No Opposition Supporters 2018 General AFL Discussion

caesar88

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I think the game just revolves around pressure and team defence too much now days, and why not when you consider it won the last two premiers their flags. It’s the way to give your team the best chance at a win, so of course the coaches will continue playing like that. Nothing the AFL can do about that.

I also reckon the quality of players has gone down hill though. A little over a decade ago you had genuinely great players like Ricciuto and Buckley and Judd and Goodes and Cox and Hird and Lloyd and McCleod and Voss and Harvey... I wouldn’t put anyone from the last decade in with those blokes besides Buddy and GAJ.
 

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BloodySwan

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I think the game just revolves around pressure and team defence too much now days, and why not when you consider it won the last two premiers their flags. It’s the way to give your team the best chance at a win, so of course the coaches will continue playing like that. Nothing the AFL can do about that.

I also reckon the quality of players has gone down hill though. A little over a decade ago you had genuinely great players like Ricciuto and Buckley and Judd and Goodes and Cox and Hird and Lloyd and McCleod and Voss and Harvey... I wouldn’t put anyone from the last decade in with those blokes besides Buddy and GAJ.
Don't listen to the hype. The game is more skillful now than it ever has been, but you also have to be as hard as nails and fitter than before.

Those blokes you mentioned also had some pretty down years, Goodes spent a whole season in the backs because he screwed up his knees. Judd spent much of his time injured in his last 5yrs (was why he changed the way he played).

If we're comparing to blokes to Roo, Cox, Hird I think the likes of Dusty & Gawn deserve to be put into the same breath. Just dont base them off of their career before they're even half way there. Those blokes still have a long way to go and forge their own moments (ignoring Dusty's amazing season for last year. Practically carried the Tiges)
 

Donza

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I think in the "old days" the good teams were gooderer and the shit teams were shittier
Man back in the 90's some of the sides were so so inept . While the top sides were virtually unbeatable.
The spread seems more even now
 

caesar88

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Don't listen to the hype. The game is more skillful now than it ever has been, but you also have to be as hard as nails and fitter than before.

Those blokes you mentioned also had some pretty down years, Goodes spent a whole season in the backs because he screwed up his knees. Judd spent much of his time injured in his last 5yrs (was why he changed the way he played).

If we're comparing to blokes to Roo, Cox, Hird I think the likes of Dusty & Gawn deserve to be put into the same breath. Just dont base them off of their career before they're even half way there. Those blokes still have a long way to go and forge their own moments (ignoring Dusty's amazing season for last year. Practically carried the Tiges)
Hmmm I guess so. But I feel like even now some of the "top 10" players in the comp and I watch them and think... over-rated. Growing up my grandpa would tell me Ricciuto, Bucks etc were the best players, then I'd watch them and go yep, they were head and shoulders above their peers. Now days... Dangerfield? Selwood? Fyfe? I just don't see it really. I suppose it's perspective really
 

BloodySwan

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Hmmm I guess so. But I feel like even now some of the "top 10" players in the comp and I watch them and think... over-rated. Growing up my grandpa would tell me Ricciuto, Bucks etc were the best players, then I'd watch them and go yep, they were head and shoulders above their peers. Now days... Dangerfield? Selwood? Fyfe? I just don't see it really. I suppose it's perspective really
I love watching Danger and I'd put him on the same level as Voss. The problem I have is the journos these days as so keen to pump up a kid before they're any good so it's easy to think they'res no one good.

The best players going around these days IMO are:
Buddy, Danger, Titchell, Martin, Rance, Gawn
 

caesar88

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I love watching Danger and I'd put him on the same level as Voss. The problem I have is the journos these days as so keen to pump up a kid before they're any good so it's easy to think they'res no one good.

The best players going around these days IMO are:
Buddy, Danger, Titchell, Martin, Rance, Gawn
Disagree about Rance but reckon you've got it summed up pretty well. I'd also have Pendles and Laird in there
 

Number37

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It's Buddy -> daylight -> Danger/Martin -> Titch in my opinion. Hard to place Gawn & Rance because they play different roles but he has to be in the top players of the league
Mitchell is the most overrated footballer of the modern era.
Buddy, Danger, Martin, Rance, Gawn all influence games. Mitchell does not.
 

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Punts

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He doesn’t influence games with his numbers

The coaches who vote for him must be paid to or know nothing about the game as he must influence games he played against them to get votes
 

TheMase

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Mitchell is the most overrated footballer of the modern era.
Buddy, Danger, Martin, Rance, Gawn all influence games. Mitchell does not.
I reckon influence games is perhaps the wrong term. He gets the ball a shitload of times so he has an influence.

However, I would also argue he isn’t anywhere near as damaging (better term) as those players, and others.

He can bring other players who are damaging into the game though, so he has a purpose in the right team for his skill set.
 

Heeney2Franklin

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I reckon influence games is perhaps the wrong term. He gets the ball a shitload of times so he has an influence.

However, I would also argue he isn’t anywhere near as damaging (better term) as those players, and others.

He can bring other players who are damaging into the game though, so he has a purpose in the right team for his skill set.
This is correct Tom Mitchell in the right team is invaluable asset, i always said Geelong should of made a big play for him him feeding the ball to Dangerfield and Selwood.
 

Number37

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That is a frankly bizzare thing to say IMHO. But each to their own.
How so?

Buddy has won flags and Colemans.
GAJ has won Brownlows + flags.
Martin ditto.

What's Mitchell done?
Got the most coaches votes up to round 5 of a H&A?
Got 50 possessions per game in a losing team?
Been the best player in a losing team?
 

Number37

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I reckon influence games is perhaps the wrong term. He gets the ball a shitload of times so he has an influence.

However, I would also argue he isn’t anywhere near as damaging (better term) as those players, and others.

He can bring other players who are damaging into the game though, so he has a purpose in the right team for his skill set.
Mitchell can win the ball, nothing wrong with that, but the truly elite players win the ball and do something something with it.
Buddy can kick goals from 70m (Port) or on a ridiculous angle out near the boundary (GWS).
Judd and GAJ and Dusty and Dangerfield win their own ball then break away from contests.

Mitchell is a bit like Dean Elgar for the South African cricket team.
 
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