Something significant is happening this weekend at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Tomorrow, the ex-Canadian rugby union international Mike Pyke is going to make his AFL debut for the Sydney Swans. New Zealanders might recall he’s the guy who intercepted a Dan Carter pass and ran the full length of the pitch to score a try.
Anyway, Pyke decided to move the Australia towards the end of last year, and immediately had his eyes opened to the greatest football code, Australian Rules.
Mike Pyke training with the Swannies.
What followed has been pretty amazing: the Swans, coached by a slightly mad, meditating Buddhist, tofu eating coach, Paul Roos, decided to recruit Pyke via last year’s draft. Now, about six months later, Pyke is going to make his debut at the top level of his new sport.
Now, while I’m sure there have been ex-union player who have gone on to join the AFL ranks before, I’m not sure there’s been a former international who has done so.
Mike Pyke is boldly going where no man has gone before.
Apparently his handballs are still a bit shoddy, but surely quite a few of the union skills are transferrable to AFL?
Could he be paving the way for other union types to make the transition as well?
I’m sure you could picture a Richie McCaw-type on a half-back flank. Maybe a Dan Carter on the wing.
Actually, maybe Carter is a bit much of a pretty boy. But you get my drift.
Let’s hope Pyke at least gets a kick tomorrow. It could be the start of something.
Update:
Four kicks, one tackle, one mark, and eleven hitouts, one of which directly resulted in a goal. Not brilliant, but not bad either first a first-gamer ruckman.
Still, I think up-and-coming All Blacks are safe for now.
Robb said
“New Zealanders might recall he’s the guy who intercepted a Dan Carter pass and ran the full length of the pitch to score a try.”
Some Canadians remember it too, eh! ;-)
Nigel said
you have to have brains to play aussie rules so that basically limits the number of crossover players you can get from union…..and completely rules out any from league.
admin said
Nigel,
I dunno about that. I mean, how do you explain Brendan Fevola?
admin said
He’s got a bit of speed for a big fella.
Squivy said
Give Mike a break, he played reasonably well at the weekend against Richmond and imo really shows promise. In Rugby he played Fullback, ran, kicked and tackled alot, he is tall fast and fit and should do well in AFL.
admin said
He didn’t disgrace himself from all accounts. He should get the hang of the ruckwork and physical part of the game pretty quickly you’d have thought, but ball skills might be an issues. However, they are for plenty of ruckmen.
Truekiwijoker said
LOL, if someone who played Rugby for a sh-t team like Canada can just walk in and become a top level Aussie Rules player, then that’s REALLY not saying much for Aussie Rules.
Look mate, I’m a kiwi living in Aus and I’ve tried to get into your sport. I make no apology in saying in my opinion it is a sh-t sport. The skill level is low and it’s just not interesting.
And no, I’m not just being narrow-minded. I’ve given plenty of other sports a chance and I’m objective.
notamused said
Hahahaha I totally agree with you Truekiwijoker, Aussie Rules is fkn Gay and full of Pussies
pam said
HELLO, who else in the world is dumb enough to play aussie rules than the white aussies themselves?
Squivy said
Last two or three posters, the usual bunch of humourless wh^kwits of Kiwi persuasion (or at least non-AFL).
Jeez, it is just a sport like others, it is very free-moving, lacks an off-side rule and they knock on (legally) the whole time. The skill level is different because the game is different! As for AFL kicking, well ALL the players have to be good at it, not just a few backs like in Rugby.
I like both football codes and I know some people don’t. The codes also have complimentary and non-complimentary points AND wait for it ……… Yep, a common origin in the hybrid codes being fixed from the 1850s to 1870s in Australia and New Zealand. Many areas of NZ played early (somewhat hybrid) versions of AFL (called Melbourne or Victorian Rules at the time) in the 1860s, going quite well until the strength of Rugby killed it off pretty well finally by around 1900. The same happened in NSW and Queensland, AFL lost ground and died (until the 1970s). It has never revived in NZ and I bet few would realise how prevalent AFL was for three or maybe four decades in our history.
truekiwijoker said
Typical ocker logic. Yeah good one mate! it’s us kiwis with no sense of humour being f-witts getting our panties bunched up and going to the effort of posting some long load of crap to prove their point lol!
I don’t give a crap if Aussie Rules was once a major sport in NZ. Its not now and it’s never going to be again. You lost yer chance, get over it watch Rugby march on…
truekiwijoker said
I meant: NOW GET OVER IT, AND WATCH RUBGY MARCH ON.
