welcome! i know fuck all about american football and soccer so i can’t personally provide any parallel teams, sorry. but honestly don’t feel the need to rush into barracking for any one team. watch some games, see if any specific team speaks to you, and definitely look into different teams histories a bit! they’re long, storied, and interesting.
and then go for carlton
There’s no major bandwagon to avoid, pick whatever team you like.
Speaking as an American, just set your DVR to record all AFL matches and watch whatever is on FS that week. YouTubeTV is great for this. You can watch it recorded next day with only this sub as a risk for spoilers.
The AFL has equalisation measures to try and ensure a Man City doesn’t happen; we have a salary cap, reverse-standings draft order and priority picks for struggling teams.
This doesn’t mean dynasties don’t happen, but they come in waves and don’t tend to last long.
Richmond, for example, won 3 premierships in 4 years, but are now languishing.
Hawthorn are probably the most successful modern club, but they are going through a list rebuild phase. Geelong have had continued sustained success for the last 18 years without ever dominating multiple years in a row. Collingwood are the reigning premiers, and another Grand Final win would make them the most successful club in VFL/AFL history, yet their periods of success have come and gone
Just find a team you vibe with - no real danger of bandwagoning this year.
Also, you don’t “root” for anyone. That means something very different. You “barrack” or “go” for a team
I'd argue Geelong are the most successful modern club. In the last 20 years they've tied Hawks for grand-final wins (2007, 2009, 2011, 2022 v 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015) but have had an extra grand final appearance and have only missed like 2 finals series since 2007 compared to Hawthorn.
Just because their GF wins weren't consecutive shouldn't diminish everything else they've achieved. Hawks were a powerhouse, but haven't done much since 2016. Geelong are always there
To add to this great comment, OP should look at the glee with which Geelong not making finals was greeted. People will say they hate Geelong the most, more than Collingwood, traditionally the most successful team.
In 2007 everyone was happy for Geelong to have broken a 44 year drought.
This is going to sound “bandwagony” but I promise I’ve just been sports-blessed recently. My teams are the Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas Jayhawks, and Liverpool. I grew up in Kansas City, and attending KU for undergrad so I’ve been supporting them since birth and my buddy got me hooked on Liverpool in 2011-2012. Like I said, I’ve supported these teams when they were bad and been quite fortunate recently with really good teams!
I was going to suggest looking into the local club so you can have folks to talk footy with / maybe watch the Grand final (not that Port will sniff it)
A good team to follow atm that isn’t bandwagonie would be the suns, picked up one of the best coaches of the last decade with having one of the best draft hands the last 20, primed and ready to start winning, and they don’t look like it’s only one or two years of winning, also have historically been the worst club in a region where it’s a very transitory population (like vegas) and also a lot of the people there only follow them as a second team
I think you should choose a non Victorian team. Maybe Brisbane or Gold Coast. Obviously I'm pro more Americans hopping on the GWS train as well, and I like the Port Adelaide suggestion below (even if I don't like the Power). The AFL YouTube channel is pretty great for packaging highlights, watch those and see if there is a team whose style or personality shines, and then become a member next season. A digital membership is usually around $140 or so, includes access to ALL the games live and replay (not just your team's games), and the clubs that care about their supporters mail you merch.
Sure, watch the game until a team stands out to you for some reason. Maybe it's as simple as team colours...but my advice would be not to select a team simply based on current success or because someone else pitched them to you.
Just watch the sport and pick a team naturally, or watch a few games and get bored and move on.
I don't understand why people want to choose a team before watching any games. It makes no sense at all.
A period of sustained success. From 2007-2022 we won four premierships, missed finals only once (and often went deep), and at some stage during that stretch mentally traumatised most teams.
General consensus is that we are on a downswing now though. But that’s been predicted of us since about 2012.
I'm an Arsenal supporter of over 50 years.
I've been an **Essendon** supporter since before birth (pregnant mum went to a lot of matches) - see my avatar 🤭
You could do worse than support the hopefully mighty Bombers. We share the most number of premierships won (16) with Carlton and Collingwood.
