"but what a mob of PUSSIES - honestly it drives me up the wall when blokes get a tap and roll around like they have ruptured appendix"

Firstly I take it you have never played the game and taken a 'tap'.

Secondly when overacting happens is it any different to the way the charge/block/flop has developed over the years.

The biggest problem with soccer is that there is still the problem that a lot of nations still think that the sport should be only played in their domain... countries like Australia should go back home and do something else... which was proven beyond a shadow of any doubt by the refereeing in the Australia - Brazil match... if the German ref who controlled that match gets the final, then the final will be a joke.

John!!! ref bashing even in a soccer thread... i'll leave that one alone.

Sorry DJ but i can't see you getting too much support on that one being a basketball site. And i have never seen a basketball game where a player takes a charge and is pretending to be injured, yes players flop, but when you scout basketball players there is no stat column of "years in acting school" (I am pretty sure i saw that on a soccer scouting site, but don't quote me).

Blah Blah Blah,
I think you'll find that soccer (football) is already number one. Just not in the media - except world cup time. The socceroos play one game, and they draw a bigger live crowd, and television audience than the AFL grandfinal - and its only a friendly. Sydney(bling) FC would have secured more financial revenue from advancing to the next stage of its ill-fated cup challenge post A-league season than Port Power received for its grand final win. Its the worlds most participated sport, even in Australia it out ranks tennis, basketball and Aussie Footy.

I dont like it when players (especially south americans- who are the worst offenders) go down in wrathing agony at the slightest challege, but just remember that such is the passion and religion of the game, that one freekick / penalty can win the match - which brings me to your next point regarding the number of goals. What could possibly be LESS exciting than Aussie rules scoring about 30 - 40 goals a game, with rare matchs actually being decided with one of these goals?
Real football (soccer) provides edge of your seat intensity for 90 minutes - an imense buildup and one goal can make all the difference. 1 goal in the opening 5 minutes of the second half against the Brasil was all that was needed - but it didnt stop the game from becoming more exciting that aus had to score twice in 40 minutes to win! In Aussie rules, 3 goals in the first quarter is just that, and hardly exciting at all.
The demise of AFL as the most recognisable australian sport wont be from soccer, it will come at the hands of those who became too smart for the game. For example Richmond v Adelaide earlier this year. Richmond play an excellent tactical game to deny the crows possession and thwart off any attempt to play open park footy. Yet all we heard about the game was how piss poor boring it was, and how dare richmond use their brains to win a game of AFL.

And regarding 'They' wanting to bring 'their' culture here, who are you referring to? Thats an ignorant comment if you have watched any games other than australian games (which you claim you have) Australias fanbase is as unique as the style of play that the socceroos exhibit. The culture you refer to is homegrown. You dont see socceroos taking massive dives, because our culture reflects that its unaustralian to feign injury. The australian fanbase boos opponents if they take a dive - its brilliant.

your post blah blah blah, was exactly that - it just required a little more thought to be taken too seriously.

Well said Boe r, and I can tell you from a school perspective that Soccer is kicking both basketball and football ass with massive numbers playing. Also this started well before the world cup. I think if you think Soccer will be one hit wonder you are being very shallow in your thinking.

The way I see it is that SOCCER is riding the wave of the world cup. People are excited by the world cup not by SOCCER.

I'm sorry Boe r...but you need to check your facts, even Big Brother out rated the SOCCER in some area's!!!

Aussie's love following their national teams regardless of the sport. However, there are also alot of Aussie born Italians, Greeks or Croatians who will support those countries, which is fine.

The AFL will always be the number one sport in Australia. The facts are AFL Football rates in the top 10 across the country every week! More people go to the footy every week in comparison to every other sport played in Oz.
The Australia v Greece game was a one off...special event.
The demand for tickets to the Ashes Test matches this summer easily out-weights the demand for tickets to see the SOCCERoos!

Enjoy the world cup while it's here...support the Aussies....but when it's all over, you will see that SOCCER will never be a major sport in this country.

