Analysis How the state of the game has evolved, is the increased rate of injuries a result of of the evolution

[Cosmic Energy]

lots more talk recently about the state of the game. From what I've heard the TV ratings are well down on previous years, and if it wasnt for stadium upgrades in Adelaide and Perth in recent seasons, attendances would be down too.

IMO there are too many players and too many clubs for the available talent pool in Australia. We've ended up with many noncompetitive teams, or teams with far too shallow lists. Some injuries to key players results in a drastic drop in performance.

Add to this I think the modern style of play is just too sterile. One of the most appealing things about aussie rules is there is no offside, so players compete directly against one and other. With today's zoning and congestion, combined with thin list quality, many games are just too scrappy to watch, riddled with mistakes and turnovers. Maybe 1 or 2 games per round look interesting on paper, but the rest hold no interest for neutral fans.

The attendances and ratings are often rolled out as evidence that the game is healthy. And while there are more ‘things to do’ for people these days, Melbourne (as an example) has added a million people in the last 6 or so years, so those numbers should be growing either at venues or on the telly.

 

[Macpotata]

AFL 360 Tomorrow night or Thursday they're having a segment with a forum titled......The State of the Game lmao.

 

[demondavey]

It's a shit sport compared to what it used to be. It's either repeat entries into a clogged 50 until a free kick or a scrappy snap or the team rebounds and has a 3-1 at the other end where a running race occurs before someone dribbles it over like from the goalsquare with no one within 50m.

It's easily fixed, remove the bench and only have 'subs'. If you come off you are done for the day. Players will get tired and players get slower when they are tired but not shorter. It will encourage forwards to spend more time in the 50.

I hate watching modern footy, Melbourne draft this guy Hogan and all we wanna do is build his tank so he can play midfield. Same with Petracca same with Riewoldt and Franklin etc.
Forward craft is at an all time low. If Plugger was playing now he would be playing as a big bodied midfielder being asked to strip weight and run around more.

Nailed it you clever campaigner

 

[smasha]

Good on Jordan Lewis and Jack Riewoldt for sticking it up the media having a big hissy sook because Richmond are playing well.

Lowering the interchange rotations is a silly idea,if you want a truly scrappy skill less game and watch players exhaust themselves to breaking point.

 

[Ron The Bear]

Another one referring to the Richmond game plan as rugby.

Plenty of people complaining about modern footy on talkback radio today too.

Just about everyone in the media has some sort of agenda. Here's what's really happening:

"When they kick it they kick it long the most often in the competition – metres per disposal number one, handball metres gained number one – the most we have seen by any team. As a result they’re number one for inside 50s and we know what happens when it gets inside 50, they will generally get a repeat entry or put that much pressure on the opposition will turn it over and they will put it on the scoreboard."
...
"The last five to ten minutes of a Richmond game they almost turn into an entertainment model. It’s a bit like the Cats when they were flying, they had a bit of razzle dazzle and it’s so good to watch."

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2018/05/01/the-numbers-behind-the-simplicity-of-richmond's-revolution/

Teams (or some of them) are playing a finals brand during h&a now. A full dress rehearsal.

 

[Ron The Bear]

AFL 360 Tomorrow night or Thursday they're having a segment with a forum titled......The State of the Game lmao.

Hosted by the alcoholic and the dweeb. Won't be an original insight between them.

Jordan Lewis was quite narky towards them.

 

[Snake_Baker]

It is except Richmond who are playing great footy.

No they're not, they're winning. There is a difference, I just wouldn't expect you to know it for obvious reasons.

 

[shaqsuns]

Hosted by the alcoholic and the dweeb. Won't be an original insight between them.

Jordan Lewis was quite narky towards them.

However he backed down when shown a bit of pressure by robbo. This is what shits me me about the players and coaches having their say on the state of the game, they are not paying patrons who continuously put $1000’s of dollars through their club and the AFL to watch 11 home games and pay extra money for the away games. All they are trying to do is win football games, they don’t care if they do it pretty or do it ugly however as complete entertainment value the fans don’t like this bunch of seagulls fighting over a chip. Steve Hocking needs to fix this ASAP my argument is get rid of the interchange completely and make it just subs. This will hinder the rolling maul as players can’t possibly continue to do repeat sprints and will have to save their energy for when the ball is near them, this will is also naturally spread the players out and hopefully keep the big forwards at home where they belong, not the half back flank.


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[Topkent]

Good on Jordan Lewis and Jack Riewoldt for sticking it up the media having a big hissy sook because Richmond are playing well.

Lowering the interchange rotations is a silly idea,if you want a truly scrappy skill less game and watch players exhaust themselves to breaking point.

Its got nothing to do with Richmond. Modern footy is horrific as a spectacle, Richmond play the best version of it but it's ****ing horrible.

Your second point is silly, the game used to be played by part time players who drank heaps and ran way less and they were far more skilled than the modern players. That was before rotations.

