hope you dont mind a pom crashing this thread, but i have a great respect for the game of aussie rules football.

went out with a girl from oz a few years back and she took me to see a game at the surrey oval in london. essendon were playing against hawthorn and since then ive been hooked and always tried to follow it from were ever i am in the world at the time.

preference is for essendon, i know they arent much cop at the moment, but hey.

last year i managed to watch most of the season on the australia network in the apartment i was staying in at the time, but recently i have moved and dont get the cable network that showed it now.

been to the aussie bar/ pub on sukuvit soi 11 and like most didnt think much of it. any ideas where i might be able to see this seasons action. i know o reilys in silom show it but its a bit out of the way for me seeing as i live on the otherside of town now.

btw think the bulldogs will make the grand final this year, maybe up against hawthorn or the cats.

cheers tigerfish.

Good on you tige, try some of those sports bars down near Soi Cowboy.There's one called Downunder that should do the trick.

Good start to the season, Port won, Crows lost.... who could wish for more?

HAWTHORN admits that a push to recruit left-footers was a key to its shock 2008 premiership.

HAWTHORN admits that a push to recruit left-footers was a key to its shock 2008 premiership.

The Hawks gathered a record number of left-footers leading up to the Grand Final against Geelong and it was not by accident - despite years of denials by the club.

When pressed on the issue yesterday, Hawthorn list manager Chris Pelchen reluctantly owned up to the plan hatched at the end of 2004 when coach Alastair Clarkson arrived."We've been loath to discuss it publicly in the last five years, but it would be fair to say it has been a deliberate focus of our club. We did target left-footers."

Knowing that premiership teams are usually ranked in the top two for kicking efficiency, Pelchen went left-field at the draft table. If he was weighing up two players of similar ability, he took the left-footer.

Hawthorn has 22 left-footers and Pelchen said the reason was simple: left-footers are better kicks.

"If you compared all the left-footers and all the right-footers in the competition, the average kicking efficiency of left-footers was over 3 per cent better."

On Saturday, the Hawks played Melbourne with 13 of them.

And the results are there for all to see in an exclusive Champion Data heat map of Hawthorn's play pattern on Saturday. Coming out of defence, the Hawks almost always exited stage left.

With so many left-footed defenders, Hawthorn rarely went right when surging through the defence 50m arc.

Football can be a simple game. It is far more natural for a player to swing and head left when coming out of defence.

Attacks were mounted from there, with Melbourne often helpless to stop the precise kicking.

Five of Hawthorn's six leading disposal winners in the defensive 50 were left-footers. Matthew Sucking and Josh Gibson had 10 disposals there, with other lefties Brent Guerra, Jordan Lewis and Ryan Schoenmakers having six.

Left-footers Xavier Ellis and Rick Ladson also did almost all of their handy work out on the left half-back flank.

Hawthorn list manager Chris Pelchen yesterday revealed the Hawks had gone out of their way to recruit left-footers, doubling the amount in the first two years under Clarkson and rolling on from there. But with 22 of the league's 125 "lefties" on its list, how many is too much for Hawthorn?

"We've got to be careful in terms of the ratio," Pelchen said. "It's widely known that our 2008 premiership side had the most left-footers ever in a premiership side - half the team were left footers.

"Most people make the assumption that means 22 or 23, or around half, is best for your list. My personal belief is that where the ratio should end - we don't want to become too predictable."

Hawthorn's next opponent, Geelong, will no doubt look at the heat map and clog up the left side, but regardless of any perceived predictability "Project My Left Foot" has been a massive success.

"There is a direct parallel between kicking efficiency and winning premierships," Pelchen said. "If it came down to (drafting) players of comparable ability we'd take the player who kicked left foot."

But Pelchen stopped short of saying the left-foot policy alone brought the Hawks a flag. "There's so many things that go into winning a premiership, but it is fair to say that was one of the key platforms our recruiting model was based on," he said.

Herald Sun

hope you dont mind a pom crashing this thread, but i have a great respect for the game of aussie rules football.

went out with a girl from oz a few years back and she took me to see a game at the surrey oval in london. essendon were playing against hawthorn and since then ive been hooked and always tried to follow it from were ever i am in the world at the time.

preference is for essendon, i know they arent much cop at the moment, but hey.

last year i managed to watch most of the season on the australia network in the apartment i was staying in at the time, but recently i have moved and dont get the cable network that showed it now.

been to the aussie bar/ pub on sukuvit soi 11 and like most didnt think much of it. any ideas where i might be able to see this seasons action. i know o reilys in silom show it but its a bit out of the way for me seeing as i live on the otherside of town now.

btw think the bulldogs will make the grand final this year, maybe up against hawthorn or the cats.

cheers tigerfish.

