Opinion After all this is over.

[76woodenspooners]

In that case, I may have to find something else to do with my life.

Out of interest, what in that list turns you off?

IMO the main driver of change in the AFL will be tough economic times. And in tough economic times, IMO more people will be drawn to spectator sport like AFL to take their worries away ...

... but that won’t necessarily translate to more money or more spending in the AFL. IMO it’ll provide a cover to introduce change ...

... a defense against the many of us old fogies who wring our hands and yell at the clouds that changing the game we love is tantamount to stealing our cherished childhood memories of McHale sliding around the mudpit of Victoria Park.

What will drive change?

Like bushfires burning through the dead wood and creating fertilizer for life, all organisations benefit from change. The AFL has gown unabated from its inception. Heck, it wasn’t so long ago that the off field football department had a head count of 1.

Some responsible senior manager at the top of the AFL will hack and slash for the benefit of the game’s longevity, and we’ll duly hate them for it.

 

[76woodenspooners]

- 32 on the list - AFLPA WILL DECIDE THAT

Hmmm, so the AFL will make a decision on reducing the salary cap (with compelling reasons) and it’ll be the AFLPA who’ll decide whether that means the players will get paid less, or if there’ll be fewer players?

Fair enough.

Given the AFLPA’a constituents are current players (not future players) they’ll no doubt favour reducing player numbers over time.

- Next Full broadcasting rights to be purchased by a Netflix type streaming type service JUST NOT HUTCHY

My guess is that it’ll be an international.

 

[loki04]

One side playing the bottom side twice wile another plays them once, but plays the top side twice is not fair in any way.

The 22 game season is hopelessly compromised, doesn't happen in any other major sporting code in the world.

If another 5 weeks without football is too hard to handle, you need to find something else to do.

Yes and they have added a way in which to help mitigate that barring a team falling off or another rising unexpectedly.

Double up games are mostly done off the previous years ladder, so Good teams aren't getting free wins vs crap and having to earn them. Also means the back half of the year has more even match ups lower sides vs typically lower sides and mid ranked vs mid ranked etc.

Sorry mate if I love my footy and don't want to see it watered down to a minimalists game short quarters and short season yeah sounds awesome. Great BBQ weather in spring sunny days with the mates around for finals bevvies yeah sounds farken horrible.

Imagine the GF in early august! How shits that.

 

[loki04]

My guess within 5 years

- 16 on the field - LESS CONGESTION - MAYBE
- shortened quarters here to stay - FIT THE BROADCAST INTO 2 HOURS - TICK
- extended travel here to stay (Eg: Vic teams staying in WA for a full week to play WCE and Freo) TWO AT A TIME - TICK
- 32 on the list - AFLPA WILL DECIDE THAT
- end of Cat B rookie program - TICK
- massive cut to football dept spending - TICK
- extended period of successful teams staying successful, and unsuccessful teams staying on the bottom - SAME AS LAST DECADE
- it’ll remain 18 teams, but an existing team moving to Hobart. - DO NOT DISCOUNT DARWIN TOO
- despite contraction of $$$ in the men’s game, AFLW to be expanded to include full 18 teams, and regular season. WHAT TIME OF YEAR THOUGH ?
- women’s games to be played as curtain raiser to men’s games - I DOUBT IT
- revolution in broadcasting (IMO the old school commentary will be gone ... fewer old boys and more commentary specialists) WELCOME
- Next Full broadcasting rights to be purchased by a Netflix type streaming type service JUST NOT HUTCHY

Are ticks you agreeing you think they will come in or what you want to see come in?

Shorten quarters is horrible, feels like the games over before it begins.

 

[mwhop]

AGREED:
- revolution in broadcasting (IMO the old school commentary will be gone ... fewer old boys and more commentary specialists) WELCOME

My guess within 5 years

- 16 on the field - LESS CONGESTION - MAYBE
- shortened quarters here to stay - FIT THE BROADCAST INTO 2 HOURS - TICK
- extended travel here to stay (Eg: Vic teams staying in WA for a full week to play WCE and Freo) TWO AT A TIME - TICK
- 32 on the list - AFLPA WILL DECIDE THAT
- end of Cat B rookie program - TICK
- massive cut to football dept spending - TICK
- extended period of successful teams staying successful, and unsuccessful teams staying on the bottom - SAME AS LAST DECADE
- it’ll remain 18 teams, but an existing team moving to Hobart. - DO NOT DISCOUNT DARWIN TOO
- despite contraction of $$$ in the men’s game, AFLW to be expanded to include full 18 teams, and regular season. WHAT TIME OF YEAR THOUGH ?
- women’s games to be played as curtain raiser to men’s games - I DOUBT IT
- revolution in broadcasting (IMO the old school commentary will be gone ... fewer old boys and more commentary specialists) WELCOME
- Next Full broadcasting rights to be purchased by a Netflix type streaming type service JUST NOT HUTCHY

 

[covid19]

try hurling - the game, not the result of too much grog.

