What makes a great game of football

Jan 13, 2006
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I'm personally a fan of those games where its tight for 3 quarters or so before a team gains the ascendancy towards the end.

2011 GF is probably the one i'd choose. Great skills + back and forth momentum swings before the cream rises to the top.

I wouldn’t say that’s a trait of attacking brands of football but more a trait of defensive style of football, where fatigue kicks in at the end and one side runs off with it.
 

Goggin Our Best

Norm Smith Medallist
May 23, 2011
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What is with the AFL obsession over changing rules?? The games fine.
All I see this being is the AFL hates defensive football and is trying to appeal to some international expansion market by wanting a 200 goal football match every game.

the last thing I want to see every week in a super high scoring competition are matches that blow out regularly to 60-100 point margins, which will happen very often when playing the bottom four sides in a high scoring competition.

what fans love are seeing tight contests that go down to the wire.. not high scoring blowout games.

if I have the option to choose between watching port Adelaide and Richmond play and it’s a 60 point margin, or watching Gold Coast and hawthorn play in a close contest, I will flip the tv to watch Gold Coast hawthorn...

free flowing footy is boring as it’s more often large blowouts.

No you are totally wrong their - they have to keep changing some - because clubs will do anything to win

Couple of examples - back in the early 90s when Geel played W/Coast in all those big games - big finals - Guy McKENNA use to kick the ball in from FB - and he did it brilliantly - he would take up to a minute ( till he got the double whistle hurry up from the umpire to kick it in) - he would look at all his options - left /right - till finally an Eagles player would break - and hed spot him/hit him every time ( which did my head in ) - so the crowd had to sit and wait - for a minute of nothing - supporters want action - they want to be entertained

So guess what they changed the rule
 

Spazz Cat

Brownlow Medallist
Jun 10, 2013
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I don't get into close dour struggles much.
I know they're close but light on skills.
And the main reasons I don't get into them is that umpires usually decide the outcome.
I prefer the players to decide.
 

Farmer2Goggin

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all sounds great. I say older generations because depending what era you saw you tend to have different views on what constitutes good football. A lot of the older fans are nostalgic of how they watched footy 70’s 90’s and prefer the way it was then and want to see the game swing back in that attacking high scoring low pressure ping pong fashion.

the game has not been played in that fashion now for about 20 years since Paul Roos and worsford brought about the flooding style. 15 or so years if you want to be exact.

I doubt we will ever see footy that way again and have 100 + goal kickers. If you want to return footy to that state you probably have to make AFL a part time amateur sport again.
Players are too well trained and disciplined these days tactically and fitness wise which results in a great deal of defensive efforts.

only relevance to the pre season chat all of this is because the AFL rule change trying to bring back attacking footy. Which I think will help Us anyway

Good post , Footy has certainly evolved over the years.
I can go back to the 60's as a spectator so I guess I'm part of the older generation. However I don't long for the good old days , not that I didn't enjoy those days , I'm a passionate fan who does appreciate how professional the game has become and the changes that have occurred as a result.
AFL is an amazing game so it's not hard to have enjoyed it throughout the ages.

The modern game is clearly different to what a fan would see from the 60's and 70's for instance.
Without becoming too nostalgic there are a few aspects of the old style footy that were amazing to watch:
> Match Ups - huge in those days , players played a position all game against the same opponent. Those duels were much anticipated and pretty much decided the game. Farmer v Nicholls , Goggin v Birt , Marshall v Barrot , Wade V Swift - salivating stuff. Media focused on match ups a lot in the pre game and post game analysis.
> High Marking - a lot more pack marking in those days. Seeing Wade and Ryan take huge grabs each week was worth the price of admission.
> Physicality - the game was more intimidating back then , both fairly ( shepherds and shirtfronts) and unfairly ( elbows , fists ). I saw Ablett kick 6 on Mick Martyn one day and with every mark he took Martyn would punch him in the back of the head or back just to let him know he was there. :thumbsu:
> Contests - players played in their positions and their opponents stayed with them.

Having said that I was a Coach until a few years ago so I can appreciate how tactical and demanding the modern game is.
I hope we play a bit more freely this season , looks like we're putting a premium on speed and quality disposal so I'm looking forward to seeing our 2021 game plan in action
Go Catters:thumbsu:
 

Spearman

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Theres eems to be something about aPerlim for players. They will often say that it is the best game for them, the best one to win.
for a long time that was said about NFL conference championships. The Super Bowl often was anticlimactic. Recently though there have been better SBs.

I think the spectacle and distractions of the GF can influence the game itself, while the PF is still a, for want of a better description, pure footy game. Using the NFL again as an example, you know your conference championship opponents a lot more since you play them every year, so there was more rivalry. The SB opponent was from the other conference(originally a different league).
The PF probably also has more supporters from each side at the game, since the GF is such a AFL junket.
IMHO
 
As the heading says, what do we each thing makes a great game of football...

