Opinion Is this the worst AFL season ever?

[Stan_Darsh72]

Yeah, Saints double-up, what a nightmare. Must be the first thing on every club's 'do not want list' each year.

I dunno if feel cats would rather not play us at Marvel for sometime.

 

[Mr Meow]

I seem to recall the handbaggers getting a soft run in last year and defecating the bed in another prelim. Would love to get another crack at the handbaggers again this year but don’t think we might be good enough to get the opportunity.

Please refrain from bringing your personal life onto BigFooty. Losing to the premiers isn't as embarrassing as losing to some other teams in finals.

I recall our transitional team destroying Port on their home ground and then Kenny's aeroplanes terrifying Hawthorn a week later.

Like most seasons where Geelong are about the 3rd or 4th best team, I'm not expecting a flag but it beats going through a 2019-2023 Hawthorn era of bleakness. Hopefully the equal premiership favourite Hawks from early in the season actually make it to a prelim at least in 2025. The hype machine needs to kick back into gear like the late golden run of 2024.

 

[Threadkilla]

Please refrain from bringing your personal life onto BigFooty. Losing to the premiers isn't as embarrassing as losing to some other teams in finals.

I recall our transitional team destroying Port on their home ground and then Kenny's aeroplanes terrifying Hawthorn a week later.

Like most seasons where Geelong are about the 3rd or 4th best team, I'm not expecting a flag but it beats going through a 2019-2023 Hawthorn era of bleakness. Hopefully the equal premiership favourite Hawks from early in the season actually make it to a prelim at least in 2025. The hype machine needs to kick back into gear like the late golden run of 2024.

Yeah, our 2019-23 era of bleakness was so tough to endure. If this premiership drought continues, I might have to jump ship. I can only imagine what a 44-year premiership drought must've been like.

 

[Mr Meow]

Yeah, our 2019-23 era of bleakness was so tough to endure. If this premiership drought continues, I might have to jump ship. I can only imagine what a 44-year premiership drought must've been like.

I heard someone say Hawthorn have only won a single final since 2015 the other day. It didn't sound right to me. A decade with just a single EF win sounds pretty bleak, if it were true (which I'm almost certain it isn't). All for Hinkley's team - the biggest chokers of the era - to dismantle them in a semi final. Anyway here's hoping the Hawks get back to contending soon so that you can get a big fat smile back on your face.

 

[Threadkilla]

I heard someone say Hawthorn have only won a single final since 2015 the other day. It didn't sound right to me. A decade with just a single EF win sounds pretty bleak, if it were true (which I'm almost certain it isn't). All for Hinkley's team - the biggest chokers of the era - to dismantle them in a semi final. Anyway here's hoping the Hawks get back to contending soon so that you can get a big fat smile back on your face.

Haha! Kenny still hasn't washed the choker off him since his handbagger days. Kenny couldn't coach Chris Scott to whinge and complain. They did beat us fair and square, which was a bit of an indictment.

Anyway, let's hope we run into each other in September.

 

[Mr Meow]

Haha! Kenny still hasn't washed the choker off him since his handbagger days. Kenny couldn't coach Chris Scott to whinge and complain. They did beat us fair and square, which was a bit of an indictment.

No, we won a final last year, so what you heard was incorrect. Anyway, let's hope we run into each other in September.

Carefully re-read what I said again.

We're waiting in the top 4. Your club had one job, to do the same. I fear your club's greatest relevancy to Geelong for the rest of the season is handing losses to our top 4 rivals. Go Hawks!

 

[Threadkilla]

Carefully re-read what I said again.

We're waiting in the top 4. Your club had one job, to do the same. I fear your club's greatest relevancy to Geelong for the rest of the season is handing losses to our top 4 rivals. Go Hawks!

True, sorry about that. We'll see! Go Catters!

