THIS was why I fell in love with footy

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

http://emuse.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/13206

I don't usually post videos that aren't imagery to do with footy, but after stumbling across this, I found it stimulated a topical thought or two regarding our own game.

Now, I realise there are big differences between ice-hockey and footy. They wear armour, there's no footy, only a puck that I assume moves more predictably, and from my limited understanding there are less stringent penalties for this "checking" that goes on. Also, when a skater knows he's being lined up there is less he can do as there's no studs in his footwear, or nice soft earth to dig them into. No traction = more spectacular hits.

As the commentator rightly pointed out this element of their game is not necessarily an "artform." While I agree somewhat, I still can't escape the fact that the punishing aspect of both games is one of the things that draws me to it.

I started playing again last year, and just like with any other footballer, there's nothing like kicking a hard-earned goal in a tight match. And if it's the winner, you'll likely remember it the rest of your life. Likewise, a saving mark in defence surrounded by opponents is pretty important too as you're saving a certain 6 points and possibly setting up more for your team. These plays would have more to do with actually WINNING a game, but for some reason I can't remember any of them. I've forgotten many of the happiest moments in my life, and some that I do remember have faded enough for me to doubt my memory's accuracy. As far as I'm concerned there are some feelings that are as vivid now as they were 10 years ago on the day. In every one of those cases I was completely polaxed by one player or another. It wasn't so much the pain, or the kick that I just got off that make those emoments special. It's the getting up. Call me a heathen, but the added ingredient of fear lifts footy beyond being just a skill game. I can recall EVERYTHING about these moments, right down to how much blood, where it was coming from and what I did to control it. And I don't mind saying, I remember all these things with pride.

Any contact sport takes courage, and there are many different forms even in footy. The courage to gut-run, the courage to play with injury, the courage to take a risk that you may be punished for by team-mates or your coach (or us!), the courage to overcome the fear of embarrassment (I'd say a 100,000-person audience may get the heart racing), and even as Glen Archer says, the fear that your going to let down your team-mates can be overwhelming at times. He claims that this is his greatest fear, and since he was a kid he's never been able to sleep the night before a match because of it.

I have little time for people who call Byron a sniper. The recent rule changes may do enough to suppress players' desire to bring danger into the game, and that, IMO, would be a tragedy. I play and watch footy BECAUSE it hurts. If it doesn't hurt you don't feel as though you've achieved as much.

I fear for the path footy is taking these days. But then I'm not Robinson Crusoe.

Sermon over.

[Pinball Wizard 326]

I fear for the path footy is taking these days. But then I'm not Robinson Crusoe.

I agree with a great deal of your sermon Dappa Dan. I get to watch a fair bit of suburban football as well as the AFL brand and I think it's frightening how the gulf between the truly professional game at elite level and the amateur game in the 'burbs has widened over the years. I often wonder whether some AFL footballers really enjoy the game in the same way as you can when you're playing in a team with your mates and you're playing for the love of the game.

But now things are reaching a head with the drought because the professional game will continue but suburban and bush football (especially juniors) will be in trouble if they can't even get the grounds to play on.

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

For what it's worth, I was playing in Sydney last year and there's a general perception that because of the added heat and lack of rain up there compared to Melbourne (a myth possibly) the grounds are harder. I wouldn't say it stops people from playing, but it certainly means they have to wear mouldeds instead of studs. Shinsplints hurt.

So why would there be a lack of grounds to play on? Will the heat effect the pitches THAT badly will it?

[Go the Biff 3,442]

So why would there be a lack of grounds to play on? Will the heat effect the pitches THAT badly will it?

Not so much the heat Dappa as the drought & associated water restrictions. Councils, towns, municipalities etc can't water their grounds. These are the days where the threat of litigation & public liability insurance premiums have a massive bearing on how you run your sporting facilities. You can't afford to allow participants on facilities that could be deemed to be unsafe. Most clubs in my area (east of Melbourne) aren't allowed to train on their grounds. I believe the Diamond Valley League have already deferred their season opening to May.

The situation in much of country Victoria must be dire.

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

I see.

That seems strange to me though. You'd think of all places in Australia to be ready to go for footy, Melbourne, along with Tassie would be the most likely. That's water restictions for you I guess.

[MikeyJ 60]

Dappa, I read from your profile that you're in Japan and in that light, your answers make sense.

We haven't had anything approaching decent rain in Melbourne for more than a year. The only substantial falls we've had in Victoria were during Christmas and that was only for two days. As such, Melbourne's reservoirs are about 35 per cent full, bringing about stage 3 water restrictions.

As you can imagine, most of Melbourne's sporting grounds are in a dire state, given there are only a few that have exemptions from restrictions.

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

Mikey, there's no way I'd miss the next couple of years. I'm back in Oz until further notice, and yeah, I have seen in the couple of weeks I've been back, the evidence of this dry spell.

