Unpopular AFL Opinions

[VicPark Bitter]

for the past 15 years the Sydney swans have been the epitome of what is great about Australian Rules Football

 

[TheShardMan]

all the different theme rounds are a waste of time. most fans couldve give a stuff. they just want to see a game of football.

 

[HurleyHepsHird]

I don't know if this is unpopular but, more failed AFL coaches should get a second chance after spending time as assistants/directors of footy etc.

Likewise, clubs should be much more aggressive about snapping up sacked coaches for senior roles within a club. Sure, Brad Scott hasn't succeeded as head coach, but his experience and ability communicate would be invaluable, either directly working with players (senior assistant) or as a backroom guy (director of coaching, opposition analysis, head of footy etc.).

 

[Vdubs]

I don't know if this is unpopular but, more failed AFL coaches should get a second chance after spending time as assistants/directors of footy etc.

Likewise, clubs should be much more aggressive about snapping up sacked coaches for senior roles within a club. Sure, Brad Scott hasn't succeeded as head coach, but his experience and ability communicate would be invaluable, either directly working with players (senior assistant) or as a backroom guy (director of coaching, opposition analysis, head of footy etc.).

You are correct in all aspects here, imho.
NOT unpopular, and a GREAT recommendation.

 

[YippeeYiYeo]

I couldn’t care less about the Taylor Harris photo and am sick of seeing a different article almost every week on it. Some dumb arses are so PC they want a bronze statue of that photo outside the MCG.

Give me a break. Big whoop the photo was posted and a few immature comments were made by the general public. No need to shove that photo in my face at every opportunity.

Still couldn’t give a s**t about the women’s game either.

 

[TheWoodenSlug]

I couldn’t care less about the Taylor Harris photo and am sick of seeing a different article almost every week on it. Some dumb arses are so PC they want a bronze statue of that photo outside the MCG.

Give me a break. Big whoop the photo was posted and a few immature comments were made by the general public. No need to shove that photo in my face at every opportunity.

Still couldn’t give a **** about the women’s game either.

Yeah, I've never been able to get my outrage on about this because I don't know what was actually said - only that there were some "offensive" comments made.

 

[CrowdedHouse]

My unpopular opinion...

We as footy fans are lemmings.

We (rightfully) complain about league headquarters and what they are doing to the game, but we hand over our cash in greater number for memberships each year and still tune-in in big numbers.

If we were fair dinkum in our anger about how the game was being run, we'd put away our wallets, not renew our memberships, etc...

An organisation like the AFL only responds when there's a hit to the bottom line. If were handing over the dollars in greater numbers, why would they change how they operate?

 

[Hoops]

Good to Selwood play well

 

[Xtreme]

Afl players should stop with the cute stab and dribble kicks along the ground. You'll find they will be more accurate in front of goal.

 

[Damon_3388]

Even if they are both fit, Ivan Soldo should be Richmond's #1 ruckman ahead of Toby Nankervis for the remainder of this season. He's simply performed better in the games he's played.

Zac Smith should be Geelong's #1 ruckman, and I'm puzzled as to the reasons why he isn't.

 

[t_94]

Even if they are both fit, Ivan Soldo should be Richmond's #1 ruckman ahead of Toby Nankervis for the remainder of this season. He's simply performed better in the games he's played.

Zac Smith should be Geelong's #1 ruckman, and I'm puzzled as to the reasons why he isn't.

Inb4 rant on what 'metrics' rucks should be measured on.

 

[Damon_3388]

Inb4 rant on what 'metrics' rucks should be measured on.

Well, now that you mention it, if they're at any stage being judged on disposals and marks (or lack thereof), then they're being judged on the wrong things that are secondary to their role.

 

[class78]

Well, now that you mention it, if they're at any stage being judged on disposals and marks (or lack thereof), then they're being judged on the wrong things that are secondary to their role.

if a ruckman kicks a goal am i allowed to clap?

 

[radzyb]

On the back of the draw Richmond have at the end of the season how does this excerpt look for next year?
rd17 wc v kangaroos (sat)
freo vs adel (sun)
rd18 wc vs geelong
saints vs freo
rd19 wc vs power
freo vs brisbane
rd20 wc v essendon
suns vs freo
rd21 wc vs richmond
freo vs carlton
rd22 wc vs collingwood
suns vs freo
rd23 wc vs sydney
freo vs suns

What an absolute joke. How the hell do people think playing the last 7 games at homes is acceptable.

