Opinion What unpopular AFL opinions do you have? - Part 2

[Checkered]

Clearly unpopular with you, so it qualifies. Which other debutants have demonstrated a comparable skill set?

Apart from Walsh, none.

 

[Godchin]

Are they not allowed to have mental health issues? Is that only limited to superstar players?

Perhaps the harsh reality of "only" being a fringe player contributes to their mental state and self-perception.

They're "allowed".

I think superstar players can get by on talent alone. Dusty Martin, whilst not at his best, is still elite despite his publicised mental health battle.

However, I don't see fringe players with mental health issues being able to work hard enough to take the next step and make it at the top level. I'm pretty damn certain that guys like Alex Fasolo or Matthew Broadbent will never be able to reach their bests again. I doubt many of the young guys coming into the system with depression will make it.

It's harsh, but I think these guys get a free pass when the list management time comes around at the end of every season because it would be tactless to offload a guy when he's at a low point.

 

[big_e]

Fringe players who take time off during the season for mental health reasons should be delisted before anybody else.

Majak Daw should be delisted at the end of the year.

What kind of heartless prick are you?

 

[NonPhixion]

What kind of heartless prick are you?

This. As someone that had a broken pelvis from a different kind of incident it is honestly one of the worst experiences you can imagine. The physical pain is horrendous, not being able to control your bowel movements. I really respect Daw for coming back from this so soon.

 

[Ron The Bear]

Apart from Walsh, none.

Haven’t seen Walsh take a hanger or launch a booming torp or execute a bone-crunching bump. And that was just Stack’s game v Melbourne!

 

[adammania9]

Unpopular opinion: Brodie Grundy is overrated. Very handy around the ground and has great endurance but can’t win a hit out to advantage to save his life and is one of the reasons the Pies’ star studded (on paper) midfield hasn’t performed to expectation this year.

One of the better rucks in the comp but not fit to tie Gawn’s shoelaces and nowhere near the best player in the league.

I am a Collingwood diehard and Brodie is my favourite player but this is correct. In the age of stats and supercoach scores being everybody’s go to when comparing and assessing players, those who put up the strongest numbers are often overhyped. I’ve been watching a fair bit of Collingwood 2010-12 recently and something that stood out to me was how amazing Jolly’s Tao work used to be; he’d knock it to advantage all the time and maybe you could put that down a lot to the midfielders as opposed to the ruck but there’s no doubt that Grundy’s chemistry with our mids needs work. Also, a lot of Grundy’s kicks are blind and not to a target. He’s a great player and very unique but best in the game? No way.

Here’s my unpopular opinion: Gawn has been far better than Grundy in 2019 but conversely Grundy was actually the better of the two in season 2018.

 

[Scanlens Man]

Unpopular opinion - Bob Murphy is nothing special.

I've watched his show a few times, read his column, heard him on radio, and each time was expecting some sort of unique insight given his standing/reputation as a "thinking man's footballer."

I know the bar for that description isn't particularly high, but still I've never really learned anything listening to him or come away thinking it was time invested well.

Just another very good player who has now retired, probably a good bloke, but yeah otherwise nothing special.

 

[Red Black and Blue]

Unpopular opinion - Bob Murphy is nothing special.

I've watched his show a few times, read his column, heard him on radio, and each time was expecting some sort of unique insight given his standing/reputation as a "thinking man's footballer."

I know the bar for that description isn't particularly high, but still I've never really learned anything listening to him or come away thinking it was time invested well.

Just another very good player who has now retired, probably a good bloke, but yeah otherwise nothing special.

I agree. I heard someone refer to him as a deep thinker on SEN an hour ago. He is a nice guy and all but he’s just a hipster who slightly underplays the stereotypical football professional with a denim jacket instead of suit but is entirely within the orthodoxy.

 

[Quivorir]

Guys please don't talk badly about our Lord and Saviour.

 

[Ma Xiao Long]

Unpopular opinion - Bob Murphy is nothing special.

I've watched his show a few times, read his column, heard him on radio, and each time was expecting some sort of unique insight given his standing/reputation as a "thinking man's footballer."

I know the bar for that description isn't particularly high, but still I've never really learned anything listening to him or come away thinking it was time invested well.

Just another very good player who has now retired, probably a good bloke, but yeah otherwise nothing special.

Agree. His last book is worth a read, though. No real insight to the game but some funny stories and you have to appreciate it because it’s not your typical boring sports biography. Reminded me a bit of Saturday Afternoon Fever, which I reckon should be read in schools

 

[Souup]

The game is in a perfectly fine state. High scoring games with lots of goals does not necessarily equal an entertaining game.