I don't see why everyone (especially the media) is making a big deal over 'who's number 1'. People will obviously have individual tastes and predispositions towards certain sports due to their upbringing, cultural heritage, physical and mental characteristics and just their plain old personal preference. I think it's a great thing that we have so many different sports to choose from in Australia (Although I'm still trying to find a European Handball league in Adelaide, dammit).
Each sport obviously has its pros and cons:

AFL is usually fast paced and exciting (except when teams flood), as it satisfies a primal urge when we see a guy running with the ball and know there's a liklihood he'll get flattened at any given moment.

I've never been a huge soccer fan, but I've always thought it's fun to watch when the teams are playing an attacking game and not playing 'keepies off' (this goes for all sports, really). I like the 'foreplay' aspect of a huge build up before a goal, but I resent the fact that a bad umpiring decision can have such a terminal effect at any random point in the game. There are certain teams (especially the South Americans and the Italians) that really take the drama aspect too far. Granted it's a passionate game, but surely they must cringe when they watch the replay? I like the aggression of the Aussies, and their hard-working ethic towards the game.

Basketball will always be my favourite, and I really don't think I need to justify my reasons as to why on this forum, as I imagine you'll all understand!

You have to appreciate that a soccer game can see night spots in Adelaide opening their doors late on a Sunday night so that people can come in and watch at 1AM, or watch it at home until past 3AM.

The AFL will always lack that "international stage" feel and potential.

excellent point, Isaac.

Soccer (football) is a brain game, a bit like chess and i admire the skills and talent you need to play it. Depends what you like watching if you like afl or football (soccer) thats your personal choice. Its a bit like comparing womens basketball to mens basketball, the women use their brains at lot more!!!

As a man...women's basketball doesn't quite seem as exciting now they've lost the BODY SUITS!!!!

Just in relation to the "rolling around like they have ruptured appendix". Other than the fact that they are trying to win a free kick, the players of both teams also use this time to grab a swig from one of the many water bottles lined up along the edge of the pitch and get some updates from the coach/es.
Unlike AFL, 'runners' are not allowed on the soccer pitch to give information and replenishment. An 'injury' in soccer acts as a time-out for both teams.

Randy, Bro,
I wont argue with you regarding why big brother may or may not have out pointed the soccer in any given time slot, but im sure it would have something to do with Kystals fake wobbles slapping australian screens......

however..... soccer at 3:00am versus major sporting events shown in prime time. Check it out for yourself and go for a drive this friday morning from 4:00 till 6:00am, drive past pubs, and through suburbia, there will be lights on and parties happening, and it wont be because of the fox footy channel 1 or 2........

I suppose you are all right. Basketball ahs all the hallmarks of a great game:

1) Round ball - so players don'tget injured by pointy bits
2) Rectangle court - So the players don't get confused
3) Lines - So the players remmeber where they're supposed to be
4) Players (USA) dressed like pimped out drug lords
5) Time outs - coz players and refs need a break so that they can be reminded of what the object of the game is
6) A multitude of clocks - so that the players know when to take a nap as the game is ZZzzzzz
7) after x minutes and stacks of shots and time outs and fouls, etc, the game is still tied?

8) Its a good look having extra large people confined to a really small court

9) Playesd indoors coz it might get too cold or hot

And the finale

10) People trying to kid themselves when they say (coz of a clash of bodies) "And they say its not a contact sport"

Yes Football is the world game. So is basketball. Its just that one game actually can rate in the big time.

Soccer is flavour of the month... whos gonna watch games when Aus is kicked out?

not only that,... who went to see a league before Dwight Yorke came? no one! then it became big.... but this is temporary, 2 years time it will be AFL again. sad but true, it happened to Basketball.

I'm a basketball fan, but that hasn't stopped me getting up in the middle of the night to watch FA cup finals, for longer than many of the posters here have been alive.
Soccer is on FTA TV because it is watched so much. (By people from all over Europe including UK, Scotland, Italy, Spain, Holland, etc. etc.
Only reason people might think AFL is so poular is because FTA is flooded with it on weekends. Boring bloody AFL shows all over.

