The quality of AFL finals on the decline?

[RUNVS]

I may be looking at the past with rose coloured glasses but I can't help but think about recent years with finals and just how many games have been blowouts. Was it always like this, or is there a specific reason why finals don't seem to be as close as they once were?

For example in the finals in the last 3 years

2017
Port Adelaide vs West Coast - 2 points
Adelaide vs GWS - 36 points
Richmond vs GWS - 36 points
Adelaide vs Richmond - 48 points
Geelong vs Richmond - 51 points
Geelong vs Sydney - 59 points
Adelaide vs Geelong - 61 points
Sydney vs Essendon - 65 points
GWS vs West Coast - 67 points

2018
West Coast vs Collingwood - 5 points
Collingwood vs GWS - 10 points
West Coast vs Collingwood - 16 points
Melbourne vs Geelong - 29 points
Richmond vs Hawthorn - 31 points
Hawthorn vs Melbourne - 33 points
Collingwood vs Richmond - 39 points
GWS vs Sydney - 49 points
West Coast vs Melbourne - 66 points

2019 (so far)
Collingwood vs Geelong - 10 points
Richmond vs Brisbane - 47 points
West Coast vs Essendon - 55 points
GWS vs Western Bulldogs - 58 points

I mean we get a smattering of good games, but most games over the past 3 years have been 30 points victories or considerably more, much bigger victories than the average during the home and away season.

Can anyone think as to why, and is it making the AFL finals a bit anti-climatic if every game gets hyped hugely and then each game ends in a very very comfortable victory to one team?

 

[ApplecrossWC]

This has obviously been a terrible first week of finals but was to be expected with duds like Essendon, Dogs and Brisbane in the finals.

 

[JayJ20]

This has obviously been a terrible first week of finals but was to be expected with duds like Essendon, Dogs and Brisbane in the finals.

That isn't fair to Brisbane. They've been good this year.

 

[WWSD]

I may be looking at the past with rose coloured glasses but I can't help but think about recent years with finals and just how many games have been blowouts. Was it always like this, or is there a specific reason why finals don't seem to be as close as they once were?

For example in the finals in the last 3 years

2017
Port Adelaide vs West Coast - 2 points
Adelaide vs GWS - 36 points
Richmond vs GWS - 36 points
Adelaide vs Richmond - 48 points
Geelong vs Richmond - 51 points
Geelong vs Sydney - 59 points
Adelaide vs Geelong - 61 points
Sydney vs Essendon - 65 points
GWS vs West Coast - 67 points

2018
West Coast vs Collingwood - 5 points
Collingwood vs GWS - 10 points
West Coast vs Collingwood - 16 points
Melbourne vs Geelong - 29 points
Richmond vs Hawthorn - 31 points
Hawthorn vs Melbourne - 33 points
Collingwood vs Richmond - 39 points
GWS vs Sydney - 49 points
West Coast vs Melbourne - 66 points

2019 (so far)
Collingwood vs Geelong - 10 points
Richmond vs Brisbane - 47 points
West Coast vs Essendon - 55 points
GWS vs Western Bulldogs - 58 points

I mean we get a smattering of good games, but most games over the past 3 years have been 30 points victories or considerably more, much bigger victories than the average during the home and away season.

Can anyone think as to why, and is it making the AFL finals a bit anti-climatic if every game gets hyped hugely and then each game ends in a very very comfortable victory to one team?

You see what happens when Hawthorn and Sydney don’t participate in the same final series?

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Agreed. It used to be the grand final was the only letdown.

For years the conventional wisdom was that all the good matches were in the lead up. And man were there some belters.

No idea why this is happening but it shits me.

 

[Bastyy]

Collingwood Geelong was pretty good towards the end but only cause the pies were stinking it up
Richmond Bris was interesting til 3 quarter time and same with Bullies/GWS

West Coast played amazing against the Dons who were rattled and unprepared to play finals footy.

Think the Semi's will be good

 

[captain blood 17]

Because those rugby score finals of the swans in 2005/6 were awesome. Ironic given it was the Swans who started this so called decline.

 

[legend166]

Oops, didn't see this before posting my thread. But yeah it's super boring.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

This has obviously been a terrible first week of finals but was to be expected with duds like Essendon, Dogs and Brisbane in the finals.

There were better teams, that didn’t make the finals? How does that work?

Or are you saying the standard of footy is so abysmal across the board that there are only five teams this year that deserve their place in the eight?

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Because those rugby score finals of the swans in 2005/6 were awesome. Ironic given it was the Swans who started this so called decline.

Well a s**t load of people thought they were awesome. I suggest if you ask around you’ll find your opinion is in the minority.

