by Woody Woodhouse

Created on: March 02, 2009   Last Updated: March 03, 2009

When it comes to professional football some of the most loyal and dedicated fans are those devoted to AFL. The game originated in Melbourne, devised as a way of keeping cricketers fit in their off season. AFL is now taught in schools and clubs across the country and the code is a significant national sport. Some people will even go as far as to say its a religion!

"Eat football, drink football, sleep football", football is a part of the Australian lifestyle. Whether is just lazing around the house watching a game, going to the park with mates and kicking the ball around or going to the stadium to watch the game Aussie rules is in all Australians' blood.

You don't have to travel far to see the influence that the game has brought about in the Australian culture. From people wearing their clubs gernseys to AFL posts erected at parks, it's undeniable AFL influences all of us in the land down under. Australian rules football has spread nation wide with all states represented except Tasmania and widely played even within the indigenous communities.

However, don't just rely on the history of the game, the statistics show just how important the game is to our culture. In 2008 there were 185 games with over 7 million people walking through the gates. This is around 40,000 people per game. Compare this to other sports like basketball with an average of only 5,000 and even soccer with 12,000 average in Australia. The most important day in the footballing calander, grand final day rivals any sporting code around the world including the super bowl, attracted a capacity full stadium of over 100,000 with millions more on television. This proves just how many Aussies follow this great sport.

The most obvious illustration that Aussie rules is a way of life is during the off season. During the months of the year that the game is not played spectators and players alike are already planning for the next season. Television programs, newspaper articles, radio interviews and the anticipated AFL drafts are raved about by all. Spectators are creating arch rivals amongst fellow colleagues due to the differences in there club following and talking up there chances of taking home the silverware in the upcoming season. So while other sports wind down during the off seasons, AFL continues to play a major role in the Australian culture with many players and spectators counting down the days until the new season.

For many years now, the game of Australian rules football captured the imagination of Australian film, music, television and literature which again is plastered into all Aussies and is as Australian as shrimps on a 'barby', sunbathing at Bondi beach and the Sydney Harbour Bridge!

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