 

[Corkintheocean]

Opinion Is this the worst AFL season ever?​

 

[TheGoatBaron]

Agreed. Worst ever season post-Covid years at least. 70% of the games have been blowouts

 

[Hobbes]

I heard someone say Hawthorn have only won a single final since 2015 the other day. It didn't sound right to me. A decade with just a single EF win sounds pretty bleak, if it were true (which I'm almost certain it isn't). All for Hinkley's team - the biggest chokers of the era - to dismantle them in a semi final. Anyway here's hoping the Hawks get back to contending soon so that you can get a big fat smile back on your face.

They have played finals in 2016 (straight-sets exit), 2018 (straight-sets exit) and 2024 (won an elimination final).

 

[Freshwater]

The season is just too long. 22 games is probably too long, then we added another, this is why it drags for teams having a bad year. Play everyone once 17 games maybe one rivalry game to make 18.
The AFL is ran by morons and the game is massive because it’s the worlds best game, despite the idiots running it.

 

[Sttew]

The season is just too long. 22 games is probably too long, then we added another, this is why it drags for teams having a bad year. Play everyone once 17 games maybe one rivalry game to make 18.
The AFL is ran by morons and the game is massive because it’s the worlds best game, despite the idiots running it.

How long have we had a 22 game season? Since 1970.

The players expect bigger $$, and there is talk of 4 or 5 less games? Sheer madness.

I reckon the solution is to either reduce the number of teams through mergers, or increase the number to 24 and divide the competition into two self contained conferences culminating in a play off by the two premier teams. Neither will happen

 

[Freshwater]

How long have we had a 22 game season? Since 1970.

The players expect bigger $$, and there is talk of 4 or 5 less games? Sheer madness.

I reckon the solution is to either reduce the number of teams through mergers, or increase the number to 24 and divide the competition into two self contained conferences culminating in a play off by the two premier teams. Neither will happen

I reckon conferences are the worst idea for Aussie rules, suits America with 50 odd teams, not here with 18 and potentially a few more. 22 games suited 12 teams in the VFL perfectly. But the demands of the game are as tough as they’ve ever been.
As for bigger money, game brings in what it brings in and divided accordingly. When those games are just once a year versus any particular opponent every game becomes more meaningful. BBL has suffered dramatically since they increased the games. There is a great old fairytale about killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. This is exactly what the AFL executive is doing, but their personal incentives built into their salaries encourage them to gourde on their own product like this. A premium content is what we are after not quantity.

 

[Sttew]

I reckon conferences are the worst idea for Aussie rules, suits America with 50 odd teams, not here with 18 and potentially a few more. 22 games suited 12 teams in the VFL perfectly. But the demands of the game are as tough as they’ve ever been.
As for bigger money, game brings in what it brings in and divided accordingly. When those games are just once a year versus any particular opponent every game becomes more meaningful. BBL has suffered dramatically since they increased the games. There is a great old fairytale about killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. This is exactly what the AFL executive is doing, but their personal incentives built into their salaries encourage them to gourde on their own product like this. A premium content is what we are after not quantity.

Fair enough, but why would we reduce the number of games played?

One problem is the the "elephant in the room", i.e., number of teams based in Melbourne. 9 out of 18 = 50%. At the moment, only 2 Melbourne teams are in the 8 (I don't include Geelong as a Melbourne team).

In the Premier League in UK there are 20 teams, and currently 7 are London based, i.e., 35%, and London has a bigger population than Melbourne. I know you can't really compare the two competitions, but when you look at the AFL ladder six of the bottom 8 teams are Melbourne based.

 

[GhostofJimJess]

I reckon conferences are the worst idea for Aussie rules, suits America with 50 odd teams, not here with 18 and potentially a few more. 22 games suited 12 teams in the VFL perfectly. But the demands of the game are as tough as they’ve ever been.
As for bigger money, game brings in what it brings in and divided accordingly. When those games are just once a year versus any particular opponent every game becomes more meaningful. BBL has suffered dramatically since they increased the games. There is a great old fairytale about killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. This is exactly what the AFL executive is doing, but their personal incentives built into their salaries encourage them to gourde on their own product like this. A premium content is what we are after not quantity.

