How Hawthorn Pulled Off the Repeat In 2014

As the celebration dies down in anticipation for the forthcoming season, the AFL is gearing up to have one of the biggest seasons yet. With viewing figures at an all-time high, record attendances and shop sales of Hawthorn merchandise going through the roof, let’s take a look over the highs and the lows of the 2014 season and see how Hawthorn Hawks managed their greatest achievement.

For the second time in their history, Hawthorn Hawks have done the double on back to back flags with a thrashing of Swans in front of a capacity 99,454 crowd at the MCG. The margin of victory proved all of the naysayers wrong before the match, as Hawthorn went on to dominate the game and win by a margin of 63 points.

Back To Back Titles for the Second Time In History

The 2014 season kicked off in Great Spirit on the back of 2013s flag victory in the grand finale. With bundles of confidence in their abilities and a few new hopefuls in the ranks, Hawthorn were bound to do something great, but could they repeat the ultimate success?

Celebrating the club’s 90th season in the AFL, Hawthorn got off to a great start, winning its first four games in a row. Their unbeaten run came to an end though at the hands of Geelong by 19 points. Being bitter rivals, Geelong continued their prowess against the Hawks at the MCG, being unbeaten against them at the MCG since 2002.

After back to back losses later on in the season against Sydney and Port Adelaide, the Hawks looked to start afresh in the next match, having never led a single point in the game against Adelaide, who was currently in first position in the league.

The Perfect Time for an Unbeaten Run

Hawthorn broke their losing streak by picking up form at the perfect time. They went on a five-run unbeaten streak ending with an immense turnaround against Gold Coast at the Aurora, whom they let slip to in the first quarter, only to turn the game on its head under wet conditions to eventually win the game with by a 53 point margin to regain the 1st position.

In the final two game of the season before the qualifying finals, Hawthorn broke a long standing losing record to Geelong at the MCG with a remarkable turnaround yet again to win the game by 33 points. In the grand final itself, the Hawks were considered the underdogs by many commentators, but managed a memorable performance by beating Swans by a point margin of 53.

Looking Ahead To Next Season

The 2015 season is looking bright for Hawthorn who are looking to build on their successes both on and off the field with new signings and Hawthorn merchandise flying off the shelves. We will be waiting to see whether they can manage to pull off a third flag in a row, but with the winning spirit flowing through the camp, they might very well pull it off.


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Kia's Sponsporship Agreement with the Essendon Bombers Presents - The New Optima

There has never been a better time to fly the flag of the Essendon Bombers than this season. With the guys on the pitch showing the rest of the league their speed and finesse, the fans have played their role in getting behind the team as the 19th man in the stands. Why not show your support in style for the Bombers with a replica Guernsey, novelty Essendon merchandise, and for those who really wish to show their support, possibly a new car.

Essendon Bombers recently signed a lucrative sponsorship deal with car manufacturer Kia to sponsor the team for the next 5 years. This major sponsorship deal has reflected both the recent success of the Essendon Bombers as well as the league on a whole. With big money now coming into the sport on an international level, both Essendon and the AFL have a bright future ahead of them.

Merchandising Skyrockets for Essendon

Merchandise sales have skyrocketed over recent seasons to make Essendon one of the most popular franchises in not only the AFL league, but in Australian sport as a whole. Like any other sport, merchandising and branding of a team to its fans is often paramount in securing a regular income for the team. Not only do television rights play a huge part in ensuring this regular income, but merchandising plays a vital role in garnering bigger revenues, as well as revenue.

The new Kia sponsorship deal not only will help the branding image of Kia to its Australian market, but will also help the Essendon Bombers to reach an audience further afield. Kia is a proud sponsor that will include the new deal in many of its advertisements on television, radio, the internet and in the press. This level of advertising will help Essendon Merchandise sales and attendance figures tremendously by partnering up with a large international brand such as Kia.

So What Does This Mean For The Average Fan?

