Please anyone who is over 12 years old, please tell me that you really think that the game is better to watch today than 6,7,8, or more years ago.
Bring back the biff to make the sprinting players afraid of running into some-one, then you will see the man on man games we all used to love.
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,20222652%5E32422,00.html
Pace, tactics leave fans yearning for past
23 August 2006 Herald-Sun
DO YOU fear the speed of the game will shorten your career?
It's an intriguing question on the minds of AFL players.
I probably fear more for the state of the game but, in essence, it's the speed of the game affecting the state of the game that has players fearing for their future.
It's something the AFL must be concerned about when more than half its workforce -- the players -- admit thoughts about their long-term future cause them stress.
The state of, and speed of, the game are first cousins.
The state of the game with its chip, chip, often sideways, to release a player who, in turn, runs with the ball, is just one glaring example.
The kick-in from full-back means the game is played at break-neck speed.
Seemingly, it's get on the highway or get out of the game. The quick kick-in is made for receivers who can run.
Often, they are the guys who, when the ball goes in one side, head for the other.
All of them can run.
Their job, then, is to mark the ball, run and kick it. Some even find that too hard.
For me, who's 33, and my type, more a contested sort of player, the speed of the game has diminished the prevalence of the one-on-one contests.
And I'm not the only one in that shout, I tell you.
One day, we'll all look back and remember 2005 and 2006 as the years when the game changed.
The people who must take the blame are the coaches.
They're smart, no doubt. They connive and manipulate to achieve the best for their club. They have hours to study tapes of matches. They have accessed foreign strategies and tried to implement them. They devise zones and zoning off and manufacture fast breaks that open up the middle of the ground.
All their moves require speed to succeed.
It's what AFL has become and, as this latest players' survey suggests, it's not what a lot of players want.
I was interested to hear Michael Voss, the legendary Lion, express his opinion.
"My enjoyment for watching football has diminished quite significantly," Voss told ABC Radio.
I agree wholeheartedly and have been saying the same for several years.
At the weekend, I watched a suburban game of football. I had to catch up with my friend, Ron Joseph, who was with his best mate Keith Greig watching Keith's son, Matthew, playing for Vermont against East Burwood in the Eastern Football League.
I arrived midway through the second quarter and, because I enjoyed it so much, I stayed for the whole match.
What a pleasure it was to watch some good old-fashioned footy. It was a contest not poisoned by coaches seeking something extra.
There were no players dropping back filling holes, no play-on from a point, there were contests all over the ground, players fighting for the ball and forwards taking big pack marks.
I might be old-ish, and it may be a product of being old-ish, but I loved it.
That's not to say I don't love playing in the AFL. I do.
But I'm finding it increasingly harder to watch it. If that's the case, I assume a lot of other people do as well.
I'm all for win at all costs, but those in charge must address what that cost is.
Indeed, I fear it's going to get worse. On the weekend, we had Leigh Brown loose in the first half, chopping off leads and doing a superb job.
In the second, it turned around. Melbourne had two back, and we didn't have anyone back. I thought, we needed to have loose men as well just to compete. Somehow it's not footy to me.
The more I play, talk and watch the game, the more it is reinforced that we are pawns being moved in a game of speed chess.
Bring back the biff to make the sprinting players afraid of running into some-one, then you will see the man on man games we all used to love.
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,20222652%5E32422,00.html
Pace, tactics leave fans yearning for past
23 August 2006 Herald-Sun
DO YOU fear the speed of the game will shorten your career?
It's an intriguing question on the minds of AFL players.
I probably fear more for the state of the game but, in essence, it's the speed of the game affecting the state of the game that has players fearing for their future.
It's something the AFL must be concerned about when more than half its workforce -- the players -- admit thoughts about their long-term future cause them stress.
The state of, and speed of, the game are first cousins.
The state of the game with its chip, chip, often sideways, to release a player who, in turn, runs with the ball, is just one glaring example.
The kick-in from full-back means the game is played at break-neck speed.
Seemingly, it's get on the highway or get out of the game. The quick kick-in is made for receivers who can run.
Often, they are the guys who, when the ball goes in one side, head for the other.
All of them can run.
Their job, then, is to mark the ball, run and kick it. Some even find that too hard.
For me, who's 33, and my type, more a contested sort of player, the speed of the game has diminished the prevalence of the one-on-one contests.
And I'm not the only one in that shout, I tell you.
One day, we'll all look back and remember 2005 and 2006 as the years when the game changed.
The people who must take the blame are the coaches.
They're smart, no doubt. They connive and manipulate to achieve the best for their club. They have hours to study tapes of matches. They have accessed foreign strategies and tried to implement them. They devise zones and zoning off and manufacture fast breaks that open up the middle of the ground.
All their moves require speed to succeed.
It's what AFL has become and, as this latest players' survey suggests, it's not what a lot of players want.
I was interested to hear Michael Voss, the legendary Lion, express his opinion.
"My enjoyment for watching football has diminished quite significantly," Voss told ABC Radio.
I agree wholeheartedly and have been saying the same for several years.
At the weekend, I watched a suburban game of football. I had to catch up with my friend, Ron Joseph, who was with his best mate Keith Greig watching Keith's son, Matthew, playing for Vermont against East Burwood in the Eastern Football League.
I arrived midway through the second quarter and, because I enjoyed it so much, I stayed for the whole match.
What a pleasure it was to watch some good old-fashioned footy. It was a contest not poisoned by coaches seeking something extra.
There were no players dropping back filling holes, no play-on from a point, there were contests all over the ground, players fighting for the ball and forwards taking big pack marks.
I might be old-ish, and it may be a product of being old-ish, but I loved it.
That's not to say I don't love playing in the AFL. I do.
But I'm finding it increasingly harder to watch it. If that's the case, I assume a lot of other people do as well.
I'm all for win at all costs, but those in charge must address what that cost is.
Indeed, I fear it's going to get worse. On the weekend, we had Leigh Brown loose in the first half, chopping off leads and doing a superb job.
In the second, it turned around. Melbourne had two back, and we didn't have anyone back. I thought, we needed to have loose men as well just to compete. Somehow it's not footy to me.
The more I play, talk and watch the game, the more it is reinforced that we are pawns being moved in a game of speed chess.