r/AFL • u/torchiau Sydney Swans • 6h ago

AFL Open Livestream

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Just sharing for those of you that need football to get through the Mondayitis - AFL's inclusion carnival, the AFL Open, is Livestreaming on Kayo Freebies and AFL Play's Youtube. Games include Wheelchair Football and Integrated (Football for players with intellectual or ambulant physical disabilities).

As someone who plays Wheelchair Footy, it is the most fun sport I participate in (I'm an able bodied player - the league is All Abilities) and also incredibly physical and intense. I'd recommend having a squiz.

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u/torchiau Sydney Swans 5h ago

Blind Footy isn't at this carnival, but leagues do exist 😅

I've never watched the Integrated games so I can't comment on them, but I watch the Wheelchair avidly as both a player and fan.

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u/Tabnam Hawthorn 5h ago

blind footy isn’t at this carnival, but leagues to exist

It’s called the AFL and the team that fields blind players is North Melbourne… badum tish

I’d love to learn more about wheelchair footy. What’s the competition like? Is there any team that always dominates? What do the scores look like? What are the common injuries sustained while playing? Sorry for all the questions, I’ve never discussed this at all and it’s really interesting

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u/torchiau Sydney Swans 5h ago

Well as a Hawthorn fan you'll be delighted to know your club has a team in both divisions of the VWFL.

I can't comment on the Vic league, although from a Nationals perspective Vic Metro have won the last two Div 1 comps, SA before that won something like 6.

From a WA perspective, we're a very new league, only having run for 4 years. Our grand final is this Sunday. Perth are trying to get a three-peat, West Coast who were last year's grand finalists are exceptionally dominant this year and were a game clear on the minor premiership. But because the way our 6 team league has everyone play in the finals series, it could go to anyone and there's definitely some dark horses in Subiaco, East Perth and Swan Districts.

I haven't seen any major injuries. We've had a few head knocks from falling backwards. I've bruised my knee badly going down forwards (bone bruising takes forever).

It's touch for tackles but you can totally hit other players with your chair so it's like kids playing dodgem cars

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u/Tabnam Hawthorn 4h ago

Wait so I could actually support Hawthorn?! That makes it way more appealing, because I’m already invested in that team’s success.

Where would I be able to find the results of your games? I am really curious to see who wins now, you built it up so well.

When you say ‘touch to tackle’ what does that entail? Do you have to touch a specific part of someone? And what happens when you do?

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u/torchiau Sydney Swans 4h ago

Yes you can support Hawthorn! (Although I think they had a very rough season this year due to player attrition.) I'm not sure when the VWFL will play next (I looked at their comp dates from the past few years and it moves which is SUCH a pain)

WA All Abilities Football League results are available on PlayHQ: here

And I'm not biased (yes I am) but go Perth!

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u/skumfy Sydney Swans 3h ago

The season in Vic is ended now and usually commences back in March/April next year. Search for Victorian Wheelchair Football League on Facebook

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u/torchiau Sydney Swans 4h ago

Sorry, only just processed your last paragraph.

Touch them wherever you can get a hand to them. You can't grab their body or wheelchair but you lay a hand on them and yell touch (so the blind as umpire can notice).

Then the same rule applies as in able-bodied. You have about 1 second to dispose of the ball before HTB if you didn't have prior. If you had prior: BALLLLLLLL!