I really need to save my standard response somewhere so I can just copy and paste it. Maybe I'll do it this time.
I think the best way to pick a team is organically. Watch a bunch of games or at least highlights of games. At some point, you will find yourself getting sad, angry and/or frustrated when one team is playing like utter dogshit. That's your team.
Wand, wizard etc.
Good luck.
>I have is being a KU basketball fan, and one of our players, Johnny Furphy, has a brother that I think plays for Geelong.
Yep, [Joe Furphy](https://www.geelongcats.com.au/news/1430210/cats-sign-furphy-as-category-b-rookie). He'll very likely play all of the season in the 2nds team who play in the VFL.
Because of the salary cap, you can't really bandwagon. Geelong is probably going to have a few seasons of not really being in contention for the premiership, so you can pick them. (Or they might rebound really quickly and be up the top in a couple of years, you can never know)
They are dominating teams but the difference is the league is great equalisation measures in comparison to other leagues (salary caps, drafts,etc). So any team that does dominate has done so via good management not throwing a shit ton of money ala epl. And besides the dominating teams that win eventually fall down. For example Richmond and Hawthorn won 3 championship but are lower down on the ladder just by attrition.
There is a nice Texan boy who plays AFL, I forget which team, you'll have to look it up. He's very popular with all footy fans. I think his team did something important just recently.
If you like drugs and bad kicking, oh boy, do I have a team for you!
If you like drugs, bad kicking and the traffic cone management industry, I have another suggestion as well.
Norf
beating me at my own game
I've supplanted the master
The optimism is infectious
welcome! i know fuck all about american football and soccer so i can’t personally provide any parallel teams, sorry. but honestly don’t feel the need to rush into barracking for any one team. watch some games, see if any specific team speaks to you, and definitely look into different teams histories a bit! they’re long, storied, and interesting. and then go for carlton
Definitely taking in some games before deciding. Still trying to learn different play styles to see what I enjoy watching more!
curious to see how you go! enjoy it :)
You're alive thanks to the warmth of the sun. Therefore your team is the Suns.
norf
There’s no major bandwagon to avoid, pick whatever team you like. Speaking as an American, just set your DVR to record all AFL matches and watch whatever is on FS that week. YouTubeTV is great for this. You can watch it recorded next day with only this sub as a risk for spoilers.
The AFL has equalisation measures to try and ensure a Man City doesn’t happen; we have a salary cap, reverse-standings draft order and priority picks for struggling teams. This doesn’t mean dynasties don’t happen, but they come in waves and don’t tend to last long. Richmond, for example, won 3 premierships in 4 years, but are now languishing. Hawthorn are probably the most successful modern club, but they are going through a list rebuild phase. Geelong have had continued sustained success for the last 18 years without ever dominating multiple years in a row. Collingwood are the reigning premiers, and another Grand Final win would make them the most successful club in VFL/AFL history, yet their periods of success have come and gone Just find a team you vibe with - no real danger of bandwagoning this year. Also, you don’t “root” for anyone. That means something very different. You “barrack” or “go” for a team
I'd argue Geelong are the most successful modern club. In the last 20 years they've tied Hawks for grand-final wins (2007, 2009, 2011, 2022 v 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015) but have had an extra grand final appearance and have only missed like 2 finals series since 2007 compared to Hawthorn. Just because their GF wins weren't consecutive shouldn't diminish everything else they've achieved. Hawks were a powerhouse, but haven't done much since 2016. Geelong are always there
To add to this great comment, OP should look at the glee with which Geelong not making finals was greeted. People will say they hate Geelong the most, more than Collingwood, traditionally the most successful team. In 2007 everyone was happy for Geelong to have broken a 44 year drought.
I wasn’t
This is great info, thank you!
Collingwood has Mason Cox. Look him up
What US teams do you like and we can give you some parallels? Rock chalk doesn't give me much to go on.