Actually looks an exciting game from the video. Must be a soft ball to allow catching and avoid damage to players from heavily struck hits.

 

[covid19]

Out of interest, what in that list turns you off?

16 a side, shortened quarters, shortened lists with no VFL, loss of free to air coverage, extended period of successful teams staying successful, and unsuccessful teams staying on the bottom, loss of dollars to men's teams with extra money going to women's teams - just about everything you listed.

 

[sideswipe]

... a defense against the many of us old fogies who wring our hands and yell at the clouds that changing the game we love is tantamount to stealing our cherished childhood memories of McHale sliding around the mudpit of Victoria Park.

Geez 76, what are you, about 110 years old? Not sure old Jock did too much sliding around VP past the 1930s!?

 

[JB1975]

My guess within 5 years

- 16 on the field
- shortened quarters here to stay
- extended travel here to stay (Eg: Vic teams staying in WA for a full week to play WCE and Freo)
- 32 on the list
- end of Cat B rookie program
- massive cut to football dept spending
- extended period of successful teams staying successful, and unsuccessful teams staying on the bottom
- it’ll remain 18 teams, but an existing team moving to Hobart.
- despite contraction of $$$ in the men’s game, AFLW to be expanded to include full 18 teams, and regular season.
- women’s games to be played as curtain raiser to men’s games
- revolution in broadcasting (IMO the old school commentary will be gone ... fewer old boys and more commentary specialists)
- Next Full broadcasting rights to be purchased by a Netflix type streaming service

Enjoy your posts, 76...hope you do more of it around here.

Most of the possible changes you've outlined are agreeable to me. I'd love to see the AFLW expanded, its lists more settled.

Defensive structures are too strong relative to offensive play, so I have a hope that 16 on the field will help that. But I'm not a fan of shortened quarters for the same reason: they allow defensive structures to stay in place for a greater portion of game time.

I'd love specialist commentators. I watch footy on TV with the sound muted, which loses the crowd, but this is the lesser of two evils. Not so sure a pool of such commentating talent exists, though.

 

[OniAu]

16 a side, shortened quarters, shortened lists with no VFL, loss of free to air coverage, extended period of successful teams staying successful, and unsuccessful teams staying on the bottom, loss of dollars to men's teams with extra money going to women's teams - just about everything you listed.

Cant agree more with disagreeing with majority of that list.

Footy has been played for years and years. Why is it necessary now for us to go to 16 a side, was it ever 16 a side? Not a fan, its changing something major in how the game is played. The thing that lurks in the back of my mind was seeing AFLX and how its played . Absolute bore to watch and a non spectacle.

No free to air coverage will do the game more harm than good

Shortened lists and no vfl , we should be going the other way and having a full reserves team or youth team

extended period of successful teams staying sucessful and vice versa - i cant see this happening, resurgence of saints,lions and GC this year has been fantastic

I do think AFLW is something that needs to be supported by the mens game, will it ever be as watched as the mens? probably not , i still think it should be persevered with. They have done it reasonably well so far, i do like the idea of womens being curtain raisers to the mens. This will give more exposure and do more good than bad.

 

[76woodenspooners]

Cant agree more with disagreeing with majority of that list.

The OP was asking about what we think will happen ...

... which is a different question to what we want to have happen

 

[covid19]

The OP was asking about what we think will happen ...

... which is a different question to what we want to have happen

I think he is just answering the same question you asked me - what in that list turns you off. Don't think either of us thought we were responding to your opinion of what should happen.

 

[bunter]

Too many teams in Melbourne. Less teams, play each other twice.
if these COVID restrictions stretch on to next year, there will be clubs in financial strife.

 

[covid19]

Too many teams in Melbourne. Less teams, play each other twice.
if these COVID restrictions stretch on to next year, there will be clubs in financial strife.

If the restrictions stretch on to next year or anywhere near it, the clubs won't be the only entities in financial strife. Not sure that I will particularly care about football if this country prolongs restrictions while the rest of the world gets on with life. I doubt that Foxtel or even free to air TV is available in the after life.

 

[Didak_attack]

- Next Full broadcasting rights to be purchased by a Netflix type streaming service

Does the anti-siphoning law apply to AFL in any capacity?

At an absolute bare minimum id presume the grandfinal would, but it wouldn't shock me if there was a minimum amount of games that need to be on FTA?

Regardless id be SHOCKED if the afl went full streaming (especially in the short-mid term, they at most would ease into it as the technology shift could cripple view numbers.)

