Unpopular AFL Opinions

[Falcon3518]

There are just two things wrong with the Australian Football Hall of Fame: there's no actual hall (thanks, Hamish) and many of the inductees aren't famous.

Yeah, I’ll be honest. I don’t care about any SANFL/WAFL players, I’d be ok if they got rid of them. They played in a lessor league. It starts going weird cause I think there are a few guys that kicked more goals than lockett and more games than boomer Harvey and port supporters a having a sook they aren’t recognised in the same way.

Don’t even get me started on their Brownlow equivalent medals and “premierships” it’s a mess.

 

[Blackhawk42]

The AFL illicit drugs policy is stupid but not for the commonly thought reason.

Recreational drugs are so commonplace within wider society, particularly within the < 35 age bracket, hence why you hear some commentators seem so miffed at it as things have definitely changed.

Society needs to accept that drugs are and will continue to be present and used. Go to any bar, club on a Friday/ Saturday night and the place will be swimming in the stuff.

Just seems a little silly a player could have 20 + beers and there would be little/ no issues yet an activity a lot of people now regularly partake in is considered blasphemy.

It's inconsequential to continue to think we can try surpress/ stop drugs within society. Focus needs to be moved to education and harm minimisation.

Get rid of the policy and let clubs deal with it similar to how they deal with players getting out of line out of 'club' rules i.e. Ginnivan drinking post Anzac Day.

Obviously the AFL's hands are tied as they can't go full rogue on these issues but the league/ society is kidding themselves if they think these issues won't keep popping up.

Happy to have this change made once AFL players earn the same wage I do and their physical health isn't the key tool required to perform their job.

You have, at best, 10-15 years of staying in peak physical condition and earning more than the majority of Australians could ever dream of. Stay off the gear or get a different job.

 

[PhatBoy]

Yeah, I’ll be honest. I don’t care about any SANFL/WAFL players, I’d be ok if they got rid of them. They played in a lessor league. It starts going weird cause I think there are a few guys that kicked more goals than lockett and more games than boomer Harvey and port supporters a having a sook they aren’t recognised in the same way.

Don’t even get me started on their Brownlow equivalent medals and “premierships” it’s a mess.

I’m not starting a back and forth here but for many of those players when they did play, those state leagues were every bit as good as the VFL. Overall if you look through State of Origin and national carnival results, absolutely Victoria has been the dominant state but there are dozens of years and times when they weren’t.

You only have to look at one of the most famous names of all: Haydn Bunton Sr. Everything he did in the WAFL (three sandovers) he managed in the VFL (three Brownlows) except when he went to Subiaco and won those 3 Sandover medals, it wasn’t even enough for them to make the finals.

That suggests a good quality competition at the time if he wasn’t good enough to at least get them to the post-season.

Clearly in the last 40 years that difference in quality has widened but it doesn’t diminish what came before it.

 

[Falcon3518]

I’m not starting a back and forth here but for many of those players when they did play, those state leagues were every bit as good as the VFL. Overall if you look through State of Origin and national carnival results, absolutely Victoria has been the dominant state but there are dozens of years and times when they weren’t.

You only have to look at one of the most famous names of all: Haydn Bunton Sr. Everything he did in the WAFL (three sandovers) he managed in the VFL (three Brownlows) except when he went to Subiaco and won those 3 Sandover medals, it wasn’t even enough for them to make the finals.

That suggests a good quality competition at the time if he wasn’t good enough to at least get them to the post-season.

Clearly in the last 40 years that difference in quality has widened but it doesn’t diminish what came before it.

From my understanding the best SANFL/WAFL players moved to the VFL. Those players are fine, however the ones that didn’t I don’t recognise.

Do you think Bunton Sr is as good as those 6 “Brownlows” suggest?

 

[Falcon3518]

The AFL illicit drugs policy is stupid but not for the commonly thought reason.

Recreational drugs are so commonplace within wider society, particularly within the < 35 age bracket, hence why you hear some commentators seem so miffed at it as things have definitely changed.

Society needs to accept that drugs are and will continue to be present and used. Go to any bar, club on a Friday/ Saturday night and the place will be swimming in the stuff.

