Absolutely on the Commentary Team - they KNOW that there are folks out there who for whatever reason can only experience the game over the radio, and they are going to do their darnedest to make sure that you enjoy the experience as much as watching the game with some mates.
Very good point. I often listen to the game on the radio in the car if on the way somewhere, and the commentary can enhance "just listening" greatly/give more feel of what is happening. I concur about Rex Hunt. He had his fans, but he spent so much time trying to "invent very involved/convoluted nick names" it actually detracted/distracted from the game for most. He was amusing as an interviewed/tv panelist, but his long names held the game up in commentary for many. If I had the radio on and his call, I would switch to another station for their call. Each to their own, but I knew a lot of people who did that.
Plus they all want to have their moment making a memorable call on a big play. "Leo Barry you star" It's also why we hear "thats Mark of the year" so much
My aunt rudely got married on grand final day and my footy-mad Uncle and his son were wearing suits and listening to the game on the radio with only one earbud so they could still hear what was going on around them. They looked like secret service agents. 😂
HERE’S THE RULES FOR MARKS. Officially a mark is when you catch the ball after it travels through the air at least 15 m. (without being touched on the way) Even if you’re standing by yourself with feet on the ground it’s still called a mark. They call it a speccy when they jump high like you saw in the video. When you take any kind of mark, you have two options. 1. You can play on, in other words keep going. 2. You can stop on the spot and take a free kick and an opposition player stands in front of you, but must not move until you’ve taken your kick. (If the opposing player does move, a 50 m penalty is paid against him, which brings the kicking player 50 m closer to goal.) For “every” mark the umpire will blow his whistle indicating that a mark is paid. If you decide to play on the umpire will call, “play on.” Some outsiders are confused when a mark is paid but the ball spills out of the players hands as he falls to the ground. The umpire decides if the player had, “CONTROL” of the ball before it spilled out. Aside from marks, when a free kick is given for an indiscretion but a teammate has picked up the ball and ran on, the umpire will call, “advantage,” and let him keep going. This keeps the game flowing rather than to bring the ball back for the free kick which becomes a disadvantage. Neither of the two explanatory videos explain about the boundary line. A free kick is given against the player who kicks the ball on the full over the boundary line, or purposely kicks it towards the line. If the ball tumbles over during play, a Boundary umpire tosses the ball back over his head for two tall Ruckman to compete, similar to the centre bounce to start the game. (Except this happens near the boundary line where the ball went over?) This makes for a neutral contest. About kicking a goal. Whether it’s from playing on or a free kick, it’s only called a goal if the ball has not been touched by any part of the body by players of either team from the time it leaves the boot until it crosses the goal line. If it has been touched it becomes only one point. Hope this info is helpful.cheers
I couldn't have explained it better myself. I was going to attempt it, but having seen your explanation, I don't need to bother. Great comment and thanks for saving me a lot of typing.😃
🦘 Aussie here... I played in 5 decades... Primary School 60's -- Club Football in 00's it's a GREAT GAME fir all sizes..... you need to watch whole games. The commentary is some of the BEST in the World. Especially the knowledge they share.... Cheers
My mum and dad were so obsessed with the team “Essendon” when they were younger and named my brother Matthew Lloyd… my brother is now a hell bent Geelong supporter😅
What makes the last mark even crazier is that Liam Ryan (the player who took the mark) is only 5'11", while Max Gawn (the guy he knocks over) is 6'10" and probably twice as heavy. Most players might only take a couple of speccies in their whole career, if they ever manage it at all. But some make an art form out of it - Jeremy Howe and Isaac Heeney are probably the modern masters. They pull this off almost weekly.
You've become a complete Aussie convert, particularly our Footy. Good onya mate! The Australian Aboriginal footballers are some of the best and most exciting AFL players to watch!
Glad you like the game mate. The high mark ("screamer/speccy") is definitely a feature of the game. And yes, the commentators do add to the spectacle/theatrics. So many Aussies in these comments, so any questions you have re rules, fire away, any Aussie will be able to answer them. Most of the rules are designed to add to the flow of the game. Can't wait for the new season to start. 🙂
The commentators throw me back into memories of being at my grandparents place and them having the game on in the background. The roar of the crowd, the cheering when their team won. I don’t watch the games now but it only feels like yesterday
shit imagine that! Either Hawks v Cats, Pies v Tigers, Pies v Carlton, Pies v Tigers or over in Crows v Port! Imagine that as your first game 🥰 God I miss footy
@@somebodyiusetoknow4092 thank you so much. My boys had a rough start; rounds 1-9 but from round 10 to the grand final, my Catters were fantastic. Looking forward to round 4 🦅🐈
@@chloehughes292 Yea same its the game I look forward to the most! My mate an I really get into each other cause he is a catter as well haha! Your mob will be hard to beat this year and also good luck 😄
I love it when a rover or a short player takes a huge grab. I think besides Gary Morecroft's grab. The grab by the Melbourne player number 38 is my fave. I think because of the camera angle, reminds me of Jesaulenko.
These type of high flying marks you might get 2 or 3 a game, sometimes there are no high marks....depends on the players in the teams playing and then they need the right setup to take a mark like that. Generally they would prefer to pass it to someone on a lead, this is a much safer play rather than putting to a pack, or group, of players causing a constested ball situation, hope this helps...
I was at the match when Gary Moorcroft took the Mark of the Century (first clip), I was a teenager and was absolutely blown away. So glad to see it being embraced overseas! We have an American player Mason Cox from Texas who plays for Collingwood and recently became an Aussie citizen! USA! USA!
Aussie here. I've been following the progress of Damar Hamlin (very relieved to read that he's awake, aware and is likely to fully recover). No doubt because of my google history, the algorithm gods presented me with your video. AFL players are super athletes, and at the elite level incorporate ballet training to give them the height for their marks. These guys have no protective gear, and Damar Hamlin's accident is a reminder of how dangerous sport can be, especially contact sports.
The more you watch the more you become desensitized to just how farking fantastic a classic speccy is. My dad who is over 80 now, played for Port Augusta ... West I think ... but he also played for the state country side, still has the picture of his best speccy (and I have to admit it was pretty good.) I grew up with every Saturday being a trip to the Postal Institute Football Club on West Terrace - I spent most of my time exploring the cemetery, rubbish dump and homeless camps that were nearby.
4 years ago I was in your exact position. This past fall, I played USAFL alongside rugby and kicked 24 goals in 5 matches. It's really great to have a chance to play, because it's been on my bucket list since I first watched a match
Which club do you play for? I'm in Ohio, so I've been able to go and see the Columbus Cats and Cincinnati Dockers play a local tourney with Nashville and Indianapolis. Pretty sure that the 2023 regional tourney is going to be in the Columbus area. Looking forward to being there and conducting some interviews for my podcast.
@@ayankonthefooty I play for Chattanooga, a new club. We're part of Rome Redbacks metro network for now, until we're established enough to be a proper USAFL club
I agree. I have no ligaments in my ankles, every finger and knuckle has arthritis, and my left shoulder has never been the same after dislocating it twenty five years ago. My only regret is that no team will have me these days, I would play again if I could. I'm keeping an eye on that gene therapy - I don't want it to live forever, I want it to play footy forever 😂
AFL footy is such an entertaining sport, always something spectacular happening. And yep the commentators do a great job of building the excitement. Oh and you should definitely check out the video on Mason Cox, an American that plays for Collingwood (my team 😜). I think it is called Never say never!