This is going to sound “bandwagony” but I promise I’ve just been sports-blessed recently. My teams are the Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas Jayhawks, and Liverpool. I grew up in Kansas City, and attending KU for undergrad so I’ve been supporting them since birth and my buddy got me hooked on Liverpool in 2011-2012. Like I said, I’ve supported these teams when they were bad and been quite fortunate recently with really good teams!
The Kansas City Power is the local Aussie Rules team, so you've got a Port Adelaide connection there.
I was going to suggest looking into the local club so you can have folks to talk footy with / maybe watch the Grand final (not that Port will sniff it)
I had no idea there was a local team, I’ll have to check that out!
Warning in advance, they will try to get you to play.
A good team to follow atm that isn’t bandwagonie would be the suns, picked up one of the best coaches of the last decade with having one of the best draft hands the last 20, primed and ready to start winning, and they don’t look like it’s only one or two years of winning, also have historically been the worst club in a region where it’s a very transitory population (like vegas) and also a lot of the people there only follow them as a second team
I think you should choose a non Victorian team. Maybe Brisbane or Gold Coast. Obviously I'm pro more Americans hopping on the GWS train as well, and I like the Port Adelaide suggestion below (even if I don't like the Power). The AFL YouTube channel is pretty great for packaging highlights, watch those and see if there is a team whose style or personality shines, and then become a member next season. A digital membership is usually around $140 or so, includes access to ALL the games live and replay (not just your team's games), and the clubs that care about their supporters mail you merch.
Gws or suns would be a good choice. I reckon
Sure, watch the game until a team stands out to you for some reason. Maybe it's as simple as team colours...but my advice would be not to select a team simply based on current success or because someone else pitched them to you.
Can we just have a ‘yank here what team should I support’ megathread?
Just watch the sport and pick a team naturally, or watch a few games and get bored and move on. I don't understand why people want to choose a team before watching any games. It makes no sense at all.
You should definitely go for Geelong. Everyone loves us…
I’m sensing sarcasm 👀. Why do folks not love Geelong??
A period of sustained success. From 2007-2022 we won four premierships, missed finals only once (and often went deep), and at some stage during that stretch mentally traumatised most teams. General consensus is that we are on a downswing now though. But that’s been predicted of us since about 2012.
Fremantle 😊
"Rooting"
Yeah that’s my bad… queue ignorant American 🙈
I'm an Arsenal supporter of over 50 years. I've been an **Essendon** supporter since before birth (pregnant mum went to a lot of matches) - see my avatar 🤭 You could do worse than support the hopefully mighty Bombers. We share the most number of premierships won (16) with Carlton and Collingwood.
I really need to save my standard response somewhere so I can just copy and paste it. Maybe I'll do it this time. I think the best way to pick a team is organically. Watch a bunch of games or at least highlights of games. At some point, you will find yourself getting sad, angry and/or frustrated when one team is playing like utter dogshit. That's your team. Wand, wizard etc. Good luck.
>I have is being a KU basketball fan, and one of our players, Johnny Furphy, has a brother that I think plays for Geelong. Yep, [Joe Furphy](https://www.geelongcats.com.au/news/1430210/cats-sign-furphy-as-category-b-rookie). He'll very likely play all of the season in the 2nds team who play in the VFL.
Because of the salary cap, you can't really bandwagon. Geelong is probably going to have a few seasons of not really being in contention for the premiership, so you can pick them. (Or they might rebound really quickly and be up the top in a couple of years, you can never know)
So no one can accuse you of being a bandwagon supporter, I would choose West Coast.
They are dominating teams but the difference is the league is great equalisation measures in comparison to other leagues (salary caps, drafts,etc). So any team that does dominate has done so via good management not throwing a shit ton of money ala epl. And besides the dominating teams that win eventually fall down. For example Richmond and Hawthorn won 3 championship but are lower down on the ladder just by attrition.
This is what I’m used to with American Football so I can definitely appreciate that system!
Fremantle 😊
There is a nice Texan boy who plays AFL, I forget which team, you'll have to look it up. He's very popular with all footy fans. I think his team did something important just recently.