A Tribute to AFLX – Five years on.

A Tribute to AFLX – Five years on.

Dylan Leach

FIVE years ago today, the game of Australian Rules Football if not Australian sport, in fact, world sport changed forever when AFLX made its debut.

For three magical nights, the sporting world was intrigued as six AFL clubs split into pools of three playing games at venues such as Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide, Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, and the old Allianz Stadium in Sydney.

To refresh your memory, AFLX was 10-a-side footy played on a rectangular field, it had 10-point Zooper goals from outside the arcs and a silver ball, which was replaced by a yellow one just two games in as no one could see the Sherrin in question and teams that one their respective pool tournament received a big X trophy at the end of it.

 

While some laughed at the idea, concepts such as the silver footy and the 10-point Zooper goal were part of that “can do” spirit that AFLX was all about.

 

If anything AFLX was a victim of cancel culture and the woke-PC-Footy crowd just couldn’t stomach it.

 

The idea of seven 20-minute matches lacking high marks, any sense of a contest between players and basically AFL players some weird basketball circle-work training drill didn’t seem to win anyone over.

 

Night one of AFLX set the standard.

 

Only 10,253 fans can lay claim of being at the very first night of AFLX at Adelaide’s Hindmarsh Stadium, including departing AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan who had plenty of mates sit next to him.

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan on racism, sexism and football's other hotly contested issues

 

Even on the Channel 7 coverage did James Brayshaw declare that “You were there when history was made!”

How people didn’t love the idea of goalposts that could light up when a zooper was kicked is beyond us not to mention the big X that lights up.

An AFL press release at the time promoted the fact that “…fans can expect “fireworks, music DJs, in-game commentary, roving performers, kids and family zones and giveaways.”

 

Some say that the AFL wanted its own version of the Big Bash or Rugby 7s but it was the fans who just wouldn’t give the little sport that could a chance to take over the world.

Because it totally would have.

AFLX became an easy punchline for some Punters.

However, there were some real redemption stories from that magical weekend of AFLX five years ago

Such as Adelaide, fresh from their infamous pre-season camp and being beaten by Richmond in the traditional AFL Grand Final, taking out the honours by beating Geelong to win the very first X trophy.

Some say Melbourne broke the drought in 2021 at Optus Stadium, yet people forget that on that fateful Friday night at Etihad Stadium, it was coming home as Christian Petracca got his first touch of a trophy at the top level.

And what about the Brisbane Lions?

People forget that in just his second season as coach, Chris Fagan brought it home to Queensland.

Not to mention the fact that club legend Rohan Bewick became the first triple-premiership player at the club since the threepeat era of 2001-03 having played in a NAB Cup, NEAFL, and AFLX flag for the Brisbane Lions.

Put him in the hall of fame!

AFLX would last another year as a one-night-only affair when an all-star lineup of Bolts, Rampage, Flyers, and Deadly along with the Gatorade Game Changer but it was yet again mocked by those who just didn’t understand what the heart and soul of this special sport was all about.

So from now on, every February 15th, if you are a true fan of this great Australian game if not world sport in general – spare a thought for AFLX and what might have been.

For deep down, there’s a Zooper goal in all of us.