You started off with what is widely considered the greatest mark of all time. I will never forget that grab! Moorcroft played the game of his life that night. Even as a Hawthorn supporter it's one of the stand out moments of all time.
@@robandrews2090what mark beats it? For a player that small to get that high and literally reach back to the point he is horizontal is just ridiculous… best mark of all time
@@Reginaldinho712 mate, there’s about 6 or 7 in that package alone. Ryan sitting on Gawn beats a guy who 5’8” jumping on a guy who’s 6’ every single time to name one, Sean smith, jezza, Trevor barker, Jeremy howe, nick riewold…..
@@Reginaldinho712 Chris Tarrant's mark vs Melbourne was the best of 2001. Pack mark, in the wet, with Alistair Nicholson holding on to his jumper as well. th-cam.com/video/WySsTgkxiTw/w-d-xo.html
Sampi in 2004 & Jurrah in 2010 too, Moorcroft's size, jumping on bigger blokes than Johnson, and do it without needing to put two hands on the defender's shoulders.
Not sure if anyone has shared it with you - but there was a mark in 1995 by Shaun Smith of the Demons against Brisbane in the last round of the year that has been considered one of the best marks of all time. Amazingly if you watch it in slow mo you can see a member of the crowd take a flash photograph right when he does it.
Mathew , i was indisposed at the time , but did see it on TV , it is a magnificent bit of camera work , as it shows a pure Vertical leap , no hands on shoulders , he just landed on top of the lot of them , Reminded me of the Boustow mark for pure vertical leap , but one day , at the lake oval , i went to watch South Melbourne play StKilda , and Trevor Barker was trailing Ricky Quade by some meters and a (remember we're at the la lake oval) high bomd came that way , both players had to run like fury to get there ,but it hung in the air and Quade sreadied to take a mark over his head running fast at the ball , but , Barker , thinks i gotta jump now , and as god is my witness he lifted himself into the stratosphere hung in the air , what seemed a life time Landed standing on Quades sholders a dragging in at full streach the most amazing mark God has blessed one to witness , for it was in conplete contradiction of the laws of physics , physics dictate he should have just fallen , but he didn't, he just kept moving till he landed on Quade , what a MARK amazing. GO BLUES RARARA
Number 38 with the jacked rig is Majak Daw, Sudanese... he actually tried to kill himself jumping off a super high bridge a couple years ago.. survived the fall and is now back playing.. it's a great return from the end story
Important things to know about AFL: - Collywobbles - “Jesaulenko you beauty!” - “Leo Barry you star!” - Games between Hawthorn and Geelong between 2009 and 2013 are top shelf footy - Best Grand Finals from a fan’s perspective in recent memory: ‘05, ‘06, ‘10, ‘12, ‘18 - Brownlow Medal: Best player of the regular season voted by the umpires - Norm Smith medal: Best player on ground in the Grand Final - Not every tackle is holding the ball (the crowd loves to call for this free, but it should only be given when the player has a prior opportunity to get rid of the ball). Bonus: - Deliberate out of bounds (deliberately hitting or kicking the ball out of play to gain ground or prevent the opponent getting the ball) is the most contentious free at the moment given that umpires love to pay this free even when the kicked ball lands 100 metres down the ground, bounces awkwardly and goes out of play. You can tell this free is being paid by (a) the underarm bowling action of the umpire and (b) loud boos from the crowd.
Loved this video. You gotta do this year's Grand Final Highlights with my Team Collingwood. One of the best games in AFL History. No American has done a reaction yet!
Some of these guys like Nik Natanui, Brad Ottens, Joe Daniher are 6’9 ish in height and 250lb in weight and they are aerobic beasts. The guy you mentioned was jacked is Majak Daw. Google him. He is a physical marvel and has a very powerful personal story.
Some people who are unfamiliar think the players only jump that high by climbing up the other players until they see some replays and close ups and can appreciate that the other players usually have nothing or very little to do with it.
Just a note on Mark and Goal of the year. They're generally popularity contests voted on by the public, and thus votes tend to lean towards clubs with bigger memberships (in some cases). So often the runner ups are even better. Definitely worth seeing if you can find all nominated marks/goals, because theyre a great watch.
marks are extremely common. There is usually about 400 a game but for most of them the player that marks the ball is standing still, uncontested. These marks where players get on eachothers shoulders are called speckies and are quite rare
The GWS Giants were training at my gym a couple of years ago. I had to squeeze past them to get some water. They are huuuge. I’m 152cm (5 ft) and I was not much higher than their elbows
The last one was my favourite, not only because I'm a West Coast supporter but because Liam Ryan outmarked a guy who is a foot taller than himself after having sprinted from midfield to be in position. Also, there is an updated video on the basics of the game. It's called A Beginner's Guide to Australian Football, which goes into a little more detail than the original video you reacted to before.
The best part about our sport is that basically anything is allowed as long as you mark the ball, kicks to the head in the act of a mark is allowed, dumping someone while jumping on their shoulders is allowed as long as the ball is marked, we love the speccys
Got to love a good specky - short for a spectacular mark. It shows how great our Aussie footy players are.. they amount of training they go... going from the juniors (u 6's - they learn the basics) - all the way up. Now you need to listen to the song Up their Cazaly...
That first one is the best mark you will ever see. The bloke (Gary Moorcroft) actually injured himself fairly badly when he landed (broke some stuff), struggled to have the same impact again for some time after that
Wow, always exciting, they really are athletes! 😂 You should come during the AFL season and watch a match, Mid March - End September 2023! (Just after the Sydney/NSW World Pride Festival, Feb to March). These commentators are obviously ex players, they are fully invested and know all the players! 😄👍
What makes Liam Ryans so special is that he had just sprinted the length of the field to get to that contest. Also look up his marks in the WAFL for Subiaco
If you’re looking for motorsport video suggestions, there’s a very appetising bit of tv hyperbole for the pinnacle race of the Aussie V8 Supercar series called “This is Bathurst”. It’s a 1000 kilometre race around a mountain circuit that takes about 6 hours to complete the 161 laps. Can recommend.
Joel, take a look at State of Origin Rugby League, there are a number of posts on TH-cam. Also Bathurst car race- the race around the mountain. Maybe also Melbourne Cup, horse race that stops the nation.
I'm from.Nauru...a small island in the Pacific with most boys named after football idols...from Alex Jezalenko to Zac Fisher, we are AFL crazy! Best game in the world!
I don't know if you are into motor sport but Oz has an awesome race at Mount Panorama Bathurst, there is a good video by Mark Larkham (race driver) that goes through the entire circuit corner to corner, it's called, This Is Bathurst. Cheers.