And how exactly did the Swans start the trend for blowouts? Are you suggesting our powers extend to controlling the winning margins of games we’re not even involved in? That’s some mighty powers you’re attributing to us.

Have you been drinking?

 

[PP34]

It sucks.

Finals used to be something to get excited about even if your team wasn’t involved.

 

[Roobs321]

This is unfair imo.

Eagles played sublime highlights football for large patches

Magpies-Cats was still in the balance in the last minute

Giants-Bulldogs was the round's best until the Giants got on top midway through the 3rd

Tigers like the Eagles played lethal football in the 2nd & 3rd quarters, Lion's nerves showing in their inaccuracy.

I.e. Each of the 4 games had something to offer

The 90s and 2000s had lots of dud finals weekends. E.g. W1 2001, W2 2006, W2 1999, etc. Nothing to see here.

 

[Lions_Prid3]

I had this conversation with a mate last night. I think a bit of it has to do with the current day mentality of most, but particularly the younger generations coming through (who are now filling AFL lists).

Back in the day when the going got tough the tough got going. And you'd have momentum swings and come backs. These days as soon as one team gets ascendancy you can see the heads drop and the game is as good as over.

On SM-G960F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[PP34]

This is unfair imo.

Eagles played sublime highlights football for large patches

Magpies-Cats was still in the balance in the last minute

Giants-Bulldogs was the round's best until the Giants got on top midway through the 3rd

Tigers like the Eagles played lethal football in the 2nd & 3rd quarters, Lion's nerves showing in their inaccuracy.

I.e. Each of the 4 games had something to offer

The 90s and 2000s had lots of dud finals weekends. E.g. W1 2001, W2 2006, W2 1999, etc. Nothing to see here.

How is it unfair?

The games have been awful to watch.

Finals footy used to have a stinker or two but year after year we’d get some absolute cracking contests full of skill and courage with the games elite showing why they’re in the finals.

The last 2-3 years most finals have felt like foregone conclusions by the second quarter with the inferior team battling to even kick a goal.

 

[RedBullRacing]

In all fairness, Essendon and Bulldogs were the best of the bunch fighting for the 8, but are a mile off the top 6

 

[jaaack]

I had this conversation with a mate last night. I think a bit of it has to do with the current day mentality of most, but particularly the younger generations coming through (who are now filling AFL lists).

Back in the day when the going got tough the tough got going. And you'd have momentum swings and come backs. These days as soon as one team gets ascendancy you can see the heads drop and the game is as good as over.

On SM-G960F using BigFooty.com mobile app

Another industry ruined by lazy millennials.

 

[Elmer_Judd]

They need to go back to the old McIntyre system (1 v 8, 2 v 7 etc)

 

[Checkered]

I had this conversation with a mate last night. I think a bit of it has to do with the current day mentality of most, but particularly the younger generations coming through (who are now filling AFL lists).

Back in the day when the going got tough the tough got going. And you'd have momentum swings and come backs. These days as soon as one team gets ascendancy you can see the heads drop and the game is as good as over.

On SM-G960F using BigFooty.com mobile app

This isn't a thing ya senile campaigner

 

[Richo83]

My theory is that, with 18 teams, the talent is diluted, meaning every club is slightly weaker and has more holes to expose. The amount of teams also does weird things to the draw. You used to play more than a third of the league twice; now, you play less than a quarter. It means the ladder is more misleading than ever, and a side like Brisbane, who IMO isn't as good as say West Coast or Collingwood finishes higher due to fixture weirdness and injury luck. This is why you're seeing sides increasingly get exposed in the finals.

 

[Roobs321]

How is it unfair?

The games have been awful to watch.

Finals footy used to have a stinker or two but year after year we’d get some absolute cracking contests full of skill and courage with the games elite showing why they’re in the finals.

The games haven't been awful to watch. Not perfect or classics, but reasonable by final standards.

That skill and courage has still been on display this weekend, just lacking that 4 quarter armwrestle.

But hey, I enjoy my footy. It is only Week 1, maybe hold off until the end of the month before roasting.

 

[Occidental]

It will be so much better with a wildcard system. Then you might get the 10th best side play finals. That’ll sure improve the quality.

 

[quotemokc]

It has gotten to a point where trade talk is more interesting to talk about than the finals.

 

[SdKfz 181]

No.. people just have inflated expectations these days, and love to bloody whinge..

 

[Angus Young]

There were better teams, that didn’t make the finals? How does that work?

The draw.

 

[PerthBoy86]

It has gotten to a point where trade talk is more interesting to talk about than the finals.

If your team bombs out first week then I could see that.