ANTHONY: ANYONE WHO THINKS NFL PLAY IS ROUGH PROBABLY HASN’T WATCHED ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S FAVORITE GAMES, FOOTY.
PLAYERS MUST BE ATHLETIC, THINK FAST AND PRETTY MUCH THROW THEMSELVES INTO THE SPORT.
THIS IS NOT A GAME FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.
>> THE ARC OF THIS LOVE STORY BEGINS WITH CONFUSION.
>> HE WAS CARRYING THIS WEIRD BALL AND I THOUGHT, WHAT IS THAT?
>> FOLLOWED SWIFTLY BY GETTING KNOCKED HEAD OVER HEELS.
KATIE HAD GIVEN HER HEART TO FOOTIE.
THEY LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT STORY SHARED BY MANY.
>> AFTER A COUPLE KICKS, I WAS HOOKED.
>> THE FIRST TIME I THOUGHT THIS IS FOR ME.
>> AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL, ALSO KNOWN AS FOOTIE.
A BRUISING MIX OF RUGBY, SOCCER AND FOOTBALL.
>> IT LOOKS AGAIN A LOT OF DIFFERENT SPORTS.
>> HE GOT HOOKED WATCHING FOOTIE ON ESPN THEN DISCOVERED THE BOSTON DEMONS.
>> I DID NOT KNOW ANYONE PLAYED IN THIS COUNTRY.
>> ROBERT WAS SO SMITTEN HE FELT LIKE SHOUTING IT TO THE WORLD.
WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT HE DOES WITH HIS CABLE SHOW, STATESIDE FOOTIE.
BOSTON DEMON GAMES CAN BE SEEN IN 11 STATES AND ON THE WEB.
>> HE GETS IT THROUGH AND THAT IS ANOTHER GOAL.
WHAT I AM TRYING TO DO IS GET THE GAME IN FRONT OF AS MANY EYES AS POSSIBLE OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD WANT TO LIKE IT.
>> AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL IS PLAYED ON AN OVAL FIELD WITH 18 PLAYERS TO ASIDE.
THE OBJECT, TO SCORE POINTS BY KICKING THE BALL THROUGH GOAL POSTS.
>> IT IS MORE LIKE KEEP AWAY A SENSE WITH MORE STRATEGY.
>> TOMMY, STATIONED AT THE COAST GUARD BASE IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOSTON DEMONS, ONE OF MORE THAN 50 FOOTIE TEAMS IN THE U.S.
WEEK.
>> THE BOSTON DEMONS ARE IN THE EASTERN LEAGUE AND WE PLAY TEAMS FROM NEW YORK, MONTREAL, PHILADELPHIA.
>> THE BALL IS ADVANCED BY PUNCHING IT, KICKING IT OR RUNNING.
AS LONG AS THE BALL IS BOUNCED EVERY 15 YARDS OR SO.
SKILLS THESE YANKS HAVE PICKED UP QUICKLY.
>> I WAS PRETTY AMAZED TO BE HONEST.
>> SAM, AN M.D. FROM AUSTRALIA AND ONE OF AROUND 20 AUSSIES ON THE DEMONS.
HE WAS THRILLED TO FIND HIS BELOVED FOOTIE IN BOSTON.
AND IMPRESSED WITH THESE NEWBIES.
>> IS ONE OF THESE THINGS WHERE IF YOU DO NOT PLAY FROM A YOUNG AGE, THE COORDINATION IS QUITE TOUGH SO IT TAKES A WHILE BUT I HAVE BEEN IMPRESSED.
>> IT LOOKS LIKE HE WANTS TO GET THERE.
>> IT IS A FULL CONTACT SPOT, NO PADS, NO HELMETS, NO PROBLEM.
SAYS LADY DEMON, KATIE.
>> IT IS FUN.
I LIKE TO TACKLE.
>> TODAY’S PRACTICE ON THE BOSTON COMMON MIXES THE MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TEAMS.
DURING THE SEASON, WOMEN PLAY IN A SEPARATE LEAK BUT THEY PLAY BY THE SAME RULES.
>> IT INTIMIDATED ME AT FIRST.
>> CAPTAIN KAELIN STARTED OFF BY PLAYING A TOUCH FOOTBALL VERSION.
SOON, SHE WANTED MORE.
>> I WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH JUST TAGGING PEOPLE.
>> THE TACKLING IS NOT TOO TOUGH ONCE YOU WRAP YOUR HEAD AROUND IT.
>> NO ONE IS TRYING TO KILL EACH OTHER.
IT IS LIKE A BIG HUG’S HOW WE TRY TO DISCREDIT.
>> AS THE DEMONS PREPARE FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON, THE QUESTION REMAINS, IS AMERICA READY TO FALL FOR FOOTIE?
>> WE JUST WANT TO GET THE GAME OUT THERE BECAUSE WE LOVE IT AND WE KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD LOVE IT IF THEY KNEW ABOUT IT.
ANTHONY: SO WHO EXACTLY IS PLAYING FOOTY ON THE DEMONS?
WELL, IT’S AN ODD ASSORTMENT OF TRADESMEN AND WOMEN, STUDENTS, AND PROFESSIONALS LIKE OUR AUSSIE INTERVIEWEE, SAM, WHO IS A RESEARCHER OVER AT CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL.
IN FACT, SO MANY DEMONS ARE POST-DOCS THE TEAM IS SOMETIMES REFERRED TO JOKINGLY AS THE PH.DEMONS.
THEIR SEASON BEGAN IN MAY AND RUNS THROUGH OCTOBER.
SHE BECAME THE TEAM’S OWNER RELUCTANTLY.
BUT NOW, SHE’S DETERMINED TO BE THE TEAM’S SAVIOR.
>> THERE IS NO WAY WE’RE GOI