Macedonians of the AFL

[Soldier of Macedon]

Australian Rules football is British in origin, it has since had multiple rule changes so that it no longer resembles Rugby rules or Cambridge rules football the football rules on which the game was based. The only indigenous connection I can make is the land it is played on.

That's debatable. It may have been codified by a bunch of bored Cricketers during the winter in the spirit of a sport closely resembling Rugby, but it is hard to discount any connection to the simlar game played by Indigenous Australians. Why did they make unique rules? Why not Rugby rules?

Read the below for and against arguments, I found it interesting:

http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2007/s2253142.htm

But now Tom Wills is at the centre of a history war over whether the inspiration came from the years at rugby school in England or an Aboriginal game called Marn Grook, played in western Victoria where he spent his childhood.

Although initially controversial, when Jim Poulter first raised the idea 25 years ago, Marn Grook has become accepted by many as the origin of Australian Rules. So much so that last week's Sydney and Essendon played off for the Marn Grook Cup. But this year the ALF commissioned a book their chief executive describes as the definitive history of the sport. In it, a strongly worded essay dismisses the idea of Marn Grook influencing Tom Wills as a seductive myth that lacks any intellectual credibility.

GILLIAN HIBBINS: It's important to realise that the white colonists had treated and Aboriginals appallingly. They had much reduced them in number and their mind set was that they were an inferior race. They looked down upon them and they would never have considered the Aboriginal football as being a possibility.

MIKE SEXTON: But Jim Poulter believes the racist belief of the time is the reason no credit was given to Marn Grook.

JIM POULTER: If Tom Wills had of said, "Hey, we should have a game of our own, more like the football that black fellas play" it would have killed it stone dead before it was even born.

Make of it what you will, I will leave it to you die-hard footy fans to argue over

[Daniel the Great]

Peter Berbakov, he played for the Essendon Bombers FC, now some type of coach for Sydney Swans FC.

Nick Malceski plays for the Sydney Swans so that's two Macedonians in one club.

Peter Berbakov:

[Daniel the Great]

Apparently it was the Cricket players of the time that invented Aussie rules Football for the winter when Cricket wasn't able to be played so they played it to keep fit.

[Daniel the Great]

That's pretty cool being related to him Daniel. He actually lives a few roads away from me, I walked past him at the local supermarket a while ago.

Pozdravi go.

[Daniel the Great]

So that means your also related to Pando Daikoff who passed away last year one of the founders of the first Macedonian soccer team in Australian and later one of the founders Makedonia Soccer Club in 1959, to me that is much cooler.

As for Peter I remember him being a number one ticket holder for the club in the NSL days I think he is also one of the founders of the Preston Makedonia Social Club built in 1980 on Broadhurst Avenue.

Wow, that's the first time i've heard of this Pando Daikoff guy (once again i am distant related i might have to ask my Baba or Dedo lol), he sounds like a legend in his own right, Bog da go prosti.

Daniel
Peter Daicos is also a relative of mine by marriage. My Dad's sister married a Daikov!! she currently lives in Bitola.

That's cool.

[Prolet]

Well Said Phoenix

Its kind of hard not to like footy, its a great sport and lots of kids play it. Its a physical game and its good for our kids to toughen up a bit and help out their mates when they are in trouble.

[Phoenix]

There are International visitors to this Forum lets not embarrass ourselves with that stupid game

Whilst the Macedonians that play it obviously were never good enough to play the real game f Football

Frank, Australian Rules Football is very well supported by Australian Macedonians, that's not a bad thing, as a supporter there's plently of room for both AFL and Football and most Australian Macedonians embrace both codes with the same passion.

If you enjoy sport, you can't stop but marvel at the sheer brilliance of the AFL code in terms of the physical attributes and unique challenges that this game requires and presents compared to other codes.

[Frank]

When you see a group of Macedonians gathering at home to watch the Footy and worse the Aglo affliction with farken Cricket
there isn’t a worse sight in the World.

Peter was a great patriot he chose the wrong sport but he was a fighter that sadly no matter how many times he drummed it down the local media they always saw him as a Greek, stupid un Worldly Austrlians

Whilst that little poof for the West Coast was so thoroughly assimilated I would never see him as a Macedonian

[makedonche]

Daniel
Peter Daicos is also a relative of mine by marriage. My Dad's sister married a Daikov!! she currently lives in Bitola.

[Dats]

PORT ADELAIDE - primarily was made up of indigenous Australians and first "aussie rules" footy team in AUSTRALIA.

I think you will find Melbourne Football club was the first football club in Australia. Port was founded in 1870 Melbourne in 1859.

[Dats]

And ye being related to Peter Daicos (Daikov) (the Macedonian marvel) even if it is sought of distant related is prety cool, he is a legend of the game.

So that means your also related to Pando Daikoff who passed away last year one of the founders of the first Macedonian soccer team in Australian and later one of the founders Makedonia Soccer Club in 1959, to me that is much cooler.

As for Peter I remember him being a number one ticket holder for the club in the NSL days I think he is also one of the founders of the Preston Makedonia Social Club built in 1980 on Broadhurst Avenue.

[julie]

PORT ADELAIDE - primarily was made up of indigenous Australians and first "aussie rules" footy team in AUSTRALIA. Makedonche am sure would have the statistics and photographs as well.
It would be prudent to stop slamming the Macedonians for their achievements, does not matter what sport they play, I think its fantastic being represented in Australia

[EgejskaMakedonia]

That's pretty cool being related to him Daniel. He actually lives a few roads away from me, I walked past him at the local supermarket a while ago.

Frank, if you don't like AFL then don't bother posting your hate for the national sport in this thread. These Macedonians should be commended for their achievements in the sport.
I have to say though, AFL and soccer are the best two sports!

[Dats]

...and the indigenous Australians that made up the first football teams

The first football teams of the Victorian variant were made up by students at Scotch college, Church of England Grammar, Melbourne Cricket Club and other various members of suburban Cricket clubs that formed their own football teams. These institutions from what I know were made up of colonists. If you can point out some sources that show there was a majority of aboriginals playing at these institutions in the 1850's I would greatly appreciate it.

[julie]

...and the indigenous Australians that made up the first football teams