 

[The King!]

mine is people calling AFL AFLM, wtf is that

 

[Dogs till i die]

I dunno, Barry. As a Carlton supporter, I'm pretty keen for this season to end.

Gee 5 weeks is a long time in football. Without them you wouldn't have had much enthusiasm for 2020. Thankfully for the Blues the season didnt end after round 17?

 

[flamingEMBERS]

I think the requirement to bounce the ball every 15m should be scrapped. Umpires get it wrong all the time so just get rid of it. Who cares how far you run with the ball.

They should change it to 15 steps. So much easier for the umpires to adjudicate

 

[La Vache]

I hate the prior opportunity rule and the culture in footy of always rewarding the tackler. I’d much prefer to encourage bold running and evasiveness, and frees only given for incorrect disposal.

 

[wally funk]

Gee 5 weeks is a long time in football. Without them you wouldn't have had much enthusiasm for 2020. Thankfully for the Blues the season didnt end after round 17?

You're quoting me from 2018, a season I couldn't wait to see the back of. I'm certainly glad that Carlton's 2019 season didn't end after round 17 though! We've made great strides in a short time. You're right, though - my enthusiasm for 2020 is huge!

 

[Scotland]

Age/number of drafts entered should be factors in free agency.

Someone like Tom Stewart will probably never reach free agency in a meaningful sense. By the time his 8 years are up he'll be 31. If he's a top 25% player then he won't get UFA status until he is 33. He's 27 this year which will be his 4th season in the comp. I'd have no issue with someone like him becoming a free agent after 4 or 5 seasons at age 27/28. I know he played with Matthew Scarlett then in the VFL, don't know if he nominated for the draft at 18/19.

Tim Kelly is a year younger and famously passed over in multiple drafts. He also can't be a free agent until he is 31. Following the normal path he would have been drafted in 2012 and this would be his 8th season on a list and he would be eligible for free agency. I don't think 3 years service (traded anyway) is enough to justify free agency at age 26, but again I think 4-5 would be a fair discount given age.

 

[adammania9]

It’s all about years of service. If Tommy wanted to be a free agent at 26, it’s his fault for not being good enough to get drafted at that age.

 

[Scotland]

Geelong put nothing into Tom Stewart before the age of 23/24, though. It's not like they used a top 5 pick then invested a few years of development in him before getting any return. The 8 year thing has a lot to do with the age players are drafted. I'm not saying someone like Tom Stewart immediately gets free agency at the same time as Stephen Coniglio because they are the same age, just that lowering the criteria a bit isn't a terrible idea.

It's way easier to become a free agent in American sports because the status quo isn't drafting 17/18 year olds and doing their development on the fly. Steph Curry was taken in the 2009 draft, the year he turned 21. What's the point of opening up free agency 8 years after that?

This is the unpopular opinions thread after all.

 

[flamingEMBERS]

Age/number of drafts entered should be factors in free agency.

Someone like Tom Stewart will probably never reach free agency in a meaningful sense. By the time his 8 years are up he'll be 31. If he's a top 25% player then he won't get UFA status until he is 33. He's 27 this year which will be his 4th season in the comp. I'd have no issue with someone like him becoming a free agent after 4 or 5 seasons at age 27/28. I know he played with Matthew Scarlett then in the VFL, don't know if he nominated for the draft at 18/19.

Tim Kelly is a year younger and famously passed over in multiple drafts. He also can't be a free agent until he is 31. Following the normal path he would have been drafted in 2012 and this would be his 8th season on a list and he would be eligible for free agency. I don't think 3 years service (traded anyway) is enough to justify free agency at age 26, but again I think 4-5 would be a fair discount given age.

Completely agree with this and have bought this up before with friends. It definitely should be aged based. Players get one chance really to earn a top dollar contract, generally between 23-25 and they should be in complete control of where they can make there maximum return.

 

[Blackhawk42]

1. Banning people over a certain age.

2. Allowing in less spectators and spreading them around stadiums.

3. Not overreacting and letting people mske their own decisions.



Things that should happen before 'empty arena matches'.

 

[Purple Suit]

1. Banning people over a certain age.

2. Allowing in less spectators and spreading them around stadiums.

3. Not overreacting and letting people mske their own decisions.



Things that should happen before 'empty arena matches'.

It won't be the AFL's decision. If we go into lock-down, they will probably have a people cap on gatherings so there will be a bit of access but probably just go to clubs, sponsors and broadcast people.