Over the first two days of November, more than 100 youngsters from seven states gathered at the Gitanjali Stadium in Kolkata. Joining them were a squad of athletic Australians, who had specially flown in for the occasion. “Come watch a new sport,” proclaimed a hoarding in front of the venue. It was advertising a sport affectionately known as "footy" – or, as it's officially known, Australian Rules football.
Footy has only a minuscule following in the subcontinent, so very few Indians have actually witnessed this "combination of football, rugby, basketball and volleyball”, as the sport was described by Jake Donegan, a blonde-haired, dreadlocked sportsman who was part of the Australian delegation in India to promote the sport.
If an Indian were to describe footy, it would also probably remind her of another sport: kabbadi. At first glance, footy also seems similar to rugby or American football, giving rise to the general notion that it is a rough-and-tumble game. Many people imagine the sport to be a battle of well-built players locking heads and throwing bodies against each other, inevitably resulting in a couple of busted skulls and blood on the pitch.
As I entered the stadium tentatively to witness the Australian Rules Football National Championship, I only hoped that it would not get too violent.
It’s footy, mate
Jharkhand and Bengal were playing off to decide the finals in the junior category. As I tried to find a good spot to watch my first footy game, the helpful Donegan took it upon himself to educate me about the basics of the sport.
As mandated by the rules, the playing surface at the Gitanjali Stadium was oval. Four poles were visible – two in the middle and two shorter ones on either side of them. The objective for each side, comprising of 18 players, was simple: put the ball through the poles to score. Six points for getting it through the middle poles and one point for getting it through the side poles. Seven teams, each representing an Indian state, had gathered to take part in the tournament.
Even though this was the first time I was watching footy, but one thing was clear: Jharkhand were demolishing Bengal. They moved fast, anticipated where the ball would land and scored goal after goal. It struck me how speedily the game moved – unlike rugby or football, few tackles took place and play rarely stopped.
“It is a fast-moving sport,” said Sudip Chakraborty, the secretary general of the Australian Rules Football Association of India, who had organised this event. “Another reason [for the quick pace] is that we are not allowing tackles in the junior sport. It can get a little heated.”
Chakraborty was right. The players on the field were fiercely competitive. After Jharkhand thrashed Bengal 61-0 to win the junior title, the smarting Bengal senior side stepped on the field to face off against Jharkhand again. In a tight game in which Bengal ultimately prevailed 18-14, tempers frayed on both sides, with players getting in each other’s faces.
The origins
Aussie Rules football has been played in India with some dedication since 2008, which the cricket player Ricky Ponting introduced Kolkatans to the sport during his stint at the Kolkata Knight Riders. There is some historical inevitability to that. After all, Australian Rules football developed in the 1850s around Melbourne as an activity to help cricketers keep fit during the off-season. Over the years, it grew to become one of the most well-attended sports in Australia. The Australian Football League is both the sport's highest professional league and its international governing body.
More than 50 countries now have footy clubs or leagues. Papua New Guinea are the reigning champions of the Australian Football International Cup, a World Cup of sorts for the sport – except that Australia doesn't participate in the tournament, given the wide skill gap between Australian footy players and those of other nations.
Sudip Chakraborty, the secretary-general of the Australian Rules Football Association of India, discovered the sport at a camp organised by Ponting and has made it his full-time project to ensure that it spreads through India. Though funding has not been easy to come by, he says that a lot of progress has been made over the last six years. Seven states took part in the 2015 national championship with Odisha making their debut this year. Chakraborty estimates that at least 7,000 people now play footy across India.
On the international stage, India have participated in the last three editions of the AFL International Cup. India managed to record its first win against East Timor in 2011 and finished 16th in the tournament, ahead of China and East Timor.
“Most of us who play this sport come from other sports,” said Ayush Gupta, who has represented India at the Australian Football International Cup and was one of the officials for the event. “We come from football, kabaddi, etc. Australian Rules Football Association of India has made a conscious effort to include kids from difficult economic backgrounds. It is a way for them to gain a bit of release from their daily drudgery of life.”
Gavin Crosisca, an Aussie Rules legend who has played more than 200 games, was among those who witnessed the Kolkata tournament. “I’m impressed,” he said. “You guys have a lot of natural talent. You can catch well, run well. All you need is a bit more training in the the technique. Who knows, someday an Indian kid might even participate in the Australian Football League, the highest Aussie Rules sporting league in the world."
