Has football become almost unwatchable?

[demondavey]

Ever since the AFL changed the rules with a promise that the game would become more exciting, the opposite has happened. It increasingly resembles rugby, rolling scrums, free kick after free kick, terrible skill execution. I am almost numb from watching the St Kilda Carlton game.

Did you watch the game today? That pretty much sums up the state of affairs.

 

[demondavey]

I had the chance to drop by the MCG at three quarter time.

Sheesh.

Melbourne's style of footy seems deliberately designed to nullify any strengths (let alone flair) the players have. Add to that a Hawthorn team going through the motions and it was like watching Sheffield Shield cricket.

Geelong played like that in 2021 and it was almost dispiriting even though we won a lot of the time.

Richmond 17-19 provided a glimpse, but sooner or later a team is just going to "go for broke" as a game plan and reinvent things.

Some on here are too young to recall when flooding came into the game. I went to the MCG to watch Essendon play Richmond in 2000. The Tigers flooded (as we all do now) and the booing from the crowd was intense.

Now we just sit on our hands or pretend to be interested in "the switch".

Sheffield Shield cricket is 10x more interesting than football mate

 

[demondavey]

The Tigers football was quality.

"It's not just the victory, it's the quality of the football "
- Bruce McAvaney during the 2017 GF

Why? Just because you guys were boring doesn't mean other teams were.


You guys didn't play that way that whole time. Chris Scott at some point thought that was the way to beat the Tigers during our run, but later a discontented Steven Hocking figured out that quicker ball movement was the go for Geelong.

Richmond’s style was awful

 

[demondavey]

Have we forgotten how bad footy was in 2020-21?

No

Melbourne kicked 140 points in a GF and bulldozed the WB in the second half.

Clinical and precise.

 

[GastevsBeard]

need a royal commission on AFL house implementing ambiguous rules & the consequent shocking umpiring that ensues

& far too often in games there will be a team that gets the "rough end of the stick" with outrageously lopsided umpiring

as a neutral it kills the genuine engagement, & feels more like rage-bating akin to an online troll

 

[deck]

For all the whining there is 2 pretty good games of footy going on now.

 

[Roobs321]

the afl & nrl through end saturday have almost all gone down to the wire

 

[catters05]

The players playing the game are okay, but the umpiring is horrible, some of the new rules are pathetic, the mro is a joke, and the AFL seems to have lost the plot as it shouldn’t be hard to showcase all clubs.

 

[Sttew]

Wasn't it Paul Roo's swans that pioneered ultra defensive footy? They won a flag off it so people probably forget but they were doing it before Ross even started his first stint at the Saints (although he definitely has taken it to a new extreme)

And Ross learnt his wares from Roos

 

[Pancakes]

the afl & nrl through end saturday have almost all gone down to the wire

Correct.

Both codes produced some amazing games today. Absolute rippers.

Now my team gets to produce some absolute shit tomorrow. Looking forward to ruining what has been a good weekend of footy.

 

[Chaisa]

It's a shame that we've had a bunch of shockers on Thursday/Friday nights yet Saturday nights have been absolutely brilliant in the last couple of weeks. Obviously every game can't be a banger, but it's far easier to get down about quality of matches when the shit games are on the marquee timeslots.

 

[WeaponX]

I changed channel on the Sydney v Essendon game yesterday halfway through the last quarter, the umpires must of got the message to get the Bombers over the line no matter the cost. I had no stake in this game but games where there Umps decide the outcome are becoming way too familiar this year and I refuse to watch them.

 

[Gethelred]

I was far more invested in the game back then when it was a real game of Australian Rules football. Today's game is just keeping's off "Tactics". The 80s was a fast game of get to the ball first, good kicking, good strong tackling and spectacular marking. They had rules and tactics, but better players who played the game. Most of these blokes who play today wouldn't get a kick in 80s or 90s.

... this is a very silly post.

 

[Hamingja]

There are so many poor quality match ups. I have Kayo and the showdown last night was the only non Geelong game I have watched on Saturday all year. The rest of the games are just complete hot garbage. Snore fest Saturday.

 

[Handsuper47]

There are so many poor quality match ups. I have Kayo and the showdown last night was the only non Geelong game I have watched on Saturday all year. The rest of the games are just complete hot garbage. Snore fest Saturday.

Can't imagine how boring the game will get with 20 teams.

 

[RUNVS]

Been saying it for years that the AFL needs to bite the bullet and go down to 15 a side instead of 18. They won't do that though, instead going for bandaid solutions that don't help long term.

 

[Soggy2112]

No. Footy is great. If you find it so unwatchable, stop watching and I’m sure the TV audience and attendances will reflect that.

And if it turns out it’s just you, then go watch something else and stop complaining.

 

[Humblebob]

Social media and the saturation of coverage and opinion has some fans in a permanent doom cycle, people love to complain and they get more chance then they have ever had in our current day and age.

I love my AFL currently, I’ve had periods throughout my life where I have not but I just found something else to do.

 

[demondavey]

Been saying it for years that the AFL needs to bite the bullet and go down to 15 a side instead of 18. They won't do that though, instead going for bandaid solutions that don't help long term.

Melbourne
North
St Kilda

All need to go.

 

[RUNVS]

Melbourne
North
St Kilda

All need to go.

True, but that is a different conversation.

 

[demondavey]

True, but that is a different conversation.

You said you wanted 15 teams?

 

[Clark G]

Melbourne
North
St Kilda

All need to go.

You want the team you support to go?

 

[Humblebob]

Melbourne
North
St Kilda

All need to go.

St Kilda and Melbourne should have been merged and North and the Doggies should have as well.

The draw is a mess and Victoria (greater Melbourne) is over represented but this decision would be far too unpopular so I understand why it will never happen.

Heartless view taking out all emotion but it’s what makes sense

 

[demondavey]

You said you wanted 15 teams?

True, but that is a different conversation.

Apologies…. Misread

 

[demondavey]

You want the team you support to go?

Yes.

They’re an awful organisation.