Just seems a little silly a player could have 20 + beers and there would be little/ no issues yet an activity a lot of people now regularly partake in is considered blasphemy.

It's inconsequential to continue to think we can try surpress/ stop drugs within society. Focus needs to be moved to education and harm minimisation.

Get rid of the policy and let clubs deal with it similar to how they deal with players getting out of line out of 'club' rules i.e. Ginnivan drinking post Anzac Day.

Obviously the AFL's hands are tied as they can't go full rogue on these issues but the league/ society is kidding themselves if they think these issues won't keep popping up.

Thinking that way means there is no point banning anything as everything can be bought illegally and people do it regardless of the laws. I don’t think you want to be like America with the gun issues.

Main thing is don’t do drugs unless it’s for medical reasons.

 

[PhatBoy]

From my understanding the best SANFL/WAFL players moved to the VFL. Those players are fine, however the ones that didn’t I don’t recognise.

Do you think Bunton Sr is as good as those 6 “Brownlows” suggest?

Yes.

He had countless clubs after his services when he started out in Albury, he won two of his three brownlows in the first two seasons he played in the VFL and another for good measure a few years later.

Even his stint at Port Adelaide suggests that the SANFL comp was very strong relatively speaking at the time: he was averaging a couple of goals a game (he was a rover by trade) and it was only good enough to get him two votes for the season in the Magarey Medal, playing for a team which made the grand final. While he was obviously past his best at that stage it indicates a strong league if he was still an influential player and was getting next to no measured recognition for it

 

[Falcon3518]

Yes.

He had countless clubs after his services when he started out in Albury, he won two of his three brownlows in the first two seasons he played in the VFL and another for good measure a few years later.

Even his stint at Port Adelaide suggests that the SANFL comp was very strong relatively speaking at the time: he was averaging a couple of goals a game (he was a rover by trade) and it was only good enough to get him two votes for the season in the Magarey Medal, playing for a team which made the grand final. While he was obviously past his best at that stage it indicates a strong league if he was still an influential player and was getting next to no measured recognition for it

Well he must be your GOAT then. Triple the amount of Brownlows as GAJ is insane. We can end all the GOAT threads now.

I see sandover medals the same way as the AFLW Brownlow. The best of the second tier players. Only his 3 AFL/VFL ones are legit, which is the general consensus when people compare him for GOAT status.

 

[Underarm]

From my understanding the best SANFL/WAFL players moved to the VFL. Those players are fine, however the ones that didn’t I don’t recognise.

Do you think Bunton Sr is as good as those 6 “Brownlows” suggest?

Very few did before the 70s. Before then the WAFL and SANFL were very strong competitions, Strong enough to be seen as equal.

 

[Minka Beaver]

Yes.

He had countless clubs after his services when he started out in Albury, he won two of his three brownlows in the first two seasons he played in the VFL and another for good measure a few years later.

Even his stint at Port Adelaide suggests that the SANFL comp was very strong relatively speaking at the time: he was averaging a couple of goals a game (he was a rover by trade) and it was only good enough to get him two votes for the season in the Magarey Medal, playing for a team which made the grand final. While he was obviously past his best at that stage it indicates a strong league if he was still an influential player and was getting next to no measured recognition for it

My grandfather watched and played against Haydn Bunton. In 80-odd years of watching footy, he claimed Bunton was the best player he saw. It wasn't Bunton's fault that - aside from one year at Port Adelaide - he was surrounded by ordinary teammates.

I should be more explicit about my Hall of Fame gripe: I just think there are too many inductees full stop and that includes VFL/AFL inclusions.

 

[PhatBoy]

Well he must be your GOAT then. Triple the amount of Brownlows as GAJ is insane. We can end all the GOAT threads now.

I see sandover medals the same way as the AFLW Brownlow. The best of the second tier players. Only his 3 AFL/VFL ones are legit, which is the general consensus when people compare him for GOAT status.

Sigh.

Even engaging in a normal measured conversation is just a waste of time. Mate I don’t have a greatest of all time, I think the term GOAT is an internet buzzword that means nothing and furthermore I really, really don’t care.