Previously, the scope of merchandise for AFL teams had mainly relied on Guernsey and replica kit sales to offer a revenue stream for the team, and a way for the fans to support their team whilst watching the games. Recently however, teams in the AFL have realised that merchandising can play this huge role as a revenue stream for the teams, as well as for the enjoyment and continuation of support seen by the fans. 

The Essendon merchandise available now comes in many forms, for every type of fan from young to old. You can find Bombers baby grows, replica kits, mugs, t-shirts, hats and flags as well as a number of novelty items that are sure to bring a smile to any Essendon fans’ faces. Along with the new range of merchandise for the dedicated fans, you will find a number of items that will help secure an international audience to spread the electricity of AFL to the wider public.

Essendon continues to be one of the most supported teams in the AFL, with a rich history in the league you can understand why. With regular matches being sold out game after game, and the viewing figures for each game rising season after season, there has never been a better time to get behind the Bombers and show how much of a dedicated fan you are.

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With Official Brisbane Lions Merchandise Encourage Your Children to Get Into the Footy

Are you a die-hard AFL fan that wants the whole family to get involved? Have a small child that loves to watch the games with you? Then why not get the newest AFL fan all of the gear they need to start enjoying AFL to the fullest. With a wide range of Brisbane Lions merchandise aimed directly at small children, you can enjoy each home game in style and show your support with the youngsters of the family!
 

The range of AFL merchandise for kids is surprisingly just as large as that available for adults –with a few extra additions! Why not get your little one a baby jumpsuit with your favourite teams’ badge emblazoned on it? Think that’s a little too much? Then why not opt for other Brisbane Lions merchandise such as a toddler’s hoodie, team mascot tee or a baby beanie hat.

Start Them Early, Get Them for Life!

Romper suits are available for the smallest of fans, along with scarfs, replica shirts and Guernsey’s to fit the whole family, no matter how big or small they may be. For those looking for an authentic look, you can find an entire replica look that has all of the hallmarks that makes the seniors kit so impressive.

You can dress your little angel in official Lions socks, which come with a special non-slip sole to ensure when your baby takes their first steps they will be in full Lions regalia. The shorts and team Guernsey will go perfectly to finish the look.

 

Merchandise for Every Occasion!

With so much more AFL merchandise to choose from for your toddler, you will have a great time dressing your little one up in all of your teams gear. There is merchandise for every occasion, dinner time? No problem, just slip junior into a Brisbane Lions bib for them to enjoy their meal before the big game. It’s important to encourage young kids to get involved with sport and be passionate. Not only is it good for their health, but it’s great to have active interests from a young age.

Starting off soon to be a die-hard Brisbane Lions fan is a sure fire way to continue the tradition in your household. Ensuring the spirit stays strong is an important aspect of any fanatic, so starting them early may see you wearing their shirt when they are playing for the team you love.


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The Rise in Popularity of AFL Team Merchandise

The AFL has been making headlines around the world this season for continuing its rise in popularity amongst competitive sports on a global scale. The reasons for this has been the enthusiasm shown by the fans, which reflects the on the pitch performances by some of the leagues’ top players. Attendance numbers are among the highest of any sport and in a relatively small country population wise, footy fans hold their own against the most popular sporting leagues in the world. This is reflected in the fact that AFL merchandise has hit an all-time high in both sales figures and demand, so finding the latest merchandise bearing the name of your favourite teams has become an online sensation.

The explosion in popularity has meant that some team merchandise was starting to sell out even early on in the season. Thousands of fans have been clamouring to get hold of this season’s jerseys with their star players name and number on it being the number one essential fan item. But the league has cottoned on to the idea of mass merchandising, so this season expect to find those rarer, sought after objects you need most.

The Range Of Merchandise is Huge

 

From t shirts, baseball hats and socks, Brisbane Lions merchandise and Sydney Swans merchandise has risen to the top of the league when it comes to team promotion. Many fans love to get fully decked out in their teams gear and head off to the stadium to watch the latest game. Buying team merchandise via a vendor at the stadium has become a pricey addition for regulars, with many fans now looking online to score their team’s garb.

