Opinion What unpopular AFL opinions do you have? - Part 2

[Rack Watts]

Doesn't mean your post is immune from criticism though. It is still a discussion forum.

It's not exactly constructive though is it? Laughable. What about it is laughable?

Martin and Rance are absolute stars. Cotchin and Riewoldt are very good players. Other than that, there's about 5-6 clubs with more A-graders.

Their list quality doesn't match their output, they're well coached, potential is maximised. Premierships are all footy is about and they've won.

Doesn't mean I don't think there's more AFL lists I would prefer.

 

[Quivorir]

It's not exactly constructive though is it? Laughable. What about it is laughable?

I'd bet most would disagree with it. What rule changes did the benefit from?

 

[Rack Watts]

I'd bet most would disagree with it. What rule changes did the benefit from?

Locking it into the 50, frontal pressure. Before that you could just rush it behind and release pressure.

 

[Quivorir]

Locking it into the 50, frontal pressure. Before that you could just rush it behind and release pressure.

With the pressure they apply the deliberate behind rule surely doesn't even come into play. If anything maybe the deliberate OOB from a clearing kick, but even that would be clutching at straws... Richmond were a top team last year and are the top team this year (I feel sick saying that) because of their pressure, their gut running and their skills. Oh and Dusty having one of the best seasons ever. Not because of rule changes.

 

[And_ROOS]

Thursday night games suck for those actually involved in a footy club.

At my club we start at 6pm and at done by 7:50, which is usually match start time. Then into the club room for food and drinks.

Last nights early start was a pain.

 

[enobrien]

With the pressure they apply the deliberate behind rule surely doesn't even come into play. If anything maybe the deliberate OOB from a clearing kick, but even that would be clutching at straws... Richmond were a top team last year and are the top team this year (I feel sick saying that) because of their pressure, their gut running and their skills. Oh and Dusty having one of the best seasons ever. Not because of rule changes.

Better yet, Dusty has been unequivocally worse this year as well.

 

[Sainter3and7]

I asked around about this Cyril guy, and a friend of a friend said he knows Cyril's partner Bruce - apparently Bruce brags that Cyril tastes better than anyone he's ever tasted. NTTAWWT.

 

[Blackhawk42]

Thursday night games suck for those actually involved in a footy club.

Usually only miss a bit of the first quarter at worst. I prefer the interstate Thursday games with the later start, but usually isn't too bad regardless.
We train, shower and have dinner all by around 7:30 or so. 15 minute drive home and steal the t.v. from the missus the second I get home.

 

[Acinath]

Richmond's got an average list with a couple of stars, but they played the rule changes better than any other team and won a premiership, now they have a year headstart on everyone and it will give them another premiership. Great coaching.

These topics always make me laugh, because my unpopular opinion is that Richmond have more very good players than people are willing to give us credit for.

But I'm alright with that tbh.

 

[chickentendies]

Tom Mitchell is an elite player and the diatribe about stats padding is just a bad case of tall poppy syndrome.

 

[adammania9]

AFL fans are obsessed with their teams being disadvantaged so that they have excuses to fall upon if they underperform. The most blatant evidence of this is the injury list, you’ll always find supporters arguing over the fact that their players are injured or have been injured or are playing injured - they’re all trying to make a point that their list isn’t fully fit (as if it ever is) and that’s why their team is playing poorly. Suss that Collingwood vs Essendon thread on this board for even further evidence - it’s just 8 pages of “our injured players are more important than your injured players so we’ll lose”. It’s a loser mindset that is used so supporters can say when their team loses “yeah but injuries” or when they win “we won despite injuries”.

On the other side, supporters will actively seek disadvantages when their team is playing well to support their argument that their team is really good. Collingwood supporters have their team in 2nd yet are constantly harvesting on the fact that a large portion of the list have been injured but they won’t admit that most of those players are fringe or are always injured and therefore not that important, and Richmond supporters will try and remind you that Prestia, Houli and Rioli have all missed significant portions of the season. Interstate supporters do it with ‘travel’ every single year without fail.

 

[GUMBLETRON]

Here's one that's troubling me.

I think Steven Milne was a better player than Cyril Rioli. And yet I loved watching Rioli and have always thought Milne was a grub. Go figure.

 

[Rack Watts]

Tom Mitchell is an elite player and the diatribe about stats padding is just a bad case of tall poppy syndrome.

They used to say the same about Gary Ablett

 

[Frazb]

Minimum of 4 days a week where a game is broadcasted. Ideally wednesday through to sunday with 2 days off.

 

[Richo83]

Richmond are just part of a trend of using forwards to defend very high up the field so that turnovers happen closer to goal. Sydney did it, Fremantle did it, Footscray did it. It's possible now due to positional flexibility and modern fitness standards, as well as tweaks to the playing list. It happened in soccer, it's called inverting the pyramid.

