The league lacks characters nowadays

Bungeye

Club Legend
Aug 19, 2017
2,982
2,248
AFL Club
Collingwood
I personally find player interviews very boring with a few exceptions.

I noticed Afl players who come from a basketball background much more engaging than your average Afl player.

Their was a reason Josh Jenkins was ran out of Adelaide town, and it wasn't related to form. The guy can't even get a game for Geelong for goodness sake!

At the end of the day Aussies love their players to be understated in interviews, which is interesting because in high school the class clown was generally the most popular guy!
 
characters cause too many problems - characters are their own person and that goes against the way the system is set up. the AFL want every franchise to be full of young players always "having a crack", 22 kids running structures. remember going back about a decade to when the AFL pushed all their youth policies? they brainwashed the people into believing that anybody over the age of 30 was absolutely cooked and useless to your footy club and that the way forward was youth - "rebuilding" - waiting for your next "premiership window" to "open" so you can start "having a crack at top four". no more Dustin Fletchers or Boomer Harvey's, they might actually help your club perform better than you're scheduled to this year, sorry!

it's all absolute nonsense and a completely fabricated league of competition. the key phrase is "managing expectations" - it's been happening to our supporters and it's been happening to yours. works better on some than others, but will happen to all in the end.
 
Sep 15, 2007
50,369
46,600
Where i need to be
AFL Club
Geelong
It lacks guys with personality, it lacks guys who have their own little trademarks that make you go "Yep that's (insert name) for ya". Sure character isn't exactly important at all towards on field performance, but it makes it more entertaining. It's why I like guys like Tom Lynch, sure on field he's a dick, who cares? The league needs more villain type guys, he's played that role great this season. So many players could easily be more entertaining but way too many are scared to tow the line.
Anyone with personality gets called a flog. The fans hate personality.
 

tigers_of_old_08

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 22, 2007
6,932
3,619
Punt Road
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
RICHMOND
iu

I’m suggest there be a clear distinction between a dickhead and a character.
 

Saint

Norm Smith Medallist
Feb 1, 2006
9,275
16,637
Victoria
AFL Club
Essendon
You can log on to most social media platforms and follow half your team and see what they're really like and actually do with their time (they're professional athletes so it's mostly boring food nice homes, clothes and US sport fetishes.)

Not sure the game needs more outlandish people, though. These days they tend not to be the best team-oriented professional athletes that you need to be to be an AFL footballer. Very different to basketball where they're still two or three-man shows.
 

hcd199

Club Legend
Apr 29, 2009
2,376
2,556
Hobart
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Waterford GAA, Glenorchy, Hob (BBL)
There's something pretty ridiculous about a thread on the lack of unique figures in the modern game being filled with identikit diatribes about how nobody dares to stand out any more because everyone else tears them down on social media or whatever. Then again, perhaps it's not so surprising when you consider what most here seem to think constitutes "character" or a "personality"...
 
But mums do.

NRL had a big problem with their juniors getting less players because the game was on the nose with so many mothers.

They do the driving to practice and games, so yeah it does matter in the big picture.

Do they? beyond your bare assertion is there any objective evidence to back that up?

My experience as a kid was completely contrary, wanted to play soccer but mum wanted me to play footy.
 
Jun 23, 2008
33,485
27,225
Headed for Kirribilli House
AFL Club
Collingwood
Other Teams
Norwood, Everton, Detroit Red Wings
Look at the discussion something simple like Dhursmas bow and arrow caused. That’s the problem. Here is a young talented player who creates a trademark of sorts and half the league is quick to criticise him for it.

Did anyone actually criticise him for it, or did they think they should "warn" him, in case someone did? It seemed more like "offended on behalf of..." than anyone in the media seeing it as a problem.

If anyone in the media did take actually offense to it, I would have been all for Duursma himself calling a press conference, only saying "Get lost, who cares?!", dropping the mic, and walking away.
 
Feb 1, 2004
1,640
2,047
Sweden
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
Helsingborg Australian FC
Are there any consistently funny comedians or comedy TV shows that don't involve cutting others down, making them look stupid, or making others feel "less than"? Not too much comes to mind right away.

That’s what I mean.... comedy is making fun of someone/something. Which is why it will die by the way we are going to be so morally correct. A future society that will be afraid to laugh for the risk being prosecuted.
 
Feb 9, 2009
17,159
23,041
Footscray
AFL Club
Richmond
it seems like everyones idea of 'character' is either being an arrogant flog, a thug, or a pisshead. the kind of character where a good buys night out of harmless fun is getting into a drunken bar fight.

if you really wanted characters you wouldnt be hating on reiwoldt, rance, lamumba, gawn, kirk, cameron, watson, the arrow guy from port, cornes, etc
 
Jun 23, 2008
33,485
27,225
Headed for Kirribilli House
AFL Club
Collingwood
Other Teams
Norwood, Everton, Detroit Red Wings
That’s what I mean.... comedy is making fun of someone/something. Which is why it will die by the way we are going to be so morally correct. A future society that will be afraid to laugh for the risk being prosecuted.

But if that's all comedy is now, are we letting ourselves down? Can we be smarter? Can we be better?
 
Jun 23, 2008
33,485
27,225
Headed for Kirribilli House
AFL Club
Collingwood
Other Teams
Norwood, Everton, Detroit Red Wings
Capper wasn't. A bit of a tit maybe, but had absolutely no malice in him whatsoever

Fair enough. I'd say most would probably put him in to the "arrogant flog"/"showpony" category though, even if he was pretty harmless.

I think what some are pining for mostly though is "un-professional" behaviour in a very professional sport (and world).
 
