Despite football fans rarely agreeing upon anything, there is one belief that we all hold โ Australian Rules Football is the greatest sport on earth.
With its laws forged from the Anglo-Celtic ethos of a fair go and its expansiveness born from the indigenous game of Marngrook, our game is more than simply entertainment โ it is a true expression of identity.
It is quintessentially Australian, so why wouldn't we want to share it?
Due to this common agreement of sporting superiority and in an effort to spread the good word, we have seen our code exported to various far-flung locations around the globe.
Although these excursions may have ultimately proven futile, it is worth remembering the endeavors all the same.
As none of us will be able to jet off internationally any time in the foreseeable future, here is a list you can live vicariously through, comprised of the eleven countries Aussie Rules has officially been played in.
4.
Greece
As previously mentioned, Carlton, fresh off winning their 11th premiership, boarded a Boeing late in 1972 and set off for Europe.
The initial three game tour itinerary included a match in London, one in Stuttgart, West Germany and Moscow, USSR.
Although the first of the trio went ahead โ a nine-point victory for the Baggers over an Australian All-Star squad โ the latter pair were cancelled.
Citing an inability to contact the Australian embassy, the then Soviet Union cancelled their leg of the tour.
Left searching for a replacement venue, then Carlton President and imperious powerbroker George Harris moved the touring party to Athens.
The four-quarter contest didn't run exactly to plan. The match was played on the poorly prepared Georgios Kamaras Stadium and according to Carlton defender David McKay, with players holding up the goalposts.
I came across this a while back but only just remembered it now. 1972 Athens - Carlton VFL played the Orlando All-Stars in a soccer stadium as part of a sponsored Australian Rules world tour. Records don't say which ground but the scoreboard suggests Apollon vs Panathinaikos. pic.twitter.com/1aCZDropvY
โ Les Street (@official_lesdog) July 5, 2020
Nevertheless, Carlton managed a three-point victory thanks to ten goals from Robert Walls.
Reports also suggest that due to their blue and white uniform โ the colours of the Greek flag โ Carlton were the crowd favourite.
Following the match, Mal Brown, father of Campbell, was arrested and subsequently bailed for swimming naked in the Aegean Sea.