I still think the best mark I ever saw was in the grand final (so can’t be mark of the year) and that was leaping Leo Barry. Saved the game for the bloods and honestly with all the people that jumped for the ball he still pulled it down clean
AFL has some tremendous athletes who are amazing to watch, NRL players (National Rugby League which is different to Rugby) have a very different skill set played in two 40 min halves as opposed to AFL's four 20 min quarters, well worth a watch of the 'big hits' and best 'Try's' (touchdowns)
For a great recent AFL match would recommend the 2022 preliminary final between the Geelong Cats (who went on to be Premiers - Go Cats) and the Collingwood Magpies. Also one of the most iconic events in Australia as far as car racing goes would probably the Bathurst 1000.
The “mark” - essentially meaning the spot on the ground where the catch was controlled. Called a mark because the umpire used to mark the spot on the ground where the resulting free kick could be taken from. A mark is only paid off a kick that’s travelled more than 15 metres. A mark is paid when the umpire seems that the player has sufficiently controlled the catch (in other words, they earned it). The marked ball cannot have touched another player after the kick was made. When watching live you might see players diving on a kick to try and touch the ball as it’s kicked. If they do get a slight touch on the ball you will often hear the umpire or even players yell out “touched!” - meaning that even if that kick is caught, it cannot be paid as a mark, and therefore there’s no free kick awarded, so play continues.
I was at the game from 2001 (the first mark you showed) where Gary Moorecroft took that incredible mark.....I saw it live and we erupted in the crowd......I'll most likely never see a mark as good as that again!
2015 Nic Natinui, that guy is 120kg 265lbs! To get that frame up in the air like that is extraordinary. And the 2016 winner, Majak Daw, is Sudanese, the first African born to play in the AFL.. The great story is he spent most of his childhood in refugee camps, and he only started playing AFL when he arrived as a teenager in Melbourne. From the moment he started playing, his physique was a draw card. Search for 'Big Footy Majak Daw' and you'll see a picture of him coming out of the surf at age 18 before he even played a single game. Just an amazing physical specimen.
The mark by Brad Ottens, he's 6'7 but the guy he outmarked was Kurt Tippett & he's 6'8. Tippett was also the player that got outmarked by Burton or birdman. The last mark, the craziest as you called it was a 6ft guy over a 6'10er. Wingart, the one who bounced back after a crazy mark has a lot of videos as a trickshot kicker, kicking the football at distance into bins etc. He was a genius.
For more context the 2005 mark happened between two teams from the same state so there is extra competition between the teams and it happened at the same time as the siren sounded so he was able to get an extra kick at goals in over time.
My teacher David Saywell played in Aussie Rules for Central Districts- in South Australia- & he was chiseled. He came to the class with a black eye a few times & we never asked how he got it- he’d have this look on his face like- don’t ask. One day we had Russell Ebert & Malcom Blight come to our class to give autographs 🇦🇺
The funniest thing about Liam Ryan’s mark at the end there was that there were three contenders for Mark of the year and he had taken two of them 😂 I don’t call him Flyin’ Ryan for nothing!
A mark is when you catch the ball after a kick that has cleared air for about 15 metres or more. For it to be a mark you can't drop it, bounce it or let it touch the ground. If you take a mark then no one can tackle you and you can do what you like with the ball- within the rules and in a reasonable timeframe. It is a very good thing to take a mark on front of the goalposts that you are scoring at because it means you can take.your time to have a kick at goal without someone harrassing you
You mean it's awesome. Old mate who said wrong has no idea. Must have been to fast paced for him. He. Jumped. Over. The. Guy. And. It. Was. Amazing. I can talk slower for you mate.
The point about a mark, and why it is so important, is that if you catch the ball off a kick by any player on the field, provided the ball travels 15m, you have an unimpeded kick. They don't call it a free kick, that is the reward for a foul, but it is essentially the same thing. If you take a mark, you can take a kick for goal or pass it to someone else on your team. Speckies, high flying marks, don't occur in every game but when they do, they are worth seeing - and supporters of both teams will applaud a good specky.
The Moorcroft Mark of the Century broke his hip IIRC. He recovered but was never the same player and had to retire a couple of years later. This mark is basically his career defining legacy in Footy.
These are actually a type of mark called a "Speckie", short for "Spectacular mark" I suppose you could say. A regular mark is simply a player catching the ball after it has been kicked toward them. Speckies also normally involve the player using other players, either an opponent or a teammate, to vault themselves into the air to make the catch, they are very rare as you need to plan the catch in a very short space of time and you need to have the right conditions.
Many Aussie Rules commentators are ex players or fellas who just love the game. That Crows player who took the screamer, the 'Birdman" he was on the shoulders of the opposition ruckman who is probably at least 6 1/2 foot tall and he ran and jumped unassisted onto his shoulders
Joel, I still think you'd probably enjoy Qld, for a bit of nightlife, wildlife, great weather & great beaches maybe even visit Australia zoo in Qld..but if you were to come to Australia, March/April (our fall season) you'd be able to see Qld, get a cheap flight to Syd then make your way to melbn for the AFL Anzac day clash. It's as big as the grand final.... I prefer it cause it's always a closer game than the grand final.... And it celebrates the Anzacs before the game. The game itself is huge. There would definitely be heaps of Aussies that would offer to take you. Tickets are rare to get. But the game is amazing and Melbn is pumping after the game. There's only one catch. If you were to come with me, on my spare ticket, you'd have to wear the red and black scarf (not the black and white) lol. I'll find the video on the Anzac day game, for you to react to. (In rewatching the highlights of ANZAC day .. hands down, best match of the year! th-cam.com/video/i4Y6BPEuBW4/w-d-xo.html
The vertical jump is necessary because the players cannot put their hands on the player that they're jumping over to mark the ball. ie. They can't put their hand on their shoulder to lift themselves up, or push them out of the way. It must be a hands-off jump to take these "speccies" (spectacular marks).
Just on the fitness of these guys; Many midfielders/rovers will clock up around 15km in a game and play on surfaces bigger than virtually every other sport. These guys are seriously fit athletes. The game is always flowing without stop/start situations and despite quarter lengths being 20mins each, there’s usually around 10mins added per quarter for stoppages in play (goals etc) Games go for around 120mins with quarter and half time breaks.
Would love to see you react to an AFL Best Commentary Moments video if you can source it. We have some really good commentators who can get really hype and even the bad ones are still tolerable. My favourite is Anthony Hudson, no matter what the moment calls for, he can sum up the moment perfectly. My least favourite would be Dwayne Russell cause he's a little too mono-tone, but he's ok. It used to be Basil Zempilas but he know longer commentates cause he's the Mayor of Perth (and that's not a lie)
❤️ “Huddo.” Even though he’s actually a Geelong supporter, what professionalism and excitement did he bring to the 2005 semi-final, Swans against Geelong? “Nick Davis, Nick Davis, I’ve seen it but I don’t believe it.”
And it's usually the tall, gangly blokes that get selected by the AFL (better for kicking, contesting, and running all over the manicured paddock that is an AFL ground), making the height they get relative to each other more impressive. From a US perspective, you probably won't see height like that outside the Cheer Squads (who I understand work just as hard as the players they work the fans up for) Oh, and the Field and Boundary Umpires (Referees) have to be suer fit as they rack up more distance per game than the players - the Field Umpire can easily pass 15Km/10Mi keeping up with play, while the Boundary Umpires tend to go 3-6Km/2-4Mi further again just so they can accurately indicate where the ball left play.