Mate .... Our Pommie Cousins are most welcome.

Round one was predictable except for the pies throwing feathers in the mouth of dogs. We all know it takes 6 weeks for the comp to sort itself out and then we will see where teams may be heading

Good on you tige, try some of those sports bars down near Soi Cowboy.There's one called Downunder that should do the trick.

Good start to the season, Port won, Crows lost.... who could wish for more?

The SAINTS won

I was a Saints supporter as a kid, always kept a soft spot for them. Switched to Port when they went into the AFL though, was always a huge Port Magpies supporter.

I was a Saints supporter as a kid, always kept a soft spot for them. Switched to Port when they went into the AFL though, was always a huge Port Magpies supporter.

that's ok we all make a mistake in our lives. Port went down today against the eagles. The saints thumped the roos by 104 points, melbourne missed out by a bees dick over the pies. Guess the pies will be a little concerned about next weeks clash with the saints.

Must have a crook internet connection again, the news said Port won!

The Crows could be doing a little soul searching about meeting "easy beats" Melbourne next week as well.

Good poll!

I am a Thai lady and just started watching footy (since 2008, but just seriously now). Don't know much about teams' history. I'm trying to find the stream I can watch AFL on internet but failed (it once worked from Iraq site but now I lost it). You guys have any better recommended website?

I'm a Hawks fan but the last glory day is in 2008!!! I would like to watch, talk and share opinion more about the game. I often go to Australian places around Sukhumvit area but kind of feel weird to sit alone. So if some of you guys see me, please come and talk, I always wear the Hawks' cap, you can notice me from that.

I'm gonna go watch Hawk vs WB this coming Sunday. However, the office doesn't have live game show on thier website. I also heard that cable or something at the Australian pub was broken.....where can I watch it??? Really need help. Or I just wander around, hopefully some places show it.

Hope to meet some of you around this weekend.....

Was in Oz recently and saw four games in Rounds 1 and 2 - one at the Gabba (Lions vs Eagles), one at Etihad (Dons vs Freo) and one at the G (Hawthorn vs Geelong). Also one on TV (Lions vs Carlton).

In order of impressiveness, this is how I'd rate them: 1. Geelong 2. Hawks 3. Lions 4. Fremantle 5. Carlton 6. Eagles 7. Essendon

Need to keep in mind though that both the Gabba and Etihad are slippery surfaces, so sides look more mistake-prone. The MCG surface makes a side look good.

Haven't seen St Kilda or the Dogs play, but would expect them to be ahead of the Lions. As usual, Collingwood is a dog's breakfast - all over the place, so don't know how to rate them. Port Adelaide don't look convincing and Adelaide are weak. North and Richmond are out of it, but Melbourne seems to have a bit of new life. My predictions for the final eight are:

1. Geelong

2. St Kilda

3. Bulldogs

4. Brisbane

5. Hawthorn

6. Collingwood

7. Fremantle

8. Carlton

Was in Oz recently and saw four games in Rounds 1 and 2 - one at the Gabba (Lions vs Eagles), one at Etihad (Dons vs Freo) and one at the G (Hawthorn vs Geelong). Also one on TV (Lions vs Carlton).

In order of impressiveness, this is how I'd rate them: 1. Geelong 2. Hawks 3. Lions 4. Fremantle 5. Carlton 6. Eagles 7. Essendon

Need to keep in mind though that both the Gabba and Etihad are slippery surfaces, so sides look more mistake-prone. The MCG surface makes a side look good.

Haven't seen St Kilda or the Dogs play, but would expect them to be ahead of the Lions. As usual, Collingwood is a dog's breakfast - all over the place, so don't know how to rate them. Port Adelaide don't look convincing and Adelaide are weak. North and Richmond are out of it, but Melbourne seems to have a bit of new life. My predictions for the final eight are:

1. Geelong

2. St Kilda

3. Bulldogs

4. Brisbane

5. Hawthorn

6. Collingwood

7. Fremantle

8. Carlton

Not a bad prediction but I would not be putting freo in the top eight. Going by Collingwoods last two encounters, Melbourne & St Kilda then they look shaky but hey it is only week 3. Nick Reiwolt is now gone for at least 10 weeks so the saints have to rally.

Good poll!

I am a Thai lady and just started watching footy (since 2008, but just seriously now). Don't know much about teams' history. I'm trying to find the stream I can watch AFL on internet but failed (it once worked from Iraq site but now I lost it). You guys have any better recommended website?