The NFL and NHL each had conferences well before they had their current 32 clubs.

The NBA had two conferences with only 17 teams in the 70's. And even then, they were each broken into two divisions of 4/5.

The NHL had two conferences of 7 teams each, and MLB about 10/11 teams in each conference in the 70's.

Not sure where you're getting 50 teams from.

 

[VolgaBoatman]

Well, last year was one of the closest in the race to the finals with Collingwood missing out with effectively 12 wins and 2 draws, and Freo missing out with 12 wins and 1 draw, which is pretty unusual. It all came down to the last two games of the season. The final series had some pretty good games, though the GF was one-sided. North and West Coast were still rubbish of course. We had teams from QLD, NSW, VIC and SA in the finals, so 4 out of 5 states were represented, with Freo obviously bombing out in the last game of the season.

This year, probably is an outlier in terms of a lot of a lot more teams being towards the bottom, and the gap between the Top 9 and Bottom 9. However, there has still been some really close games, upsets etc. I think it's just been a bit uncompetitive from the say the last 6 weeks, prior to that it wasn't that bad.

I think this year it's been exacerbated with so many Essendon and Carlton games in marquee timeslots when they've been going really badly.

It's probably all relative anyway, my team has been winning, so it's been a good season so far. If they don't make finals and lose their last 4, then I'll probably change my mind.

 

[Freshwater]

The NFL and NHL each had conferences well before they had their current 32 clubs.

The NBA had two conferences with only 17 teams in the 70's. And even then, they were each broken into two divisions of 4/5.

The NHL had two conferences of 7 teams each, and MLB about 10/11 teams in each conference in the 70's.

Not sure where you're getting 50 teams from.

Still a crap idea when potentially everyone can and should play everyone else at least once. With a conference setup some years you wouldn’t play some teams, stupid.

 

[Freshwater]

Fair enough, but why would we reduce the number of games played?

One problem is the the "elephant in the room", i.e., number of teams based in Melbourne. 9 out of 18 = 50%. At the moment, only 2 Melbourne teams are in the 8 (I don't include Geelong as a Melbourne team).

In the Premier League in UK there are 20 teams, and currently 7 are London based, i.e., 35%, and London has a bigger population than Melbourne. I know you can't really compare the two competitions, but when you look at the AFL ladder six of the bottom 8 teams are Melbourne based.

AFL is played in one country professionally and will only ever be in one country. To reduce the size of our foundation clubs is silly thinking. The crowds for all Melbourne teams are still strong and especially strong when not going too good. These are rusted on fans, generational (up to 8 generations) support that new franchises will take 100 years to replicate. Bureaucrats like their perfect numbers with no regard for history.
Geelong too has many of its supporters in Melbourne, just as living in Geelong the trains from Geelong are packed with Bulldogs supporters for Bulldogs games.

 

[spudmaster]

(I don't include Geelong as a Melbourne team).

 

[deck]

These threads really show that humans have memories like a goldfish.

 

[Humblebob]

View attachment 2381298

Takes longer to get to Casey

 

[Grin]

freo are getting an extra home game for the next 3 seasons..plus they had a 6 week period where they didn't travel

West Coast NEVER got that sort of leg up when they were contending

A West Coast supporter having a whinge? The world is full of surprises.

 

[Mr Meow]

They have played finals in 2016 (straight-sets exit), 2018 (straight-sets exit) and 2024 (won an elimination final).

Damn, so they really only have won a single final 2016 onwards. I'll have to apologise to my friend. I wasn't having it that the mighty Hawks would go through such a dry spell!

 

[Grumpyshades]

A West Coast supporter having a whinge? The world is full of surprises.

no I'm stating facts..your fragile reaction to facts is the whinge

 

[Grin]

no I'm stating facts..your fragile reaction to facts is the whinge

Poor bugger you.
The injustice must be unbearable