You could remove the deliberate oob and rushed behind rule and it'd still be relevant. In fact in most eras pressure wins premierships. It's just that this level of pressure is more than yesteryear.

What happened was Hardwick released Martin upfield, Richmond recruited some proper fast small forwards which allowed them to play more directly and put pressure on defences and Caddy, Prestia and Nankervis filled holes.

Not sure this game plan would work in the amateur era as it's a very taxing full court press. But it works now.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

They used to say the same about Gary Ablett

And Jobe Watson too. Regardless of what happened, he was a great midfielder

 

[Hard Ball Get]

Richmond are just part of a trend of using forwards to defend very high up the field so that turnovers happen closer to goal. Sydney did it, Fremantle did it, Footscray did it. It's possible now due to positional flexibility and modern fitness standards, as well as tweaks to the playing list. It happened in soccer, it's called inverting the pyramid.

You could remove the deliberate oob and rushed behind rule and it'd still be relevant. In fact in most eras pressure wins premierships. It's just that this level of pressure is more than yesteryear.

What happened was Hardwick released Martin upfield, Richmond recruited some proper fast small forwards which allowed them to play more directly and put pressure on defences and Caddy, Prestia and Nankervis filled holes.

Not sure this game plan would work in the amateur era as it's a very taxing full court press. But it works now.

Footscray did it? Must be a long standing trend! Or are the dogs just way ahead of the times?

Might be considered unpopular... stop calling us Footscray, it's been 20 years, move on. If you can swallow new entities such as GCS and GWS, surely you can get over a simple trading name.

 

[flamingEMBERS]

Fine with Thursday during the season, but Thursday night finals can GAGF.



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[Scotland]

They used to say the same about Gary Ablett

The same Gary Ablett who averages over a goal a game playing as a midfielder?

Gary Ablett 2009/10 is that far ahead of Tom Mitchell 2017/18 it isn't funny. Got plenty of 1-2 handballs to pad the stats but was one of the most damaging players in the comp with the ball. Mitchell like most of the few players that can find it 30 times a game is not.

 

[didaksrightfoot]

Here's one that's troubling me.

I think Steven Milne was a better player than Cyril Rioli. And yet I loved watching Rioli and have always thought Milne was a grub. Go figure.

Milne is the best and most consistent small forward I have seen in my 25yrs watching footy.
He was not as exciting as some, and Betts has arguably had a better peak, but over that time I can't think of any player who's had a better career in that role. (And I'm talking about pure small forwards, not guys who were midfielders/wings who spent a lot of time up forward, or transitioned there when older).

Rightly, or wrongly, he copped a lot of flack for an alleged off-field indiscretion, and that stuck with him his whole career (funnily though Montagna never copped the same degree of flack) - and that would've been very tough to handle, but i reckon it would've driven him a lot as well.

 

[Luv_our_club]

Milne is the best and most consistent small forward I have seen in my 25yrs watching footy.
He was not as exciting as some, and Betts has arguably had a better peak, but over that time I can't think of any player who's had a better career in that role. (And I'm talking about pure small forwards, not guys who were midfielders/wings who spent a lot of time up forward, or transitioned there when older).

Rightly, or wrongly, he copped a lot of flack for an alleged off-field indiscretion, and that stuck with him his whole career (funnily though Montagna never copped the same degree of flack) - and that would've been very tough to handle, but i reckon it would've driven him a lot as well.

Problem with Milne is that he played in a lot of big games, and finals, and went missing. Hurt his reputation, and hurt his standing before his coaches.

 

[Scotland]

I think the problem with Milne is that people didn't like him before he got to the point of playing in a good side. Kicked 3, 2, 2 and 2 goals in the 2010 finals in relatively low scoring games so not a complete failure.

Milne kicked more goals than Brad Johnson, Daicos, Cyril, Stevie J, LeCras, Betts etc. but was never that popular outside St Kilda.

 

[Rack Watts]

Michelle Payne looks like Joel Selwood with a wig on.

 

[Hard Ball Get]

I think the problem with Milne is that people didn't like him before he got to the point of playing in a good side. Kicked 3, 2, 2 and 2 goals in the 2010 finals in relatively low scoring games so not a complete failure.

Milne kicked more goals than Brad Johnson, Daicos, Cyril, Stevie J, LeCras, Betts etc. but was never that popular outside St Kilda.

Brad Johnson was a seriously good footballer. A lot of people got over the nice guy thing, which hurt his public perception in the end, but he averaged 2 goals and over 20 possessions a game season after season.

 

[old55]

Footscray did it? Must be a long standing trend! Or are the dogs just way ahead of the times?

Might be considered unpopular... stop calling us Footscray, it's been 20 years, move on. If you can swallow new entities such as GCS and GWS, surely you can get over a simple trading name.

"Western" - it doesn't really work. Every other team has a stand alone name that doesn't need its mascot to make sense.

Melbourne vs Western this week.