Clairzilla said
Meh, I’ve lived in NSW my whole life and even though we have an AFL team, most people I know couldn’t give a sh!t about AFL. It’s all about the league in old Sydney town.
Squivy said
Indeed noone in NZ gives a rat’s arse about AFL or has ever really seen it. Sydneysiders and other non-Mexicans generally don’t give it a thought either. But Admin, Kiwis love their Rugby and comments like
“and immediately had his eyes opened to the greatest football code, Australian Rules.” … well really … are just plain insult and can’t seen as humour. You live in NZ mate, get a feel for what goes as good little Tassies with a brain do.
For that matter noone outside of Rugby countries much cares about it either! Still a novelty sport relatively speaking too!
admin said
Squivy,
How could anyone take such a grand overstatement as anything other than a sly dig, in good humour?
Honestly, the whole football-code rivalry is so ridiculous it isn’t worth discussing, apart from the reaction it gets.
Squivy said
Absolutely my dearest Admin, since we ALL play silly novelty sport versions of Football …. apart from some proper interest in Wogball, the real international game.
Oh yes agreed, in Oz there is some rivalry between the main oval ball codes, but in NZ for all intensive purposes 1) AFL is non-existent and 2): R.League exists only in a few pockets in Auckland, Wellington (Wainuiomata in fact!!) and Christchurch. Goddammed Rugby Union is all really have to hang our hat on in the Land of the Long White Cloud. Peccato, peccato!!
Truekiwijoker said
Yeah exactly!
The AFL-Rugby rivalry is in your head. There’s no rivalry in NSW or Queensland and certainly not in NZ. People play and follow what they like, and in NZ that ain’t Australian Rules football.
You might not like me saying this, but it seems to me that the only people here in Sydney who talk about rivalry’s between the codes are few AFL fans!!! I could be wrong but I think they have this inferiority complex and can’t accept the fact that it’s never going to become a big international game. It wouldn’t bother me in their shoes, I mean why not just be happy with the game you like, who cares if it’s only in 4 sates of Aus? it would still be my sport. Just like in NZ there’s a dedicated community of Soccer, Rugby League, Hockey, Rowing, etc…
I used to live in the UK and while Rugby is a major sport there, it has a FAR lower profile than Soccer (of course) and not uch bigger than Cricket’s. The quality of the local first-class competition for spectators was of a far lower standard than what I was used to to the extent I just couldn’t be bothered with it, and the coverage of SH rugby was sparse. But hey I didn’t let it bother me, there’s much more to life than watching sports and I still got to play it socially.
Did you say you’re based in Wellington? why don’t you go along to the local Aussie Rules association and join a club? you can bet almost all the players will be ex-pat ockers. Beyond playing it again you can also network with other ockers, and I’d be VERY surprised if through the club you couldn’t watch and follow your sport. And I’m certain it will be a remedy for any other homesickness you might suffer i.e. beer, accents, Holdens, Aussie music, whatever…
But the fact remains that for the forseeable future Australian Rules football will have NO presence in mainstream NZ. Sucks to be you if you can’t live with that.
Truekiwijoker said
Here ya go Mr. Admin, here’s the website:
http://www.nzafl.co.nz/WellingtonAFLClubContactDetails/tabid/82/Default.aspx
See I’m not such an unpleasant surly bastard after all. No need to thank me mate, just stop yer whinging and get yer bottom out on that oval and yer mits on that pill!!!
Squivy said
To Truekiwijoker: Although I agree that Aussie Rules is unimportant/nearly non-existent in NZ, Marita has a point that this is a forum for Aussies in NZ …… wait for it … including people from Mexican ooops sorry southern/AFL states plus NT and WA of course. I digress. I am sure ex-NSW and Qlders who haven’t gone AFL somehow are happy enough in NZ (maybe not enough RL though) with winter sports.
Your posts and comments can be too personal (even rude) and lacking the sense of fun and humour I (and others) would hope for on this site. Why don’t you just call it a day and post on another blog or something that encourages abuse?
By the way, I still think noone in NZ gives a rat’s arse about AFL – most would never have seen it and know nothing about it ……. but I wasn’t attacking anyone personally and it is not abuse. And worse still (for you I guess) I quite like this novelty sport when played well!!
Truekiwijoker said
Yeah my comments are personal and rude like being called truekiwiwanker?