I'm a Hawks fan but the last glory day is in 2008!!! I would like to watch, talk and share opinion more about the game. I often go to Australian places around Sukhumvit area but kind of feel weird to sit alone. So if some of you guys see me, please come and talk, I always wear the Hawks' cap, you can notice me from that.

I'm gonna go watch Hawk vs WB this coming Sunday. However, the office doesn't have live game show on thier website. I also heard that cable or something at the Australian pub was broken.....where can I watch it??? Really need help. Or I just wander around, hopefully some places show it.

Hope to meet some of you around this weekend.....

Welcome and glad to have you onboard. Try the Australian Network or you can always listen live via radio on sen.com.au or 3aw.com.au. Love to watch the games with you but I am in Chiangmai.

Must have a crook internet connection again, the news said Port won!

The Crows could be doing a little soul searching about meeting "easy beats" Melbourne next week as well.

Yes I stand corrected

Not a bad prediction but I would not be putting freo in the top eight. Going by Collingwoods last two encounters, Melbourne & St Kilda then they look shaky but hey it is only week 3. Nick Reiwolt is now gone for at least 10 weeks so the saints have to rally.

Didn't know that about Riewoldt. Things can change so quickly. Imagine the Lions without Brown?

Not a good weekend for the tipsters, Freo just rolled Geelong. 6.5 last quarter.

Good poll!

I am a Thai lady and just started watching footy (since 2008, but just seriously now). Don't know much about teams' history. I'm trying to find the stream I can watch AFL on internet but failed (it once worked from Iraq site but now I lost it). You guys have any better recommended website?

I'm a Hawks fan but the last glory day is in 2008!!! I would like to watch, talk and share opinion more about the game. I often go to Australian places around Sukhumvit area but kind of feel weird to sit alone. So if some of you guys see me, please come and talk, I always wear the Hawks' cap, you can notice me from that.

I'm gonna go watch Hawk vs WB this coming Sunday. However, the office doesn't have live game show on thier website. I also heard that cable or something at the Australian pub was broken.....where can I watch it??? Really need help. Or I just wander around, hopefully some places show it.

Hope to meet some of you around this weekend.....

Welcome and glad to have you onboard. Try the Australian Network or you can always listen live via radio on sen.com.au or 3aw.com.au. Love to watch the games with you but I am in Chiangmai.

Thanks mate!!!

Right now I still can watch AFL on Australian network provided by campus cable. I studied master at AIT, Rangsit but I'll graduate this coming May......so no more cable for AFL for me .

Yeah!, live radio is a good choice but man! I would like to see those 44 guys attack each other in the field. OMG I love their muscles...Haha. Then I tried to watch on p2p but it's like pain in the ass, this stream show mostly only first or second quarter .

So....last choice....find a place to watch.....kind of fun anyway.....

Finally, I feel so sorry for you guys about what happened in my country. Pray for Thailand and our King and hope this Gov. start to make the right dicision soon.

Good poll!

I am a Thai lady and just started watching footy (since 2008, but just seriously now). Don't know much about teams' history. I'm trying to find the stream I can watch AFL on internet but failed (it once worked from Iraq site but now I lost it). You guys have any better recommended website?

I'm a Hawks fan but the last glory day is in 2008!!! I would like to watch, talk and share opinion more about the game. I often go to Australian places around Sukhumvit area but kind of feel weird to sit alone. So if some of you guys see me, please come and talk, I always wear the Hawks' cap, you can notice me from that.

I'm gonna go watch Hawk vs WB this coming Sunday. However, the office doesn't have live game show on thier website. I also heard that cable or something at the Australian pub was broken.....where can I watch it??? Really need help. Or I just wander around, hopefully some places show it.

Hope to meet some of you around this weekend.....

Welcome and glad to have you onboard. Try the Australian Network or you can always listen live via radio on sen.com.au or 3aw.com.au. Love to watch the games with you but I am in Chiangmai.

Thanks mate!!!

Right now I still can watch AFL on Australian network provided by campus cable. I studied master at AIT, Rangsit but I'll graduate this coming May......so no more cable for AFL for me .

Yeah!, live radio is a good choice but man! I would like to see those 44 guys attack each other in the field. OMG I love their muscles...Haha. Then I tried to watch on p2p but it's like pain in the ass, this stream show mostly only first or second quarter .

So....last choice....find a place to watch.....kind of fun anyway.....

Finally, I feel so sorry for you guys about what happened in my country. Pray for Thailand and our King and hope this Gov. start to make the right dicision soon.

We certainly hope Thailand's problems can be overcome and that Thai people can move forward to a happy and prosperous future.

