Analysis 2017 = Weak year?

[The Blue Baggers]

Too many players around the ball , too many tackles , not enough scoring

Martin saved the game last night !!

 

[Captivating]

Worst first 3 finals that I can remember. All three games dominated by one team.

 

[Damon_3388]

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.

"Faded badly", by finishing top, with a massive percentage, only losing to Geelong during the season, and being one poor quarter away from winning the GF

Some of the revisionist history people trott out on here to suit particular narratives is laughable.

As for the idea that this is a "weak year", wouldn't a note even competition and more teams in flag contention actually make it a strong year from a competitive standpoint? Why does one or two teams dominating the rest make for a stronger league?

People seem to find comfort in predictability and clear hierarchies, and seem to think something is wrong if it's not there.

 

[Jedi Tiger]

Are you suggesting there is a triple premier in this years bunch (aside from GWS)?

Now that would be humorous.

This argument for 2017 being a weak year doesn't hold water. Why would one team being blatantly superior to rest of the comp make it a 'stronger' season?

 

[Schauermann]

Perhpas talent is just devided more equally so there is a no 1-2 totally dominant teams atm.

 

[Macpotata]

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.

Good thread. Was thinking about this the other day.

It's definitely evened up but I still think perhaps it's a weak year. I like years where we have at least one strong premiership fancy and then one or two more that could win it.

Swans started shit and have been the best and most in form team ever since. Hawks hit their straps but also started bad, but still finished where their form resembled.

Crows top of the ladder and were the most consistent but lost away to us and lost at home to Swans. They'll get their chance to show what they're really about in two weeks time and maybe the next week.

GWS were putrid and were possibly the worst 4th placed side I've seen.

We suck but finished second and tigers finished well, looking great now.

Anyway, it's been a weak year. An even one, but a weak one.

 

[King Brown]

How is one season weaker than the next?

Do we have worse players than usual?

 

[JackFlash]

It's been a terrible year, the finals are dreadful and we have far too many crappy teams in the competition. The flag is Richmond's to lose, they might have a chance against the Swans or Crows at the MCG. Sadly, i can't see anyone beating the Swans!

 

[HR Roughnstuf]

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.

The quality of football this year has been substandard. I don't subscribe to the theory that a close game is a 'good' game, but i do acknowledge that this year is a close year, and interesting from that perspective. This has nothing to do with my team not making the finals.

In my opinion the only team that has improved this year from last is Richmond (possibly Adelaide and Melbourne but only slightly), every other team is either around the same as last year or have gone backwards. Ladder position aside.

 

[davis_756]

Sydney need to win to make it respectable, no one else has played to a high standard.

 

[docko911]

It's actually the strongest year since the expansion teams messed up the competition.

The drafts of 2010 and 2011 were completely compromised.

2012 was also partly compromised.

You could say 2010, 2011 and 2012 were still close to full strength years as it takes draft picks a couple of years to influence results.

So it's the strongest year since 2013, but 18 and 19 will be stronger again, and then it will be back to normal.

 

[Adz]

Awful final series.
None of the top 8 would have made it in previous years.

 

[Komrade_Tiger]

The weakest in a long time.

Just check out last nights qualifying final.

BAHAHAHAHA

can we get a suicide watch on this bloke for when josh kelly re-signs with GWS?

salt. such salt at Dusty telling your pissant club to GAGF

 

[Komrade_Tiger]

Awful final series.
None of the top 8 would have made it in previous years.

and yet, your shittruck team can't even make this top 8.

in previous years you'd have won the spoon by that logic, kind of glad you didnt cos now we get 2 more years of buckley ineptitude

 

[adammania9]

Get a load of this guy

 

[Freomaniac]

According to cats fans, a weak year is any season geelong don't win the flag.

To a degree, I agree with them. 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998 were weak years in my opinion. This year is no different. Most of those weak years the top team had 16 wins and 6 losses: Not exactly the best sign of the most dominant team.

You might as well say 1995, 2000 and 2007 were weak years too as the top side got at least 20 wins and the 2nd, 3rd and 4th placed teams were weak. Carlton got 20 wins in 1995 and won the flag. Essendon were 21-1 and won the flag in 2000 and Geelong were 18-4 and destroyed their opponents in the grand final too.

 

[mcgarnacle]

weak year

another term for equal year

and id say thats what the AFL want

 

[Rotayjay]

There have been no gimme wins this year. Seems some people aren't satisfied unless the top sides win at least 17 games in the H&A season.

What an unwatchable, predictable, boring season it's been

 

[Luv_our_club]

"Faded badly", by finishing top, with a massive percentage, only losing to Geelong during the season, and being one poor quarter away from winning the GF

Some of the revisionist history people trott out on here to suit particular narratives is laughable.

Is it revisionist if it was my opinion during 2011? No, it's just wrong then, in your opinion.

 

[Heisenberg_]

It's been a terrible year, the finals are dreadful and we have far too many crappy teams in the competition. The flag is Richmond's to lose, they might have a chance against the Swans or Crows at the MCG. Sadly, i can't see anyone beating the Swans!

That makes no sense, the flag is Richmonds to lose but you can't see anybody beating Sydney.

 

[Heisenberg_]

weak year

another term for equal year

and id say thats what the AFL want

Way more interesting then one team running away with it. Seems to be only fans of teams who are nowhere near it that disagree.
Must just be a coincidence...

 

[Falkon]

The 2013 Freo and Hawks squads would destroy the current top 4 no worries.

 

[Captain Morgan]

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

Exactly right. How could one measure a weak versus a strong year anyway ? It's not a metric that would apply to the whole comp. Weak is a relative term.

 

[Damon_3388]

Is it revisionist if it was my opinion during 2011? No, it's just wrong then, in your opinion.

I think it's just wrong based on the exposed form and results seen that season, but OK.

 

[MightyTiger]

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.

Ok so the top 4 were standouts, what about the rest of the competition? Most years the bottom 4 are absolute fodder, this year's bottom 4 was as strong as it's ever been with the bottom 4 winning games against higher places teams.