Don’t worry, I’m not going to upset their little fantasy any more for the time being. But before I go I will like to say: We ARE exposed to Aussie Rules. We’re just not interested.
curious said
im familiar with football, soccer etc.. but have never heard let alone played AFL before
Matt said
There’s a good reason why Aussie Rules is only played in Australia…
Marita said
I apologise for calling truekiwijoker truekiwiwanker. I did find some posts very offensive but will suck it up in the future.
ANyway, I am extremely happy today because have upgraded my laptopn and can now listen to ABC radio and AFL matches through live streaming – yay! Go Blues!
Marita said
And also of course interested to watch rugby occasionally:
http://www.leaguehq.com.au/articles/2009/05/08/1241727609411.html
figjam said
The same applys in Melbourne. No one gives a shit about union and about 50 Storm fans exist. As aussie rules might never be big in Nz Union or league will never be big in Melbourne. What skill is there in big apes throwing a ball backwards?
truekiwijoker said
Hahaha dear oh dear Figjam. Yes the same applies in Melbourne, Rugby has a very low profile (and as I’m sure you’re aware the Storm are a Rugby league team, not union team). So what’s your point?
Are there any Kiwis (or other Rugby fans) moaning on about not being able to easily follow it (as though they should somehow be able to)? Are they walking around saying it’s the greatest game on earth (as though the rest of the earth doesn;t know what it’s missing)? are they rubbishing your game? are they even resorting to the ultimate in defensiveness and denial by trying to indoctrinate their offspring into their game.
Of course not.
And like many other ockers you seem to lack some logical capacity. Unless you’re some sort of other primate species who’s managed to get by in life being mistaken for an Australian, you should know that with the mechanics of the Human body accurately passing the ball backwards (usually while running forwards) takes some practice. Of course you do that wrist bunting thing in AFL instead (often while stationary). I’ve noticed that while the human body is capable of bunting it sideways your AFL players seem to prefer actually running or turning so they can bunt it in that direction forwards. [smirks]
Still I suppose like kicking this wrist bunting probably takes some practice [shrugs shoulders].
Squivy said
Truekiwiposer or whatever, just leave a forum about AFL to people who care about their sport. Their business, not yours to pontificate on whether people in NZ don’t care about AFL (or even know what it is!) or if AFL-staters care about any code of Rugby – they do not !! Who cares about such a senseless argument. By the way, were you a bully at school TK whatever? That’s how you come across
Marita said
well said Squivy
Squivy said
Hey Marita, were Carlton really meant to lose to Fremantle .. puts them 7th on the ladder. Does that put them out of the finals round? I caught the final quarter of the game, the Blues seemed a bit disheartened. Don’t you think they need to lift their game now?
figjam said
The only kiwis i see walking around anywhere are always outside the dole office….
pam said
hahahahah cut that out figjam, you’re just tooooooooo funny – but hey, that’s not a nice way to talk about your wife ahahaha, all good you dont have to let us in on which you dole you’re on, seriously!! ahahahahahaha
figjam said
Not on the dole pam and my wife isnt either. You post like you are still in high school. hahaha
pam said
plse, dont be offended by my posts, I understand the truth stings, but grow some balls and get over it
notamused said
I really dont understand why Truekiwijoker & Squivy are having a big disagreement on this Topic. The only people who gives a rat’s arse about AFL are probably the Aussies who play it. Can we all just move on?
Squivy said
Dear Admin, I really think we need some new blog topics that will inject some good fun and humour …. the last lot have gone stale and you have people (me included …. sorry) trading rather pointless insults. Yep, we must be bored Mr Admin, dial us up some meat.
And Marita, leave Pam and co. alone, ignore them. As for the convict thing, lots of Kiwis are descended from convicts too as a large percentage of migrants to NZ came via Australia. It is nonsense all round. Please some new topics, that may solve the insult slumber.
maxine said
My Chinese and Russian Descendants were Free Settlers to NZ, I’d hate to think otherwise lol.
Fair call this time around Squivy..
curious said
hi maxine, just read your post, im a nz born and bred chinese too. forgive me for being random, just want to know which part of nz you’re from :=)
maxine said
Hi Curious! I’m from Akld, have just recently opened a new Business in Queenstown for my Dad, so I’ll be here for a while enjoying the Snow YAY!!
marion said
ohh no … why would you open any business in NZ … kiwis are bunch of dishonest bullies .. come for a holiday but stay away from the bunch of mentaly retarded idiots … their level of politicking, hidden agendas, bullying is unbelievable
pam said
Hey Maxine, perhaps you can get grumpy old Marion a job hahahahaha, but then again, she probably prefers the Dole.
