I really enjoy the round ball sport known as "football".

What do you follow and why ?

AFL - LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!


Sydney Swans supporter through and through. I am not a sporty type person at all and the only other sport i would even consider watching is soccer . AFL is the absolute best spectator sport ever - can't wait to take baby #1 to their first Swans match this season

Coming from the UK I am a soccer fan!!! Love it, Love it, Love it!!!

I support Manchester United and have done for about 30 years now!!

Hi,

I'm a real sports nut, and will happily watch just about anything - with a couple of exceptions. I won't watch golf as my mind gets flooded with all sorts of tempting other things I could be doing, like washing the floors and ironing the curtains. I won't watch motorsports either, as I don't really class them as a sport, and I find it really tedious to sit through a game of soccer.

I think what sports you like depends on what you were brought up with, and more particularly the speed of the sport you grew up with. I think that's why most people that grew up with AFL, and to a lesser degree Rugby League, don't like soccer. In comparison, it's just painfully slow to most of us. And golf, well it doesn't even seem to move at all to me.

I really love the very fast sports - AFL and Ice Hockey. Close behind are those that are next down the line for speed, being Rugby League (although in comparison to AFL and Ice Hockey it's a bit one-dimensional - still good to watch though if there's nothing faster on), One Day cricket, etc... The exception would be basketball, which is fast but so repetitive to me that I end up washing the dishes instead.

I guess I'm just a speed freak - and a mad, one-eyed Geelong supporter!

Also a fan of the Bushrangers and the Melbourne Storm

AFL here.

AFL all the way - GO SAINTS!!!!

Coming from the UK its proper football here.

The little known team of Reading. URZ!

AFL, because I'm a Victorian and it's in my blood.

Go Doggies.

Aussie born family so AFL.

I do remember soccer being a much less brutal game to play as a kid though (days before Auskick here) so I can appreciate that mums of young children might prefer it - this all seems to go on what the daddies are more likely to get involved in with their kids.

AFL all the way in this house - Go Cats.

I have been a member of the Geelong Footy Club and been going for 20 years, my DH plays footy and footy is always on the TV on the weekend.

I have recently played in an indoor soccer comp and have come around to the game but still AFL is our number one sport

Football- both the A-league and (to a lesser extent) EPL.

NRL here. I'm a massive Roosters supporter

We had Foxtel installed last week. I can pretty much watch rugby league in some shape or form nearly every day.

I think I've died and gone to heaven

Rugby League all the way here. Go the Knights.

I grew up in western sydney so that is what I grew up with. I went to an AFL game as everyone said it is better live, yeah still don't like it.

Rugby League here - Broncos and Queensland I watch at least 4 full games every weekend and at least parts of the other 4. Love it

With British parents though, I grew up with soccer (but only ever called football by my parents ). I got my dad into rugby league too but he's soccer at heart.

I did go to a game at Old Trafford when I was 16 and loved it - atmosphere was incredible, but still never really got into soccer like my parents and older brother. However, growing up in the household I did it is routine to still keep a check on how Manchester United is doing. But give me my league any day

Soccer I follow....

I would say growing up I followed Rugby League however due to marrying a mad Adelaide Crows supporter and having lived in AFL states for the last 7 years I have watched far more AFL games then Rugby League in a very long time...

Aussie Rules for me, anything from AFL to WAFL to jnr footy & Auskick.

FREO WAY TO GO!

Football here all the way - AFL that is of course!!

Never could get into rugby or soccer, living down south!

Rugby union in our house, my husband is a former first grade rugby player and so there's no getting away from it - luckily I like watching it too, and was raised watching rugby and no other code.

I agree.......I believe it is what you are brought up with.

My brother played Rugby League and so I would have to go along (didn't mind though as I liked some of the boys...hehe) every Saturday. I followed Parramatta Eels since I was about 8 and I used to have fun with one of my best friends who happened to live next door to me. She was 8 at the time too and she was a Bulldogs supporter and so you can imagine the 2 of us back in the mid 80's.....those were the days. Changed teams back in 1991 I think it was or whenever Balmain Tigers became West Tigers and moved out to Campbelltown ( had to follow the home team). Loved the Tigers ever since and I am still a mad, keen supporter.

Now I hated soccer and thought it was the most boring game to watch, until I met my husband and had 2 boys. Both my boys play soccer, they even did 3 years in rugby league but went back to soccer this year and I have to say that I love soccer now and even enjoy watching it. It certainly has much more skill than any of the other sports. If you can play soccer you can pretty much play any sport really. My eldest boy is very good at soccer and his dreams are to make it overseas.