My query was only in regard to other states by comparison. The water restictions here aren't as severe as they are in Brisvegas, but then we don't live there, and there's not an awfully huge amount of footy played up there. Maybe demondeb can chime in here. I HAVE heard that sporting grounds aren't allowed to water, but unless the ground is quite literally a sand trap, I can't see why games can't be played, or at least why training can't be adapted. I played on some truly [censored]-poor excuses for grounds in Sydney last year, and while it's not desirable, it's more than do-able. You just have to be tolerant. Both teams are playing on the same ground, after all.

[deanox 9,989]

i agree with you dappa dan. everyone knows the conditions of the ground before they step onto them. if they think they are too hard, dont play. i play cricket and i know that we just want to pay no matter what...

[DemonTux 97]

not to mention golf cources... ever tried bouncing a golf ball on a cricket pitch? will thats what it's like at the minute... I just want rain so all these dry weather bush rangers at the club realise the helping hand they have been getting the last 6 months.

[MikeyJ 60]

Fair enough Dappa, I can see why you wouldn't be keen to miss the next couple of years!

In regard to the ground situation, the concern is for the well-being of the grounds, and also of the players.

Players: don't want to be playing on a dry-land skating rink. Don't want to be tackled hard on to a playing surface that feels like concrete. Insurance is less of an issue, because most leagues are negotiating with their insurers to accept that as long as the players are happy to play, there will be no negligence claims against the council or the league.

Local councils: don't want their assets ruined after a month of football. It's a lot cheaper to ban sport from a ground than to resurface and reseed the entire thing.

It's a little from column A and a little from column B. Some leagues have already put their season start back by weeks, while others are more optimistic and taking a "wait and see" approach.

If the dry weather continues, I can't see how leagues won't put their seasons back.

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

Wow. You know your stuff. I certainly see their problem, and yes it seems a keen solution, particularly as it's only temporary. Even if restrictions continue past this season the water shortage is not going to go on forever. We hope.

I'd also agree and condone all those actions, except for one thing. Yes players don't WANT to get tackled hard onto a playing surface that's similar to concrete. But I'd say most players don't want to get tackled AT ALL. I know my home ground had a cricket pitch on it right up until when we opened the season. Throughout the whole season it was like bricks, and somehow we got through ok, injuries and all. I dunno. Perhaps we didn't go in as hard, but didn't realise it since the opposition were doing the same? I know I felt no out-of-the-ordinary ill effects. But then I usually feel like I'm going to die after a match anyway. Not the fittest of blokes.

I'm going to have to have a look at some of these pitches. My local ground looks beyond sensational, but I'm in the rain belt, so perhaps we've had a little more than everywhere else. I know if we had a pitch like Beaumaris's at South-West Sydney we'd have twice the list we had last season.

Good stuff Mikey. Very informative.

[demonfanjezza 1]

From Sydney here-- It has been very hot and dry with grounds being in the same way. Recently we have had a downpour of rain lasting 1.5 days, which is making the grass green again, but now we dont have any followup, it will go hard and dry again.

In sydney we are on level 3 restrictions with dam about 37%, but go below 30% NSW gov build desal plant and put level 4 restrictions on.

With that rain we had, millions of liters just went out to sea , could have been collected to put onto ovals and other facilities and put back into dam

I hope this drought breaks soon in all of Australia

[H.B.K 0]

I see.

That seems strange to me though. You'd think of all places in Australia to be ready to go for footy, Melbourne, along with Tassie would be the most likely. That's water restictions for you I guess.

Some people don't know anything. It never rains in Tassie, it has one of the lowest rain ratios in Aus.

[demonfanjezza 1]

Some people don't know anything. It never rains in Tassie, it has one of the lowest rain ratios in Aus.

Wow I didnt know that, I thought you do, there you go i was wrong.

It is very dry every where in australia, even in tassie

[Nasher 33,617]

Some people don't know anything. It never rains in Tassie, it has one of the lowest rain ratios in Aus.

You've obviously never lived on the west coast then mate. I spent the first 10 years of my life in Strathgordon, and I'd be surprised if it rained any less than 300 days a year. The school there had a giant lino (heated) corridor, designed for the kids to play in at lunch time, because for most of the school year it was too wet to go outside. That's why all the Hydro villages are in the west of the state. It gets much more rain than the east.

What you've said is certainly true for the east half of the state though. Yes, Hobart (typically) does get less annual rainfall than any other capital city besides Adelaide.

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

Some people don't know anything. It never rains in Tassie, it has one of the lowest rain ratios in Aus.

Wow. Is that right? I vaguely remember having a discussion with someone once about the geography in Tassie playing a part iin the rainfall, or lack thereof.

Interestingly, I was told by a resident of Cheltenham not so long ago that it's the rainiest part of Victoria, and I live only a couple of suburbs from there.