Aussie rules football was never ment to be a game who's focus was tackling and defence, it was supposed to be a 1 on 1 battle where players could express themselves all over. It sickens me hearing young players talk about getting games because of their defensive pressure meanwhile the next wayne carey is playing bush league because he can't lay a bunch of tackles in the midfield.

Nothing to do with Richmond. They have made the best of a shitty sport and won the flag, no one else is playing anything more attractive. In fact I'm the most footy obsessed person you could ever meet and I can't sit through neutral games anymore

 

[tonygeeks]

The day you can convince 1 player , coach or fan to sacrifice a win for the ' good of the game ' is the day you can start to 'fix' football


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[iluvparis]

Do lol at all the Richmond fans having hissy fits because they think every fan of every other club doesn't like the game any more just because they are winning.

90% have acknowledged the Tiges are the best in the business and are great to watch once they blow the game open in the last quarter. We are just debating whether its worst the garbage slog-fest in the first 3 quarters to get to that point.

 

[footyfan1978]

The day you can convince 1 player , coach or fan to sacrifice a win for the ' good of the game ' is the day you can start to 'fix' football

Will never happen. Not happy 2 coaches on the group to fix football.

 

[tonygeeks]

Will never happen. Not happy 2 coaches on the group to fix football.

Yeah that's just dumb , I'm sure they are trying to ' fix ' it just the way that's best for their team


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[Snake_Baker]

The AFL & "leave the rules alone" thing is a flat out deflection.

The AFL attempts to fix up what the coaches destroy in order to save the basic integrity of the sport.

That's all there is to it. Period!

 

[Topkent]

No matter how hard people try an ignore it modern footy is ****ed. Players are being drafted for their defensive skills and being taught how play. Key forwards are almost all dead an the ones that do play have to be able to play midfield or they can't survive. CHF is played by a hybrid mifielder while the rest are small blokes who's sole focus is too tackle.

My question is how would YOU fix it. I hate rule changes more than anyone but even I concede now something has to change or there won't be another generation of footy fans.

Personally I'd remove the interchange and have subs. Would immediately stop blokes sprinting up an back for the first 3 quarters as they would tire too quickly. Players would hold positions.

2nd I'd give every team an under 21s side where you can select anyone who goes undrafted. Immediately that adds hundreds of players to professional systems.

 

[Luv_our_club]

ME?

I would reduce the players numbers to 16 a side.

That is like taking two teams out of the league. The talent spread would be much better. That means the players who are 15th or 16th best on the list now have to worry about their spots.

There would be much more space for players to lead into.

I don't get 18 a side being sacrosanct, when zones are being discussed.

 

[Jak!x]

Wouldn’t removing the interchange encourage more hybrid players and kill off traditional KPPs?

 

[10571z]

I actually enjoy modern football.

 

[HairyO]

Penalise players who drop or throw the ball when tackled.

Umpires used to give away twice as many free kicks because back then correctly disposing was a thing.

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

ME?

I would reduce the players numbers to 16 a side.

That is like taking two teams out of the league. The talent spread would be much better. That means the players who are 15th or 16th best on the list now have to worry about their spots.

There would be much more space for players to lead into.

I don't get 18 a side being sacrosanct, when zones are being discussed.

I'm not necessarily opposed and it would open the game up. My concern is it might further advantage athletes over footballers. Would we reach a point where clubs wouldn't take a Jeremy McGovern for example because he's an instinctive footballer rather than an athlete? Or a Paul Puopolo? In the pursuit of superhuman Aerobic fitness.

 

[The Wrecker]

Don't mind the second suggestion.
Congestion can be fixed by proper umpiring. Umpires should pay the first free kick they see. That sets a precedent that is easy to follow. Ignore rule of the week and all that baloney.
Reduce teams to 16 per side.
Reduce the number of umpires from three to two.

 

[Luv_our_club]

I'm not necessarily opposed and it would open the game up. My concern is it might further advantage athletes over footballers. Would we reach a point where clubs wouldn't take a Jeremy McGovern for example because he's an instinctive footballer rather than an athlete? Or a Paul Puopolo? In the pursuit of superhuman Aerobic fitness.

i hear that, but if it is the price of improvement then i would take it.
Arguably we are taking athletes already.
The converse is that it would encourage more one on one footballers, not athletes.
The atheletes would at worst be covering the ground, not running from stoppage to stoppage.

 

[Kram]

Geez people getting sucked into this media beat up.

 

[shaqsuns]

1) no rotations just 4 subs to be used whenever the coach wants.

2) cap the preseason like they do in the NFL so every team comes back to preseason on the same date let’s say January 5th.

3) pay dropping the ball again during the tackle.

4) adjudicate rush behinds and out of bounds deliberate the same way.

5) no runners aloud on the field during the play only in between goals.

6) fix the goal line technology or just get rid of it.


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[Lensen]

The AFL need to do one thing and you need to do one thing

1. AFL instruct umpires to pay all free kicks in the pack/maul situations. Literally hundreds of throws and holding frees are missed every game. As a pack forms pay the first free kick you see.

2. You need to consume less football media