The AFL is on the edge of not coming back

[Partridge]

I agree, I hate all this sort of litigation, but they’ll definitely be sued for a lot more if they aren’t seen to be taking significant steps to minimise the likelihood of concussion.

Would you be willing to chip in thousands of dollars of your own money towards a compensation fund so that the AFL could keep the game the same as it has been and continue to let everyone dump blokes heads into the ground?

Would you be willing to put your money where your mouth is?

Nope. Same answer as if the club rings me and tells me memberships have tripled in price.

I will put my money where my mouth is - I'll take it elsewhere.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Nope. Same answer as if the club rings me and tells me memberships have tripled in price.

I will put my money where my mouth is - I'll take it elsewhere.

So you’re just a whole lot of hot air then.

“Wah wah wah, I don’t want things to change, but I’m not willing to pay the necessary price to help enable that to happen”.

Just a whole lot of whinging hot air.

 

[Partridge]

So you’re just a whole lot of hot air then.

“Wah wah wah, I don’t want things to change, but I’m not willing to pay the necessary price to help enable that to happen”.

Just a whole lot of whinging hot air.

Didn't actually say that if you go back and have a read.

 

[mr bagcroft]

I agree, I hate all this sort of litigation, but they’ll definitely be sued for a lot more if they aren’t seen to be taking significant steps to minimise the likelihood of concussion.

Would you be willing to chip in thousands of dollars of your own money towards a compensation fund so that the AFL could keep the game the same as it has been and continue to let everyone dump blokes heads into the ground?

Would you be willing to put your money where your mouth is?

How about signing an agreement before you sign a contract that you can't litigate?
done and done.

 

[fairbump_playon]

Pickett rarely if ever did proper shirtfronts. He picked guys off who had their head over the ball. That's not a shirtfront and never was.

Cool.

Do you agree the off-the-ball bump to the head has been pretty much eradicated from the game, and the game is still ok? That was kinda more my point.

 

[Partridge]

Cool.

Do you agree the off-the-ball bump to the head has been pretty much eradicated from the game, and the game is still ok? That was kinda more my point.

Absolutely.

But tackling is far more crucial to the game than bumping is. In the same way the below the knees rule change is farcical - you're penalising the player who actually gets to the ball first. Which goes against the entire spirit of the game.

 

[fairbump_playon]

Absolutely.

But tackling is far more crucial to the game than bumping is. In the same way the below the knees rule change is farcical - you're penalising the player who actually gets to the ball first. Which goes against the entire spirit of the game.

Entire spirit of the game isn't accurate.

It goes against something that has long been part of the spirit of the game. But there are other parts of the spirit of the game.

The sliding rule is a perfect example. It seemed like it would ruin the game because "it was what we were all trained to do" and now... does anyone even think about it? It's a non event.

I get your point but so far I think the game is safer and pretty much just as good to watch. I will draw the line if they ever put rules in that discourage hangers. That can't happen.

 

[Partridge]

Entire spirit of the game isn't accurate.

It goes against something that has long been part of the spirit of the game. But there are other parts of the spirit of the game.

The sliding rule is a perfect example. It seemed like it would ruin the game because "it was what we were all trained to do" and now... does anyone even think about it? It's a non event.

I get your point but so far I think the game is safer and pretty much just as good to watch. I will draw the line if they ever put rules in that discourage hangers. That can't happen.

I'd argue all supporters think about it whenever one of our players wins the ball fairly, the opposition player remembers to stumble and a free kick is given.

It's a ludicrous change brought in because of one dirty incident. Much like the deliberate out of bounds rule, the AFL figures enough people will be brainwashed over time so it will become accepted.

 

[owen87]

brainwashed

 

[Baggins15]

Well, it didn’t take long for the mindless, bootlicking types brainwashed by AFL media to jump up and down and insist that nothing is wrong with footy at present, even though the OP brought up some very valid concerns. Why am I not surprised?

 

[Baggins15]

Not sure how AFL is unpopular by what metric. Didn't they just break the record for highest attendance ever over first 9 rounds?

I’d like to see the increase in attendances plotted against population growth. Without this sort of additional context, attendances, TV ratings, grassroots and junior participation, etc. all become somewhat redundant metrics in determining how much the game has grown.

Not necessarily suggesting that AFL is in a bad state (even though I feel like it’s heading down that path in many respects). I just think using a single statistic alone (out of context too) to support one’s argument doesn’t give us a reliable indication of anything. It’s the overall share of the sporting and broader social market cornered by the AFL that really matters, and in that case the waters are a little more muddied.

 

[Partridge]

I’d like to see the increase in attendances plotted against population growth. Without this sort of additional context, attendances, TV ratings, grassroots and junior participation, etc. all become somewhat redundant metrics in determining how much the game has grown.

Not necessarily suggesting that AFL is in a bad state (even though I feel like it’s heading down that path in many respects). I just think using a single statistic alone (out of context too) to support one’s argument doesn’t give us a reliable indication of anything. It’s the overall share of the sporting and broader social market cornered by the AFL that really matters, and in that case the waters are a little more muddied.

Not to mention the gigantic elephant-shaped object in the room when discussing record attendances.

Just about every game now is played in isolation. One match at a time. If there is another one on the same day it's in another city.

The crowds in those horrible days of yore were in all played on one day. In one city. At the same time. With a much smaller population. It's not nearly as impressive as they boast about.

 

[Maddo11]

Care to add to the debate or are you a snowflake too

The village is missing their idiot. Suppose your from Tassie that explains a fair bit.

Posted without irony back to back.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

AFL will come back - this is just part of the evolution of things.

The Sicily tackle should not have been considered high contact - he tackled a dude around the waist. The fact the guy's head made contact with the ground during a tackle is very different to Sicily making contact with the guy's head.