Most AFL fans just don't appreciate tactical and strategical intricacies and have the attention span of a goldfish so they can't sit through prolonged periods in the game without a goal being scored.

An example of this was last night's West Coast VS Collingwood game in which the first half was a free flowing goal fest and everyone was mentioning the entertainment. Then the second half was an arm wrestle where Collingwood tightened up their defensive structures and Nathan Buckley just out-coached Simpson in an intriguing arm wrestle. Was the first half entertaining? Yep. Was the second half entertaining? In my opinion, it was more so than the first. 18 goals between the sides in the first half and only 5 in the second.

Unfortunately most AFL fans fall under the more goals = better category, hence the AFL will continue to change its rules to try and cater for those who have a surface level understanding of the game and want the players to 'just kick it long!' at every moment.

People who love the game will appreciate it in all its forms.

 

[Crashy]

Eddie is the best commentator in football

 

[dergert]

Melbourne football club threw dean bailey under the bus bigggg time.

As if Stynes had no idea of the tanking

 

[Hard Ball Get]

Melbourne football club threw dean bailey under the bus bigggg time.

As if Stynes had no idea of the tanking

I'llgive you an unpopular one... Jim Stynes doesnt deserve a statue outside the MCG.

 

[Farang83150]

I don't mind Caroline Wilson as a journo.

 

[Juddernaut08]

BT is a knowledgeable guy

 

[Hallstrom]

I would like the AFL to be just purely about football. Don't like all the themed and charity rounds. Yes there are some good causes in there but it seems like every week there is something else going on other than the footy. I just want footy.

My (probably equally) unpopular opinion is I don't know why people get so bent out of shape about the above.
Last week watching swans vs blues they had red flags for some reason. There was a quick blurb about it at qrt time and I didn't give it another thought for the rest of the game.
It really isn't that difficult to just focus on the footy and ignore the superfluous stuff if you want. Something the "stop ramming it down my throat" brigade obviously have trouble with.

 

[Engimal v3]

BT is a knowledgeable guy

Agreed. People make him out to be some buffoon. He is to some extent, but he's done very well to keep his finger on the pulse of AFL football for quite a long time (in comparison to guys like Sam Newman, who couldn't have cared less for the past 15-20 years).

 

[La Di Da]

Haven’t seen Walsh take a hanger or launch a booming torp or execute a bone-crunching bump. And that was just Stack’s game v Melbourne!

None of those things make him a better player than Walsh. Sam Mitchell was one of the most limited yet damaging midfielders of his generation.

 

[La Di Da]

Agreed. People make him out to be some buffoon. He is to some extent, but he's done very well to keep his finger on the pulse of AFL football for quite a long time (in comparison to guys like Sam Newman, who couldn't have cared less for the past 15-20 years).

1. BT is highly involved in match day coverage, it’s literally his job to keep his finger on the pulse. At the very least it’s going to remain on the pulse due to the due circumstances of his profession.

2. Sam Newman is probably the worst comparison you can make when discussing buffoons.

 

[adammania9]

Roaming Brian is the highlight of AFL broadcasts and anybody that doesn’t enjoy it is simply a joy kill

 

[YippeeYiYeo]

AFL needs 2 goal umpires - 1 behind each goal post. The reason why theres so many mistakes is because the single goal umpire at each end is often out of position when a ball travels quickly past the goal line.

It wouldnt affect teh aesthetics of teh game, would reduce the need for goal reviews, have less mistakes and time wasted.

 

[estibador]

My (probably equally) unpopular opinion is I don't know why people get so bent out of shape about the above.
Last week watching swans vs blues they had red flags for some reason. There was a quick blurb about it at qrt time and I didn't give it another thought for the rest of the game.
It really isn't that difficult to just focus on the footy and ignore the superfluous stuff if you want. Something the "stop ramming it down my throat" brigade obviously have trouble with.

I couldn't name any themed rounds besides ANZAC round, Indigenous round, and that lame farmer game.

I just tune in right at the bounce and watch the game. Probably helps that I mute the qtr breaks or change the channel too - I have no interest in any part of the telecast besides the game.

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

My (probably equally) unpopular opinion is I don't know why people get so bent out of shape about the above.
Last week watching swans vs blues they had red flags for some reason. There was a quick blurb about it at qrt time and I didn't give it another thought for the rest of the game.
It really isn't that difficult to just focus on the footy and ignore the superfluous stuff if you want. Something the "stop ramming it down my throat" brigade obviously have trouble with.

That's what I try to do but the reality is it's putting me off the game, I find I'm watching it less and less and rarely go to a game these days.

 

[zhoung]

Ok Goodes wasn’t booed because he’s indigenous, people just didn’t like him!