Preserving the Past

[Rob]

I think there is a bit of miscommunication here, that last thing that you said is what I'm advocating for anyway (to a certain degree). The current main problem with the VFL is thats its suffering from relevance deprivation, I mean really, what is the point of the VFL, at least with this league it would revert old rules back and restrict the coaches, and hope for an older style of game play, and market it as that. It would have a point so to say, the VFL lives off something it used to be.

Old rules? Like what, bring back the biff?

The VFL was popular in Victoria because it was the best league in Victoria. The SANFL and WAFL were popular for similar reasons.

When the AFL became the best league in Victoria (and WA and SA), the appetite for regional state footy completely evaporated. No amount of rule changes is going to reverse that.

 

[Roaming Lou]

Old rules? Like what, bring back the biff?

The VFL was popular in Victoria because it was the best league in Victoria. The SANFL and WAFL were popular for similar reasons.

When the AFL became the best league in Victoria (and WA and SA), the appetite for regional state footy completely evaporated. No amount of rule changes is going to reverse that.

Hmm, but you will find that many of the people around from that time are getting nostalgic, and local footy is certainly not dead, I can tell you that. Many older people would tune into see it and not just older people, it would work its way down. Why is the AFLW a "success", its because it has a point.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

Hmm, but you will find that many of the people around from that time are getting nostalgic, and local footy is certainly not dead, I can tell you that. Many older people would tune into see it and not just older people, it would work its way down. Why is the AFLW a "success", its because it has a point.

this is what we have all been trying to tell you, your notion has no point of relevance

for elite, you still go to the afl

for community, you still go to your geographically local club

for sentiment, its gone. kids teams play with a zone defence now, rotations are managed, and training techniques are copied from elite clubs. the old days of biff, staying in your spot on the ground, and everyone being man on man are gone

even if you constructed what you want, they wouldn't play like they do in 1973. it would be more like Balwyn vs Heidelberg, but in Richmond and Collingwood jumpers. and everyone would know it, which is why there would be no buy in. Pies fanatics would prefer to follow the elite in the AFL or the future in the VFL (not a poor facsimilie). Local footy fans will actually follow Heidelberg, a team that is genuinely local, and not an $80m club trying to pretend it is.

I get your perspective, but what you want is a time machine.

 

[Roaming Lou]

this is what we have all been trying to tell you, your notion has no point of relevance

for elite, you still go to the afl

for community, you still go to your geographically local club

for sentiment, its gone. kids teams play with a zone defence now, rotations are managed, and training techniques are copied from elite clubs. the old days of biff, staying in your spot on the ground, and everyone being man on man are gone

even if you constructed what you want, they wouldn't play like they do in 1973. it would be more like Balwyn vs Heidelberg, but in Richmond and Collingwood jumpers. and everyone would know it, which is why there would be no buy in. Pies fanatics would prefer to follow the elite in the AFL or the future in the VFL (not a poor facsimilie). Local footy fans will actually follow Heidelberg, a team that is genuinely local, and not an $80m club trying to pretend it is.

I get your perspective, but what you want is a time machine.

Yeah, I've always known this, its just I'd like to see it, but only under extreme circumstances can it happen.
At my club we play biff, and surprisingly it works. But anyway yes I know this can't happen (I'm not that stupid), I really just want to see a discussion on if people would like to see it.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

Yeah, I've always known this, its just I'd like to see it, but only under extreme circumstances can it happen.
At my club we play biff, and surprisingly it works. But anyway yes I know this can't happen (I'm not that stupid), I really just want to see a discussion on if people would like to see it.

Biff has zero chance of returning

The issues around concussion will have big implications for our game at all levels. The in play stuff will be under pressure to survive, so the sniping and off play has no chance

 

[Roaming Lou]

Biff has zero chance of returning

The issues around concussion will have big implications for our game at all levels. The in play stuff will be under pressure to survive, so the sniping and off play has no chance

Yeah, I know. As much as I like this idea, I know it has no chance. I have been playing dumb for the time as at least it inspires a conversation. I just hope the game itself can evolve to at least be a little more exciting.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

Yeah, I know. As much as I like this idea, I know it has no chance. I have been playing dumb for the time as at least it inspires a conversation. I just hope the game itself can evolve to at least be a little more exciting.

You're hardly Robinson Crusoe on this one.

All football sports are facing this issue for different reasons, but the impact ones will struggle the most. Just as you struggle with how the game has changed under rotations and zones, the next gen will be dealing with the consequences of this

 

[Roaming Lou]

You're hardly Robinson Crusoe on this one.

All football sports are facing this issue for different reasons, but the impact ones will struggle the most. Just as you struggle with how the game has changed under rotations and zones, the next gen will be dealing with the consequences of this

Yeah, many find it sad, I put up with it, but still long for the days that are gone.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

Yeah, many find it sad, I put up with it, but still long for the days that are gone.

One thing to remember, in the days of Biff the players were not full time.

Most ex players I've spoken to from the 70s who still are around AFL clubs say players now are stronger, harder, faster, and capable of more damage than they were - it's just that they dont.

We see the high impacts when the players use their speed and core strength with a bump. Imagine if the likes of Hawkins threw a fair dinkum punch

 

[Roaming Lou]

One thing to remember, in the days of Biff the players were not full time.

Most ex players I've spoken to from the 70s who still are around AFL clubs say players now are stronger, harder, faster, and capable of more damage than they were - it's just that they dont.

We see the high impacts when the players use their speed and core strength with a bump. Imagine if the likes of Hawkins threw a fair dinkum punch

Yeah anyone who doesn't acknowledge the athleticism is downright dumb, but the whole punching thing is an image that the elite AFL does not want to convey anymore. Remember the whole jumper punching thing, was it 2 years ago?

 

[jatz14]

Yeah, I know. As much as I like this idea, I know it has no chance. I have been playing dumb for the time as at least it inspires a conversation. I just hope the game itself can evolve to at least be a little more exciting.

Unfortunately, the laws of evolution say it will evolve to win above anything else. Some of the winning styles may be exciting, but that's just luck.

Sent from my XT1068 using Tapatalk

 

[Roaming Lou]

Unfortunately, the laws of evolution say it will evolve to win above anything else. Some of the winning styles may be exciting, but that's just luck.

Sent from my XT1068 using Tapatalk

Richmond's game can be really fun to watch at times, its sad the game will never be what it once was but at least we have the old tapes.