The first AFL , Football Final , was held last night.

Appropriately , the curtain raiser, was a match between the two Grand Finalists , of last year . The two Victorian teams, St Kilda and Geelong , playing on a Friday night at the MCG in front of 63,000 parochial fans.

It was adrenalin fuelled , frenetically paced action from start to finish .

The rematch promised much , and the Game delivered . Blood flowed , umpires were maligned , fans roared , fowards missed set shots on goal, but the gritty Saints, ground out a heart stopping win .It was a brilliant spectacle.St Kilda ,avenging last years devastating loss, doggedly prevailed with a four point win, over the marauding Cats .

Fans , wearing their football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys , were at the MCG .What started as a mild , dry night ended in torrential rain , with conditions both on and off the ground , becoming slippery and rain soaked .

High profile Saints fan , Eric Bana , was willing his team to win but so were many of the Saints faithful .

Whilst there are still games to play , many Saints fans ,  left the game with a spring in their step , a smile on their face, and a bit of hope in their heart .

Collingwood , flag favourites , play the skillful Western Bulldogs today at the MCG with a huge crowd expected .

Magpies Vs Doggies today

Julia Gillard , their number one ticket holder will be watching .Is her struggle for power , to be likened to the Bulldogs epicurean struggle , for victory over the Magpies ?

Its fast , its fun , its exciting . Who will be the ultimate victor ?

Finals footy is here at last,  and last nights match was a spectacular forerunner , of whats to come .

Can the Saints relive their 1966 Premiership Dream ?

Its finally here .

AFL Finals Football . Ardent fans are going to the Football Finals ,this weekend, wearing their teams football jumpers, jerseys, guernseys .

Those Football Clubs in the Finals ,their Players ,staff , and officials adopt a very business like approach in willing their team over the line to receive the highest accolade , a premiership.

Its the culmination, of a years hard mental grind, and physical work .

Which team, can hold their nerve , and overcome all opposition to win ?

Only time will tell.

Fans , wearing their football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys ,will be out to watch,  and cheer, hoping it is their team who wins.

AFL teams , not playing in the Finals , will just have to content themselves with the frock fest , of the Brownlow medal count !

Its Mad Monday .

No mad Monday for Collingwood

Traditionally , the day when all AFL Football Teams, who haven’t made the Finals , celebrate the end of the Season.

Around the country , AFL football players , in all leagues , will relax, and enjoy the temporary break , from training and playing .

Spotted in Port Melbourne, a group of Irish travellers , young men with beards, in dresses . When one attempted to hop , uninvited , on the back of a scooter , he was asked who he played for ? The rapid response was,  Celtic ! Truly, adding an international flavour , to Melbourne’s ,Mad Monday.

Amateur teams celebrate

The last round of Home and Away games,  for the 2010 AFL Football Season , are on this weekend .

Some teams will make a last valiant effort to gain a finals berth,  whilst others will shore up their position on the ladder.

Fans will be out , wearing their football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys , to watch their team play for the last time in 2010 , or to cheer them into the Finals.

It has been a tumultuous season .

Retirement of greats , troubled Ben Cousins , indigenous role model Andrew Mc Leod, and Bomber spearhead Matthew Lloyd.

Witness many controversial decisions,  ie : the disallowing of a winning goal in the Hawks / Saints clash, and the courtroom drama of Andrew Lovett .

Supporters have experienced highs , eg :Collingwoods emergence as flag favourites , and lows, eg : Jim Stynes public battle with cancer .

Its been a great season, and the finals of 2010 promise much .

Historically, its the last year of the current AFL competition, with 16 teams playing.

In 2011, it expands to a 17 team competition, as the AFL welcomes the Gold Coast Suns , and 2012 , ushers in the Greater Western Sydney team .

Whatever happens , fans will be along for the ride, wearing their football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys.

Will Cats get top spot back ?

One size fits Most ?

I don’t think so , not in modern , AFL Football jumpers anyway.

The new football jumpers, jerseys , guernseys are made from aerodynamic fabric, and  are designed to fit the torso, more snugly than Tony Abbotts budgie smugglers .

A fan , who is normally a  size small to medium , will need a size large to extra large .

Julia, had  hoped  to seize victory  as  emphatically as the Bulldogs hope to win the premiership flag.

The recent election campaign , has provided as much action as the AFL finals series promises .

Working class heroes Collingwood,  can no longer be considered flag favourites , as they almost lost to the tenacious Crows , on Election Day .

Alls fair in politics and football .

There is no such thing as a safe bet , just ask the beleaguered fans of both codes .

Beat the Friday the 13th blues, by attending tonight’s  blockbuster at the MCG ,between Essendon and Collingwood.

Traditional rivals , Esssendon is playing with nothing to lose , as it takes a tilt at the finals ,whilst Collingwood are in top spot , and look strong contenders ,to take out the 2010 premiership flag.

