Autopsy What have you liked, learnt and hated from Season 2015

[DangerSloane]

seen the brownlow count then already?

either way people poo poo that and other awards all the time

That's the best patch of 12 games ever in the history of the game in the opinion of a lot of people.

Certainly the best I've seen.

I wouldn't say it wasn't worth the hype.

 

[DangerSloane]

Not in 2014 you didn't

So what?
You also had 6 Friday games last year to Adelaide's 1 in 2014.

So really, just quit whining.

 

[indy nile]

So what?
You also had 6 Friday games last year to Adelaide's 1 in 2014.

So really, just quit whining.

Please point out where I was whining. I was pointing out to a Melbourne poster that 3 Friday night games for a finalist is a perfectly fair amount

 

[roacheee]

iked #sobrave #lolnorf #carlspoon#standbyhird

learnt, form can change in an instant

hated, judds departure ... he deserved better

 

[Royce Hafey]

Liked
Hard wicks Resurrection.
Loved
Hirds crucifixion.
Leant
AFL has no religion

If the AFL has resurrections and crucifixions, maybe it's more religious than you think?

 

[gavaniacono]

If the AFL has resurrections and crucifixions, maybe it's more religious than you think?

The clubs are religious. The AFL are atheists. It's the same as the church: the parishioners are believers, the institution is cynical. You know this, right?

 

[catters05]

Like - Dan Menzel come back game.

Dislike - Stevie J leaving, Hawks giving us two beltings in 2015, Dogs not being allowed to play final at Etihad.

Hated - Umpiring, TV Commentary, Cats effort vs Demons in Enrights 300th.

 

[crazywildhorse]

This was a pretty ordinary year in general. Thank God my side won it.

 

[Olian]

Like - Season is over, no more sub rule.

Dislike - Franklin and Ablett missing games (no one decent to watch). Dangerfield charade about his future.

Hated - Another lop sided grand final.

 

[JackFlash]

Liked : 1) The season being over.....
2) The re-emergence of the Bulldogs
3) Nat Fyfe
4) Todd Goldstein

Learnt: 1) The ordeal the Essendon football club has gone through finally caught up with them, it isn't over and it sill maybe their ruination.
2) Gillon McLachlan has yet to assert his authority over the AFL, if he is to become a great CEO he must reel in some of his subordinates who appear to do as they pleased during the year...FOM Mark Evans requires a real good talking too!
Decisions and negotiations should be made based on mutuality... not difference Gillon!
And stop using the words "Our industry" It's "Our Game"!! Apart from that "Gilligan" is alright.

Hated: 1) No surprises here...WHITE friggin' away strips worn by teams that don't have "white" in their normal colour scheme. The monstrosity that was Hawthorn's strip closely followed by the Crows was off putting. Every week we go from one match to the other and the away side looks exactly the same as some other team from another match...the AFL are killing the identity of these teams! It appears to me that some bozo at AFL headquarters has decided it's all too hard, just put the away team in white and be done with it. Bollocks!
2) The demise of Etihad stadium, it is now more than a second cousin to the MCG, it's become a distant cross town relative that no one wants to see anymore. It hosts no blockbusters and rarely hosts a match that attracts 40,000 plus. Hawthorn should play there more often and if they don't go to Simonds stadium next season then the return game against Geelong should be at Etihad.
It also needs a Carlton V Essendon and Carlton V Collingwood game, it needs something. Hopefully the Bulldogs will attract some numbers there in 2016 and bring the place back into the limelight?
3) Carlton Friday night match scheduling was a complete disaster
4) Tanking in round 23 was a complete disgrace
5) Stevie J finishing up... i've heard his hip is stuffed, i hope he takes up a coaching role, i would hate to see him hobbling around making a fool of himself if he can't kick over a jam tin with his right foot?
6) Hawthorn winning the flag....spew! The competition is lopsided, you had the bottom six sides all being close to hopeless and anyone one of them would've been worthy recipients of the wooden spoon. That is not good for a 'National Competition' when so many teams are that bad. Is the comp top heavy?

 

[habib1984]

Being an essendon supporter all of it especially hawthorn winning

 

[bugalugs213]

That white jumper thing shits me too.

 

[Premiers04]

Hard to like anything when we piss away a season like that, beat the Hawks twice only to watch them win another non competitive GF.

 

[DangerSloane]

seen the brownlow count then already?

either way people poo poo that and other awards all the time

You were saying?

 

[DangerSloane]

Hard to like anything when we piss away a season like that, beat the Hawks twice only to watch them win another non competitive GF.

You know you have to beat other teams too right?
You know like Brisbane.

