Ram it: Why do we fawn over NFL when our own football codes have it all?

The article argues against the tendency to treat the NFL’s presence in Melbourne as a novelty, saying Australia already has football codes that surpass American football. It frames the debate as a form of cultural cringe and says the NFL is inferior in key ways: it centers a narrower set of heroes compared with Australian rules, rugby league, and rugby union where more players can shape moments. The writer also cites concerns about violence and highlights concussion experience, contrasting American football’s helmet impacts with the local games. After recounting a past graffiti tribute to the North Sydney Bears and noting the team’s return, the piece says the opening game of the 2027 NRL season will feature the Rabbitohs and the Bears, played at the Bears’ new home base of Perth, after a three-decade hiatus.