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Exactly whose 150th Birthday is it?

Diablo
Diablo
in Melbourne Demons

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Firstly, I'll admit that this thread has been done on 'ology, but I have been thinking about it for a while, and would be interested to see what people on 'land think.

Is this not the most blatant revenue-raising celebration hijack in the history of Australian sport? Can anybody tell me how the AFL can celebrate it's Centenary, and release a super-expensive, glossy hardback to commemorate the occasion, in 1996, and then 11 years later celebrate it's 150th year?

Perhaps my maths isn't as good as Vlad's, but I'm pretty sure that if the AFL turned 100 in 1996 (in fact THOSE celebrations were a year early I believe), that makes them 111/112 next year, not 150.

A quick look on Wikipedia (not always the most reliable source, but in this case correct) will tell you that the AFL, then the VFL, was formed in 1897. The same online encyclopedia will tell you that the Melbourne Football Club was formed in 1858.

I'm sorry, but I just find that despicable, but oh-so-typical of the group that currently purports to lead the AFL. Sadly, receiving grants from the AFL to keep the water out of the boat we have little in the way of a bargaining position. But surely the Vlad could stop thinking about lining his pockets for a second, and just be a bit respectful to the organisation that created our game and paved the way for him to become anything.

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    •  
      Diablo said:
    Firstly, I'll admit that this thread has been done on 'ology, but I have been thinking about it for a while, and would be interested to see what people on 'land think.

    Is this not the most blatant revenue-raising celebration hijack in the history of Australian sport? Can anybody tell me how the AFL can celebrate it's Centenary, and release a super-expensive, glossy hardback to commemorate the occasion, in 1996, and then 11 years later celebrate it's 150th year?

    Perhaps my maths isn't as good as Vlad's, but I'm pretty sure that if the AFL turned 100 in 1996 (in fact THOSE celebrations were a year early I believe), that makes them 111/112 next year, not 150.

    A quick look on Wikipedia (not always the most reliable source, but in this case correct) will tell you that the AFL, then the VFL, was formed in 1897. The same online encyclopedia will tell you that the Melbourne Football Club was formed in 1858.

    I'm sorry, but I just find that despicable, but oh-so-typical of the group that currently purports to lead the AFL. Sadly, receiving grants from the AFL to keep the water out of the boat we have little in the way of a bargaining position. But surely the Vlad could stop thinking about lining his pockets for a second, and just be a bit respectful to the organisation that created our game and paved the way for him to become anything.

    The VFL as it was then known was formed in 1896 and played its first season of competition football in 1897 an hence it celebrated its centenary in 1996.

    However, football began in 1858 and the first club formed was the Melbourne Football Club. We celebrate our 150th next year.

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      Devil said:
    The VFL as it was then known was formed in 1896 and played its first season of competition football in 1897 an hence it celebrated its centenary in 1996.

    However, football began in 1858 and the first club formed was the Melbourne Football Club. We celebrate our 150th next year.

    Well then we should be a major focus of their celebrations. Somehow I don't think we will be.

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    It'd be fair to state that the game is 150 years old, but there's no way that the league is.

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      Devil said:
    The VFL as it was then known was formed in 1896 and played its first season of competition football in 1897 an hence it celebrated its centenary in 1996.

    However, football began in 1858 and the first club formed was the Melbourne Football Club. We celebrate our 150th next year.

    Real timeline First game 1858, Rules written down 1859, Victorian Football Association 1877 - 1997(all current Victorian teams were in the VFA) VFL 1897 - 1990 AFL 1990 - -2007

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      zebgrowler said:
    Real timeline First game 1858, Rules written down 1859, Victorian Football Association 1877 - 1997(all current Victorian teams were in the VFA) VFL 1897 - 1990 AFL 1990 - -2007

    Absoulety correct (ps. you might want to change VFA date from 1997 to 1897)

  • Quote
      Diablo said:
    Well then we should be a major focus of their celebrations. Somehow I don't think we will be.

    not while they fall over themselves to please eddiewood and the tankers

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      demonfanjezza said:
    Absoulety correct (ps. you might want to change VFA date from 1997 to 1897)

    The VFA continued to exist in its own right till 1996 and then became the current VFL.

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      zebgrowler said:
    The VFA continued to exist in its own right till 1996 and then became the current VFL.

    Thanks for clearing that up, got mixed up :)

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