It's been a while, but I'm pissed off.

Yes, I know, I haven't posted in a long time.  I've been super-busy working on Chuckles and Giggles and soon Experiment 24-42 will be released.  I will try to remember this blog in future, I promise!

Anyway, something has really ticked me off, and yes, it's AFL related.  More specifically, it's a state.  There is a reason that most people refer to people from the far south as "Victards" and that's because the loudest of them seem to be the most bigoted, insular and stubborn people in the country - ESPECIALLY when it comes to their precious game.

You see, they thought this game was so great, they wanted to expand into the rest of the country (and they're right, it's a brilliant game).  They wanted traditional NRL states NSW and QLD to participate, and to love the sport as they do.  However, they didn't want those teams actually WINNING did they?

You see, most Victorians don't like the Academy System.  Why? Because it means that NSW and QLD teams will have a chance to be equal to their Victorian bretheren.  And the Victards can't have that can they? They are so concerned with their perceived superiority that they will retard their own progress in expanding the game.  They can't risk anyone beating them.  It's like that kid on your street who invites you over to play his new video game and then cracks the shits because you beat him. 

Okay, then we won't play your precious game anymore, you can go back to being your beloved VFL.  Just don't expect the lucrative TV deals and $$$ you've come to expect your game to generate.  You can forget about becoming an international game, because how can you do that when you can't even win over your nation?

No matter how many times you explain to these Victards that since most of the AFL talent is grown in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia which means that the QLD and NSW lists are more susceptable to poaching from clubs in the traditional state, they will still rant about how unfair it is that we get Academies and we get first pick at them.  "Oh it's all about culture, you just have to win more games." They argue.  The Lions were on the cusp on a hat-trick when Des Headland headed back to Freo.  Besides the fact that no team can keep winning forever, and that every team is going to face its lean years (see: Western Bulldogs, St. Kilda).  Victorian teams are able to weather these pretty well and rebuild easily, but without some sort of Academy or retention allowance the QLD and NSW teams can't, simply because at first opportunity their players will be rushing back home, not just to Mum, but to the opportunities they will get being AFL players in AFL states that they simply can't get in QLD and NSW because the game isn't big enough yet.

Of course, the Victards who read this will simply bleat "yeah but yeah but yeah but" so I've probably wasted my breath.  To the Victorians who actually understand, thank you, you're gems. And to my fellow QLDers (and I suppose those favourite-player stealing sods in NSW too), well, we've got a long fight ahead of us, hopefully one day we can find someone as loud as Eddie to fight for our cause.