- is it a tight contest that goes down to the wire
- or maybe a match like the 07 where one team is at the top of their game

If you were introducing a newbie to the wonderful game of AFL and could only pick 1 match to show them, which match would it be
Geelong Richmond 2007.
Given the current climate, that game makes me very happy, and it was a delight to watch. Champagne football by the whole team.
And a foreplay for our dominant era.
 
Nov 7, 2010
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Good post , Footy has certainly evolved over the years.
I can go back to the 60's as a spectator so I guess I'm part of the older generation. However I don't long for the good old days , not that I didn't enjoy those days , I'm a passionate fan who does appreciate how professional the game has become and the changes that have occurred as a result.
AFL is an amazing game so it's not hard to have enjoyed it throughout the ages.

The modern game is clearly different to what a fan would see from the 60's and 70's for instance.
Without becoming too nostalgic there are a few aspects of the old style footy that were amazing to watch:
> Match Ups - huge in those days , players played a position all game against the same opponent. Those duels were much anticipated and pretty much decided the game. Farmer v Nicholls , Goggin v Birt , Marshall v Barrot , Wade V Swift - salivating stuff. Media focused on match ups a lot in the pre game and post game analysis.
> High Marking - a lot more pack marking in those days. Seeing Wade and Ryan take huge grabs each week was worth the price of admission.
> Physicality - the game was more intimidating back then , both fairly ( shepherds and shirtfronts) and unfairly ( elbows , fists ). I saw Ablett kick 6 on Mick Martyn one day and with every mark he took Martyn would punch him in the back of the head or back just to let him know he was there. :thumbsu:
> Contests - players played in their positions and their opponents stayed with them.

Having said that I was a Coach until a few years ago so I can appreciate how tactical and demanding the modern game is.
I hope we play a bit more freely this season , looks like we're putting a premium on speed and quality disposal so I'm looking forward to seeing our 2021 game plan in action
Go Catters:thumbsu:
The days you could go home and knew what player played what position and his opponents for the afternoon.
 
Nov 7, 2010
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Geelong Richmond 2007.
Given the current climate, that game makes me very happy, and it was a delight to watch. Champagne football by the whole team.
And a foreplay for our dominant era.
I've never seen that game I listened to it on line v Krock, I've looked for it on youtube but no luck.
 

Spazz Cat

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A close game that wasn't that high scoring that was great was the Giants/Dogs prelim.
Toby Green! That Johannisen kick to Bontempelli. Top stuff.
 
Jan 13, 2006
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Good post , Footy has certainly evolved over the years.
I can go back to the 60's as a spectator so I guess I'm part of the older generation. However I don't long for the good old days , not that I didn't enjoy those days , I'm a passionate fan who does appreciate how professional the game has become and the changes that have occurred as a result.
AFL is an amazing game so it's not hard to have enjoyed it throughout the ages.

The modern game is clearly different to what a fan would see from the 60's and 70's for instance.
Without becoming too nostalgic there are a few aspects of the old style footy that were amazing to watch:
> Match Ups - huge in those days , players played a position all game against the same opponent. Those duels were much anticipated and pretty much decided the game. Farmer v Nicholls , Goggin v Birt , Marshall v Barrot , Wade V Swift - salivating stuff. Media focused on match ups a lot in the pre game and post game analysis.
> High Marking - a lot more pack marking in those days. Seeing Wade and Ryan take huge grabs each week was worth the price of admission.
> Physicality - the game was more intimidating back then , both fairly ( shepherds and shirtfronts) and unfairly ( elbows , fists ). I saw Ablett kick 6 on Mick Martyn one day and with every mark he took Martyn would punch him in the back of the head or back just to let him know he was there. :thumbsu:
> Contests - players played in their positions and their opponents stayed with them.

Having said that I was a Coach until a few years ago so I can appreciate how tactical and demanding the modern game is.
I hope we play a bit more freely this season , looks like we're putting a premium on speed and quality disposal so I'm looking forward to seeing our 2021 game plan in action
Go Catters:thumbsu:

great post. Enjoyed reading it.

I think a lot of what you described above being implemented in modern football would have resulted in Hawkins kicking 100 each season and having over 1000 goals to his name as a great of AFL football. His style is not suited naturally to the modern game but he learnt to slowly adapt himself over the years and become a very good player.

it’s very hard to remove the extremity of the defensive focus of AFL because it’s been a natural evolution since the game went professional full time. It is also the same for sports across the world, defensive tactics become the primary focus.

here is just a timeline of things evolving of recent times.

