Between September 1939 and May 1940 in north-western Europe a state of war existed between Great Britain and France on one hand and Hitler’s Germany on the other. Despite the declaration of war, nothing much happened in those eight months — what was labelled as “The Phoney War”. Of course, all that changed on May 10 when the Germans invaded the Low Countries.

The end of the Australian Open tennis tonight marks the start of southern Australia’s eight-month-long obsession with Aussie Rules for 2012.

There have been hints in the media as there have been fewer tennis matches to cover. Brendan Fevola, it seems, may line up for Yarrawonga Pigeons in the Ovens and Murray League — but only for home games, because, he says, he’s getting old. This is the same guy who wanted AFL clubs to use a valuable draft pick on him just a few short months ago!

It has been a long, long break, but in less than three weeks we’ll have footy back on television — well, those of us with pay TV will anyway. For the FreeView afficianados, it’ll be March 17. And pay TV’s dedicated AFL channel returns in a new guise, along with the pre-season comp.

It won’t be long before there are controversies aplenty to drive our interest. Stay tuned to AussieRulesBlog for our particular take on the important issues in Aussie Rules.

For most of those of us writing about football, the euphoria of being named on an AFL list, even as a rookie, can only be guessed at. To succeed to the extent of playing at the highest level is the stuff of dreams.

Two stories in the media this week piqued our interest. One reported Mick Malthouse’s thoughts on Ben Cousins’ rumoured regression, and the other dealt with efforts to avoid such scenarios in the future.

Let’s look at the positive story first. As we’ve already noted, getting onto an AFL list and, potentially, playing at that level is something all footy fans dream of and so few achieve. For those who do get onto a list, the hard work is only just starting. But this bright fluffy cloud obscures a dark and stormy centre.

The AFL Players’ Association and the AFL are certainly doing their bit to improve the chances of the youngsters coming into the game. For years now, draftees have been forced to endure sessions designed to alert them to the demands that will be made of them by their clubs, their clubs’ supporters and the football industry generally. But now this preparation strategy is being taken to a new level with similar sessions for players in the footy ‘mid-life’ and for those facing retirement — there are, after all, only a limited number of gigs in the footy media and most of them aren’t anything close to full-time.

Stories like this are almost de rigeur for this time of year, but welcome nevertheless. No program to educate players will ever be 100% successful and there will be some players who, despite on-field success, run off the rails. And that, of course, brings us to Ben Cousins.

If, as is rumoured, Cousins has regressed and has returned to drugs, it is sad for him. Having been addicted to nicotine for twenty odd years, we understand some of the forces involved. It certainly took us a number of attempts and a certain set of circumstances to kick the habit. For eleven years we dreamed about having a cigarette. Eventually we succumbed and we were smoking again at the same pace within a few weeks. It was a further two years before we decided we didn’t like the taste of smoking and kicked it — for good this time. We were fortunate to have a quite normal life with no notoriety, an average wage, a responsible full-time job, a family and children who depended on us. Quite a lot different to Cousins.

Anyone who hasn’t been addicted to a substance has no idea. Those who don’t realise they’re addicted have even less idea.

We hope that Ben can find a way to get his life together and keep his mind in a good space. It’s not a battle that can be won in a couple of years.

Mick Malthouse’s comments on the world of young AFL footballers today not only provide a context for Cousins’ situation, but also show how important the programs the AFLPA and AFL are putting in place are. The tabloid journalists might not agree, but wouldn’t it be nice if we never had another “Fevola”, or another “Cousins”? And wouldn’t it be magnificent for those young men who might otherwise have self-destructed to live fulfilling and creditable lives and have the respect of the community.

Best wishes, Ben.

No, not a reference to cell phones!

In September 1939, Great Britain and France declared war on Hitler’s Germany following the German invasion of Poland. It was May 1940 before Germany launched its westward invasion through Belgium, Luxembourg and Holland. The intervening period was known as the “Phoney War” in Britain because nothing much warlike was happening.

Well, we can’t escape the feeling here at AussieRulesBlog Central that we’re similarly entwined in a misleading period of peace and tranquility — a phoney season — before the hostilities of the AFL season begin with ‘war games’ on February 11 as a prelude to full battle on March 24.

We’re not in the business of prognostications, so don’t look for them. We’ve found Supercoach and Dream Team to be singularly unexciting and uninteresting. We take little notice of the optimistic assessments trotted out to club faithful at this time of the year.

We just want the footy to start . . .

The Australian open has been run and won — yawn! — and the pyjama cricket series has provided a blip of brightness on the Australian national cricket scene — yawn! The nation’s yearly flirtation with yachting is now a distant memory — zzzzzzz — and the hayburners have settled into their normal routine again after the colour and excitement of the Spring Carnival — ever so slightly more interested now that AussieRulesBlog’s progeny owns an eventer.

After the ‘drama’ of FFA’s fanciful bid for FIFA’s World Cup, the Socceroos extra time loss to Japan in the Asian Cup final has added an exclamation mark, despite, it seems, perennially overly-optimistic predictions for the national team.

So, the distractions are out of the way and it’s once again Aussie Rules’ turn to capture sporting hearts and minds — and a good thing too!

In eleven days the ‘phoney war’ of the pre-season competition commences. This year we have the added distraction of a mini-lightning premiership first round which will do little to provide any guides to early form, especially for those teams with the long breaks.

It will be a surprise if any of Adelaide, Carlton, WCE, Essendon, GWS or Geelong make any further appearance in the primary competition, but we don’t consider than as necessarily a negative. The secondary Challenge series still sees teams pitted against other AFL outfits — other than GWS and, perhaps, the Suns at this stage — but with more opportunity for coaches to experiment and find out about what their players can manage.

We think these four weeks will be crucial to coaches figuring out how they’ll manage the new interchange arrangements, so there’s more than just a chance for a good competitive hitout.

It can’t come quickly enough! We’re like a kid waiting at the Christmas tree for Mum and Dad to wake up so we can rip into our presents!