Holmes Sacked from ST KILDA of the Australian Football League
F&TS has been on an international kick lately. In the summer, we went to Colombia to reconnect with our South American roots. We also are following FIFA World Cup CONMEBOL qualifying very closely. In that spirit and with all the controversy in the NFL regarding big hits, we’ve been watching more Australian Rules Football. The major international league is the Australian Football League (AFL) and the game action is wild. Plus the announcing is almost as good as Spanish-language soccer calls. Interestingly enough, Jason Holmes, a rare U.S. born player in the league, with the ST KILDA Saints, has been sacked ahead of 2018. That means the ‘Ruckman’ will no longer play with the club. What does this mean for the sport and AFL betting going forward?
https://twitter.com/stkildafc/status/919772472508944384
How to Play Australian Rules Football
Aussie Rules is a native-grown Australian game also known as Footy. Two opposing teams attempt to kick and score the most goals by the end of the match. A goal, which is worth six points, is scored when the football is kicked through the goalposts. If the football goes between the shorter outside posts, a ‘behind’ is scored and one point is added to that team’s tally. Gameplay continues through four quarters. Think of it as a combination of professional U.S. football and soccer. And just like college and the NFL, the tackling is intense. There are no shoulder pads and no helmets worn. Plus, Aussie Rules is worshipped down under. Rabid fanbases of the sport follow every move within the league. For example, here are some great AFL betting sites.
Trailblazer
In 2015, Holmes was profiled by the AP when he first played with the ST KILDA Saints of the AFL. Holmes was a former Moorehead State basketball player who “became the U.S. born-and-raised player to compete at the top level of Australian rules football.” Holmes did not grow up in Australia and sat for two years with the team, picking up the sport from scratch. He told the AP…
“It’s one of the dreams they sell us when they try to get Americans over here,” Holmes said. “I don’t think it’s sunk in yet and I understand it’s a really big thing, but I’m just proud to be a cog in the machine that’s going to help this sport grow internationally.”
The 28-year-old Holmes grew in Chicago and is the brother of Buffalo Bills WR Andre Holmes. The Ruckman (his position) played in five matches with the team, but none this year. Saints coach Alan Richardson told AFL.com.au, “To play just one AFL match is an enormous achievement for someone who knew almost nothing of our game a few years ago.” “His [Holmes] commitment to learning, improving, and to St Kilda, over the past four years has been outstanding and his strong character and personality has been an asset around the club.”
Best of luck to Jason on his next step in the sporting world. He posted this message on his IG account:
