China boom or bust
The AFL heading overseas has created hype but is there substance?
THE ISSUE terry.wilson@news.com.au well, taking the game to the many corners of the globe. In the past the AFL has taken their game to London and to Wellington for Anzac Day matches involving St Kilda. There are those who question the expense of staging these matches but the obvious response to that is publicity – and the desire to pander to those billions of people who have never experienced Aussie rules. And wouldn’t it be great if a few young Chinese nationals made the grade. The AFL has already attracted players of wide ethnic backgrounds. Canadian Mike Pyke, American Mason Cox, Sudanese Majak Daw, Irishmen such as Jim Stynes, Tadhg Kennelly and Pearce Hanley and, most importantly, Lin Jong, the Western Bulldog who has Chinese heritage, have played AFL. May there be more follow in their footsteps. rhys.oneill@news.com.au and spend weekends scouring grassy knolls would be brave enough to await a Chinese influx in to the AFL ranks. Can’t imagine Xi Jinping will soon join Bruce McAvaney to chat about “elite runners” and “Gazza” on Chinese TV screens any time soon. Like that Origin fixture in the Land Of The Grilled Everything, the sight of 44 blokes punting a red thing filled with air should be consigned to the “that was fun ... but that’s all” category. The way the AFL has expanded in the past 20 years, pulling a few clubs and fans kicking and screaming, is something the NRL could learn from. No other code has become so truly national. But the jump to international is one great wall too far. You want to grow the game? I hear there’s a little place called Tasmania which wouldn’t mind its own team.