Popular AFL Club , Richmond Tigers , have a new tiger mascot for season 2012. It is a black and yellow tiger ,with a body in a jungle like environment and replaces the old style tigers head mascot .

tigers vintage jumper

tigers footy jumper

The Lions in a similiar action replaced their Lion mascot several seasons ago . By using Lions and Tigers as mascots, Brisbane and Richmond hope to be successful hunters and predators on the football field , just as their mascots are in the jungle.

A football jumper, can be dated by the style of its mascot , and those fans with vintage and retro football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys , proudly wear them to the Game , displaying how long they have been a fan of their club.

tigers retro jumper

New Zealand Hawks , have won the 2011 Youth AFL Oceania Cup Grand Final, beating Nauru by 21 points in Suva, Fiji on Saturday. The best player was a New Zealander , Shem Tatupu. AFL stars, Nic Natinui and Israel Folau have been cheering the locals on .

Island footy

Hawks in NZ

Countries involved in the series include Tonga ,Vanuatu , Fiji , PNG , NZ and Nauru. The Aussies , the Flying Boomerangs , played an exhibition match against Oceania  , winning very convincingly .

Oceania and South Pacific will field teams in the 2012 NSW  State Trials and NAB AFL Under-16 Championships.

AFL Football , currently enjoying the break prior to the 2012 Competition, is making inroads into the Oceania / South Pacific region . Will we see Islanders of the calibre of Natinui , joining the AFL competition ?. Fans would welcome their inclusion , and enjoy the spectacle , whilst wearing their football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys   .

WCE 's Natinui's Jumper

The Draw has been announced for the 2012 Footy Season . GWS joins the competition , making it an 18 team fixture , with more interstate matches , and a bye period of rest breaks , for all teams.

crows

All Clubs are required to travel interstate at least five times . Collingwood , Hawthorn and Geelong , the top three finishers in 2011 have big games scheduled. The  AFL hopes these games can draw large crowds ,  will provide great entertainment , and  help to consolidate these teams ,  and footy's popularity .

Geelong unfurls its premiership flag in round 4 , and the Saints face Freo in their first game since the coach poaching saga  .The Blues play six games on Friday night , and North Melbourne  make the most interstate trips with Games scheduled in Hobart .

north

Queensland Clubs , the Lions and Suns , play the most games in the Saturday afternoon twilight timeslot , and the Cats and Magpies meet twice in GF replays in rounds 8 & 16 .

Big Games will continue with the  Magpies playing the Bombers on Anzac Day, Freo versus Carlton in the annual Len Hall Tribute Match , Demons tackling the Magpies on Queen's Birthday Monday, Essendon and Richmond clashing in the 'Dreamtime at the 'G' match in round eight, and St Kilda hosting Carlton on a Monday night match.

tigers

Interstate teams will continue to play each other in the two 'Derbies' between Fremantle and West Coast, two 'Showdowns' between Adelaide and Port Adelaide, two Brisbane Lions- Gold Coast 'Q-Clashes' and, for the first time, two all-Sydney clashes between the Giants and Swans.

carlton

The 2012 AFL fixture promises much.  Football fans will be along to watch , wearing their   football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys .

There is a lot to like about AFL Football at the moment . Two fantastic contests are promised for this weekend . The first preliminary Final , is to be played tonight , between the Magpies and Hawks

Judd in his baby blue jumper ?

. It should pack a capacity crowd into the MCG , to witness a fiercely fought game . Both these Melbourne based clubs have a proud history , and will fight for a place in the Grand Final . Its a feast of Friday night Footy , at its finest .

The Saturday afternoon Game at the MCG , sees the Cats , battle the Western invaders , the Eagles . Another skillful contest is expected , as both sides play an exciting mix of physical , contested footy , and both harbour a desperation to play off for the ultimate prize , a place in the Grand Final .

wce retro

Monday night will see a large group of AFL Footballers , WAGS , Coaches and  staff gather . All watch many AFL  players , who are judged by the umpires , to be the  best and fairest in the competition , compete for the Brownlow Medal . A media circus at Crown Casino , usually surrounds the event , with Carlton Captain , Chris Judd , widely tipped to win his third Brownlow medal . A feat only achieved by a handful of AFL players.

The action , both on and off the field promises much , and fans will be observing , wearing their  football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys .

Friday nights second semi final , at the MCG , between the Swans and Hawks , treated fans to some great footy action .The ' Buddy magic ' show had come to town and the 55,000 fans , in attendance , many wearing their football jumpers, jerseys , guernseys ,enjoyed the spectacle . The Swans were defeated by the rampaging Hawks , much to the delight of the parochial crowd .

blues traditional jumper

eagles home jumper

In WA,  Ross Lyon , STKFC 's defecting coach, faced the WA media . His departure  has launched a facebook and twitter furore from  saints fans ,  including Molly Meldrum , who says he brought boring footy to the club .

Elsewhere in WA , the Blues trained in their baby blue football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys . Does this mean they will tackle the Eagles tonight in the non traditional , baby blue coloured football jumper ?