He was a great player, a superstar, the father of another star, he played all over the place, was in the armed forces at wartime, and plied his trade in 3 very good football leagues and his name being brought into this thread was simple a demonstration of the fact that at various times since the codification of Australian Football, the SANFL and WAFL have been every bit as strong as the VFL and as such, as it is the Australian Football Hall Of Fame, not the Victorian top tier competition Hall of Fame, the stars of those competitions from yesteryear deserve every bit as much recognition as anyone from the Victorian sides.

Capiche?

 

[PhatBoy]

Mods can we just change every thread title to ‘who is the GOAT’ plz.

 

[edgie]

The WAFL/SANFL were every bit as good as the VFL at the top. VFL just had greater depth. The fifth string FF in the VFL was probably at least twice as good as the fifth string interstate one.

The 60s to 90 era of SANFL is one of the finest eras of any sports league, there's an unpopular opinion. Oatey's Sturt, Cahill's Port, North and Glenelg floating around, record crowds at Adelaide Oval then Footy Park, champion players considered the best, it was like the 60-70s heavyweight boxing where you just had so many amazing athletes all converge together at the same moment in history and the cream rose, but the crop was good enough to be the best in any other era and challenged hard.

 

[Sky]

I agree with this, GC hasn’t even got it together yet. You also have North that is struggling. Do people really want to starve these clubs of picks even more? It also dilutes the talent pool of AFL players and we will see even worse ball skills.

Might benefit you and I being two of the younger frequent users on this website. I’m sure we’d both sell our soul and line up for Tassie since we’re in our early 20’s

 

[Falcon3518]

Sigh.

Even engaging in a normal measured conversation is just a waste of time. Mate I don’t have a greatest of all time, I think the term GOAT is an internet buzzword that means nothing and furthermore I really, really don’t care.

He was a great player, a superstar, the father of another star, he played all over the place, was in the armed forces at wartime, and plied his trade in 3 very good football leagues and his name being brought into this thread was simple a demonstration of the fact that at various times since the codification of Australian Football, the SANFL and WAFL have been every bit as strong as the VFL and as such, as it is the Australian Football Hall Of Fame, not the Victorian top tier competition Hall of Fame, the stars of those competitions from yesteryear deserve every bit as much recognition as anyone from the Victorian sides.

Capiche?

I know all that. Btw I don’t rate the VFL era as good as the AFL era either. Tbh I don’t really care about this bloke, fact is rightly or wrongly he’ll never be considered as good the greats of the AFL era. I guarantee he’s not is anybodies top 10 of all time. Even with those 6 “Brownlows”

 

[PhatBoy]

I know all that. Btw I don’t rate the VFL era as good as the AFL era either. Tbh I don’t really care about this bloke, fact is rightly or wrongly he’ll never be considered as good the greats of the AFL era. I guarantee he’s not is anybodies top 10 of all time. Even with those 6 “Brownlows”

Apart from whoever put together the website that appears at the very top of the page when you google ‘top 10 afl players of all time.’

But apart from them, he’s on no one’s list.

The fact that you have somehow tried to turn this into another ‘who is the best’ masturbatathon is proof you missed the point.

Just because you didn’t see them, doesn’t mean someone wasn’t good.
It doesn’t mean we don’t recognise them. That’s why we have recognition like the hall of fame, because it immortalises and makes people go ‘who was this bloke? What did he do? When did he play?’

The fact that your attention span doesn’t allow for the period of time before you around doesn’t mean other people don’t care, particularly the descendants and connections of the people being discussed

 

[Falcon3518]

Apart from whoever put together the website that appears at the very top of the page when you google ‘top 10 afl players of all time.’

But apart from them, he’s on no one’s list.

The fact that you have somehow tried to turn this into another ‘who is the best’ masturbatathon is proof you missed the point.

Just because you didn’t see them, doesn’t mean someone wasn’t good.
It doesn’t mean we don’t recognise them. That’s why we have recognition like the hall of fame, because it immortalises and makes people go ‘who was this bloke? What did he do? When did he play?’