Random sport that is fairly Aussie, is outback “boat races”- on dried up river beds lol- always a good laugh!a Australia being so dry, you have to get fun where you can I guess!?🤷♀️😅😂🤣
Keep in mind the boots have screw in studs/sprigs on the bottom these used to be leather then metal now moulded plastic. I have administered first aid to many family members over the years, brothers /husband /sons. Being sprigged is not nice. Sometimes the scars and bruises of last week are still very evident by he next game. It is easy to be sprigged when another player is using your body as a staircase. A crazy gladiator sport with very little worn protection. These players often turn up for work on Monday limping. Employers are usually quite lenient as ‘sport is king’.
You’re right about the height- most (I’m guessing) are at least 6”1-6”2 ie some of these players, who are often smaller are really elevating themselves… along with the aid of their “stepladder’s” height. Awesome to see live OR on tv.
Fun Fact Liam Jurrah who took the mark at 5:21 left the AFL as a star to go back to his home tribe in the outback and later was arrested for attacking a man with a machete lol
It's a such a unique game. The blend of athleticism; endurance; durability; strength and courage is what's required to be considered an A-Grade player. Very few possess all those traits at such a high level to be considered a 'superstar'. Highly entertaining once you wrap your head around the vast amount of rules
Yea in afl I could read the ball it means I could see how the ball bounces and where it’s landed from a kick it’s pretty impressive to read a ball or the movement from it
AFL players are the peak of human performance. they're strong, they're fast, they can leap, strong shoulders and can move all day pretty much. cant find a more balanced athlete physique in my opinion
Happy to say I saw both the 2007 and 2010 marks live. They weren't the most impressive of the collection, but seeing the live was wild. Just goes to show how impressive these feats. are.
The crazy thing about that last one is that the guy who took the mark ran over half the field to take it! He was actually the guy who passed the ball to the guy who then kicked it to him to mark 😂
If you ever get the chance to come to Australia. You need to watch an ANZAC day game against collingwood and Essendon. Or a western derby Freo and west coast. Insane rivalry’s and vibes at the game
If you ever get the chance to take a specky you will love them even more - there is no better feeling in footy than climbing someone's shoulders and dragging the ball down from the clouds. Most weeks you will see one or two speckies - but the commentators (and fans) just love the game. Everyone loves a big mark.
You can mark the ball as long as it's not touched by the opposition, after leaving a teammates boot. As far as the marking contest itself, if a defending player can get a touch on the ball before a mark is taken the mark doesn't count and "play on" is called. In my opinion the biggest factor in a mark is generally the umpires split second decision in awarding a mark in a contest. The player marking the ball will usually get the umpires favour in the call.
You will be paid a mark also if the opposition kicks the ball. Just needs to travel above ground for over 15m. Doesn't matter who kicks it (just can't mark your own kick by running to catch it, but that would be funny)
You should do Summernats as it starts tomorrow and will get heaps of hype. It’s the best burnout competition in the world by far. A few Americans have brought cars over to skid in it. Cletus MacFarlane and farm truck.
That second one is extremely dangerous. These guys are committed! Btw, if you're interested in playing, or joining a club, good news! There's probably a club in your nearest major city. Check out the USAFL.
If you come down to Melbourne to check it out Or Geelong,Torquay or the great Ocean road to see the amazing beaches and there are buses that take you everywhere all you need is a Myki card they are around $25 and I would be happy to show you around if you come by Mel/gee/tor/gre or any we’re around those places and I all so have a spare myki card you could use.
BTW the first one was actually both CNN and ESPN play of the day. Rare for AFL to be shown on those networks, esp in the sports news shows, but they were that day!
The marks of the year are all marks taken in the home and away season. Some years there are better marks taken at crunch times in finals, like Leo Barry in the dying seconds of the 2005 Grand Final, but they aren't considered in the MOTY award.
As an Australian it makes me happy when I see an American taking notice to the AFL
Edit: that’s a lot of likes
Same bro
Samw
Same
gayfl
@@Juicepluggedin AFL is probably better than any Sport you play
Absolutely on the Commentary Team - they KNOW that there are folks out there who for whatever reason can only experience the game over the radio, and they are going to do their darnedest to make sure that you enjoy the experience as much as watching the game with some mates.
Rex Hunt is the exception. With his player nicknames no one knew what the hell was going on.
Very good point. I often listen to the game on the radio in the car if on the way somewhere, and the commentary can enhance "just listening" greatly/give more feel of what is happening.
I concur about Rex Hunt. He had his fans, but he spent so much time trying to "invent very involved/convoluted nick names" it actually detracted/distracted from the game for most. He was amusing as an interviewed/tv panelist, but his long names held the game up in commentary for many. If I had the radio on and his call, I would switch to another station for their call. Each to their own, but I knew a lot of people who did that.
Plus they all want to have their moment making a memorable call on a big play. "Leo Barry you star"
It's also why we hear "thats Mark of the year" so much
My aunt rudely got married on grand final day and my footy-mad Uncle and his son were wearing suits and listening to the game on the radio with only one earbud so they could still hear what was going on around them. They looked like secret service agents. 😂
HERE’S THE RULES FOR MARKS.
Officially a mark is when you catch the ball after it travels through the air at least 15 m. (without being touched on the way) Even if you’re standing by yourself with feet on the ground it’s still called a mark. They call it a speccy when they jump high like you saw in the video. When you take any kind of mark, you have two options.
1. You can play on, in other words keep going.
2. You can stop on the spot and take a free kick and an opposition player stands in front of you, but must not move until you’ve taken your kick. (If the opposing player does move, a 50 m penalty is paid against him, which brings the kicking player 50 m closer to goal.)
For “every” mark the umpire will blow his whistle indicating that a mark is paid. If you decide to play on the umpire will call, “play on.”
Some outsiders are confused when a mark is paid but the ball spills out of the players hands as he falls to the ground. The umpire decides if the player had, “CONTROL” of the ball before it spilled out.
Aside from marks, when a free kick is given for an indiscretion but a teammate has picked up the ball and ran on, the umpire will call, “advantage,” and let him keep going. This keeps the game flowing rather than to bring the ball back for the free kick which becomes a disadvantage.
Neither of the two explanatory videos explain about the boundary line. A free kick is given against the player who kicks the ball on the full over the boundary line, or purposely kicks it towards the line. If the ball tumbles over during play, a Boundary umpire tosses the ball back over his head for two tall Ruckman to compete, similar to the centre bounce to start the game. (Except this happens near the boundary line where the ball went over?) This makes for a neutral contest.
About kicking a goal. Whether it’s from playing on or a free kick, it’s only called a goal if the ball has not been touched by any part of the body by players of either team from the time it leaves the boot until it crosses the goal line. If it has been touched it becomes only one point.
Hope this info is helpful.cheers
Well explained!
@@jemxs 👍 Cheers.
