Conspiracy Theory Does the afl try to manufacture narratives?

Does the AFL try to manufacture narratives?

  • Yes

    Votes: 215 77.6%
  • No

    Votes: 62 22.4%

  • Total voters
    277

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estibador

purple haze
Mar 2, 2007
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As a Hawthorn fan, that is a disgraceful decision any day of the week.. let alone a prelim...

Thank you... and that's exactly the problem with umps going into games with a preconceived 'narrative' in their minds.
 
Thank you... and that's exactly the problem with umps going into games with a preconceived 'narrative' in their minds.

Im not sure i'd go as far to say there is pre-conceived narratives.... but definitely some s**t inconsistent umpiring....
 

estibador

purple haze
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Im not sure i'd go as far to say there is pre-conceived narratives.... but definitely some s**t inconsistent umpiring....

As Abasi conceded, they went into the game with a preconceived narrative that Ballantyne was a 'cockbag' who they needed to punish.
 

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As Abasi conceded, they went into the game with a preconceived narrative that Ballantyne was a 'cockbag' who they needed to punish.

Not sure Abasi is the authority on what happens in AFL games. I think as fans we see narratives but I dont necessarily think they are "constructed", they are definitely "encouraged" though.... Aka... Hawthorn v Geelong rivalry (2008-2014 era)... always got 2 games each year etc
 

Roovolution

Norm Smith Medallist
Nov 22, 2016
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We had absolute howlers paid against us during the home and away season, and yet a Richmond fan complains about it and told to shut up and that its rubbish. None of this narrative, conspiracy rubbish.

We win a flag and all of a sudden the umps have a massive influence and helped us to a win.

Did you watch the umpiring in last year's GF? It's not about Richmond or knocking your season it's about the AFL's narrative. Richmond were excellent this season but if you watched that video I posted before it got taken down (it's still up on the Crows board) there's no possible explanation for how bad and one sided that umpiring was other than the umpires were doing it deliberately. There is just no possible way that the best umpires in the AFL umpiring in the GF could be that shockingly bad. And two of them umpires the debacle last year as well and it was the same thing again.
 

Roovolution

Norm Smith Medallist
Nov 22, 2016
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Please....PLEASE....this is beyond ridiculous. You think someone is sitting up in the stands, or at home, cascading to the umpires through an earpiece when they want free kicks paid? Really?

Watch that "Free Kick Richmond" video and tell me what you think of the umpiring and whether you think they were just honest mistakes or ticky touchwood or what. Just watch it without any bias and give me your thoughts.
 
Feb 21, 2010
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I don't think anyone, let alone Richmond supporters, thought that Richmond were a chance at a flag.

When that opportunity presented itself the AFL couldn't resist the boon for them & then placed their thumb on the scales.

Much like last year with the Bulldogs.

Quite possibly the biggest load of unsubstaniated dribble I've ever read.

If ever the AFL wanted to stack the decks it would of been in 2009/10 for the Saints. Hadn't won the flag since '66 and were perennial basketcase of the VFL/AFL. How did that work out?

How about Freo in 2013? Never won a flag and would of been a great story beating the reigning premiers (as well as a cash bonanza in W.A.).

Doesn't fit the narrative so you simply ignore it. Sounds like a crackpot conspiracy theory to me.
 

My name geoff

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I knew it was coming. I mentioned it on the Adelaide board after the GWS game.
I told my Crows friends that I would bet my house that Richmond get a free within the first five seconds of the GF.

Am I a fortune teller or is it just that obvious how the AFL go about it?
 
As Abasi conceded, they went into the game with a preconceived narrative that Ballantyne was a 'cockbag' who they needed to punish.
That’s not a narrative it’s knowledge of a specific player and his antics.
 
Apr 24, 2013
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Watch that "Free Kick Richmond" video and tell me what you think of the umpiring and whether you think they were just honest mistakes or ticky touchwood or what. Just watch it without any bias and give me your thoughts.


Damning.



A similar analysis of the GWS preliminary final would be worse.
 
Jul 13, 2015
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That’s not a narrative it’s knowledge of a specific player and his antics.

No different to Lindsay Thomas.

The weird one is still paying so many frees to Selwood despite knowing he manufactures the high contact which is now specifically against the rules.

Most other players get less head high frees. He continues to rack them up.
 

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Even though Ballantyne never ran directly at the Hawthorn guy.....the Hawks guy actually ran into Ballantyne and took a dive and the umpire assumed that Ballantyne had done something when he hadn't.

Preconceived notions is a form of corruption you might find and trashes the integrity of the umpiring.

That confirms they do umpire players/teams differently but given your team directly benefited that night......I'm not surprised you defend the men of many colours.
The Hawthorn player is running away from the ball carrier looking over his shoulder and Ballantyne runs directly at him to check him.

Contact is made and the unsuspecting player goes down.