Ken said
“HELLO, who else in the world is dumb enough to play aussie rules than the white aussies themselves?”
Aboriginal ones – http://www.aussierulesinternational.com/home/game/history/marn_grook
Some Aussies are trying to bring it to East Timor – http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/20080813074124430 – haven’t the locals suffered enough? LOL At least with rugby they could play against the Pacific islands, and even old colonial power Portugal, whose Os Lobos team made it to the last Rugby World Cup, despite the country being a bastion of Wog-Ball.
curious said
cheers maxine, the asian club by the akld viaduct, if you’re interested at all drop me a text on 0211242681 thanks
figjam said
Hey kun
Aborigines have won many awards in Afl football.There are some great aboriginal players playing at the top level. I suppose it is as stupid as NZ having a maori only rugby side…hang on they do!
Squivy said
Back to the original topic …. Pyke is out as Ruckman for the Swans game tomorrow 16/5. Not experienced enough. I guess he’ll be on in the third or fourth quarter though. Will have go and read more on RealFooty about this!!
Marita said
godblessyou squivy, for bringing the topic back. I am excited about a Blues-pies match, and feel confident that Fev will make up for his excrutiating hit-the-goal-post-loss to Hawthorn in the dying minutes of the game. And my family will all be listening to the live radio commentary with (ex-kiwi, I think) Rex Hunt, who caused some media flap by getting into some road rage with a cyclist recently in Melbourne. Let’s hope he sings the fat lady song in the first quarter for a Blues win!
notamused said
who the fuck cares? we need a new blog.. HELLO ADMIN! where the hell are ya?
marion said
PAM … you don’t get it and I am not surprised as you kiwis are stupid … I have fantastic job, well educated, fabulous family … but just stating the obvious … perhaps going to far and being a bit silly but you are a nation of loosers, you are pacific islanders, without 80 mil ship and green grass you would be fourth world …
admin said
Waiting for the wackos to disappear :-)
Nah seriously I’ve just been busy and have lost a bit of interest. Will be back soon.
Mel said
Marion, you are incoherent and making us Aussie look bad. Well educated? Let’s see some of that blinding intellect pepper your posts, eh? Silly twat.
Truekiwijoker said
Marita: “well said Squivy”
Actually it was very stupid and defensive and clearly riled.
I don’t get you ockers sometimes. You’re all quick to dish it out but you really can’t cop it back LOL.
Deep inferiority complex methinks…
Truekiwijoker said
Figjam: “The only kiwis i see walking around anywhere are always outside the dole office….”
So what are you doing at the dole office then? Baahahaahaa!
Christ you walked right into that one. You’re going to have to lift your game if you’re going to exchange banter with us. I’d hate to see how you’d fare against the poms lol. Also proves you’ve never been to NZ if you think that’s going to cut it.
In any case, what you’re seeing are actually Australians. Kiwis can’t get the dole in Australia… well not for two years… which is about the time most kiwis stay in Australia. [headpat]
Truekiwijoker said
“As for the convict thing, lots of Kiwis are descended from convicts too as a large percentage of migrants to NZ came via Australia.”
Oh whatever! listen to this load of shyte.
I don’t actually care if Aussies have convict ancestry from 10 generations ago or whatever but NZ does not have much convict ancestry via Australia that is simply ridiculous.
figjam said
Hey kiwi joke man…
i shouldnt have to prove myself to you but i have indeed been to NZ and i liked it. Not sure if you missed a post somewhere along the line but i am in fact married to a kiwi girl! Dont get angry about the dole thing bro…we dont mind looking after you kiwis when you cant get a job at home and have to come over for a career.
Truekiwijoker said
Yeah I read what you wrote but somehow claims and actions don’t match.