In addition streaming implies potential viewers would need a paid subscription to watch. Meaning members pay on top of a membership, casual fans would no longer randomly tune in and so on. Only way coverage goes full streaming anytime soon, if the siphoning laws aren't applicable there was X amount of free games (with advertisements) to try maintain the casual base.

 

[vjknight]

Actually looks an exciting game from the video. Must be a soft ball to allow catching and avoid damage to players from heavily struck hits.

cant hit a soft ball 100m

IMO the greatest game there is. SBS covered it in the mid-late 80s and then it vanished. Hit it, kick it, throw it, run with it, tap it with your stick, shirtfront blokes.....what else do you want.

 

[76woodenspooners]

At an absolute bare minimum id presume the grandfinal would, but it wouldn't shock me if there was a minimum amount of games that need to be on FTA?

It might not be FTA, but it could still be free streaming?

FTA is a much inferior advertising platform to streaming. (Eg: On FTA men get tampon ads, vegans get lamb ads, Tesla drivers get a Toyota Carola ads). Streaming can tailor ads to viewers. It’s the current advertising revolution. It’s inevitable that there will come a day where FTA just won’t be able to complete.

Regardless id be SHOCKED if the afl went full streaming (especially in the short-mid term, they at most would ease into it as the technology shift could cripple view numbers.)

TBH, I forget that FTA is even a thing ... I haven’t owned a TV in 20 years. Of course I’m in the minority, but even so, I’d imagine that it’s inevitable that all new TV’s are internet connected (if it isn’t that way already)

In addition streaming implies potential viewers would need a paid subscription to watch.

Not necessarily. (Eg: YouTube)

 

[ppoiter]

One side playing the bottom side twice wile another plays them once, but plays the top side twice is not fair in any way.

The 22 game season is hopelessly compromised, doesn't happen in any other major sporting code in the world.

If another 5 weeks without football is too hard to handle, you need to find something else to do.

It seems so obvious to me that a shorter season would be a more engaging ‘product’ overall. No more uneven fixtures (how could you possibly argue that differences in double up teams don’t affect ladder position) and far fewer meaningless games. Could also make up some of the difference by adding a few state of origin rounds

 

[loki04]

cant hit a soft ball 100m

IMO the greatest game there is. SBS covered it in the mid-late 80s and then it vanished. Hit it, kick it, throw it, run with it, tap it with your stick, shirtfront blokes.....what else do you want.

AFL to revert to late 90s and early 00s rules would be nice. None of this watered down less physical version of the game we have now. They have all but killed the bump, now the tackle also has to be gentle.

If they are that concerned with cte which very few afl players have proven to have then they need to introduce a waiver or people dont play. Im not talking about deliberate high hits here but incidental high contact due to a perfectly legitimate bump or shirt front.
Doc Tackle rule also gone too far.

 

[Baird]

Surely the shorter quarters won't be permanent? It's an awful idea

 

[Finn Jim]

Actually looks an exciting game from the video. Must be a soft ball to allow catching and avoid damage to players from heavily struck hits.

Softer and lighter than a cricket ball for example, perhaps I'd describe it as a tennis ball that someone filled to make a bit firmer. Hurling is amazing, but it frustrates me that either the posts are too wide or a goal is not valuable enough. Teams snap for "over the bar" one point, as soon as they are clear and rarely attempt a goal (3 points) because of how much more difficult it is.

• Floating the day of the match has merit. Eg. schedule the round, the match ups and venues, but whether the teams play on Friday or Sunday can determined closer to the match.

The American NFL does this to perfection, they call it the "flex". All the matches are scheduled before the season; matchup and ground. After week 10 or so of the 17 week season, if a given matchup has more intrigue (finals implications) than the tentatively scheduled fixture, the two games swap: good game to prime time, bad game to daytime. The caveat being the NFL usually has 1 game Thursday, 10-14 on Sunday, and 1 on Monday, and only the Sunday games are eligible to be flexed. It gives surprise breakout teams a way to play their way into better timeslots.

 

[mapguy]

One side playing the bottom side twice wile another plays them once, but plays the top side twice is not fair in any way.

The 22 game season is hopelessly compromised, doesn't happen in any other major sporting code in the world.

I see your bet and raise you the New England Patriots and the AFC East since the turn of the century.

 

[Doc1763]

I see your bet and raise you the New England Patriots and the AFC East since the turn of the century.

I'm not convinced Gridiron is actually a sport

 

[Black_White]

I'm not convinced Gridiron is actually a sport

A 60 minute game that takes four hours?
You may be into something.
Like golf, it looks like a pastime.

 

[vjknight]

A 60 minute game that takes four hours?
You may be into something.
Like golf, it looks like a pastime.

60 minutes is being generous, given they stand around running down the clock for most of it.