I couldn't have explained it better myself. I was going to attempt it, but having seen your explanation, I don't need to bother. Great comment and thanks for saving me a lot of typing.😃
@@Ozvideo1959 Thanks mate. I feel it’s our duty to educate these people about our great game.
That was detailed and a perfect explanation.
🦘 Aussie here... I played in 5 decades... Primary School 60's -- Club Football in 00's it's a GREAT GAME fir all sizes..... you need to watch whole games. The commentary is some of the BEST in the World. Especially the knowledge they share.... Cheers
Much love from Australia bro and glad you enjoy our game 🇦🇺
Loved the reactions!
My mum and dad were so obsessed with the team “Essendon” when they were younger and named my brother Matthew Lloyd… my brother is now a hell bent Geelong supporter😅
Sorry for your loss. Bombers ALL THE WAY
That is funny as fuck!
Your brother clearly has taste!
That’s hilarious.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I’m a Brit that loves a bit of footy, glad to see you getting into this Joel
What makes the last mark even crazier is that Liam Ryan (the player who took the mark) is only 5'11", while Max Gawn (the guy he knocks over) is 6'10" and probably twice as heavy.
Most players might only take a couple of speccies in their whole career, if they ever manage it at all. But some make an art form out of it - Jeremy Howe and Isaac Heeney are probably the modern masters. They pull this off almost weekly.
And Liam Ryan was part of the play in the midfield only seconds before this clip, kicking to the guy who then kicked it to him.
Flying Ryan mark of the year is the best mark in the history of AFL footy
It was also late in the 4th quarter with scores tied. He would have been gassed and under pressure. Just decided to go for a fly
Cappa, modra....flying door mat
@@timmcgrath676nup. Shaun Smith, Moorcroft, Howe, burton, lappin, Andrew Walker
You've become a complete Aussie convert, particularly our Footy. Good onya mate! The Australian Aboriginal footballers are some of the best and most exciting AFL players to watch!
I agree they are so athletic!
Glad you like the game mate. The high mark ("screamer/speccy") is definitely a feature of the game. And yes, the commentators do add to the spectacle/theatrics.
So many Aussies in these comments, so any questions you have re rules, fire away, any Aussie will be able to answer them. Most of the rules are designed to add to the flow of the game.
Can't wait for the new season to start. 🙂
The commentators throw me back into memories of being at my grandparents place and them having the game on in the background. The roar of the crowd, the cheering when their team won. I don’t watch the games now but it only feels like yesterday
Love how much you're in to our game! Happily take you to a match if you get yourself to Melbourne :)
shit imagine that! Either Hawks v Cats, Pies v Tigers, Pies v Carlton, Pies v Tigers or over in Crows v Port! Imagine that as your first game 🥰 God I miss footy
Myself being Geelong Cats supporter, any Cats game is a highlight 😉
@@chloehughes292 as a massive hawk supporter congrats on winning the flag the way your mob did and hopefully Easter Monday is another close one 💕
@@somebodyiusetoknow4092 thank you so much. My boys had a rough start; rounds 1-9 but from round 10 to the grand final, my Catters were fantastic. Looking forward to round 4 🦅🐈
@@chloehughes292 Yea same its the game I look forward to the most! My mate an I really get into each other cause he is a catter as well haha! Your mob will be hard to beat this year and also good luck 😄
I love it when a rover or a short player takes a huge grab. I think besides Gary Morecroft's grab. The grab by the Melbourne player number 38 is my fave. I think because of the camera angle, reminds me of Jesaulenko.
These type of high flying marks you might get 2 or 3 a game, sometimes there are no high marks....depends on the players in the teams playing and then they need the right setup to take a mark like that. Generally they would prefer to pass it to someone on a lead, this is a much safer play rather than putting to a pack, or group, of players causing a constested ball situation, hope this helps...
I was at the match when Gary Moorcroft took the Mark of the Century (first clip), I was a teenager and was absolutely blown away. So glad to see it being embraced overseas! We have an American player Mason Cox from Texas who plays for Collingwood and recently became an Aussie citizen! USA! USA!
Aussie here. I've been following the progress of Damar Hamlin (very relieved to read that he's awake, aware and is likely to fully recover). No doubt because of my google history, the algorithm gods presented me with your video. AFL players are super athletes, and at the elite level incorporate ballet training to give them the height for their marks. These guys have no protective gear, and Damar Hamlin's accident is a reminder of how dangerous sport can be, especially contact sports.
The more you watch the more you become desensitized to just how farking fantastic a classic speccy is. My dad who is over 80 now, played for Port Augusta ... West I think ... but he also played for the state country side, still has the picture of his best speccy (and I have to admit it was pretty good.) I grew up with every Saturday being a trip to the Postal Institute Football Club on West Terrace - I spent most of my time exploring the cemetery, rubbish dump and homeless camps that were nearby.
4 years ago I was in your exact position. This past fall, I played USAFL alongside rugby and kicked 24 goals in 5 matches. It's really great to have a chance to play, because it's been on my bucket list since I first watched a match
Nice work mate
Which club do you play for? I'm in Ohio, so I've been able to go and see the Columbus Cats and Cincinnati Dockers play a local tourney with Nashville and Indianapolis. Pretty sure that the 2023 regional tourney is going to be in the Columbus area. Looking forward to being there and conducting some interviews for my podcast.
@@ayankonthefooty I play for Chattanooga, a new club. We're part of Rome Redbacks metro network for now, until we're established enough to be a proper USAFL club
@@tsherwood2112 I spent that entire tournament sitting under Wayne's tent, chatting with him about footy. A true advocate for the game here.
@@ayankonthefooty yeah, he does a lot. I've even got the chance to play with/against him a couple times. The lad is in his 70s I believe
I’ve broken my arm twice playing this sport and 100% would do it again. Beautiful sport
I agree. I have no ligaments in my ankles, every finger and knuckle has arthritis, and my left shoulder has never been the same after dislocating it twenty five years ago.
My only regret is that no team will have me these days, I would play again if I could. I'm keeping an eye on that gene therapy - I don't want it to live forever, I want it to play footy forever 😂
@@godamid4889 damn man, I'm not gonna say I'm sorry coz these are respectable battle scars xD
@@godamid4889 go hard or go home they say!
I really appreciate your comment on our commintators. They are very excitable, I thought that was normal. But now I appreciate them more. 🤙
AFL footy is such an entertaining sport, always something spectacular happening. And yep the commentators do a great job of building the excitement.
Oh and you should definitely check out the video on Mason Cox, an American that plays for Collingwood (my team 😜). I think it is called Never say never!
You started off with what is widely considered the greatest mark of all time. I will never forget that grab! Moorcroft played the game of his life that night. Even as a Hawthorn supporter it's one of the stand out moments of all time.
decent hang, no doubt... best of all time?? no way....
@@robandrews2090what mark beats it? For a player that small to get that high and literally reach back to the point he is horizontal is just ridiculous… best mark of all time
@@Reginaldinho712 mate, there’s about 6 or 7 in that package alone. Ryan sitting on Gawn beats a guy who 5’8” jumping on a guy who’s 6’ every single time to name one, Sean smith, jezza, Trevor barker, Jeremy howe, nick riewold…..