05-06: flooding the defensive fifty.
07: attacking football of linking up handpassing the ball to the forward fifty to counteract this tactic from geelong.
08: the zone defensive football was born to counteract the handpass linking up football through the center, triumphed in grand final.
09: frontal pressure became the new strategy, which broadened out across the entire ground, in particular a focus on defensive fifty pressure.
2010: congestion inside forward fifty still main primary focus of defense, with pressure applied around the ground as mainly frontal pressure.
2011- slowly evolving incrementally towards a full 18 defensive set up approx 60-80m around the contest that continually rolls around the field as play commences. Richmond have mastered such a plan with an equally defensive forward ball movement that applies immense pressure to opposition if they happen to turn it over.

I can assume that the lower the levels of football such as amateur locals etc, the more attacking and individualized the game is. As defensive tactics require more fitness and training to execute.

it’s an interesting topic
 

Farmer2Goggin

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Your right! This is best i could find. I used to have the same problem living up North.
Missed out on some great games.


Lordy , lordy , lordy - how good was that :eek:

Special mention to Blake and Tenace who looked very good and oh what could have been - Nathan Ablett...................
 

Lana

Brownlow Medallist
Jul 23, 2010
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A feeling of tension, where it feels every moment or contest could decide the game.
Or a feeling of dread where you're in front but gassed, there is a crack in the dam but the storm isn't letting up.
I don't get that feeling from a come from behind win in the 4th, You mentally check out until its close.
 

Spearman

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I loved the Blighty game plan attack attack attack play on lots of goals high marks and run run run
if your team has strong 1 on 1 defenders, I can't see why a club wouldn't play that way. Sure there's going to be slingshots against, but you'd be constantly pressuring your opposition.
 
Have not read any posts itt.

My perfect game of football would include the following:

- lots of goals. (sorry but "great defensive games" can kiss my ass*)
- Speccies. About 1-2 per quarter would suffice
- Tackles. Hard, honest, non spear tackles.
- Some good fair hip and shoulders, that do not hit the head
- Speed. The players who burst thru the packs and just take off
- A couple "major" wow incidents. Like.. 2 x 50M in a row with a player just losing the plot
- A streaker. Why not. Female. Who looks like heidi Klum
- A 99,999 strong crowd in the stands. No masks, no social distancing, making a hell of a noise
- no major injuries. No injuries at all in fact
- Soccer goals. They rule.
- A close game.. up until the final siren where Tom Hawkins takes a mark and kicks the match winner from 55M out.


*except you 2009 GF :kissingheart: :thumbsupv1:
 

catscratchfever

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Aug 16, 2008
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What makes a great game of footy is seeing lots of incredible screamers, a feature that has largely disappeared but that more than anything else, makes our game unique.

That, and watching Gazza Snr. play, anytime, anywhere, back in the day.
 
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Remember the Blight era? I am sure there was a phase we kicked 30 or nearly 30 goals 3 weeks in a row.

Rounds 6-10 1989:

Round 6: 25.13.163 v Hawthorn
Round 7: 35.18.228 v St. Kilda (then club record score)
Round 8: 26.23.179 v Brisbane
Round 9: 32.19.211 v Richmond (Ablett 14 goals)
Round 10: 23.16.154 v Collingwood

It was then the only time outside of South Melbourne in the 1930s that a team had kicked 20+ goals for five successive games. We then exceeded it by doing it for six successive games in 1992.

Round 3-9 1992 (including a bye):

Round 3: 29.24.198 v Richmond
Round 4: 20.11.131 v West Coast (Ablett's 150th game)
Round 5: bye
Round 6: 25.25.175 v Fitzroy
Round 7: 37.17.239 v Brisbane
Round 8: 32.18.210 v Adelaide
Round 9: 28.13.181 v Essendon

Fairly safe bet there's zero chance we're going to see scoring like that anytime soon.
 

Spazz Cat

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Jun 10, 2013
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Rounds 6-10 1989:

Round 6: 25.13.163 v Hawthorn
Round 7: 35.18.228 v St. Kilda (then club record score)
Round 8: 26.23.179 v Brisbane
Round 9: 32.19.211 v Richmond (Ablett 14 goals)
Round 10: 23.16.154 v Collingwood

It was then the only time outside of South Melbourne in the 1930s that a team had kicked 20+ goals for five successive games. We then exceeded it by doing it for six successive games in 1992.

Round 3-9 1992 (including a bye):

Round 3: 29.24.198 v Richmond
Round 4: 20.11.131 v West Coast (Ablett's 150th game)
Round 5: bye
Round 6: 25.25.175 v Fitzroy
Round 7: 37.17.239 v Brisbane
Round 8: 32.18.210 v Adelaide
Round 9: 28.13.181 v Essendon

Fairly safe bet there's zero chance we're going to see scoring like that anytime soon.
Boooooring! None wants to see that s**t.
Check out this quality game from last year.
Was way better cause it was close.
20210210_093008.jpg
 
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