AFL betting and AFL tipping for the 2009 – 2010 seasons

When Prime Minister Alfred Deakin referred to the “Australasian game of football” in a 1908 speech at the Melbourne Carnival, he, and millions of others, could not have imagines that an event involving six australian states and New Zealand would grow into a global game encompassing leagues in more than 20 countries.

AFL, or Australian Football League, has a following much resembling that of a cult.

To onlookers not much into it, it seems to be a game where full grown men run, jump for balls, pat each other on the butt and slam into each other if they can get away with it.

But fans know it’s more than that.

It’s standing in the bleachers when your team runs out onto the field, their colours standing out against the backdrop of green field.

It’s holding your hand over your heart, head up high, as you sing the national anthem, or mouth it, whilst you, and everyone around you,  really humming as an undertone the team song.

It’s jumping out of your seat and yelling abuse at the umpire when he miscalls, or booing the opponent team when they foul.

It’s beer, pies and sunny days on a Sunday, watching the wave of team colours in all shapes and sizes, pour through gates, take their seats and wait for that siren.

It’s the one place in the world, where you can bet your bottom dollar, that the 30,000 odd crowd around you are wanting the same outcome.

Their team to take the glory.

You can bet the excitement was everywhere when in 1975, the game took on a whole new meaning when colour television arrived. Imagine it; finally being able to see the colours of your team instead of imagining it, instead of each team featuring 2 uniforms, a white one for playing away from home and a black one for playing on home turf.

AFL has been known for some amazing talent, and controversy, yet in this case the good always reigns, as legends of the game consistently make an appearance, whether in person or thought.

150 years of a great sport so far, and no doubt another 150 years to come.