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 .

The AFL unveiled its new team , the Gold Coast Suns , on Thursday .They will commence playing , in the 2011 Season.

Their football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys , are mainly red and yellow .
It has a wave design and a large GC logo . The clash strip, following the trend of rival teams with similiar colours wearing white jumpers , is mainly white with a blue wave design.

Home and Away strips are similiar with more yellow on the Away jumpers, jerseys , guernseys .Home shorts are red , away are white , clash are white .

A club song has been written .

Much media coverage has surrounded the establishment of this new AFL team .
Sit back for the ride as a new Queensland team enters the AFL Competition .

The other Queensland Team

Julia Gillard ,the PM , is a keen Western Bulldogs supporter .

She has called a federal election , for Saturday the 21 st August .

The home and away matches, of the AFL Season, end on 28 August .

AFL Finals Football follows .

Is it just coincidence , or did Gillard not want the election to clash with the Finals ?

Fans will be at all games in their football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys to support their teams throughout their finals campaigns.

Will the Crows make the FInals?

With an expanded AFL competition, and inclusion of interstate teams, a big venue, Saturday afternoon ,Football Game, in Melbourne , is rare.

Will Collingwood Win?

Such a blockbuster, is planned for this Saturday afternoon, at Melbourne ‘s MCG . The match promises much . Its scheduled at the traditional time slot of 2.10pm , and combined with the large seating capacity of the Ground , a bumper crowd of 75,000 fans , are expected .

Tenacious Collingwood, take on flag hopefuls , St Kilda . It promises riveting entertainment, and thousands of fans will be out in their team’s jumpers , jerseys , guernseys .

Bring it on.

Will Saints Win ?

AFL players , if charged by an umpire , for breaches of the playing code, are reported to the AFL tribunal. They are required to appear , and make a plea concerning the charges .Appeals for leniency can be heard , or fines imposed .

Not so in the Tour de France . Apparently two ” scrawny hill climbers ” to quote ABC , aussie sports journalist Jones , had a fracas at the end of a particularly difficult passage during the ride . Upon crossing the line , they dismounted , and fought vigorously for sometime, which included using WWE wrestling holds .

Their penalty for brawling, and bringing their sport and sportsmanship into disrepute ? A measly $400 .Small bickies indeed compared to the hefty suspensions and weighty fines handed out to infringers of the AFL code .

AFL supporters,  love a good stoush , too ,witness the Lions V Saints melee in last Saturdays Game.

Fans, who wear their teams jumpers, jerseys , guernseys, to the Game, are keen to witness action,  both on and off the field .

Saints in Melee on Saturday

The modern day , AFL,  football jumper, is vastly different to its predecessor.

Old style Football Jumper

Its multi-coloured,  dri – fit , polyester , and is usually sleeveless, with a round neck , that has sponsors, team logos, and a number printed on it .

Contrast to the older style , wool or acrylic knitted football jumper , often with long sleeves , button up front , v neck or collar and logos and number sewn on .

Many supporters like the newer style of jumpers, jerseys , guernseys.

Many prefer the older style of jumper.

Personal preference between the two.

Perhaps fans like the traditional style jumper, which is soaked in relevant memories , whilst the new kid on the block is yet to build any.

New , modern , Football Jumper

The AFL,  have scheduled a football match , for this Thursday night .

The Carlton Blues , play the Brisbane Lions , in  Etihad Stadium ,  at 7.10pm .

Local popular side  Carlton , play rival interstate side , Brisbane.

Another clever marketing innovation , by the AFL , to get fans at games , mid week?

Will fans turn out on thursday night, in their  , jumpers , jerseys , guernseys , to watch the Game?

Interestingly , of the 8 games in this round  , 3 home games are to be played at Etihad Stadium , compared to only 2 , to be played at the MCG.

Lions on a Thursday ?

The split round of AFL matches,  for Round 13 , continues this weekend .

Saints and Cats , play tonight at the MCG , under lights , in front of a huge crowd.

Swans and Magpies,  play in Sydney , on Saturday night , at ANZ Stadium .

The Demons,  play the Crows , in Adelaide , on Sunday afternoon.

All games will be televised .

Port are having a rest

With only one Game to be played in Melbourne,  this weekend , many fans will be reduced , to wearing their football jumpers , jerseys, guernseys , whilst watching footy , on TV .

Disgruntled fans, will be keen to attend next weekend’s,  full round of matches .

This split round , is it a rest for the AFL players , or a clever marketing move by the AFL hierarchy.?

Demons play in Clash 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