As for AFL, tried to watch it but can't. I hate the way the guys have to bump each other all the time and the ball isn't anywhere near them or coming at them. Yes I know, soccer they do the dramatics and dive (believe me it does sh*t me), rugby league is really just a bit of thiggery when it comes down to it. Union, watch the tests but nothing more than that.

SPORT IS GREAT THOUGH!

Rugby league all the way here - just grew up with it I suppose but became slightly obsessed with it when we finally got a team here!
My poor Dad from England is a mad "football" fan and wishes we were too but I find it extremely boring to watch.
AFL - can't understand the rules (nor want to) so def a no go there.
Union - i can sit through with DH as he loves it but find the rules so strange compared to NRL.

We only have austar on here so I can watch all my NRL games each weekend - bring on season 2011

same here

LOVE NRL

Rugby Union in our house but my husband doesn't mind watching rugby league either

huge NRL fan here

Don't have Fox, so only get to watch 3 games a weekend (I'm sure DP thinks that's more than enough!!), but would love to watch more (just can't justify the extra $$).

I'm in 3 tipping comps each season, so have a 'vested' interest in it!!

Bring on the start of the season

On a side note .... anyone remember the Footy Guide book that used to be in one of the Sunday papers (Sydney ones)? It was a guide on the 4 codes, listing each team, all the players, the line ups for the year, etc. They didn't release one last year, but did for years before that. I WANT IT BACK!!

AFL family here.

I was not really into anything before I met DP but his whole family watches AFL(and DP plays AFL) so I actually quite like it now.
It's Bombers all the way or your disowned

Taking DD to her first game this season!

Barclays Premier League. huge Arsenal F.C fan!

I actually really like watching most sports. I watch more sport than my husband does, including motor sports.

I do watch the soccer, but more to watch Harry Kewell! I love world cup time even though it does my head in watching how much they carry on if someone steps on their shoelace.

But, my number one love affair is with the Collingwood Football Club I'll watch any game of AFL, even if my team isn't playing, but I find the pace of the game a lot more exciting than other forms of football.

I've been to a few NRL games, and have really tried to get into it, but I just find there are too many quiet parts of the game, and there's never really anything spectacular (e.g. no big marks or tin ass goals) to cheer for. Aussie rules just seems a lot more skillful and professional.

I love the noise and atmosphere of Collingwood games, even the constant booing of umpiring decisions! DH barracks for Collingwood too, and even he can't stand how passionate I am!

AFL for me - I am in SA, so big Aussie Rules tradition.

DH likes anything and everything sport related

More AFL fans here, hate soccer, would never let my kids play it.....so boring. Rugby league is ok, but can only watch it live, don't like it on TV.

Our son's are mad AFL fans and from about Feb to Oct every year is taken up with footy, footy and more footy. We have under 16's, under 14's and under 8's this year and soon another two in Auskick.

The only thing I don't like is that I am a cats supporter and DH and the boys are Carlton but we live in SA so don't get to as many games as we would like. Also hate hearing about the crows and power here all the time!!!

Bec

Football

We were never big fans until DD17 started making the zone team for PSSA and then started club football.

We now love it and even more so we love Futsal which is faster paced and more interesting.

I am principle AFL fan - Essendon Bombers fan for 20 years!!

For European Football I support the Bundesliga and support Bayern Munchen or about 7 years or so. I hate EPL with a passion and I love the German league the best.

Not a huge Rugby league fan and think it is too mind numbingly boringly slow.

The ironic thing is that it is me wanting to watch sports on TV and not my husband!

We are an AFL family here too. Western Bulldogs fans as Boyfriend's brother plays for them

AFL here...Hawthorn supporters

I HATE SOCCER (just kidding)

Never really grew up with any sport but as an older teenager played soccer, followed the european leagues and NSL (now A-league). I love watching soccer, even if nobody scores it can still be interesting and I admire the skills and tactics, could talk about it all day! I like RL and AFL but dont get much time to watch, and DH HATES AFL, believe it or not.

Its funny how a PP said soccer is slow, I find that AFL looks like far too many people running round on a field, I guess it depends what you are used to

Im hoping Adelaide united will get better now. We always used to go to the games and get soooooooo frustrated!

Rugby union growing up, but I only really watch the Internationals now. (Not a great lot of rugby in WA unless you are in certain circles).

The round ball football is my favourite game to watch. Can't stand AFL - it always seems so messy and unstructured. I'll watch League if "my team" is playing, but can take it or leave it.

sydney swans supporter here. My hubby likes NRL, Union and cricket yukky.

Ditto. Go the swannies!!!!

Same. I was born in WA and moved to SA, and the only Aussie Rules I follow is SANFL, couldn't give a rats a*se about the AFL...