Peter Cullen, another member of the Australian delegation, was even more optimistic. “You know, footy started in Australia as a way to fill in the time between the cricket months. But ironically it became more popular than cricket,” he said. “Who knows, the same might happen in India!”
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Footy has only a minuscule following in the subcontinent, so very few Indians have actually witnessed this "combination of football, rugby, basketball and volleyball”, as the sport was described by Jake Donegan, a blonde-haired, dreadlocked sportsman who was part of the Australian delegation in India to promote the sport.
If an Indian were to describe footy, it would also probably remind her of another sport: kabbadi. At first glance, footy also seems similar to rugby or American football, giving rise to the general notion that it is a rough-and-tumble game. Many people imagine the sport to be a battle of well-built players locking heads and throwing bodies against each other, inevitably resulting in a couple of busted skulls and blood on the pitch.
As I entered the stadium tentatively to witness the Australian Rules Football National Championship, I only hoped that it would not get too violent.
It’s footy, mate
Jharkhand and Bengal were playing off to decide the finals in the junior category. As I tried to find a good spot to watch my first footy game, the helpful Donegan took it upon himself to educate me about the basics of the sport.
As mandated by the rules, the playing surface at the Gitanjali Stadium was oval. Four poles were visible – two in the middle and two shorter ones on either side of them. The objective for each side, comprising of 18 players, was simple: put the ball through the poles to score. Six points for getting it through the middle poles and one point for getting it through the side poles. Seven teams, each representing an Indian state, had gathered to take part in the tournament.
Even though this was the first time I was watching footy, but one thing was clear: Jharkhand were demolishing Bengal. They moved fast, anticipated where the ball would land and scored goal after goal. It struck me how speedily the game moved – unlike rugby or football, few tackles took place and play rarely stopped.
“It is a fast-moving sport,” said Sudip Chakraborty, the secretary general of the Australian Rules Football Association of India, who had organised this event. “Another reason [for the quick pace] is that we are not allowing tackles in the junior sport. It can get a little heated.”
Chakraborty was right. The players on the field were fiercely competitive. After Jharkhand thrashed Bengal 61-0 to win the junior title, the smarting Bengal senior side stepped on the field to face off against Jharkhand again. In a tight game in which Bengal ultimately prevailed 18-14, tempers frayed on both sides, with players getting in each other’s faces.
The origins
Aussie Rules football has been played in India with some dedication since 2008, which the cricket player Ricky Ponting introduced Kolkatans to the sport during his stint at the Kolkata Knight Riders. There is some historical inevitability to that. After all, Australian Rules football developed in the 1850s around Melbourne as an activity to help cricketers keep fit during the off-season. Over the years, it grew to become one of the most well-attended sports in Australia. The Australian Football League is both the sport's highest professional league and its international governing body.
More than 50 countries now have footy clubs or leagues. Papua New Guinea are the reigning champions of the Australian Football International Cup, a World Cup of sorts for the sport – except that Australia doesn't participate in the tournament, given the wide skill gap between Australian footy players and those of other nations.
Sudip Chakraborty, the secretary-general of the Australian Rules Football Association of India, discovered the sport at a camp organised by Ponting and has made it his full-time project to ensure that it spreads through India. Though funding has not been easy to come by, he says that a lot of progress has been made over the last six years. Seven states took part in the 2015 national championship with Odisha making their debut this year. Chakraborty estimates that at least 7,000 people now play footy across India.
On the international stage, India have participated in the last three editions of the AFL International Cup. India managed to record its first win against East Timor in 2011 and finished 16th in the tournament, ahead of China and East Timor.
“Most of us who play this sport come from other sports,” said Ayush Gupta, who has represented India at the Australian Football International Cup and was one of the officials for the event. “We come from football, kabaddi, etc. Australian Rules Football Association of India has made a conscious effort to include kids from difficult economic backgrounds. It is a way for them to gain a bit of release from their daily drudgery of life.”
Gavin Crosisca, an Aussie Rules legend who has played more than 200 games, was among those who witnessed the Kolkata tournament. “I’m impressed,” he said. “You guys have a lot of natural talent. You can catch well, run well. All you need is a bit more training in the the technique. Who knows, someday an Indian kid might even participate in the Australian Football League, the highest Aussie Rules sporting league in the world."
Peter Cullen, another member of the Australian delegation, was even more optimistic. “You know, footy started in Australia as a way to fill in the time between the cricket months. But ironically it became more popular than cricket,” he said. “Who knows, the same might happen in India!”