All around the country on cold , weekend mornings , young kids are playing  AFL football, in local competitions and clinics  .

Parents ,often nursing hangovers , or lack of sleep , watch on, whilst their youngsters play .

Each kid is usually kitted out,  in their AFL,  football jumper , jersey , guernsey .

All 16 AFL teams are represented .

Obviously , parochial favouritism of local teams occurs , but generally each player has a liking , family history , or reason,  for supporting their team, and wearing the jumper .

Many , wear the number of a favourite player , on their back .

A kaleidoscope of colours , teams , allegiances in football jumpers, on a local scale .

AFL Football , is alive and well at grass roots level , as well as on the bigger stage.

Nic Natinui 's Number 9 for West Coast Eagles

The AFL competition,  are having a split round of matches this weekend .

Five games are being played, 2 interstate, and 3,  in Melbourne .

The other three games , will be played next weekend .

Its called a mid season break.

One angst ridden fan,  was heard to mutter, “  how will I go the whole weekend ,without watching the Saints “!  The’re not even on TV.

A game was played , on friday night in Melbourne,  with another on saturday night , and one today .

Fans , will either go to the matches in their football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys , or watch the games on TV.

Many , will watch from the comfort of their lounge room , and many , will wear their football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys , even,  if not at the match.

Nic Naitanui ' s Jumper will play today

The modern , AFL game, is fast , exciting , and thrilling.

Fans, watching their team , witness the lead changing many times ,in a closely contested match . Many seemingly , lost games , are retrieved by a teams doggedness , and their players superior athleticism .

Those , that can run the fastest, for the longest , are often the victors .

Last night,  it appeared the Hawks,  would walk away from the match , with a certain victory .

This conclusion discounted the fast finishing , young and fit,  Bombers squad, who almost snatched victory , from the Hawks in the closing minutes of the Game.

Fans , dressed in their football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys were treated to a lively night’s entertainment .

They were engrossed in the last quarter,  watching the Bombers fight back .

No certainties in the modern game , only that each week,  fans will go to watch footy matches .

They will do so wearing their football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys .

Hawks won

The Australian Socceroos, were soundly defeated by Germany, 4 -0 in their opening round game , of the World Cup .

The Socceroos, minus Harry Kewell, who was selected on the bench, received a further blow when striker , Tim Cahill, was sent off, in the second half with a red card .

Sleepy fans , ( many got up at 4.30am EST to watch the game ),outplayed Socceroos team members , and befuddled coaches and managers alike, are dismayed .

Some poor decisions were made , in hindsight .

Not the least of which , was the style , of the Australian , team jumper , jersey , guernsey .

Fair enough , have the Australian Coat of Arms , but the footy jumper , jersey , guernsey , was a bit on the drab side .

Why, weren’t they playing in a colourful, streamlined , beautifully crafted , piece of apparel , like the modern day , AFL football jumper ?

I blame their lack of success on the jumper !

An AFL Football Jumper

Is the Footy Show still relevant?

Its a question , many AFL fans , must ask themselves every thursday night ?

A respected panel , of AFL footballers , past and present , and two legends of the game,  Sam Newman and Garry Lyon , are the main presenters of the show.

Sam Newman's Jumper ?

James Brayshaw, ex cricketer , and president of North Melb Football Club is a co -presenter .

Segments on teams , playing in upcoming matches , are brief and factual.

The studio audience , is made up of AFL football fans , wearing their teams football jumper , jersey , guernsey .

They are vocal , and hope to glean a snippet of information,  not aired in other media,  through the insights of guest panellist Craig Hutchinson.

Begun in 1994 , it has achieved huge popularity , even winning a Gold Logie .

In recent times has it descended into a second rate entertainment ?

Does it provide enough discussion, on teams and matches , or focus instead on false allegations , racist and sexist taunts , and victimise people on a segment called ,” street talk’ ?

Love it or hate it ?

The Footy Show

Shaun Higgins , a rising Bulldog star , rolled his ankle on Etihad stadium’s surface on Sunday afternoon .

AFL team the Western Bulldogs , one of five tenants of the ground will lodge their third complaint with the Stadium management. They believe Higgins was injured  because of the soft surface of the Ground .
The AFL Players’ Association is investigating the circumstances of Higgins‘ injury.

A Collingwood player from Sunday,s Game , Dale Thomas ,described the surface as tacky and shifting in spots.
The Bulldogs will send an official written complaint for the AFL.

Ultimately, the Dogs are seeking action as well as an explanation.

Nick Riewoldt , Saints skipper , hurt himself earlier in the year amid claims of an unstable surface at Etihad Stadium

Fans want to wear their jumper , jersey , guernsey to the Game and see their team and its stars play well.

What action will be taken ?

Will Lions fall at Etihad ?

Melbourne’s, Saturday Age newspaper , reported a news story of three young Somalia men who were playing AFL football, in the amateur AFL affiliated EDFL.

Proud to wear their football jumper , jersey , guernsey , they talked of how much the sport had given them .

Two brothers and a cousin , who all were united in their love of AFL football.

They felt it was a great sport , which had provided them with many opportunities.

They saw it an opening to assimilate into Australian society , and gave them a chance to excel at a sport they have grown to love.

Playing football has helped them recover from bad memories of a war torn homeland .

As superior athletes , they are providing the AFL with a home grown success story of converts to the code .

AFL football was not a game they played in Somalia before migrating to Australia as 12 year olds.

Currently glamour and money are being used by the AFL to attract the signing of high profile recruits ,eg. Folau and Hunt .

Both are untried converts to AFL.

Its heartening to see that grass roots AFL football is still flourishing and has a lot to offer young people everywhere.

It is with pride that these young people wear their football jumper , jersey , guernsey every match day .

Proud to wear their Lions themed Football Jumper

White Football Jumpers are
popular
visible
look striking
generate revenue
attract fans to AFL Games
differentiate between two teams whose club colours are similar
Make for easy viewing
Help umpires

A good example of this is in the Demons versus Blues clash , today ,at the MCG.

TV Viewers and fans at the Game are able to tell the Demons and Blues players apart easily.

Melbourne is wearing predominantly white and Carlton are wearing navy blue .

The white Jumper , Jersey , Guernsey looks good , provides a viewing spectacle and there is no confusion for umpires , fans and players alike .

This Demons jumper , jersey , guernsey will become a collectible with its distinctive styling and striking colour combination .

Long live the red , blue and the WHITE.

Whiter than White Saints Jumper

The AFL Round 9 fixture was labelled the Dreamtime Round to honour the contribution indigenous players make to the Competition.

All teams of the AFL include indigenous players who are gifted and mercurial athletes.

Michael Long former Essendon player and founder of the Long Walk to Canberra attended Games over the weekend . His former club has a number of talented indigenous players .

Fans wore their jumper , jersey , guernsey to the matches to watch these great athletes play.

The clubs that have these  young men playing in their teams jumper , jersey , guernsey are fortunate .

Spirit of an Eagle

Sleek , modern ,streamlined , sophisticated . These words exemplify the new AFL football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys.

Made of aerodynamic , dri fast , polyester the humble jersey , jumper , guernsey is a great ambassador for AFL football.

They look good , are comfortable to wear and create a striking uniform of the AFL code of football.

Each team has distinctive colours , with unique logo’s and mascots .All have a large , easily recognisable number printed on the back .

Fans applaud favourite players by wearing their number on the back of their jumper , jersey , guernsey .

Junior and amateur codes emulate their favourite players by wearing the colours and numbers of their team.

Saints Modern Football Jumper