Ours is a rugby league household. Up the mighty Cronulla Sharks, off to a terrific start this season, keep it up boys

Football, first, last and always It's got skill, it's interesting, it's just the best. I'm a Toon (Newcastle United for those who know little ) supporter through and through.

I also adore GAA - ie Irish football/hurling. Irish football is where AFL originated from but it's much much better. And hurling is a bit like hockey on speed, it's great. Dublin is THE team of choice there, can't get better

Aussie rules in our house.

The World Cup a few years ago turned me off soccer for life - full of staged frees that umpires awarded. Hardly seemed a fair game at all.

Being a Victorian can't get into Rugby League. I like my sportsmen to be more athletic and less built like a fridge.

Yes, I follow Hawthorn in the AFL. I get to a few games each year now, but I used to be a member and go every week. I even had my 21st birthday at the HFC social club at Glenferrie!

Why? It's a great game, I don't think any can match it for excitement. I'm a Victorian so I grew up surrounded by it and my dad was a Hawthorn supporter . . I also had a crush on Dermott Brereton when I was about 13, so that was a good enough reason to go and watch them!

These days I love watching Lance Franklin and Cyril Rioli. But TBH, I am more interested in my club than football in general. If Hawthorn no longer existed, I doubt I would follow AFL at all.

Go Hawks!

AFL for sure. Hubby is somewhat obsessed with the Eagles so that dominates a lot of our life during the season.....

AFL for sure in this house - unfortunately we are saints supporters. At least it toughens you up for disappointment in life....

AFL in this house - although I was born and bred in Brisbane, my dad was Victorian and a mad mad Collingwood supporter-yep of of those ones- no dinner at our place when Collingwood lost because dad was in mourning.

Me and DH are long term Brisbane Lions Members (me 10 years, him 16 (Brisbane Bears before the merge) and we started taking the kids as little babies.

Rugby League all the way!!
Broncos & Cowboys supporter here

Born a Kiwi, didn't know there was anything other than Rugby Union till I was 10...

I taught my QLD DP about AFL when I first met him, I didn't really care one way or the other as I hadn't been raised in a 'footy home' however when we moved to Victoria he came scampering home from his first week at work and said "OMG I have to pick a team, I can't communicate with my workmates if I don't have a team!"

Because he was living in Collingwood at the time he said "Do I pick Collingwood?"

I didn't know a lot about footy but I knew enough to scream "NO! One does not 'pick' Collingwood. Collingwood supporting is an accident of birth! Why don't you pick Brisbane? It's your home town. Imagine how you would feel if you arbitrarily chose a team and then Brisbane won the grand final?"

"Ok... I guess I'll pick Brisbane then."

This was 2001. Year one of Brisbane Lions 'Threepeat'!

DP got right into AFL! We would go to EVERY Brisbane game in Melbourne, my Mum knitted him a scarf which he would wear with pride all winter.

I got swept along with his enthusiasm.. Mum got swept along with his enthusiasm. It was great!

Alas now we are in the 'bad times' - but somehow, that start, that massive joyful, enthusiastic, exciting start has kept not only him but me going..

We will attend local footy games (the smaller the comp. the better) - we have gone to the local Grand Final three years in a row (two of which our town won) the atmosphere at a live game cannot be beaten.

He has already stated that any child of ours will be 'brought up Lions'. I don't mind.

Same here, go the Chooks,
I think anyone raised in NSW always has NRL as their first preference,
I do like AFL too, esp the Swans, but AFL is definitely a distant second to NRL, it's always in our house.
Soccer rarely,
And gotta lov watching the cricket.

Yeah, it's much the same here in QLD... we don't really "do" AFL in the same way as they do in Victoria. NRL is in the blood up here... I didn't really grow up in a "footy home" but every member of my large extended family, if asked, would say Broncos so I followed in the family tradition there and also Cowboys cos they're the "local" team... and always backed QLD in origin. Of course




Then, a few years ago, I had a job where EVERYONE at work was NRL obsessed and they had a footy tipping thing going and I just had NO idea so I started to get into it a little then. Last season was the first one where i followed it religiously each week and now i'm a bit footy-mad; pretty much counting down to the season starting up again.

I grew up in a Rugby League household and have married into another one! I used to watch it when I was a kid so I understand it, which is useful. I am not obsessed in any way, but much prefer Rugby League to AFL (what do you mean there is no offside!?) and soccer.

The Broncos are the "family team" but I was a Dolphins supporter (Redcliffe) back in the heady days of the QRL.

Three Men and a Lady, I don't understand how soccer can prepare you for all other sports when you hardly ever use your hands? I used to play with my cousins sometimes, but it's nowhere near as fun as netball.

Edited for triple post!