Glad you like our game, Cherryred. Aussie Rules has a great following among women and girls. I'm sure the muscles have something to do with it , but the speed and skill and the number of goals scored all add up to a great game to watch. There's no build-up of tension while shots on goal so frequently fail, as in Soccer, and fans of both teams can sit together in the same seating areas without being aggressive toward each other. In England fans have to be separated from each other. (And I'm a Soccer fan, too.)

Good poll!

I am a Thai lady and just started watching footy (since 2008, but just seriously now). Don't know much about teams' history. I'm trying to find the stream I can watch AFL on internet but failed (it once worked from Iraq site but now I lost it). You guys have any better recommended website?

I'm a Hawks fan but the last glory day is in 2008!!! I would like to watch, talk and share opinion more about the game. I often go to Australian places around Sukhumvit area but kind of feel weird to sit alone. So if some of you guys see me, please come and talk, I always wear the Hawks' cap, you can notice me from that.

I'm gonna go watch Hawk vs WB this coming Sunday. However, the office doesn't have live game show on thier website. I also heard that cable or something at the Australian pub was broken.....where can I watch it??? Really need help. Or I just wander around, hopefully some places show it.

Hope to meet some of you around this weekend.....

Welcome and glad to have you onboard. Try the Australian Network or you can always listen live via radio on sen.com.au or 3aw.com.au. Love to watch the games with you but I am in Chiangmai.

Thanks mate!!!

Right now I still can watch AFL on Australian network provided by campus cable. I studied master at AIT, Rangsit but I'll graduate this coming May......so no more cable for AFL for me .

Yeah!, live radio is a good choice but man! I would like to see those 44 guys attack each other in the field. OMG I love their muscles...Haha. Then I tried to watch on p2p but it's like pain in the ass, this stream show mostly only first or second quarter .

So....last choice....find a place to watch.....kind of fun anyway.....

Finally, I feel so sorry for you guys about what happened in my country. Pray for Thailand and our King and hope this Gov. start to make the right dicision soon.

We certainly hope Thailand's problems can be overcome and that Thai people can move forward to a happy and prosperous future.

Glad you like our game, Cherryred. Aussie Rules has a great following among women and girls. I'm sure the muscles have something to do with it , but the speed and skill and the number of goals scored all add up to a great game to watch. There's no build-up of tension while shots on goal so frequently fail, as in Soccer, and fans of both teams can sit together in the same seating areas without being aggressive toward each other. In England fans have to be separated from each other. (And I'm a Soccer fan, too.)

Yeah I knew it's more that just strong guys running around the field with their huge muscles. I really enjoy their skills especially how they kick the ball. My Aussie friend (old Hawks player) here has a ball and he used to teach me once. Man!!! very difficult to kick and even make a handpass. I like to watch the strategies they use too. I think I can adapt it with ultimate frisbee which I just started to play (seriousle around 2 months). I already go through all the AFL rules on Wiki. It helped me a lot but I still have problem when I watch the game....it's kind of too fast for me to understand what happened both from the live game and the speakman. I mean my listening skill is not that good. Hope I will be more and more improve soon and someday I can understand what happen in the game right away.

I also love meat pie. It goes well with the game and beer. Any recommend about the good brand of freezed meat pie? I don't know how to make it.

I don't know if you guys ever have big party for only AFL final or not.....I knew some place like Aussie bar soi 11., Down under and the office have special events on the grand fianl day. I was at Aussie pub for the grand final last year, 1700 Baht for buffet OMG!!! Wha i want to say is, I have been to the Superbowl party in BKK once (Feb, 7 2010). it was very cool!!! They rent a big room at Zenit Hotel for watching NFL. The room was pretty nice, comfy chairs and table and have 1 big projector at the center of the room and 2 huge flatscreen TV and the right and left side. Kind of cool and it cost only 320 baht. I sat there from 4am to 11am. I just wanted to ask if you know any places with good promotion (resonable price) for the Grand final?

Don't know what happen with Hawks team. My buddy (no.23) is going down. His best year came (2008) and now that day passed...But I think this year we still have oppotunity to make it to the playoff....... St. looks so good this year, Cats, Lion and Bulldogs too.

I already go through all the AFL rules on Wiki. It helped me a lot but I still have problem when I watch the game....it's kind of too fast for me to understand what happened both from the live game and the speakman.

I think the umpires make up the rules as they go along and they vary from umpire to umpire. The people in the stands all know the rules and they advise the umpires from a distance (but they don't take any notice). Sometimes the players have to advise the umpires, too. They might take some notice if the player is Barry Hall.

