AFLX: Live blog, scores, reaction

Tom Naghten

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AFLX: Live blog, scores, reaction image

Rampage were up by 20 points late in their match with Bolts after winning the pre-game scissors, paper, rock.

Dangerfield's Bolts tried to get the footy to Tom Hawkins, their Gatorade Game Changer, in the final stages, who could have levelled it up with a double-points super goal, but it wasn't to be.

That was how the first game of AFLX 2019 ended at Marvel Stadium - not quite footy as we know it.

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It started with the player arrivals, the stars being instructed to wear what they want like their NFL and NBA counterparts.



Then before the action got underway, the coin toss was given the flick for some scissors, paper rock.


Once the play started it quickly became apparent that the green guernseys on the Rampage were clashing with the superimposed advertising boards.




As for the actual football, it was more or less as advertised - long bombs, fast ball movement and minimal contact.

The much-hyped Gatorade Game Changers - one player per side whose score counts for double in the final five minutes (or the entire second half of the grand final, as decided midway through the final round match) - were generally marked out of the game, until Eddie Betts and Patrick Cripps got loose for their respective sides.

James Brayshaw, Luke Darcy and Taylor Walker in the commentary box seemed to have as much an idea about the scoring as we did, with some seemingly regulation goals being awarded 10 points.

One of the night's highlights came in the penultimate round-robin match, with the Rampage's grand final place secured, Carlton superstar, with the help of Jack Riewoldt as a holder, kicked a place kick goal, harking back to eras gone by.

Check out the video below.


Cripps also finished with tournament's Superboot award, kicking 96 points on the night.

The Jack Riewoldt-led Rampage won their first two matches to go straight into the grand final, while Nat Fyfe's Flyers scored a last-second win over the Bolts to book their spot in the decider.

In the end the fresher legs of the Rampage won out, a Riewoldt game changer goal put his side in front in the dying seconds, handing $30,000 to their charity of choice, Maddie Riewoldt's Vision.

AFLX 2019 RESULTS

GAME 1: Bolts 52 def by Rampage 72

GAME 2: Bolts 45 def Deadly 39

GAME 4: Rampage 67 def Flyers 46

GAME 5: Deadly 98 def Rampage 84

GAME 6: Flyers 87 def Bolts 76

GRAND FINAL: Rampage 84 def Flyers 67

AFLX 2019 CROWD

23,828 people turned up to Marvel Stadium on Friday night, a number the AFL would prbably be reasonably happy with.

Adult tickets were $15, concessions $10 and kids under 12 got in free.

Though there were a few reports that plenty of tickets were being given away.

Tom Naghten

Tom Naghten Photo

Tom Naghten is a senior editor at The Sporting News Australia where he's been part of the team since 2017. He predominantly covers boxing and MMA. In his spare time, he likes to watch Robbie Ahmat's goal against the Kangaroos at the SCG in 2000.