Preview "Changes" ft. * Essendon vs Geelong Rd 4

[Crusty Demon]

What do you mean? The team has played two games in three months. There is nothing normal about any of this.

Exactly. And this is why so far this season i feel nothing when we've lost and nothing when we've won. It's a weird feeling in a weird season. It honestly feels like one giant preseason. Just cannot get into this season on an emotional level at all and it wouldn't bother me if we experimented a lot this season if it wasnt for Nth Melb having our 1st round pick!! We have to finish in or around the 8.

 

[00Stinger]

Surely Bennell wasn't dropped on form

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[TheCount]

Exactly. And this is why so far this season i feel nothing when we've lost and nothing when we've won. It's a weird feeling in a weird season. It honestly feels like one giant preseason. Just cannot get into this season on an emotional level at all and it wouldn't bother me if we experimented a lot this season if it wasnt for Nth Melb having our 1st round pick!! We have to finish in or around the 8.

Yeah it's definitely been that way hasn't it. The West Coast game I really didn't care, which was probably more to do with the overwhelming dread of the situation at the time ... and the alcohol I was liberally consuming.

It definitely hasn't helped that we had last weeks game postponed, so I'm hoping once we can actually build a bit of momentum it'll start to feel like a normal football season again

 

[Dory_77]

Yeah it's definitely been that way hasn't it. The West Coast game I really didn't care, which was probably more to do with the overwhelming dread of the situation at the time ... and the alcohol I was liberally consuming.

It definitely hasn't helped that we had last weeks game postponed, so I'm hoping once we can actually build a bit of momentum it'll start to feel like a normal football season again

Missing last week was weird, but even watching neutral games I can't really be bothered getting into it. The lack of atmosphere is probably part of it, maybe also the realisation that football is such an inane thing to worry about at a time like this (or ever, really).

Or maybe Topkent is right and modern footy is just dull. Although I'll never admit that to the antagonistic bastard.

 

[Bluelegs]

This year's footy has felt particularly ordinary. Even the shortened quarters don't justify how low the scores have been. I wish the AFL could just grow a pair and make some drastic rule changes. The tinkering they do every couple of years have only made things worse.

 

[saj_21]

This year's footy has felt particularly ordinary. Even the shortened quarters don't justify how low the scores have been. I wish the AFL could just grow a pair and make some drastic rule changes. The tinkering they do every couple of years have only made things worse.

I was thinking during the week what has been underestimated is the bigger beaks between goals allowing more rest. I don’t think fatiguing players can defend as Well as fresh players (but maybe that will lead to coaches parking the bus) I wouldn’t mind seeing interchanges only being allowed between goals and have an additional 5 changes per quarter that could do at anytime.

 

[Bluelegs]

I was thinking during the week what has been underestimated is the bigger beaks between goals allowing more rest. I don’t think fatiguing players can defend as Well as fresh players (but maybe that will lead to coaches parking the bus) I wouldn’t mind seeing interchanges only being allowed between goals and have an additional 5 changes per quarter that could do at anytime.

I don't mind that, I agree that higher fatigue leads to a more open game.

The other one is the 6-6-6 rule which is fine in concept but if you only apply it after goals are scored it does nothing to curtail low-scoring games. It only inhibits teams who want to setup creatively to move the ball quickly out of the middle like us in 2018.
Only way I see it making a difference is if you have 6-6-6 at every stoppage. Don't wait for teams to setup, if they infringe when the ball is thrown up free kick against. Umpires spend too much time coaching players who infringe on the rules rather than just blowing the whistle.

 

[Tulip]

Football fans absolutely love moaning about the state of the game.

How about we leave the game alone for a few years and let clubs with good coaches find ways to shape the game?

Sure, the quality has been lower. Everyone has been quarantined for three months. It's just nice to have some footy to watch, isn't it? Even if you have to suspend the disbelief that it could all stop within a day.

 

[Dory_77]

Football fans absolutely love moaning about the state of the game.

How about we leave the game alone for a few years and let clubs with good coaches find ways to shape the game?

Sure, the quality has been lower. Everyone has been quarantined for three months. It's just nice to have some footy to watch, isn't it? Even if you have to suspend the disbelief that it could all stop within a day.

This. Any rule changes will be exploited eventually by sides. 6-6-6 hasn't made much of a difference as sides try to force a stoppage after the first ball up (unless they win a decisive clearance) and then it's back to anyone anywhere. Wingers can start at the defensive end of the square too and drop back.

Short of doing zones like netball you aren't going to stop sides flooding, otherwise enforcement will be a massive pain in the arse and or disrupts play.