I know you’re one of the biggest crackpots on this site who thinks the AFL is out to get the non-Victorian teams, but just try, try, to understand why the umpire would pay a free kick when they see a player get felled 20 metres off the ball by a serial offender.
 

PrideOf

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They cant guarantee results, but they can certainly influence them.

Pick 37. That is what West Coast got for Selwood for what looks to be about the same sort of deal

This is the AFL in a nutshell.

They've got an Integrity Unit that avoids some topics when it feels like it, like this season when there hasn't been a peep out of them about how clubs have been talking to players for months. They've got an MRP that changes its definitions because it wants to or is pressured by the media and an umpiring setup that if it isn't borderline corrupt is ridiculously hopeless. (Which has now reached the point where supporters are expecting it.)

They hand out extra value in terms of picks (Geelong this year and last) and extra value in terms of salary cap out of thin air (to the Gold Coast).

But what shits me is when Gilligan gets up and starts crapping on about an even sporting competition. It's been years since it's been that.
 

Tibbedy

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May 26, 2017
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Always a bit suspicious of how certain things pan out in the AFL particularly in light of how the events line up with what the organisation often says and what they state they are trying to achieve.

One example was last years Bulldogs premiership. The side with the longest premiership and GF drought wins against the AFL's premier northern expansion team. Huge TV audience watched the game and were swept up in the Bulldogs fairytale.

Big Gil stated a few months down the track that the Bulldogs premiership was the greatest sporting day of his life. That's a strange comment for mine.

Fast forward 12 months and we are left with 2 possible outcomes. The longest grand final drought team vs the second longest grand final drought team (who are also overcoming personal tragedy) or the upstarts from Sydney.

Is this all just a bit too convenient?
Geelong getting pick 19 as compo for Motlop (a player they don't want anymore). Obviously they're trying to make sure Ablett gets to the Cats!
 
Watch that "Free Kick Richmond" video and tell me what you think of the umpiring and whether you think they were just honest mistakes or ticky touchwood or what. Just watch it without any bias and give me your thoughts.
I think it’s a video made by design, highlighting free kicks for one team only without any context or critical thinking.

No different to the crackpots who sit in their basement and make videos about the earth being flat with handpicked pictures they’ve found on google.

It’s not evidence of anything. It’s a constructed video to portray one side of a story, without any critical analysis or a counter point of view.
 
It’s just funny that with all the tinkering and equalizations Freo will still be passed over by Gill for a flag.
 
Don't know who moved this thread to this board but it's typical of the small minded thinking that provides cover for organisations like the AFL.

You don't think umpires & the AFL manufacture results? Fine, but at least provide some sort of justification for the bullshit that dribbles from AFL House on a weekly basis.

MRP decisions. FA compensation. Fat Andy being on the phone to Essendon as soon as he could after meeting with the ACC. Ben Counsins. The list goes on.

The AFL are either incredibly incompetent or they are corrupt. I understand people might lean on the incompetence but that isn't exactly evident in other aspects of their operations.

Regardless, surely this question is at the heart of discussing the performance of the AFL?

I guess some people want to believe the fairytales about the world they were told as a kid.
 
Mar 21, 2008
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Laughable whinge from a Crows supporter no doubt (not Plugger, I mean the video creator). Half of those are the grey decisions every team in every game gets because the umpires simply don't spot it, and there are some howlers, sure, but I'll bet that anything Adelaide got past scrutiny didn't end up in this video. The free kick count was 24-19 in Richmond's favour...not exactly a clear bias towards a team that managed 30 more contested possessions even though the overall disposals count was almost identical.

There should be a stat for flaccidity...Adelaide would have blown the top off the meter measuring that one after half time...

And if you're an umpire bagger, become an umpire...
 
Jul 28, 2012
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The AFL are not smart enough to do it in the first place, i fair dinkum don't know how Gil gets up in the morning!
Conspiracy theories? There's no arguing with someone who believes an insane conspiracy theory. To believe in one of these things in the first place requires dismissing so many facts and so much common sense that nothing will ever get through. If the words common sense are ever used then that rules out the AFL. Or does it?
This year was probably more contrived than last year, the Tigers in the top 4 with three possible home games to win the flag! "Now how do we make that happen fellas"? says Gil. Bingo!
Gil's finals scheduling ensured a Richmond win after the first final was fixtured at the MCG! Fact! They were never going to lose.
Gil's greatest sporting day was surpassed in 2017 with a Tigers win...at the same time, never forget conspiracy theorists view logical argument as cheating.
The AFL are not clever enough to manufacture narratives, but they can give it a push start in order to get things heading in "their" right direction!
Has anyone done a background check on Gil ? At the last count the world was secretly being run by the Illuminati, Knights Templar, Freemasons, Trilateral commission, New World Order, Skull & Bones society, Bilderberg group, Jews and Nine Unknown Men. Is Gil one of the Nine unknown? ;)
 
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