One day is a  long time in the life of AFL Coaches .

Ross Lyon , ex - Saints Coach , appeared to be in negotiations with the St Kilda FC , to extend his remaining contract beyond 2012.

Mark Harvey , ex - Dockers Coach , had spent the same day in discussions with his coaching staff , detailing the inclusions and exclusions , from his Fremantle Dockers players list .

By nightfall , Harvey had been sacked as Dockers coach , Lyon had resigned from STKFC , and had been employed as the new Dockers coach .

Emotion aside , today's AFL footy is all about success , and clubs will pursue any avenue to win premierships .

Loyal Saints fans , wearing their football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys,  have had a tough week , watching their team lose a finals match , and a coach .

The Marngrook Footy Show is a fun , laughter filled , sometimes irreverent look at AFL footy . Mainly indigenous ex players make up the panel , who discuss the game in a light hearted , but knowledgable vein . They have women presenters , informed guests , and feature entertaining Aussie musicians . Its a great watch , and leaves that other footy show for dead , in the entertainment stakes .

Marngrook footy show

With the first week of the AFL  Finals Series , being played out over the weekend, fans were treated to some competitive action .

CFC

carlton jumper

The Cats overpowered the Hawks on Friday night at the MCG in a thrilling final . Hawthorn star Buddy Franklin , suffered a possible season ending injury , much to the dismay of Hawks fans , and football lovers alike.

.2010 Premiers , Collingwood , beat last years wooden spooners ,the Eagles on Saturday afternoon at the MCG . The Saints , despite playing at their home ground of Etihad Stadium , were outplayed by the  Swans on Saturday night . Similiarily , over 90 , 000 footy fans , witnessed the  Blues thrash the Bombers by more than  10 goals , in blustery conditions , at the MCG on Sunday afternoon .

In the second week of the Finals , Hawthorn and the Swans play on Friday night  at the MCG . The Blues travel to WA , for Saturday night's clash against the Eagles . Both games promise much excitement , and fans will be watching , wearing their  football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys .

swans jumper

wce jumper

AFL Weekend results were a mixed bag , with games providing fiercely contested battles , and  some surprise results .

Saints outclassed

The Crows were very good against Geelong in Adelaide , with the Cats scraping a narrow win by only 11 points . The Swans  in a shock 43 point loss to the  under-performing Tigers have placed their finals chances in jeopardy . This loss allows Fremantle and North Melbourne to keep their finals dream alive .

Carlton , Hawthorn , Collingwood , Geelong and the West Coast Eagles continue to win , broadening the gap  between the top five , and the next three contenders , for places in the eight .  The Lions won the  battle of the Queenslanders , and the Bombers ended the Bulldogs hopes of playing in the Finals  . St Kilda , couldn't make it seven wins in a row , and were simply outclassed by the silky skills of the Magpies .

wce = winners

Blues are winners

Its a  fierce  battle , between five teams , for the last three spots in the eight . Loyal fans , wearing their football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys , will be treated to some fine footy action in the three weeks of home and away matches , as the season draws to a close . 

Two AFL coaches have been sacked , injured players are being hastily rehabilitated,  and fans are being encouraged to buy three games season passes to see their teams in action , prior to the Finals .

Collingwood , are the favourites for flag 2012 , Cats ,  Hawks and Blues worthy challengers , with the  Saints making a late run . The WCE , in a miraculous recovery went from Wooden Spooners last year,  to serious contenders in Season 2011  . The Bulldogs , Bombers , Demons , Kangaroos , Swans and Dockers need to keep winning , and the Tigers , Suns , Lions  , Power and Crows appear to be out  of the Race.

Western Invaders

It is definitely the business  end of the Season as teams scramble for places in the Final Eight . Coaches are being held accountable for their teams poor performances , witness the exit of Dean Bailey , and Neil Craig before the Seasons end .

Lions good record in Finals

Footy Fans, thrilled by the recent action on the field , and  bemused by the off field manoeuvrings , are hopeful that their team can win a finals berth , and are  showing their support  by  wearing their teams football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys.

Saints back in winning form

Some interesting results came from the weekend round of AFL matches . Several teams had wins following a string of losses , most notably the Bombers , Crows and Lions. A surprising outcome was the Bombers victory, over the previously undefeated Cats . Carlton thrashed the Tigers , and Collingwood defeated the Hawks , in front of a massive 84,000 crowd at the MCG .

Carlton poised to cause an upset in the Finals

The top four teams of the ladder seem set , the next four less so . Several teams are just outside the top eight , and need to keep winning , in order to secure a place in the Finals .

At this crucial point of the Season , fans supported their teams , wearing their football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys , and enjoyed the spectacle of watching good  footy played .

Some questions remain .

Will the Players request for greater revenue from TV coverage rights , make a dent in Andrew Demetriou's offshore fish and chip fund ?

Can the Magpies win another Flag ?.

When will the media stop reporting on Eddie McGuire's every  spoken word, and action?

Can CFC make it 16?