BRISBANE Roar played in Shanghai on 8 February.

Western Sydney Wanderers played in Shanghai on 28 February.

Adelaide United were in Jiangsu on 1 March.

All hail the AFL’s venture into their brave new sporting world!

Football (round ball, version) fans have been watching on amused as the AFL has documented, blow by blow, their foray into China to play for premiership points when Port Adelaide play Gold Coast Suns.

In true AFL style, the coverage has been wall-to-wall, each step and breath documented as pioneers of a revolutionary new adventure.

But, when Port captain Travis Boak declared that AFL was looking forward to being the first western pro sport to play for official points in China – well, it all became a bit too much.

.@PortAdelaideFC skipper Travis Boak says AFL looking forward to being 1st western pro sport to play for official pts in China @theagesport pic.twitter.com/HRRUluVvJI — JonPierik (@Pierik_AgeSport) May 11, 2017

Even A-League club Melbourne Victory couldn’t resist itself, responding:

In Shanghai, believe it or not! pic.twitter.com/tlj5ajAH1v — Melbourne Victory (@gomvfc) May 11, 2017

Socceroos defender Ryan McGowan, currently at Chinese club Guizhou Hengfeng Zhicheng, having also played for Shandong Luneng, chimed in:

@DanielGarb What is wrong with these guys?? Every day saying something ridiculous — Ryan McGowan (@rmcgowan89) May 11, 2017

Imagine @theage using filters to make the 'Chinese' air look dirty 😂 pic.twitter.com/DqyqwfzT6B — Ali Soufan (@asoufan96) May 11, 2017

This is shocking if true! As an Aussie living in China I've been embarrassed by some of the comments made before this game #AFLinChina https://t.co/Q3Dg4zSEVI — Ryan McGowan (@rmcgowan89) May 11, 2017

Football fans on social media couldn’t hold back, either.

If the analysis of the travel schedule, air quality and logistical hurdles was testing patience, hailing the ingenuity of the game sent Twitter into an eruption of laughs.

Really ... Western Sydney won a Champions League in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for heaven’s sake, and were then required to continue their domestic season.

Fascinating reading these 'first impressions of Shanghai' stories. Turns out there's an area a bit like Bourke Street mall there. — edwyatt (@edwyatt) May 10, 2017

AFL SPOKESMAN: nobody has ever played sport in China before. we are the first. *uses that memory eraser thingo from Men in Black* — Vince Rugari (@VinceRugari) May 11, 2017

One thing is certain.

AFL has made sure we know about the game in Shanghai this weekend... — Adam Peacock (@adampeacock3) May 10, 2017

Great explorers of the New World;

Columbus

Marco Polo

Cook

de Gama

Eade

Hinkley https://t.co/PhU0QAE9Iv — Adam Peacock (@adampeacock3) May 11, 2017

These AFL types are the modern day Marco Polos. Their intrepid journey is shining a light on an otherwise unknown world. https://t.co/b4p87Ovalu — Richard Hinds (@rdhinds) May 10, 2017

London before and immediately after it was discovered by #AFL explorers and matches were played at The Oval. pic.twitter.com/9eUF4ku0XH — Richard Hinds (@rdhinds) May 11, 2017

The AFL writes itself into the history books... pic.twitter.com/jXoESXH19q — Sportsbet.com.au (@sportsbetcomau) May 11, 2017

Hi Trav, love your work. Um...we need to discuss a few things... https://t.co/a9x1qKmbtY — Daniel Garb (@DanielGarb) May 11, 2017

Vincenzo, nothing you produce in your career will match your dissection of this comically childish adventure. Outstanding work https://t.co/LgAXRKkqyk — Tom Smithies (@SmithiesTele) May 10, 2017

Sydney FC line up prior to their AFC Champions League 2007 match between the Sydney FC of Australia and Shanghai... https://t.co/RT6WtIcctk — Jamie (@sfc_jamie) May 11, 2017

AFL in China is like a sprat trying to be a big timer in the world sporting Ocean but will never ever get to be a whale (Football) — Ray Gatt (@Gatty54) May 11, 2017

@VinceRugari China has had an Olympics — Stuart Fazakerley (@stuartfaz) May 11, 2017

@JohnStensholt @Pierik_AgeSport Haven't they heard of Asian Champions League?. The provincial naievety is astounding btw V8 Supercars raced there for points years ago — Michael Lynch (@micklynch57) May 11, 2017

AFL: The Marco Polo of sport.



Tomorrow: They discover sweet and sour pork and “fried rice”. — Kevin Airs (@KevinAirs442) May 11, 2017

@VinceRugari Even Melbourne AFL types must think it's utter nonsense by now. Surely? — Stuart Randall (@SJR1978) May 11, 2017

Watching AFL talk up China match ignoring other sports like Football etc that have been there/done that is like watching WWE ignore all else — Clint W (@Clintwits) May 11, 2017

Accordingly to the @AFL they have created international sport and women's sport in 2017. They are so groundbreaking 🙄🙄🙄 — Richard Welsh (@WelshyKnows) May 11, 2017

The @afl venturing out of Australia for the first time. pic.twitter.com/mHd9doMXyC — Richard (@Muppetbhoy) May 10, 2017

The bizarre thing about the way the AFL has pated itself on the back for being such pioneers is that competitive sport in China is nothing new - it’s not just football that has been traversing Asia for decades. Olympics, anyone? They might not have played for points in 2008. But gold, silver and bronze medals were a decent consolation.