active clubs of any football code in the world.

Best to get a few opinions and then do some research on the ones that sound interesting.

I'm certainly doing more research, but stereotypes are fully welcome. I just want the knowledgeable fans opinions, whatever they may be.