I think you WISH you’d been to NZ and had a kiwi wife ;)
Sir Les Patterson said
I’d be very upset if I went to our friendly little neighbour on one of my international appointments and saw them playing that bloody ping-pong ball.
marion said
MEL … I am neither Aussie nor Kiwi … and thanks God for that. I am from France, have PhD from Sorbonne (suppose you have no idea what it is), have wonderful family … well travelled. This is probably also incoherent but I am not writing a thesis … I am only testing your intelligence. I currently leave in France after working for two years in NZ … Kiwis are nice on the surface but full of illminded agendas inside … proud nation (should be respected for that) but irespectful of others .. are they racist ? no, when they feel inferior they try to put down anyone who is better than them … language is one avenue … to ADMINISTRATOR: why don’t you start topic about what forigners who live or lived at some stage in NZ think about NZ. I had quite a few friends in NZ – Americans and Europeans mainly and some really nice Kiwi friends – who were quite shocked with a lack of culture of Kiwis (this is obviously generalization), lack of style particularly … anyway I am glad that I am out of here and trust me quality migrants will leave eventually too .. leaving you with the bunch of Islanders which is probably not going to upset you too much as most of them are road and factory workers .. people who can’t make you feel inferior ..
Ellie said
Marion, the scathing, it burns it does.
Honestly, woman, where’d you get your Ph.D? A Sanitarium Honey Puffs box or did you get one of those faux ones off the interwebz?
Your posting has no style nor culture and it can’t make me feel inferior :) Incoherent rant, much?
figjam said
Marion,there is a forum for foreigners living in NZ and it is called expat exposed but im not sure if the folks on there are for real or just like complaining. Seems to be very negative.
NZ-dont expect too much…youll love it
Flight of the conchords
truekiwijoker said
You know Marion perhaps these agendas are something you imagined and perhaps you might have been the problem?
truekiwijoker said
LOL you’re probably right about lack of style though.
Not quite sure how you came t the opinion NZ is a proud nation. I don’t know of anywhere I more find lacking pride and patriotism.
marion said
ELLIE, ELLIE … I knew that you would not know what is Sorbonne.
It is true that my written English is lacking style as English is my second language. By the way I also speak Spanish. But can’t name All Blacks … bugger …
You have actually just proven my point …
truekiwijoker said
When did Ellie say she’d never heard of Sorbonne?
And why should she believe you’ve been educated there?
And if you have… so what?
Squivy said
Dis donc Marion est-ce qu’il faut te prendre pour une vraie salope de la Sorbonne? Tu ne crois pas que la France est aussi plein de gens qui’ils ont “hidden agendas”, tu est allee aussi loin en N-Z pour decouvrir cela?
Au moins que TKJ est plus con que toi et me montre une bonne raison de rester en Australie. Les vrais cons en France ont quand meme un peu de charme en comparison (selon moi en effet).
Ellie said
Marion, or should I say Boganion, Sorbonne is irrelevant. I merely questioned your education. I guess I will have to take your word for it. However, your posts are a mish mash of unqualified rantage.
Your colloquial use of bugger is interesting.
Incidentally, I cannot name all the All Blacks, nor do I care. Again, it seems very irrelevant. Try something more pertinent (and original) to illustrate your points. It’s very, um, random.
And on that note. Points. May I ask what point you were trying to prove? I just saw a rant and baseless assumptions. English as your second language is no excuse for that. I also do not care that you speak Spanish. Irrelevant. There’s that word again. If you speak it as badly as you write English, I’m not impressed, Boganion.
Squivy, best cuss TKJ in English next time. Play fair to the monolingually inclined. Babelfish sucks donkey nuts.
Robert said
I’d love to see that in Italian too, Squivy.
Squivy said
Posso anche lo fare!! Devo dire che un certo uomo e un stronzo, da vero!!
Robert said
d’accordo!
truekiwijoker said
Squivvy three things:
1) You shouldn’t make generalisations, assumptions and judgements about people based solely on where they happen to come from. Oh yes the French all have charm and kiwis are all charmless just like Italians will twist and take things you say out of context retrospectively and should be avoided doing business with.
2) The blatantly obvious seems to go over your head.
3) This is a blog for Aussies in NZ. If you want to know what I’m doing; I’m here to offer some advice for Aussies in NZ. It seems you have some strange personal interest in me personally to the extent of actually talking about me. Too bad…
Marita said
Truekiwijoke says
“This is a blog for Aussies in NZ. If you want to know what I’m doing; I’m here to offer some advice for Aussies in NZ.”
As an Aussie in NZ, I vote NO THANKS!
truekiwijoker said
Does this mean you’ll stop talking to me Marita?
Making inroads « Fush 'n' Chups said
[...] more examples of rugby (league and union) players making the transition in recent times, such as Mike Pyke with the [...]
Troy said
It all starts again tonight (AFL that is), so let’s get the insults going !