@@Reginaldinho712 Chris Tarrant's mark vs Melbourne was the best of 2001. Pack mark, in the wet, with Alistair Nicholson holding on to his jumper as well. th-cam.com/video/WySsTgkxiTw/w-d-xo.html
Sampi in 2004 & Jurrah in 2010 too, Moorcroft's size, jumping on bigger blokes than Johnson, and do it without needing to put two hands on the defender's shoulders.
Not sure if anyone has shared it with you - but there was a mark in 1995 by Shaun Smith of the Demons against Brisbane in the last round of the year that has been considered one of the best marks of all time. Amazingly if you watch it in slow mo you can see a member of the crowd take a flash photograph right when he does it.
Mathew , i was indisposed at the time , but did see it on TV , it is a magnificent bit of camera work , as it shows a pure Vertical leap , no hands on shoulders , he just landed on top of the lot of them , Reminded me of the Boustow mark for pure vertical leap , but one day , at the lake oval , i went to watch South Melbourne play StKilda , and Trevor Barker was trailing Ricky Quade by some meters and a (remember we're at the la lake oval) high bomd came that way , both players had to run like fury to get there ,but it hung in the air and Quade sreadied to take a mark over his head running fast at the ball , but , Barker , thinks i gotta jump now , and as god is my witness he lifted himself into the stratosphere hung in the air , what seemed a life time Landed standing on Quades sholders a dragging in at full streach the most amazing mark God has blessed one to witness , for it was in conplete contradiction of the laws of physics , physics dictate he should have just fallen , but he didn't, he just kept moving till he landed on Quade , what a MARK amazing. GO BLUES RARARA
Thanks JPS loved it 🇦🇺
Number 38 with the jacked rig is Majak Daw, Sudanese... he actually tried to kill himself jumping off a super high bridge a couple years ago.. survived the fall and is now back playing.. it's a great return from the end story
Important things to know about AFL:
- Collywobbles
- “Jesaulenko you beauty!”
- “Leo Barry you star!”
- Games between Hawthorn and Geelong between 2009 and 2013 are top shelf footy
- Best Grand Finals from a fan’s perspective in recent memory: ‘05, ‘06, ‘10, ‘12, ‘18
- Brownlow Medal: Best player of the regular season voted by the umpires
- Norm Smith medal: Best player on ground in the Grand Final
- Not every tackle is holding the ball (the crowd loves to call for this free, but it should only be given when the player has a prior opportunity to get rid of the ball).
Bonus:
- Deliberate out of bounds (deliberately hitting or kicking the ball out of play to gain ground or prevent the opponent getting the ball) is the most contentious free at the moment given that umpires love to pay this free even when the kicked ball lands 100 metres down the ground, bounces awkwardly and goes out of play. You can tell this free is being paid by (a) the underarm bowling action of the umpire and (b) loud boos from the crowd.
"Deliberate out of bounds" - Something WCE do, when they're ahead.
"Boy oh boy woweee"
"Cyril Rioli... delicious"
"Like a cork in the ocean!"
You mean 2018 Grand Final, 2019 was the one where Richmond demolished GWS.
@@JesseRay89 Yes. I did edit it, but TH-cam lost my edit.
Lol
Loved this video. You gotta do this year's Grand Final Highlights with my Team Collingwood. One of the best games in AFL History. No American has done a reaction yet!
Some of these guys like Nik Natanui, Brad Ottens, Joe Daniher are 6’9 ish in height and 250lb in weight and they are aerobic beasts. The guy you mentioned was jacked is Majak Daw. Google him. He is a physical marvel and has a very powerful personal story.
So jacked.
they weigh 220 and are 6 foot 7
Yoooooo back with the AFL vids. Love ya stuff mate🔥 hopefully you can get around the 2023 season. Gonna be a big year mate
And that right there, Joel, is why you would include Melbourne on your Australian travel itinerary!
🏉 🏉 🏉
👍 You tell him.
Yes! Plus the wonderful people 😉 I’d also recommend Healesville Sanctuary to a tourist. And a day in the city, exploring the laneways and food.
@@jayltee I told him about the Dandenong ranges, the great ocean road, Bells Beach surfing etc.
@@RickyisSwan all great spots
@@jayltee 👍
Some people who are unfamiliar think the players only jump that high by climbing up the other players until they see some replays and close ups and can appreciate that the other players usually have nothing or very little to do with it.
Just knowing that you Americans love our sport is a great thanks for content bro and watching nfl is crazy
Just a note on Mark and Goal of the year.
They're generally popularity contests voted on by the public, and thus votes tend to lean towards clubs with bigger memberships (in some cases). So often the runner ups are even better. Definitely worth seeing if you can find all nominated marks/goals, because theyre a great watch.
yeah, but moorcroft's is a worthy winner no matter why it was voted. cracker!
As a hardcore eagles supporter, being at the stadium when Liam Ryan made that mark it was the loaders experience of my life.
marks are extremely common. There is usually about 400 a game but for most of them the player that marks the ball is standing still, uncontested. These marks where players get on eachothers shoulders are called speckies and are quite rare
Lol 400 a game 🤣🤣🤣. Its half that on average.
The GWS Giants were training at my gym a couple of years ago. I had to squeeze past them to get some water. They are huuuge. I’m 152cm (5 ft) and I was not much higher than their elbows
If it's any consolation, those players would look small next to NBA players: average height is 6'6 :)
@@bongmist3243 yea, I’m 6’4 and had dinner with some NBA players visiting Australia. I’ve never felt short before or after.
@@liamgross7217 Ha!
The last one was my favourite, not only because I'm a West Coast supporter but because Liam Ryan outmarked a guy who is a foot taller than himself after having sprinted from midfield to be in position. Also, there is an updated video on the basics of the game. It's called A Beginner's Guide to Australian Football, which goes into a little more detail than the original video you reacted to before.
The best part about our sport is that basically anything is allowed as long as you mark the ball, kicks to the head in the act of a mark is allowed, dumping someone while jumping on their shoulders is allowed as long as the ball is marked, we love the speccys
Got to love a good specky - short for a spectacular mark. It shows how great our Aussie footy players are.. they amount of training they go... going from the juniors (u 6's - they learn the basics) - all the way up.
Now you need to listen to the song Up their Cazaly...
That first one is the best mark you will ever see. The bloke (Gary Moorcroft) actually injured himself fairly badly when he landed (broke some stuff), struggled to have the same impact again for some time after that
Moorcroft was very average before that mark. Ultimate list clogger.
Took the greatest mark of all time. There are worse ways to be remembered
@@4partharmony208 second greatest - ablett...
@@hedonismunderstands2469 agree to disagree, but it's a fair shout
Wow, always exciting, they really are athletes! 😂 You should come during the AFL season and watch a match, Mid March - End September 2023! (Just after the Sydney/NSW World Pride Festival, Feb to March). These commentators are obviously ex players, they are fully invested and know all the players! 😄👍
Agree, they’re totally invested and into the game. Great to listen to
What makes Liam Ryans so special is that he had just sprinted the length of the field to get to that contest. Also look up his marks in the WAFL for Subiaco
If you’re looking for motorsport video suggestions, there’s a very appetising bit of tv hyperbole for the pinnacle race of the Aussie V8 Supercar series called “This is Bathurst”. It’s a 1000 kilometre race around a mountain circuit that takes about 6 hours to complete the 161 laps. Can recommend.