The fact that your attention span doesn’t allow for the period of time before you around doesn’t mean other people don’t care, particularly the descendants and connections of the people being discussed

Can we just cut to the chase, is he on your top 10 or not? Who are your 10? no need to rank them.

 

[adammania9]

Nothing screams “I’ve never spoken to a woman in my life” more than arguing about AFL crowd figures and membership numbers. I’m perplexed that anybody could give a shite and waste their time bickering over it

 

[PhatBoy]

Can we just cut to the chase, is he on your top 10 or not? Who are your 10? no need to rank them.

I don’t have a top 10 and your frankly Bailey-Smith-Near-White-Powder level of fixation on it is borderline scary.

I didn’t bring up rankings. You brought up the merits of honoring players in the hall of fame from other leagues.

That’s it. That’s literally it. If you have an addictive need to turn every football discussion into a ranking-fisting love-in, go for it.

But try and address the actual topic people are engaging you about.

 

[Scotland]

While I don't agree that the talent isn't there to justify a 19/20th team (I think there is plenty of guys in state leagues etc who just never get the chance due to maturing later etc) I'm not sure that the AFL sees teams in Tasmania or the NT as sustainable if for no other reason than what might be huge player retention issues. I'm not sure how many players would want to stay in those two places when an opportunity to leave presents itself.

IMO a Tassie team would be at least as sustainable as GWS or GC. The reason the AFL don't want to do it is that there's no growth potential. Hobart is a city of 230,000 people (roughly the same size as the City of Parramatta alone - where Giants Stadium is) and the #1 sport in Tassie is already football. They'd be competing with the JackJumpers and Hurricanes. The AFL don't care about the NBL or BBL. If a new Tassie team gets 30,000 members and 20,000 a game how many of those weren't already attending North/Hawks games, watching FNF on Channel 7, getting Fox/Kayo subscriptions etc?

The issue isn't the 19th license; the issue is that a 19th license requires a 20th license and that's where the problems lie.

If there was another large population centre that was rugby league or soccer heartland the AFL couldn't get the paperwork done fast enough.

 

[almuz]

The people who think that wE dOnT hAve EnOugh TaLeNt for 19-20 teams are usually the same people who 1) miss da good ol days and 2) froth lower quality stare League footy

 

[Kanye West]

Down Geelong way they are of the opinion that Jordan Clarke wasnt good enough to play in a top 4 team and that he butcher's the ball!

Whoops

 

[Scotland]

Jordan Clark

6

Jordan Clark

Age

23

Ht

185cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.7

4star

K

9.4

4star

HB

4.3

3star

M

4.2

4star

T

2.6

4star

MG

172.0

3star

D

12.5

3star

K

8.5

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

1.5

2star

MG

172.0

3star

D

12.2

3star

K

10.4

4star

HB

1.8

2star

M

3.4

4star

T

2.4

4star

does butcher the ball a bit but much less talented players get games in top 4 teams. The last time Freo were good they had a bunch of Ross Lyon foot soldiers most teams wouldn't be interested in.

Brisbane are currently top and playing Robinson who was delisted by Carlton and Lyons who was delisted by Gold Coast under contract.

 

[Minka Beaver]

If there was another large population centre that was rugby league or soccer heartland the AFL couldn't get the paperwork done fast enough.

There is one (Newcastle) and Kevin Sheedy is the only person I’ve heard promote that move.

 

[Kanye West]

Jordan Clark does butcher the ball a bit but much less talented players get games in top 4 teams. The last time Freo were good they had a bunch of Ross Lyon foot soldiers most teams wouldn't be interested in.

Brisbane are currently top and playing Robinson who was delisted by Carlton and Lyons who was delisted by Gold Coast under contract.

I think you missed this one!

But if 20dpg going at 80%de is butchering the ball a bit, I can live with that!

 

[PhatBoy]

I think you missed this one!

But if 20dpg going at 80%de is butchering the ball a bit, I can live with that!

Did anyone from Geelong actually think he couldn’t play? Most fans thought he could, the staff must have agreed as they kept him on the list for a while. Was he what we needed? Evidently they didn’t think so. Good luck to him