Buying AFL team merchandise online has become easier thanks to the numerous websites that now stock the selected teams gear. Geelong Cats merchandise has risen thanks to online sports clothing retailers now offering a large variety of kits, shirts, stickers, beer holders and even tea towels.

Take Pride in Your Team!

Aside from the team jerseys, one of the most popular items of AFL team merchandise has been baseball caps with team logos. A great idea for those balmy nights of AFL under the setting sun, as well as for those proud to wear their teams colours away from the stadium.

Buying merchandise online means that you will be able to make significant saving, as opposed to buying merchandise from a licenced vendor at your local stadium game. You will often see a sharp mark-up given to merchandise at a game, especially for rarer items that you may not be able to get all-year round at retail high street sports stores.

Support Your Team for the Next Round

Adding to your collection is one of the great things about following your team, so making sure that you have access to the wide range of merchandise available to you is a key factor in enjoying the successes of your team. With a range of delivery options from online retailers offering free delivery on many items, buying now means you will be ready for the next round.

Proud fans love to show their devotion to their team, so what better way to show how much of a true fun you are than to add to your merchandise collection with rarer items that you can pass down in the future. Those small AFL pin buttons and limited edition jerseys may be worth a lot more in the future if your team wins the Grand Final this year.



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The Highs and Lows of the 2014 AFL Season So Far

With all of the thrills and spills we have seen so far, this year is one to remember for many teams and players. Now that we find ourselves at the mid-point of the 2014 AFL season, let us take a look at some of the highlights of the season so far, as well as how the form teams and stand-out players have been performing compared to other outstanding seasons in history.

The 2014 season kicked off with a little drama on and off the field, with transfers making the most of the drama even before the season started. Most notably, Lance Franklin signed a nine-year contract with Sydney Swans – thought to be one of the most lucrative contracts in the leagues history. Buddy scored on his debut and has really rounded into form over the past month and a half or so. He’s currently ranked 8th in total for goals scored.

Rising Giants

This season has also been a chance to see some youngsters show their flare. Tom Boyd is one of those youngsters that were hyped up during the off season, but with a little more promise than others that have come before him. At just 18 years old, Boyd stands at a lofty 200cm and weighs in at 100kg, one of the many youngsters coming up today who seem built for the league.

Being the #1 pick of the season, Boyd needed to set aside the hype off the pitch and concentrate on what he does best for GWS Giants. His performances so far this season have lived up to the high expectations surrounding him, showing finesse, flare and a leading role in many of the matches this season. Speaking earlier in the season, Giants reserves coach Brett Hand concluded that Boyd, despite his stellar performances this season still had a lot to learn.

The leaders of the pack

On an individual basis, the standout player this season for disposals has been Josh Kennedy. The Sydney Swans #1 has made 317 disposals so far, leading Gold Coast’s Gary Ablett by a narrow margin of 3. Brodie Grundy of Collingwood leads the clanger list with a total of 41 so far this season with Dion Prestia closely following.

There have been a number of surprising victories this season, notably the Sydney Swans who have dazzled this season. Their fine form of late has made them favourites in the running to lead this second half of the season along with Freemantle. Gold Coast Suns have surprised many this season with their high ranking, but can their form continue through to the final games?

Your pick for finalists?

The eight teams in the running right now may contain the overall champions this season and with every game up for grabs, now is the time for teams like Hawthorn and Geelong to capitalise and not capitulate on their recent form. Port are certain contenders through the back end of the season as their confidence is high on the back of recent success, with Coach Ken Hinkley full of praise for his sides recent form.

The Melbourne Demons have risen to recent form leading into their blockbuster showdown against North Melbourne which is sure to delight the fans. Both teams go into the local derby on fine form and with both looking to kick on for the rest of the season; it’s looking likely that one of these teams could finish in the running, making the back end of the 2014 AFL season one not to miss.

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