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

[Franko Armani]

yeah nah, if i want to go see overly congested footy with crappy umpiring i'll go watch junior footy on a Sunday morning.
Game has gone backwards in the "professionals" era.

yeah nah, if i want to go see overly congested footy with crappy umpiring i'll go watch junior footy on a Sunday morning.
Game has gone backwards in the "professionals" era.

Everyone should read this and stop and think. This is exactly what the game has become - the equivalent of an under 10’s game.

 

[Island Bomber]

I liked Brisbane’s football during their threepeat, I liked Geelong’s football during their premiership years, also Hawthorn’s football during their threepeat. Of course I love watching Richmond play and I love watching West Coast, Sydney, Adelaide and Geelong at their best circa 2017/2018. What I hate is Carlton, Brisbane, Western Bulldogs, Essendon and St Kilda circa 2018 during Prime Time. That’s what’s ruining football in 2018.

It's not like we didn't put up with 30 years of crap football from Richmond as well so don't leave your own team out of it just because you won a flag last year.

 

[And_ROOS]

People don’t appreciate that the “keepings off” brand has died. There’s no more bruise-free backwards kicking in the backline. Teams are finally willing to kick long and to a contest, which is scrappiest but it’s what we’ve been crying out for for years.

The game is in terrific shape and has never been more exciting to watch IMO.

Every week we get:

- high quality finals-like football.

We get 1 to 2 great matches a week. So no.

- fast scoring

Tons of low scoring matches this season. Skill levels kicking for goals has been awful.

- professionally drilled units (no amateur bush league stuff)

They are fitter and smarter, but games are just moving rugby scrums

- hard contests

Physically you get suspended for touching other players.

- unpredictable results

Favourites are winning more often than not.

Which brand do you prefer? Keepings off or high pressure?

Option 3, neither.

The game has never been better IMO.

Except it has.

 

[Wacko23Jacko]

yeah nah, if i want to go see overly congested footy with crappy umpiring i'll go watch junior footy on a Sunday morning.
Game has gone backwards in the "professionals" era.

Part of AFL master plan (read conspiracy) to drive people away from the big league and support local footy

 

[Furn2]

Richmond think they are high scoring! thats cute.

 

[NaturalDisaster]

Is your tipping completely ****** like everyone else's? The game is definitely unpredictable.

I've never tipped a year so poorly before

 

[NaturalDisaster]

Richmond think they are high scoring! thats cute.

We have averaged over 100 points.

Do you want us to get 180 every week?

 

[joelsyt]

It's not like we didn't put up with 30 years of crap football from Richmond as well so don't leave your own team out of it just because you won a flag last year.

That wasn’t my intention. I hated how we played in 2016. Most frustrating brand of football ever. Before 2012 (I enjoyed our brand from 2012 - 2015) I watched Richmond because they are my team, doesn’t mean I enjoyed it back then.

 

[NaturalDisaster]

That wasn’t my intention. I hated how we played in 2016. Most frustrating brand of football ever. Before 2012 I watched Richmond because they are my team, doesn’t mean I enjoyed it back then.

yep, even our wins were boring footy.

THe legit only exciting game we played in '16 was the Dogs game (even though we lost) and maybe the first swans game.

 

[shaqsuns]

Fox footy couldn’t have chose worse panelist for their debate with st nick and bob admitting they have never really watched much footy before this year. This is the prime example why you can’t ask a player or a coach on the state of the game.


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[Coaster2012]

According to the "forum" on 360, they all agreed that enforcing illegal disposal would solve alot of problems because players would always be trying to keep the ball moving.

 

[Taylor]

According to the "forum" on 360, they all agreed that enforcing illegal disposal would solve alot of problems because players would always be trying to keep the ball moving.

I didn't mind that idea as long as the first possession wasn't paid holding the ball.

Possible cons:
Players handball to ground instead of directly to team mates so the next possession is safe.
Players don't take possession because they know their opponent will be tackling them immediately and they will win a holding the man free.

So it could make for ugly footy and a bunch of playing for kicks, but it could also bring burst players into the stoppages more.

 

[mr bagcroft]

I didn't mind that idea as long as the first possession wasn't paid holding the ball.

Possible cons:
Players handball to ground instead of directly to team mates so the next possession is safe.
Players don't take possession because they know their opponent will be tackling them immediately and they will win a holding the man free.

So it could make for ugly footy and a bunch of playing for kicks, but it could also bring burst players into the stoppages more.

Very true. I like the idea though. Must trial it. No brainer. Most benign option at the moment.

 

[mxett]

According to the "forum" on 360, they all agreed that enforcing illegal disposal would solve alot of problems because players would always be trying to keep the ball moving.

which could very well lead to turnover after turnover as players dispose of the ball at all costs amongst heavy congestion. Hot potato anyone?

