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If you’re a skilled worker thinking of making the big move to work in Australia, you might want to learn a little about what the locals will tell you is the “greatest game on Earth!” – the Australian game, Aussie Rules Football.
Of course – sites like Wikipedia have a fantastic explanation and description of the game Australian Rules Football but if you’re moving to South Australia, you’ll want to know all you can about the game.
After all. Sport is huge in Australia, and there’s no bigger sport in South Australia and Adelaide than Aussie Rules football.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Adelaide Is A Two Team Town
There are 18 teams that compete in the Australian Football League, with two residing in Adelaide. The Adelaide Crows and the Port Adelaide Power. Both are bitter rivals who contest in what is known across the league as the “Showdown”, which happens twice in the regular season.
The history around both teams is an interesting one. The Crows were formed when the then Victorian Football League granted the city of Adelaide a license to form a team and compete in the league, all the way back in 1991.
The Power entered the AFL in 1997, although the interesting thing about the Power is that the club has been in existence since 1870, the Power representing the Port Adelaide Magpies, one of the strongest and most historic teams in the SANFL (the state AFL league).
Of course, South Australia is full of supporters of all the AFL teams, but if you don’t have any sort of alliance with any team in the AFL and you’re moving to South Australia, you’d be wise to pick either the Crows or the Power as your newly adopted team.
To possibly help you decide, here’s how the teams have performed against each other at the time of writing. They’ve played each other for a total of 56 games to date, with each team winning 28. So it’s dead even at the time of writing.
In finals, however, they’ve only met once back in 2005, with Adelaide enjoying a huge win.
The Most Picturesque Home Ground In The AFL
It’s a big call, but you’d have a strong argument to suggest that the Adelaide Oval, where both the Crows and the Power play their home games, is the most picturesque footy ground in the AFL. Steeped in history, the Adelaide Oval (yes, the one where cricket is played in the summer) has hosted some of the greatest ever AFL and SANFL games of all time. It’s also home to one of the most historically significant scoreboards in world sport, the heritage listed scoreboard located on “the Hill”.
It’s another good reason to pick one of the two local teams as “your” AFL team. After all, you’ll get a home game at the Adelaide Oval every two weeks, which is alway a fun night out for you and your family and/or friends.
An Entire Round Of AFL Is Played In South Australia
It’s a recent tradition coming into its third year, but “Gather Round” (happening this year from Thursday April 10 to Sunday April 13) absolutely transforms Adelaide and South Australia, with all 18 AFL teams converging to play games at the Adelaide Oval, Norwood Oval (one of the bigger suburban grounds) and even some games in the Barossa Valley. The round coincides with the 1st term school holidays for much of the country, meaning that it’s a football festival that lights up a football mad state. It’s THE PLACE to be for any self-respecting fan of sports.
Of course, there are many fantastic reasons to consider moving to South Australia if you’re a skilled worker living overseas. Aussies love their sport, but they also love great food, fantastic drinks, and a happening nightlife with literally something for everyone. Combine this with a desirable climate that lends itself to lots of “fun in the sun”, and you have a place perfect to raise a family and/or celebrate life with friends.
What’s more, now more than ever, we want all skilled workers in building and construction trades to join “our tribe” in South Australia. There is so much work available for skilled workers, so it’s well worth considering. For more information, Visit Here.
