Analysis 2017 = Weak year?

[Jedi Tiger]

Seeing this line get trotted out a lot on here, can anyone offer some justification behind it?

Equalisation has seen the talent spread far more evenly in the competition, meaning almost no games have been sure things, upsets aplenty, no seemingly bulletproof sides (ala Hawthorn of recent times), and unpredictable, nightmare tipping.

Good for footy? Weak or even? Discuss.

 

[Luv_our_club]

Is has been a weak year since the expansion teams apparently and all premiers since then have been "assisted".

 

[BotsMaster]

Is has been a weak year since the expansion teams apparently and all premiers since then have been "assisted".

You're not wrong

 

[Deathly]

Only been 2 stand-out sides from start to finish of 2017 compared to 4-5 in previous seasons. If I'm being honest I'm keen for Hawthorn to comeback next year so we can watch some more quality football again. Bulldogs to regain key players - maybe Brisbane will enter the hyperbolic time chamber this off-season. Good thing they're all resetting in a write off year.

 

[radiojake]

Adelaide are up and about

97 & 98 were 'weak seasons' too

 

[Scorpus]

I think the general skill level and 'quality' among the top clubs is weaker since Hawthorn fell away, the Bulldogs decided to relax, and both GWS and West Coast went backwards. There haven't been as many skilled clubs to push up and replace these teams.

At the same time, some of the upper teams sliding backwards has made a much more even middle of the ladder, which has led to closer and more exciting games.

 

[threesixpio]

Wait until the grand final. It might be a cracker where two decent teams push each other to super quality.




[As long as it's not Swans, Cats or Bombers]

 

[Luv_our_club]

At the start of 2011 Collingwood looked better than their 2010 side, but then they faded badly in the second half. I think this meant little competition for the Cat's in 2011.

Whereas this year a lot of the top 8 teams are running into the finals in good form. Therefore arguably a strong year.

 

[E Shed]

Weaker year is mostly bandied about by supporters of clubs whose teams weren't good enough to make the finals.
As if this years premiership won't be as significant. No premiership is allowed to be meritorious anymore.
It must be tainted by father/son selections/tanking/umpires/drugs etc.
Or in this case; weak competition.
BigFooty 101.

 

[1990crow]

I wonder how Adelaide or Richmond could be seen as having gotten advantages this year.

 

[Scotland]

If we're in the finals with what we served up over 23 rounds then it's a pretty weak year.

 

[HeavyPop]

Crows finished top this year with 15 wins, same amount that the 7th placed Bulldogs had in 2016. Crows won more games last year and finished 5th. 15 wins is also the lowest amount of wins for a minor premier since 1997.

Is it a weak year or an even year?

 

[TiggerMan22]

You say that but look at a few of the past years grand finals. One sided with only one team looking like they belong there.

 

[VictorianCrow85]

Is it weak because there's no stand out or is it strong because it's more equal and therefore getting away from the pack is more difficult? It's a pointless debate and mostly just a subtle way for people to troll the teams still in the mix.

 

[i am a logo]

This year has pretty much been the 2010s equivalent of 2005, which was also considered a "weak" year, but also one of the more unexpected and changeful ones. The falls of Hawthorn, the Western Bulldogs and to a lesser extent Sydney parallel the falls of the Brisbane Lions and Port Adelaide in 2005, while the rise of Adelaide and Richmond are like equivalent to the Swans or Eagles that year.

 

[TiggerMan22]

Crows finished top this year with 15 wins, same amount that the 7th placed Bulldogs had in 2016. Crows won more games last year and finished 5th. 15 wins is also the lowest amount of wins for a minor premier since 1997.

Is it a weak year or an even year?

That means its an even year. No champion teams, but the middle teams better than normal.

 

[Scotland]

We won 17 games in 2011 and finished 4th. Hawthorn were a game and 15% clear in 3rd, with Geelong another win and 10% clear of them and Collingwood a game and 10% clear of them.

There was a fair margin in quality from the top 3 to us, too. Any of those 2011 sides would walk in this year.

 

[officialjc]

i wouldn't say last year was an overly strong year either.

 

[adammania9]

Look at the lists of retirees in the last couple of years, and look at the young talents coming up - it's a transition period for footy which is what I see happened last from 2005-2007. Top teams aren't dominant and the bottom teams aren't pathetic. It's just the wheels in motion for the beginning of another era of football. Sure the expansion teams changed a lot but this period of weaker and more equalised footy would be happening either way.

 

[Bazza97]

Regardless of whether some consider this to be a "weak year", I think it's great that the gap between the top teams and the bottom teams has been narrowed this season.

 

[Jables]

Weaker year is mostly bandied about by supporters of clubs whose teams weren't good enough to make the finals.
As if this years premiership won't be as significant. No premiership is allowed to be meritorious anymore.
It must be tainted by father/son selections/tanking/umpires/drugs etc.
Or in this case; weak competition.
BigFooty 101.

I mean that sounds nice and all, but do you honestly think the Fremantle, Collingwood, Geelong, Sydney, Hawthorn teams of roughly 5 years ago wouldn't absolutely stomp this season?

Bigfooty fans are bitter every year, there'll always be some who argue the premiers were 'lucky'. But let's be real, weak years of footy definitely exist. The skills in games between top 4 members this year have been relatively subpar.
That doesn't invalidate the achievements of whoever wins this year, it wouldn't be their fault no one else could beat them, like the Bulldogs last year.

 

[quotemokc]

Hard to say, it is definitely a more equal year but the quality seems to have dropped a bit.

But I suppose when teams are closer together you get a more even, tougher and sloppier contest.

 

[E Shed]

I mean that sounds nice and all, but do you honestly think the Fremantle, Collingwood, Geelong, Sydney, Hawthorn teams of roughly 5 years ago wouldn't absolutely stomp this season?

Bigfooty fans are bitter every year, there'll always be some who argue the premiers were 'lucky'. But let's be real, weak years of footy definitely exist. The skills in games between top 4 members this year have been relatively subpar.
That doesn't invalidate the achievements of whoever wins this year, it wouldn't be their fault no one else could beat them, like the Bulldogs last year.

yes can't disagree with any of that. Plenty of our fans have lamented the best team we ever put on the park had to come up against the Hawks of that period in the grannie.

 

[jesterwester]

I don't think it's necessarily been a week year- it's been a very good year of footy and for the most part the quality has been there. It just has lacked a real standout premiership favourite. But I don't think that has been the case since maybe 2014/15, the comp is considerably more even.

I think it's just a case that lots of sides are equal talent wise, which means that being off mentally can mean you get rolled by anyone. How often in previous years is the final 8 only decided in the final moments?

Any one of WC, WB, Demons, saints (heck, even the hawks) could have made 8th and been a really good shot of making at least a semi final.

 

[Glenno23]

Everyone justifies why the team that wins each year doesn't deserve it

COLA
Umpires gave them a ride
Tanked
etc

But who cares. If they win, they win. Geez i hope people are bitching about it being a weak season, or that we didn't deserve it if we actually win. Cos frankly, i wouldn't be giving 2 hoots! And i wouldn't expect supporters of other teams to give 2 hoots either if they got up and won this year