I heard on the radio this morning (891 ABC):
AFL goals are like 'kissing'.
A Soccer goal is an 'Orgasm'.

It would be interesting to lock the responses to this topic away for 20-25 years and review it in the future. AFL (and NRL in NSW/QLD)will still have the upper hand for at least that long because this generation, our parents, our grandparents, etc have all brought us up to follow those codes. They have influenced us to follow these codes through stories about legends like Kerley, Ebert, Robran, Whitten or Wally Lewis; or insert whoever you want to that list.

But what of this next generation coming through schools now who are playing soccer in their droves?? If they pass on their legends to their kids as Kewell, Viduka, Cahill or Neill, then it is quite possible soccer could push much furter into the mainstream than just every 4 years with the World Cup. I certainly see no reason why in the future, soccer couldn't be the number one sport given the base it has currently, and if the powers that be in Soccer continue to market the sport well and keep the kids playing it.

It does hurt me to say this being a far bigger AFL fan than Soccer fan myself. And I also agree with others here that Soccer is generally a boring game to watch - 90 mins for 0-0 score, etc. These would be general opinions of many current adult Australians who have grown up following AFL or NRL all their lives, but at the same time now enjoying watching the Aussie's perform so well in the World Cup. But anyone who doesn't look into the future an acknowledge the fact Soccer currently has the base and the potential to be #1 is being very naive.

I will add though my kids will be brought up with stories of Maher, Davis, Farley, Jordan, Magic, Bird, Erving, Miller, James, Wade and Lauren Jackson...Hopefully they will enjoy the game as much as I do!
Us Basketball fans (and has beens!) have to keep up the support in basketball too in this country!!!

Can you imagine when India and China get teams into the World Cup? That's potentially two billion extra people watching this sporting event.

Seen the replies since my posting. Some really ignorant and uninformed postings like: Who went to a NSL game before Dwigght YOrke came here?" Errrr in season 2004 Adelaide regularly had 10,000 per game. And no Dwight Yorke. Who will watch the WC after Oz falls out? Errr since 1974 (when Australian were not involved) its always been a huge ratings winner.

I don't want to dish it out to teh Basketballers because they desrve the right to be supported at International level. I'm happy when the 36'ers and the Fellas win.

There can be no plausible argument against Soccer's place in the world sphere. Don't bother as your arguments actually degrade your sport of basketball.

think you'll find that soccer (football) is already number one. Just not in the media - except world cup time. The socceroos play one game, and they draw a bigger live crowd, and television audience than the AFL grandfinal - and its only a friendly.

An afl grand final may not get as much attention as a soccer friendly between this country and another is because it is the nation playing another, not a supporter bas against another. While the grand final is such a between the to best teams, it doesnt mean that everyone will watch, especially if there team isnt in it. Soccer will never become Australias number 1 sport here because unlike soccer players, afl players wont whinge n whine n get strectherd of for a scratch on there leg. Afl is a mans sport, you have to be an elite athlete to play it and while ill agree u do in soccer aswell, AFL players cover a greater distance in a game, for example, One of the worlds best players at the moment may cover 11km a game, an afl midfielder covers well over 20km. And thats after all the hard contests of tackling and that, that takes energy away aswell, but afl players still get through it. While there was a lot of ppl watching the world cup, i admit it stayed up to 3 in the morning to watch it to, that was partly because of the australians attitude towards national pride, we want to be a succseful nation at all sports, we dominate in cricket and rugby, both sport made by the english. We tend to jump onto the bandwagon aswell, but if you thnk about it, Aussie rules has been folowed for over 100 years here in Australia with a consistant amount of support, while soccer was not a gradual build up like afl, it was a sudden jump onto the bandwagon, and now it is starting to die down. that is why i believe that soccer wont become australias new number 1 sport

hurley509, there wasn't an a-league until Dwight Yorke came! ;-)