Joel, take a look at State of Origin Rugby League, there are a number of posts on TH-cam. Also Bathurst car race- the race around the mountain. Maybe also Melbourne Cup, horse race that stops the nation.
I'm from.Nauru...a small island in the Pacific with most boys named after football idols...from Alex Jezalenko to Zac Fisher, we are AFL crazy! Best game in the world!
I don't know if you are into motor sport but Oz has an awesome race at Mount Panorama Bathurst, there is a good video by Mark Larkham (race driver) that goes through the entire circuit corner to corner, it's called, This Is Bathurst. Cheers.
I still think the best mark I ever saw was in the grand final (so can’t be mark of the year) and that was leaping Leo Barry. Saved the game for the bloods and honestly with all the people that jumped for the ball he still pulled it down clean
AFL has some tremendous athletes who are amazing to watch, NRL players (National Rugby League which is different to Rugby) have a very different skill set played in two 40 min halves as opposed to AFL's four 20 min quarters, well worth a watch of the 'big hits' and best 'Try's' (touchdowns)
You should definitely react to an AFL goal of the year compilation because some of them are crazy!!!
For a great recent AFL match would recommend the 2022 preliminary final between the Geelong Cats (who went on to be Premiers - Go Cats) and the Collingwood Magpies.
Also one of the most iconic events in Australia as far as car racing goes would probably the Bathurst 1000.
The “mark” - essentially meaning the spot on the ground where the catch was controlled.
Called a mark because the umpire used to mark the spot on the ground where the resulting free kick could be taken from.
A mark is only paid off a kick that’s travelled more than 15 metres.
A mark is paid when the umpire seems that the player has sufficiently controlled the catch (in other words, they earned it).
The marked ball cannot have touched another player after the kick was made.
When watching live you might see players diving on a kick to try and touch the ball as it’s kicked. If they do get a slight touch on the ball you will often hear the umpire or even players yell out “touched!” - meaning that even if that kick is caught, it cannot be paid as a mark, and therefore there’s no free kick awarded, so play continues.
I was at the game from 2001 (the first mark you showed) where Gary Moorecroft took that incredible mark.....I saw it live and we erupted in the crowd......I'll most likely never see a mark as good as that again!
2015 Nic Natinui, that guy is 120kg 265lbs! To get that frame up in the air like that is extraordinary. And the 2016 winner, Majak Daw, is Sudanese, the first African born to play in the AFL.. The great story is he spent most of his childhood in refugee camps, and he only started playing AFL when he arrived as a teenager in Melbourne. From the moment he started playing, his physique was a draw card. Search for 'Big Footy Majak Daw' and you'll see a picture of him coming out of the surf at age 18 before he even played a single game. Just an amazing physical specimen.
Bathurst Australia’s famous car race is a must do. Crazy weekend on the mountain.
The mark by Brad Ottens, he's 6'7 but the guy he outmarked was Kurt Tippett & he's 6'8. Tippett was also the player that got outmarked by Burton or birdman. The last mark, the craziest as you called it was a 6ft guy over a 6'10er. Wingart, the one who bounced back after a crazy mark has a lot of videos as a trickshot kicker, kicking the football at distance into bins etc. He was a genius.
For more context the 2005 mark happened between two teams from the same state so there is extra competition between the teams and it happened at the same time as the siren sounded so he was able to get an extra kick at goals in over time.
My teacher David Saywell played in Aussie Rules for Central Districts- in South Australia- & he was chiseled. He came to the class with a black eye a few times & we never asked how he got it- he’d have this look on his face like- don’t ask.
One day we had Russell Ebert & Malcom Blight come to our class to give autographs 🇦🇺
The funniest thing about Liam Ryan’s mark at the end there was that there were three contenders for Mark of the year and he had taken two of them 😂 I don’t call him Flyin’ Ryan for nothing!
A mark is when you catch the ball after a kick that has cleared air for about 15 metres or more. For it to be a mark you can't drop it, bounce it or let it touch the ground. If you take a mark then no one can tackle you and you can do what you like with the ball- within the rules and in a reasonable timeframe. It is a very good thing to take a mark on front of the goalposts that you are scoring at because it means you can take.your time to have a kick at goal without someone harrassing you
Cool video Australia rules is so good
Wrong
You mean it's awesome.
Old mate who said wrong has no idea.
Must have been to fast paced for him.
He.
Jumped.
Over.
The.
Guy.
And.
It.
Was.
Amazing.
I can talk slower for you mate.
@@auzknightps4482 gay fl is too sloppy for me personally, I prefer a true contest like rugby league
@@damianeagles8243nz?
@@BazGG nah I’m Aussie
Buton is "The Birdman" and a distant relative of mine. When asked whether that was his best he smiled and said' " Nah. I've done better in my time".
The point about a mark, and why it is so important, is that if you catch the ball off a kick by any player on the field, provided the ball travels 15m, you have an unimpeded kick. They don't call it a free kick, that is the reward for a foul, but it is essentially the same thing. If you take a mark, you can take a kick for goal or pass it to someone else on your team. Speckies, high flying marks, don't occur in every game but when they do, they are worth seeing - and supporters of both teams will applaud a good specky.
What’s more impressive is a lot of these players are well over 6 foot tall, so they’re jumping very high to make it to their shoulders.
The Moorcroft Mark of the Century broke his hip IIRC. He recovered but was never the same player and had to retire a couple of years later. This mark is basically his career defining legacy in Footy.
These are actually a type of mark called a "Speckie", short for "Spectacular mark" I suppose you could say.
A regular mark is simply a player catching the ball after it has been kicked toward them.
Speckies also normally involve the player using other players, either an opponent or a teammate, to vault themselves into the air to make the catch, they are very rare as you need to plan the catch in a very short space of time and you need to have the right conditions.
Many Aussie Rules commentators are ex players or fellas who just love the game. That Crows player who took the screamer, the 'Birdman" he was on the shoulders of the opposition ruckman who is probably at least 6 1/2 foot tall and he ran and jumped unassisted onto his shoulders
Joel, I still think you'd probably enjoy Qld, for a bit of nightlife, wildlife, great weather & great beaches maybe even visit Australia zoo in Qld..but if you were to come to Australia, March/April (our fall season) you'd be able to see Qld, get a cheap flight to Syd then make your way to melbn for the AFL Anzac day clash. It's as big as the grand final.... I prefer it cause it's always a closer game than the grand final.... And it celebrates the Anzacs before the game. The game itself is huge. There would definitely be heaps of Aussies that would offer to take you. Tickets are rare to get. But the game is amazing and Melbn is pumping after the game.
There's only one catch. If you were to come with me, on my spare ticket, you'd have to wear the red and black scarf (not the black and white) lol. I'll find the video on the Anzac day game, for you to react to.
