Footy's back

Footy's back and the two teams who played off in the premiership last year, the Western Bulldogs and Melbourne Demons, are playing the season opener of the Australian Football League (AFL) season. The grandstand is at full capacity for the first time in two years.

The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is abuzz with a cheering crowd, eating meat pies, drinking beer and yelling at the umpires. I didn't buy a ticket, but I will be watching the game on TV. Though there is nothing like being in the crowd of 90,000 plus fans when they roar, and it sends a chill down your spine.

Australian rules football is characterised by high scoring, usually by the big marking forwards kicking a big bag of goals. This is because the players are so much fitter in modern football. They are moving up and down the field quickly and can easily set up a zone of players in their defence to block the big forwards from marking the ball. Once a defender clears the ball, all the players run to the other end of the field to see who can score a goal.

It is so great to have the footy back.

Aussie Rules