Mar 13, 2015
8,326
7,787
Victoria
AFL Club
Essendon
I think players lack personality and or intensity on the ground.
On the field you don't notice players talking or really get stuck into the communication side of it.
I'm sure many players off the field are funny and interesting people.
 
May 5, 2016
43,465
48,500
AFL Club
Geelong
Fair enough. I'd say most would probably put him in to the "arrogant flog"/"showpony" category though, even if he was pretty harmless.

I think what some are pining for mostly though is "un-professional" behaviour in a very professional sport (and world).

Capper's isn't an 'I'm great and everyone else is rubbish' arrogance though it seems fairly playful from what I can gather.

people will call this bias because of who I go for but its not so much that, it's just an obvious example that springs to mind because I remember it well.

Dangerfield fronting up to a media conference with crutches and bandages when he was clearly not injured, in jest at people saying he bunged on his pain in the game a few days before his presser.

Once upon a time, people would have looked at that and thought 'haha that's great that someone is prepared to take the p*** out of themselves and add a bit of colour to an otherwise stock standard interview.' Instead we get this 'look at this FIGJAM f***wit with his look-at-me flog act.'

The guy is literally still getting hounded for the suit surfing - it was an advertisement FFS, not footage lifted from a home video or a documentary.

People willing to make an assessment on someone they have never met, see on TV for at most, about 3 hours a week, and decide for themselves what sort of person they are, leads to those people that have a personality simply not wanting to show it off anymore.
 
Jun 23, 2008
33,485
27,225
Headed for Kirribilli House
AFL Club
Collingwood
Other Teams
Norwood, Everton, Detroit Red Wings
Capper's isn't an 'I'm great and everyone else is rubbish' arrogance though it seems fairly playful from what I can gather.

people will call this bias because of who I go for but its not so much that, it's just an obvious example that springs to mind because I remember it well.

Dangerfield fronting up to a media conference with crutches and bandages when he was clearly not injured, in jest at people saying he bunged on his pain in the game a few days before his presser.

Once upon a time, people would have looked at that and thought 'haha that's great that someone is prepared to take the p*** out of themselves and add a bit of colour to an otherwise stock standard interview.' Instead we get this 'look at this FIGJAM f***wit with his look-at-me flog act.'

The guy is literally still getting hounded for the suit surfing - it was an advertisement FFS, not footage lifted from a home video or a documentary.

People willing to make an assessment on someone they have never met, see on TV for at most, about 3 hours a week, and decide for themselves what sort of person they are, leads to those people that have a personality simply not wanting to show it off anymore.

Rather than take an honest look at their own flaws, some choose to drag others down, and judge others by standards they don't even judge themselves by.
 

The wily weagle

Premiership Player
Oct 16, 2014
3,288
7,541
AFL Club
West Coast
Its because everyone in football now is so pedantic about alcohol intake.

Alcohol consumption is an integral part of Aussie larrikism, go to any sportsman's night and you can't help but chuckle over a bevie when you're regaled by tales from characters like Dermi, Dipper, Billy Brownless, Dane Swan etc about some mischief they got up to back in the day whilst on the drink.

Imagine how "riveting" these nights will be when the likes of Matt Rowell or Sam Walsh come through:

"So I order a chicken salad, but it came with full fat mayonnaise rather then low fat mayonnaise. It was so exciting to be living on the edge...."

🙄😂
 
May 5, 2016
43,465
48,500
AFL Club
Geelong
Its because everyone in football now is so pedantic about alcohol intake.

Alcohol consumption is an integral part of Aussie larrikism, go to any sportsman's night and you can't help but chuckle over a bevie when you're regaled by tales from characters like Dermi, Dipper, Billy Brownless, Dane Swan etc about some mischief they got up to back in the day whilst on the drink.

Imagine how "riveting" these nights will be when the likes of Matt Rowell or Sam Walsh come through:

"So I order a chicken salad, but it came with full fat mayonnaise rather then low fat mayonnaise. It was so exciting to be living on the edge...."

🙄😂

i think you're in a fair bit of denial if you think today's players don't get up to mischief on the drink. It simply isn't the badge of honour it once was though, that you'd brag about
 
Feb 9, 2009
17,159
23,041
Footscray
AFL Club
Richmond
Its because everyone in football now is so pedantic about alcohol intake.

Alcohol consumption is an integral part of Aussie larrikism, go to any sportsman's night and you can't help but chuckle over a bevie when you're regaled by tales from characters like Dermi, Dipper, Billy Brownless, Dane Swan etc about some mischief they got up to back in the day whilst on the drink.

Imagine how "riveting" these nights will be when the likes of Matt Rowell or Sam Walsh come through:

"So I order a chicken salad, but it came with full fat mayonnaise rather then low fat mayonnaise. It was so exciting to be living on the edge...."

🙄😂
again, having personality isnt about being a drunken boofhead
 
Feb 9, 2009
17,159
23,041
Footscray
AFL Club
Richmond
But if that's all comedy is now, are we letting ourselves down? Can we be smarter? Can we be better?
there is plenty of comedy that skirts or goes over the boundaries of PC without getting to the point of just being offensive. monty python being probably the funnies comedy group ever, very definitely going over the PC line, but has rarely if ever gone over the line where it is just offensive.

some people just pine for the days when you could do blackface on national tv, wear buck teeth and sticky tape your eyes to play an asian in a romantic comedy, or just laugh at incredibly offensive accents.
 

PaddyMcClunkin

All Australian
May 31, 2016
710
1,591
AFL Club
St Kilda
If people want characters they can read a book or watch a movie.

The reality is 95% of people aren't actually funny.

The remaining 5% aren't either they just think they are.
 
Back