Leave the rules as is for a bit. Tactics and coaching will gradually evolve and we mightn't actually need changes to get higher scores or better games.

 

[Topkent]

They should get rid of the wingers and drop it to 16 a side. Will have to take away some of the congestion.

 

[Bluelegs]

Football fans absolutely love moaning about the state of the game.

How about we leave the game alone for a few years and let clubs with good coaches find ways to shape the game?

Sure, the quality has been lower. Everyone has been quarantined for three months. It's just nice to have some footy to watch, isn't it? Even if you have to suspend the disbelief that it could all stop within a day.

The game has never been left alone. It's a constant battle of the League against the coaches trying to slow the tempo and control the game. Once upon a time out of bounds on the full resulted in a throw in, infringing the man on the mark only resulted in a 15 metre penalty and walking the ball across your scoreline under no pressure resulted in a behind and a kick-in.

The coaches exploit the rules to benefit themselves at the expense of the spectacle. I don't blame them for that, it's their job. But the AFL have failed in their duty to recognise those exploitations and legislate changes to the rules curtail them.

 

[saj_21]

Football fans absolutely love moaning about the state of the game.

How about we leave the game alone for a few years and let clubs with good coaches find ways to shape the game?

Sure, the quality has been lower. Everyone has been quarantined for three months. It's just nice to have some footy to watch, isn't it? Even if you have to suspend the disbelief that it could all stop within a day.

The conversation about congestion and low scoring has been going on for years even before this disjointed season.

Coaches need to win, it easier to coach defence then it is attack. Leaving the game alone for the coaches to work it out is what has lead the game to its current state.

I’m not a bit advocate for making drastic changes I.e 16 players on the ground or increased starting points.

Reducing the interchange rotations could have a big impact without changing the game drastically. Sides only starting rotating massively around 2009.

 

[schmuttt]

I actually think the interchange cap should be unlimited and don't touch any other rules for 5 years then see how the product is.

 

[Dory_77]

The thing with cutting rotations is, we've come so far down the road of blokes running 10-15kms a game, and modern football being so structured around zones and defence, that I'm not sure the aim of making blokes more tired will make things any better to watch. Teams will prioritise fitness over skills (moreso). All levels of footy, players who are rooted will turn things into a scrap until they can get clean possession, and then slow things down.

It might work, but isn't the silver bullet people make out.

 

[saj_21]

THats the caveat on limited rotations, it may lead to more stagnant footy - players cant run up and down so the will recertifications to the terry wallace style flood

But coaches won’t risk attacking footy for the sake of the game if it means increasing the chances of losing and their job is on the line

Hinkley and PA currently the outlier on that above statement

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Surely Bennell wasn't dropped on form

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Wtf

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Harsh on Nev i would have thought.

 

[00Stinger]

Harsh on Nev i would have thought.

If Nev & Bennell were dropped on form, the match committee are taking the piss

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[Toump Ass]

If Nev & Bennell were dropped on form, the match committee are taking the piss

Against Carlton Bennell had only two less disposals than Tomlinson, except he only played 50% less game time. If he wasn't fit enough to play more than half a game then he shouldn't have been named in the first place, and dropping him afterwards is just stupid.

If any defender needs to be dropped it's JAKE LEVER. Overpaid potato who has demonstrated 1/10 of ABSOLUTELY * ALL since joining the Demons.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Just put snipers in the crowd with tranquiliser darts to pick off random players throughout the game. That'll sort congestion.

 

[dee_mac]

Random Melbourne players hopefully

Just put snipers in the crowd with tranquiliser darts to pick off random players throughout the game. That'll sort congestion.

 

[mrmonkey]

Just put snipers in the crowd with tranquiliser darts to pick off random players throughout the game. That'll sort congestion.

 

[Topkent]

Just put snipers in the crowd with tranquiliser darts to pick off random players throughout the game. That'll sort congestion.

If they were anything like the players they'd end up missing anyways

 

[Xhoquelin]

Harley can't actually tackle, and everyone in our forward 50 line was exerting a lot of effort at doing that vs the Cats.

And Langdon and Tomlinson have been two of the better performers so far.

I'm happy if he plays, happy if he doesn't. A Vanders with his feet underneath him is still pretty valuable; If Bennell is gunning for a spot it has to be Hannan's I would've thought but Mitch actually tries to tackle.

Worth taking our time with him.

Nev been well below his best for a couple of years now. Was good in state of origin and pre season but was a bit flat vs Blues. But logical change to bring him in this week for Lockhart. Probably went overboard dropping him tbf but its not like the Cats took advantage anyway Rohan was shithouse.