(In rewatching the highlights of ANZAC day .. hands down, best match of the year!
th-cam.com/video/i4Y6BPEuBW4/w-d-xo.html
The vertical jump is necessary because the players cannot put their hands on the player that they're jumping over to mark the ball. ie. They can't put their hand on their shoulder to lift themselves up, or push them out of the way. It must be a hands-off jump to take these "speccies" (spectacular marks).
Just on the fitness of these guys;
Many midfielders/rovers will clock up around 15km in a game and play on surfaces bigger than virtually every other sport. These guys are seriously fit athletes.
The game is always flowing without stop/start situations and despite quarter lengths being 20mins each, there’s usually around 10mins added per quarter for stoppages in play (goals etc)
Games go for around 120mins with quarter and half time breaks.
Most astute comment on how living vicariously through commentators! Absolutely! 😄
Would love to see you react to an AFL Best Commentary Moments video if you can source it.
We have some really good commentators who can get really hype and even the bad ones are still tolerable. My favourite is Anthony Hudson, no matter what the moment calls for, he can sum up the moment perfectly. My least favourite would be Dwayne Russell cause he's a little too mono-tone, but he's ok. It used to be Basil Zempilas but he know longer commentates cause he's the Mayor of Perth (and that's not a lie)
❤️ “Huddo.” Even though he’s actually a Geelong supporter, what professionalism and excitement did he bring to the 2005 semi-final, Swans against Geelong? “Nick Davis, Nick Davis, I’ve seen it but I don’t believe it.”
dennis cometti is the benchmark for me.
And it's usually the tall, gangly blokes that get selected by the AFL (better for kicking, contesting, and running all over the manicured paddock that is an AFL ground), making the height they get relative to each other more impressive.
From a US perspective, you probably won't see height like that outside the Cheer Squads (who I understand work just as hard as the players they work the fans up for)
Oh, and the Field and Boundary Umpires (Referees) have to be suer fit as they rack up more distance per game than the players - the Field Umpire can easily pass 15Km/10Mi keeping up with play, while the Boundary Umpires tend to go 3-6Km/2-4Mi further again just so they can accurately indicate where the ball left play.
AFL is the most slept on sport in the world. The combination of skill, speed of play and athleticism is just amazing
Random sport that is fairly Aussie, is outback “boat races”- on dried up river beds lol- always a good laugh!a Australia being so dry, you have to get fun where you can I guess!?🤷♀️😅😂🤣
Keep in mind the boots have screw in studs/sprigs on the bottom these used to be leather then metal now moulded plastic.
I have administered first aid to many family members over the years, brothers /husband /sons. Being sprigged is not nice. Sometimes the scars and bruises of last week are still very evident by he next game.
It is easy to be sprigged when another player is using your body as a staircase.
A crazy gladiator sport with very little worn protection.
These players often turn up for work on Monday limping. Employers are usually quite lenient as ‘sport is king’.
You’re right about the height- most (I’m guessing) are at least
6”1-6”2 ie some of these players, who are often smaller are really elevating themselves… along with the aid of their “stepladder’s” height. Awesome to see live OR on tv.
Fun Fact Liam Jurrah who took the mark at 5:21 left the AFL as a star to go back to his home tribe in the outback and later was arrested for attacking a man with a machete lol
It's a such a unique game. The blend of athleticism; endurance; durability; strength and courage is what's required to be considered an A-Grade player. Very few possess all those traits at such a high level to be considered a 'superstar'.
Highly entertaining once you wrap your head around the vast amount of rules
Yea in afl I could read the ball it means I could see how the ball bounces and where it’s landed from a kick it’s pretty impressive to read a ball or the movement from it
AFL players are the peak of human performance. they're strong, they're fast, they can leap, strong shoulders and can move all day pretty much. cant find a more balanced athlete physique in my opinion
Not sure how long ago it was, but, from what was told to me, Carlton FC played the Carlton first XI at cricket, and beat them convincingly!
Happy to say I saw both the 2007 and 2010 marks live. They weren't the most impressive of the collection, but seeing the live was wild. Just goes to show how impressive these feats. are.
I think you need to watch a full game of AFL. When you see what these guys do in a game, it'll show you why this guys need to be so fit!
Needs to watch Andrew Walker’s Mark in 2011. One of the greatest marks of all time and was robbed of Mark of the Year
The last mark by Liam Ryan is an example of why he's known as 'Flyin' Ryan'. Our commentators love the game as much as the fans do. ☮️
The crazy thing about that last one is that the guy who took the mark ran over half the field to take it! He was actually the guy who passed the ball to the guy who then kicked it to him to mark 😂
If you ever get the chance to come to Australia. You need to watch an ANZAC day game against collingwood and Essendon. Or a western derby Freo and west coast. Insane rivalry’s and vibes at the game
It only takes a second to miss something spectacular doesn't it mate 😉😄 👍
✌️
The Brown mark, opposition player knocked out cold and no one even mentions it, such was the courage shown by both players
If you ever get the chance to take a specky you will love them even more - there is no better feeling in footy than climbing someone's shoulders and dragging the ball down from the clouds.
Most weeks you will see one or two speckies - but the commentators (and fans) just love the game. Everyone loves a big mark.
the Otten's mark was impressive for a guy who is 2.04m tall and has a mass of 106kg!
Nice one! From an Aussie 👍
that last mark is even crazier because he sprinted about 120 meters before the jump 🤯
You can mark the ball as long as it's not touched by the opposition, after leaving a teammates boot.
As far as the marking contest itself, if a defending player can get a touch on the ball before a mark is taken the mark doesn't count and "play on" is called.
In my opinion the biggest factor in a mark is generally the umpires split second decision in awarding a mark in a contest.
The player marking the ball will usually get the umpires favour in the call.
You will be paid a mark also if the opposition kicks the ball. Just needs to travel above ground for over 15m. Doesn't matter who kicks it (just can't mark your own kick by running to catch it, but that would be funny)
You should do Summernats as it starts tomorrow and will get heaps of hype. It’s the best burnout competition in the world by far. A few Americans have brought cars over to skid in it. Cletus MacFarlane and farm truck.
That second one is extremely dangerous. These guys are committed!
Btw, if you're interested in playing, or joining a club, good news! There's probably a club in your nearest major city. Check out the USAFL.
Rugby Union. AFL is my favourite ball sport but the hits in Rugby Union are insane.
If you come down to Melbourne to check it out Or Geelong,Torquay or the great Ocean road to see the amazing beaches and there are buses that take you everywhere all you need is a Myki card they are around $25 and I would be happy to show you around if you come by Mel/gee/tor/gre or any we’re around those places and I all so have a spare myki card you could use.
Jonathan Brown's was incredible, could have been cleaned up by the defender at any moment and never took his eyes off the ball
BTW the first one was actually both CNN and ESPN play of the day. Rare for AFL to be shown on those networks, esp in the sports news shows, but they were that day!
if you want to understand more how the game works you need to start watching it, it starts on march 16, or maybe 15 for you
The marks of the year are all marks taken in the home and away season. Some years there are better marks taken at crunch times in finals, like Leo Barry in the dying seconds of the 2005 Grand Final, but they aren't considered in the MOTY award.