 

[Andre]

Hard to like anything when we piss away a season like that, beat the Hawks twice only to watch them win another non competitive GF.

It comes under learnt - it's not enough to be a good team. Even the only team in 2015 to beat the Hawks home AND away. What seperates Hawks from Port is they are ruthless every game, they don't turn up to play minnows and go half arsed expecting it to happen. If Port want to be a serious threat in 2016 they'll come out burning fire for every game, not just for blockbusters.

 

[DangerSloane]

Amazing that when a team has the temerity to actually try and win a game in the last round, they are accused of naivety and 'wrecking their prospects'. Great life lesson for kids - it's OK to tank it up. Smart-arse and sneaky is best.

Is it though?
Didn't help Freo and the Roos in the end...
The better sides that didn't rest players won.

 

[DangerSloane]

Loved

How a team like the Eagles have lost so many players to injuries ...it's two key backs .....got smashed in derby one for the year

5 months later we are hosting a qualifying final at home ....what the hell happened ?

That's why we love the game because we really don't know what's going to happen

Just shows what a proper team structure can do.
Port last year, WC this year. Relied much more on planning and being on the same page, than what personnel were available

 

[DangerSloane]

Liked: The general evenness of the competition. You never really know what you're going to get, anything can happen on any given day.

Disliked: The media focus that was/is on how the game is getting boring. Every man and his dog throwing their two bob into the discussion into what needs to be done to make it 'better'.

Your 2nd point there is massive.
I swear the more they talked about it, the more people started to believe it.

I think it was one of the best years for entertainment. You had teams like WB and Adelaide who went to the more run and gun style play, whereas you still had teams like the hawks and WC putting up 100+ points a week. I think the fact that there are some defensive teams like Freo going around make the game even more interesting. You cant just bring the same plan every week and expect to win.

 

[DangerSloane]

Like - Dan Menzel come back game.

Dislike - Stevie J leaving, Hawks giving us two beltings in 2015, Dogs not being allowed to play final at Etihad.

Hated - Umpiring, TV Commentary, Cats effort vs Demons in Enrights 300th.

I love how this comes up, but nobody mentions the 80 odd point turnaround between Haw and WC due to the grand final being always played at the MCG.

Now I'm not saying change it, but if theyre worried about moving from Ethiad to the MCG they should put themselves in West COasts shoes who earnt home final but ended up flying thousands of km to play.

 

[Premiers04]

You know you have to beat other teams too right?
You know like Brisbane.

Really? In all my years of following football i didnt realise you need to beat other teams.........

Hence the pissing away the season line. Was a quicker way of saying a top 4 side doesn't lose to the likes of Brisbane, Carlton and put in soft efforts against Geelong, Richmond, West Coast, injury ravaged Sydney and be mentally soft in the lead up to the second Showdown.

 

[NSWCROW]

WHAT I LEARNT


DE% is KING in modern footy

 

[NSWCROW]

And SORT YOUR BACKLINE OUT !!!!

Look at Lake and Gibson - safe as houses.




If you play cats , crabs , spuds or duds down back you're gonna have a bad time.
( except if you're Freo....then it's your " forwards " )

 

[TheCoach16]

Liked: Fyfe hanging on in one of the most intriguing Browlow counts in years.
Dangerfield playing his guts out for his side right to the end, even though he knew he wouldn't be there next year.
Menzal come back after FOUR recos, inspirational.
Patrick Cripps, massive effort by a young kid.

Hated: The way Juddy went out, deserved to go out on his terms.
The booing stuff, ugly look for our game.
My mob being so so bad all year.
Having to listen to Mark Robinson on TV and radio. If he were any dumber we'd have to water him.

Learnt: the more I think I know about footy, the more I realise I know nothing!
Neither Meatloaf nor Richmond know how to perform in September.

 

[jjsmitty8]

Your 2nd point there is massive.
I swear the more they talked about it, the more people started to believe it.

I think it was one of the best years for entertainment. You had teams like WB and Adelaide who went to the more run and gun style play, whereas you still had teams like the hawks and WC putting up 100+ points a week. I think the fact that there are some defensive teams like Freo going around make the game even more interesting. You cant just bring the same plan every week and expect to win.

It just gained unnecessary traction in my opinion. The game is fine the way it is and I would much prefer if they just let the game be played for a few years and analyse their rule changes over the course of 3 years as opposed to 3 weeks.

It was indeed a very entertaining season. Like I said in my original comment and like you just touched on, teams need to be versatile and be able to adapt. Some game styles inevitably trump the rest, but the game isn't always going to be played on your terms so you need flexibility.