Opinion State of the Game

[George]

"The only thing the players seem to be elite at is endurance running."

"Steve Hocking and the AFL looking into "excessive tackling". I don't even know what excessive tackling means."

You've answered your own question with these two observations.

Simple fact is the endurance capacities of the players now allows them to get to more contests - more contests mean more tackling. More tackling means more congestion.

This is exactly what Hocking was talking about - that the skills of the game (marking, kicking, scoring etc) need to be allowed to shine and that while tackling is important it shouldn't be the preeminent skill of the game.

As to what you can do about it - well the AFL know, you probably know, its just a question as to whether its done as a gradual process (as its happening 6-6-6) or as a major overhaul.

Major overhaul would include something like -

reduce the number of players - 16 players (+ 3 or 4 subs)

reduce the interchanges - say max 50

introduce permanent zones - min 3 forwards and 3 defenders at all times

introduce a third man in rule - second tackler penalised

Don't think it will make much difference. Coaches will make it redundant anyway. More chance of coaches changing the way the game is played than the AFL I reckon.

 

[saintspremiers]

When they tell me there’s two minutes to go in the final quarter and just 10 points in it I just want to throw something at the screen which actually gives me all that information anyway.

We are a convict country and sadly a lot of the switched on Europeans stayed in Europe over the decades and the poor/undereducated ones left for a better life.

Culturally, we don’t have the brains here and dumbed down thing works for media in general. Saying that, it’s still the best country in the world to live (closely followed by NZ)

 

[saintspremiers]

I think we need a TV umpire every game. An umpire watching on tv linked to the field umpires giving direction, fixing mistakes. For example that Mc Inerney free in the Brisbane game would be adjudged by the tv umpire as a mark to Thompson. The field umpire gets it in his earpiece and changes his decision. Crosses his arms across his chest or something to signal a correction.

Good idea.

Like the dumb* umpire who didn’t pay the Parker mark up forward. What an idiot.

 

[Sainttony]

Congestion is the killer of the spectacle of the game. How do we get less players around the ball and how do we get the ball away from packs.

My first suggestion would be to allow third man up. It gets the ball out of the pack zone. Sure ruckman don’t like it because they may get hurt but it does get the ball moving more often than not.

Secondly I would ban zone defences. Teams forming a grid across the ground would be penalised in some way. You can’t see the grid from the ground so it leads to my third suggestion. A TV umpire, have only two umpires on the ground and a third in the bunker all linked by sound with the TV umpire giving real time advice.

And lastly, allow casual contact, if an opponent brushes his arm across a shoulder play on . Currently if would be a too high free kick.

Some thoughts but in general I dislike rule changes especially when they don’t seem all that well thought out.

 

[CarnTheSAINTERS]

I reckon expansion teams have played a big role in this. Imagine Coniglio, J Kelly, Taranto, Cameron, Whitfield, Williams, Bing, Rankine, Caldwell, Rowell ect (all Suns and Giants players) spread across the competition. Would become a much more exciting game to watch. Also would up the skill, which would lead to higher scoring.

Not saying I dislike these teams, i believe we need teams across Australia, but they are a slight factor. I know NBA has 30 teams, but USA has 300 Million people, a huge base with a lot of talent versus approx 25 million. As the afl spreads out across Australia, the talent per team will slightly diminish. There are counters to this theory, but it is relevant. If I was Gil I would be reluctant too add 20+ teams.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Professionalism kills sports.

The more games are analysed and professionally executed, the more generic they become.

Old Formula one racing cars used to have drivers with different techniques , the drive trains varied from supercharged 4 cylinders and V8's to V8, V12 or V16 naturally aspirated vehicles. The designs varied enormously , from simple to complex, and all sorts of different aerodynamic theories.
Now they know what works best and they are all the same. The cars go to fast around corners and they try to slow them down artificially.

Its the same in AFL. Eveyone has their roles now. We can change the rules to artificially try to re-create what was a simpler time, but it won't be the same.