You look at the poll and no one predicted Fremantle to be big improvers this year but they are looking very good 3/1 and took it right up to the saints. Adelaide are strugling, again against the polls. Saints doing Ok but it is going to be a fight this year without the big Reiwolt up forward. He may be out for the year.

Saints prove the ultimate team

St Kilda finished 15 points in front in an epic, one that deserved a lot more than the 29,814 people who attended Etihad Stadium.

Freo led by one point at quarter-time, scores were level at halftime, the Saints were a point in front at the last change.

They're genuine, the Dockers, but the Saints are a super team. That's 26 wins from 29 games in 2009-10; that's a brilliant record.

It was the best performance of the season to date, surpassing even Geelong's win over Hawthorn in the thriller on Easter Monday.

While the Saints may not be the most naturally gifted team in the competition, they are a mighty unit. They have amazing self-belief and are superbly drilled.

As good as St Kilda has been, a Freo win wouldn't have surprised.

The Dockers came to town 3-0, they had won at Etihad in Round 2, and St Kilda didn't have Nick Riewoldt or Justin Koschitzke in front of goal.

The visitors also had their two most important players -- Aaron Sandilands and Matthew Pavlich -- in superb touch.

Not only did Sandilands register 36 hitouts, his marking continues to improve; the Pav shared his time between the goalsquare and the midfield and booted 5.0, including one from outside 60 in the third quarter. Yet it still wasn't enough.

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon was prepared to improvise in Riewoldt's absence, and was rewarded for his sense of adventure.

Bold move to play both Brendon Goddard and Sam Fisher forward.

Goddard responded with a superb display of his all-round skills, kicking 5.2 and contributing to two others. Nine marks, four of them contested. He is an elite player.

Fisher was underdone, but is such a solid contributor, he's value wherever he plays.

It was the ultimate team effort. Goddard and Stephen Milne contributed 10 goals, Nick Dal Santo produced one of his best, Lenny Hayes was as hard, as creative, as inspirational as ever, and Leigh Montagna and Clinton Jones did what they usually do, which is plenty, albeit in contrasting styles.

Fourteen contested possessions for Lenny. He's a gun. Still a gun, I should say.

Gee, it was a tough, engrossing contest. The Saints absorbed Freo's every challenge before finding an extra gear in the last quarter.

Milne is a dangerous, clever, polished performer in yesterday's mood and played beautifully throughout the game.

I saw Freo play Essendon at Etihad in Round Two. They were impressive, but I wouldn't have tipped them to beat Geelong in the next round or stay with St Kilda like they did. I saw the Cats beat Hawthorn in the same round and they were awesome. Freo may be getting stronger each week.

Carn the Cats for back to back!!!!

Carn the Cats for back to back!!!!

I don't really think so, Garry Ablett is off to the gold coast next year so if the cats want back to back then this is thier last chance.

While the Saints may not be the most naturally gifted team in the competition, they are a mighty unit. They have amazing self-belief and are superbly drilled. I agree to this.

I saw Freo play Essendon at Etihad in Round Two. They were impressive, but I wouldn't have tipped them to beat Geelong in the next round or stay with St Kilda like they did. I saw the Cats beat Hawthorn in the same round and they were awesome. Freo may be getting stronger each week.

I agree with your comment and I guess, if Freo beats the Eagles in the derby they will play in the final againts the Cats

Freo has improved by not 100 but 200 % this year all the young players comming through now and coach Harvey deserves to get his

contract extented. I watched Freo many times now since I got back to Ozz and the are owesome.

I saw Freo play Essendon at Etihad in Round Two. They were impressive, but I wouldn't have tipped them to beat Geelong in the next round or stay with St Kilda like they did. I saw the Cats beat Hawthorn in the same round and they were awesome. Freo may be getting stronger each week.

I agree with your comment and I guess, if Freo beats the Eagles in the derby they will play in the final againts the Cats

Freo has improved by not 100 but 200 % this year all the young players comming through now and coach Harvey deserves to get his

contract extented. I watched Freo many times now since I got back to Ozz and the are owesome.

An easy win to Freo in the Derby. Well done.

Lions lost the "northern derby" (vs Sydney). But a high quality game in which ex-Lion Bradshaw had a big impact.

Next year a genuine Queensland Derby - Brisbane vs Gold Coast.

Interesting season so far, no clear front runner.

Tomorrow's games, Cats v Swans and Crows v Richmond will mould the top and bottom of the table.

Saints v Carlton will be interesting as well.

Good game at the Gabba tonight. Freo just too strong and won by 13 points, but the Lions took it up to them till the end.

I predict Freo for the top 4 and Lions to finish 5th or 6th at season's end.