Four Saturday Games , two in Melbourne , at the MCG and Etihad Stadium ,and two interstate , one in WA , and one in SA ensure a wide coverage for fans .

The round concludes with three Sunday games , one at each of the Melbourne venues , and one in Brisbane .

All games of the 20 th round of matches , will provide fans attending or watching in their football jumpers ,jerseys, guernseys , with a feast of entertainment .

will Collingwood win ?

Vintage football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys , are highly sought by football fans,  and collectors alike.

Often, they belong to a team that no longer exists, or has been amalgamated ,into another team .

Vintage Hawthorn Football Jumper

Popular teams in this category , are the Brisbane Bears , and the Fitzroy Lions .Both were either forerunners to , or were amalgamated , into the current Brisbane Lions team.

Avid fans and collectors , will seek out and secure football jumpers,  from this era.

Many collected jumpers are encased under glass , in frames , others are worn with pride , to the game .

Fond memories , of a bygone , gentler era , are embedded deep into these nostalgic jumpers.

The period during which they were worn,  evokes poignant memories of a simpler , spectator sport . Remember that lair on the field , Warwick Capper , in his very short shorts playing for the Brissy Bears?

Paul Roos , Sydney Swans incumbent coach , Captained and performed heroic feats proudly attired in his Fitzroy Lions jumper .

Memories , individual , irreplacable , and timeless, tied up with the fans reverie and nostalgia for a bygone era. All foster a love for AFL football .

Vintage 1987 Brisbane Bears Football Jumper

With only three rounds left of the AFL 2010 Season , teams are playing for a place in the Finals .

Will the Sharks make the NRL Finals?

The top four teams , are assured of a Finals match.

The four teams below them , will jostle for a spot on the league ladder . The victors will secure a Finals Game.

Stellar performances, from all teams will occur , over the next few weeks .

All will give superhuman efforts .Some teams will make it to the finals ,some will not .

Collingwood , are posturing as a serious Grand Final threat. Geelong,  are hoping to secure another flag , St Kilda,  are again struggling valiantly towards the ultimate prize .

The Doggies, and Dockers appear to be finals players, with the Hawks , Demons , Swans , Blues and Kangaroos , the five teams , set to battle it out for a finals berth .

Whatever happens , fans will be there , in their football jumpers, jerseys, guernseys , to cheer their team.

Get ready for some heroic, grinding AFL football action .

Will Collingwood win the Flag?

I have just spent a week in Sydney, where Rugby League, is the popular local sport .

The AFL, has announced that it issued a licence, to Sydney’s second AFL team , Greater West Sydney .

Kevin Sheedy , former AFL Richmond player and Essendon Coach is the man entrusted with the establishment and development of the new team. ”

“Sheeds” has played a major role in getting more indigenous players into the competition.

At the NSW Art Gallery, a display of black and white photographs , showed the La Perouse Rugby League, indigenous team.

Inspiring photos of a proud history .

Saturday , was AFL match day in Sydney , when the Swans played the Hawks. A party atmosphere was in the air, as the jovial fans dressed in their football jumpers , guernseys, jerseys , made their way through, Surry Hills clogged streets ,to the SCG .

None, seemed too concerned, about getting there , for the first bounce . Many would miss it .

Brave Hawks fans,  wearing their teams football jumpers, jerseys , guernseys, were mixed in amongst the crowd.

The Swans , were victorious and the young indigenous player, Lewis Jetta ,kicked his first goal since being drafted to the Swans team earlier this year.

An indigenous West Australian , playing AFL football , in the only Sydney team in the competition , on a saturday afternoon , at the SCG with 29.000 fans attending .

AFL Football, on a local , interstate, and global level is attracting fans and players everywhere .

Jetta is a West Australian

There is nothing like a close AFL football Game, for spectator enjoyment.

Hawks Vintage Jumper

Last Friday night , the clash between St Kilda , and Hawthorn was such a Game .

Two evenly matched teams . The Hawks , lead by a point at the first break , the Saints by a point at half time , and at the 3rd , and last quarter nothing seperated them .The match ultimately resulting in a draw. Two points to each club.

Much has been written , and spoken about the Hawthorn disallowed goal in the final minutes , which most certainly cost the Hawks outright victory.

The bottom line is Hawthorn temporarily infringed, and then paid the price .

As a long time follower of AFL football, it ranks as one of the best games I have ever seen .

Two things stood out . St Kilda’s fighting spirit , and the Hawks great athleticism . All this , combined with the size and the roar of the crowd , and an adrenalin fuelled , action packed spectacle,  that thrilled fans to the very last ,  showcased friday night footy at its very best .

Neither club song was sung ,  but most fans went home with a song in their heart , knowing they had witnessed a truly great spectacle .

Saints clash Jumper