Low contact, high impact is a very different thing.

Compared to Cotrell who actually headlocked a guy (actual high contact). Or compared to the Mitch Lewis goals up above where it's a direct knee to someone's head. Sicily literally could not tackle this guy any lower than he did and get's "high contact" as part of the suspension grading. Weird.

This is the insane part of it all. Comparing Sicily's tackle to other things. It doesn't stack up with the intent or care taken when compared to other things that received 1 or 2 or no weeks. The AFL has disappeared up its own bum a bit here.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

The NRL was in the same spot about 10 years ago, but they actually listened. It took the game hitting record lows for participation and crowds for them to listen.

How exactly did they listen to the fans? I find NRL much less interesting than I did 10 or 15 years ago, but that could just be me.

 

[FlyHigh18]

If you attend both AFL and NRL games then you know the stark difference in demographics.

The AFL has a pretty decent evolving model keeping them up to date with the expectation of future supporters. Naturally, that usually differs to the views of the more seasoned follower.

Keeping that balance is an art but they do it well, hence why no one ever seems to be happy but more and more people are tuning in. Strange that.

For the sake of argument let's call it 'family friendly'. The AFL chose to be more aggressive in that path and it's good to see they've been rewarded with strong viewership growth.

Not every decision has been perfect, some tested, but they usually right the ship.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

How exactly did they listen to the fans? I find NRL much less interesting than I did 10 or 15 years ago, but that could just be me.

They pegged back a lot of their overreaction. Now you see only suspensions for the absolute worst hits and tackles

They reduced costs a lot too

 

[Teal Leviathan]

You notice on the news the footy scores are rarely if ever given in the traditional way now? It's never "Richmond beat Collingwood 12.10.82 to 11.9.75", it's now ALWAYS "82 to 75". Always the total scores and never goals and points kicked. They can't even bring themselves to say "a 7 point victory", it's always total scores like it's some shite like basketball.

Woke latte-sipping teachers petitioned to drop the six times tables from the school curriculum, claiming arithmetic is an instrument of white supremacy that unfairly disadvantages students who are stupid. AFL media had little choice but to follow suit. To their credit, Gill and co have heroically resisted a dark money globalist campaign to redefine a goal as worth only five points in order to better align with the intellectual capacities of the societies they plan to create (see UN Agenda 21, Soros, "fifteen minute cities", etc.) It's a rough world out there for true blue Aussies seeking to defend the integrity of our game against the woke globalist conspiracy. All we can do is put a shrimp on the barbie and lodge a same-game multi. I'm Russell Coight and this has been an true Aussie Adventure. Hooroo.

 

[TheEscapeClub]

Aww the media are involved too? How deep does this run bro? 5G involved I bet.

Mate, the media are in it up to their necks, they're petrified of the AFL withdrawning
.their accreditation and losing access.

 

[Shane Heard]

It’s cost ZM a Brownlow medal.

Jipped.

 

[Shane Heard]

Woke latte-sipping teachers petitioned to drop the six times tables from the school curriculum, claiming arithmetic is an instrument of white supremacy that unfairly disadvantages students who are stupid. AFL media had little choice but to follow suit. To their credit, Gill and co have heroically resisted a dark money globalist campaign to redefine a goal as worth only five points in order to better align with the intellectual capacities of the societies they plan to create (see UN Agenda 21, Soros, "fifteen minute cities", etc.) It's a rough world out there for true blue Aussies seeking to defend the integrity of our game against the woke globalist conspiracy. All we can do is put a shrimp on the barbie and lodge a same-game multi. I'm Russell Coight and this has been an true Aussie Adventure. Hooroo.

Is that you …Sam Newman ?

 

[*Paul*]

They pegged back a lot of their overreaction. Now you see only suspensions for the absolute worst hits and tackles

They reduced costs a lot too

What on earth are you talking about? Shoulder charges were legal, tackling in mid-air was fine, if you fell into a tackle and copped it high it was play on. There was no such thing as chicken wings, head slams, crushers, cannonballs, hip drops and probably plus some I can't even remember.

All of these now get penalties, reports and handwringing galore.

 

[Maddo11]

Woke latte-sipping teachers petitioned to drop the six times tables from the school curriculum, claiming arithmetic is an instrument of white supremacy that unfairly disadvantages students who are stupid. AFL media had little choice but to follow suit. To their credit, Gill and co have heroically resisted a dark money globalist campaign to redefine a goal as worth only five points in order to better align with the intellectual capacities of the societies they plan to create (see UN Agenda 21, Soros, "fifteen minute cities", etc.) It's a rough world out there for true blue Aussies seeking to defend the integrity of our game against the woke globalist conspiracy. All we can do is put a shrimp on the barbie and lodge a same-game multi. I'm Russell Coight and this has been an true Aussie Adventure. Hooroo.

G'day Russell, love your work

Russell Coight All Aussie Adventures GIF - Russell Coight All Aussie Adventures Shake Hands - Discover & Share GIFs

Click to view the GIF

tenor.com

 

[Some Idiot]

There were quite a few record breaking crowds earlier in the season, not sure if that trend has carried on, but it's fair to say the fans are a long way from boycotting the game.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

There were quite a few record breaking crowds earlier in the season, not sure if that trend has carried on, but it's fair to say the fans are a long way from boycotting the game.

I think there's a weird opposite effect happening at the moment.

In the same way the media thrives of people being angry and sad (with bad news and scandals) - so too does the AFL. The amount of complaining about inconsistent tribunal outcomes and umpiring quality coincides with the increase in crowds and TV ratings.

This inconsistent s**t is driving the uptake of the game, not reducing it.