 

[QuietB]

According to the "forum" on 360, they all agreed that enforcing illegal disposal would solve alot of problems because players would always be trying to keep the ball moving.

Illegal disposal is a stain on the game.

Calling free kicks for illegal disposal keeps the game moving just as much as ignoring it except the ball will be going the other way

 

[Taylor]

which could very well lead to turnover after turnover as players dispose of the ball at all costs amongst heavy congestion. Hot potato anyone?

Good time to buy Jeremy McGovern then.

Intercept mark, kick forward on the 45 to a fast winger. Hawks won three flags in a row like that.

 

[mxett]

Illegal disposal is a stain on the game.

Calling free kicks for illegal disposal keeps the game moving just as much as ignoring it except the ball will be going the other way

illegal disposal is already penalised. How are you suggesting it should change?

 

[Barry_Badrinath]

Richmond think they are high scoring! thats cute.

Not super high scoring, but currently the highest in the league. Averaging more points per game than the 92/94 Eagles, the 97/98 Crows and about the same as the 95 Blues, 12 Swans, 10 Pies, 03 Lions and 06 Eagles.

Edit: also averaging more than the 2009 Cats

 

[QuietB]

illegal disposal is already penalised. How are you suggesting it should change?

No it isn’t.

You watch any game closely. Players will hold onto the ball when there are opposition players close every single time. They will roll the dice on prior and delay the kick to allow their teammates to set up if they get pinged.

And every single time there is one of their teammates gliding past the ball will “accidentally” slip out. THAT IS INCORRECT DISPOSAL - Blow the ****ing whistle

 

[Furn2]

Athletes that would be no more fatigued than footballers now, able to execute skills just as well as footballers now since the footballers they play against will not be able to apply pressure. The only advantage would be in the middle, but a smart coach will load up the backline and launch the first attack from half back. The game may end up looking even more like rugby as the smart coach of the footballers drops their players in their backline, and we end up with the two teams forming rough lines.

They would be rubbish footballers though. To even get close to executing the current style game style without interchange every player on your team would have to be able to do a 16 beep minimum. That means Billy Hartung and Brad are your inside mids. Isaac Smith would be the best player in the comp and Rance, Dusty and Jack would all be too unfit to get a game.

IF you think thats going to work on any level you've lost it.

 

[mxett]

No it isn’t.

You watch any game closely. Players will hold onto the ball when there are opposition players close every single time. They will roll the dice on prior and delay the kick to allow their teammates to set up if they get pinged.

And every single time there is one of their teammates gliding past the ball will “accidentally” slip out. THAT IS INCORRECT DISPOSAL - Blow the ******* whistle

you honestly think paying a freekick in these instances would make a substantial difference to congestion? I highly doubt it. Many incorrect disposals are already paid.

 

[mxett]

In the HUN: AFL great Leigh Matthews has pointed the finger at the coaches for the congestion in the game, saying the game is now over-coached and favours forcing players to start in position.

What do people think of Lethal's idea? I havent read the article (pay wall). Is he suggesting players go back to set positions at each stoppage?

 

[VicPark Bitter]

Stunned you did not know this until today. I thought everyone knew it was 90.
From 1897 to 1977 it was basically ZERO except for famous substitutions like Ted Hopkins, the creator of Champion Data.
From 1978 to 1993 it was 2 players on interchange bench. My best guess is average was less than 10 bench movements a game for much of that time. 1994 went to 3 players on bench and 1998 it became 4 players on bench.
I look at it like anything above 20 moves from bench in a game are not for injuries or tactical switches but simply rotating fresher players on ground. That is what we did not have in game before and can remove. So in a way that change to game of 4 bench guys has led to the game being based of 22 v 22 players and not the pure 18 v 18 it is meant to be. I do not care if we kill the interchange entirely and just use subs as know it will be pure but even if just cap it at 30 interchanges in full game that will kill off the use of bench for rotating fresher players on. I think in 2020 we will be there as Steve Hocking gives me impression he will not piss fart around when it glaringly obvious that mistake of 4 interchanges has to fixed.

this post by footyfan78 explains the problem and solution.
36 players within 50 metres of the ball, continuous congestion IS ugly football, if you don't think so then you have never watched aussie rules footy, you have only watched AFL.
2 on the bench, 4 interchanges a quarter, problem solvered.

 

[Furn2]

Not super high scoring, but currently the highest in the league. Averaging more points per game than the 92/94 Eagles, the 97/98 Crows and about the same as the 95 Blues, 12 Swans, 10 Pies, 03 Lions and 06 Eagles.

There where higher scoring teams in all those years.

 

[Ron The Bear]

Richmond think they are high scoring! thats cute.

Not by historical standards, but we're doing OK at +28.5 above the league average over our past 11 games, and +13.5 ahead of the next best.

After looking at the list early last year and wondering where the goals were going to come from, it's quite an achievement.