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

[Plugger35]

20 minute quarters sh*t all over 16 minute quarters.

That's not an unpopular opinion, it's really only the AFL and tv broadcasters that prefer 16 minute quarters, most fans want to go back to 20 minute quarters.

Watching older games now (1999 and back) looks like a bunch of uncoordinated auskickers. The overall skill level is ******* terrible.

You should try watching some games that don't involve Richmond.

 

[Genghis Tron]

That's not an unpopular opinion, it's really only the AFL and tv broadcasters that prefer 16 minute quarters, most fans want to go back to 20 minute quarters.



You should try watching some games that don't involve Richmond.

Oooooooyagotme. I've only ever seen 3 games if I'm honest and they were all Richmond intraclub matches.

 

[Vassp]

16 man teams, i've had this idea for 20 years and running.

5 total on interchange bench but...
only 3 players used as interchange.
the other 2 act like soccer subs. once they're activated they cant be swapped. - this helps teams that have a couple of injuries really early in the game.
this way they can use their subs and not be so effected on rotations.

 

[RichLeMonde]

Patrick Dangerfield is one of the best players of all time...

 

[Gethelred]

But Barrett is a complete knob jockey.

You are in control of your own response. If you do not like Barrett, do not mention him.

He or his manager can sit down and do searches on social media to track how often he's mentioned and how he 'trends'; it doesn't matter what you think about him, just that you're talking about him. If he can elicit any response, he continues to be employed.

Even this conversation falls under something his manager can track. Each and every time you mention him, you ensure he sticks around, knob jockey or not. Are you comfortable with that?

 

[Mootsy]

I wish the commentary was well crafted play-by-play calling and exciting. Dull and monotone special comments during the game is just annoying as a high percentage of the commentary.

This style works best in my opinion, technical, play by play and exciting.

 

[Major Colvin]

My 'unpopular opinion' is a pipe dream and I think, or would be, unpopular from the AFL's POV because it would cost a fortune and probably violate their agreement with Etihad, but..

I would love to see AFL games being played back at clubs original suburban home grounds (again to the extent this is even achievable) - but there's few venues which still hold VFL games etc.

I'll be honest (and its not just because we never win there) but I have never really liked Etihad Stadium - its sterile and apart from its close proximity to Southern Cross, located in what I think is one of the worst parts of the city - being Docklands (MCG on the other hand has the best city location).

Again, there would be a ton of logistical challenges to reopening former VFL grounds for AFL, but I think it would be a great drawcard for supporters of those clubs, and even supporters of interstate clubs too. Ideally I would like to phase out Etihad and put money back into the facilities of clubs local training grounds/venues, so they could at least a couple of times a year be used for AFL games. I think there would be a lot of popular support behind it (maybe its not unpopular?) - again, whether its achieveable or any time soon is another discussion altogether. As I said a pipe dream?

 

[Hard Ball Get]

My 'unpopular opinion' is a pipe dream and I think, or would be, unpopular from the AFL's POV because it would cost a fortune and probably violate their agreement with Etihad, but..

I would love to see AFL games being played back at clubs original suburban home grounds (again to the extent this is even achievable) - but there's few venues which still hold VFL games etc.

I'll be honest (and its not just because we never win there) but I have never really liked Etihad Stadium - its sterile and apart from its close proximity to Southern Cross, located in what I think is one of the worst parts of the city - being Docklands (MCG on the other hand has the best city location).

Again, there would be a ton of logistical challenges to reopening former VFL grounds for AFL, but I think it would be a great drawcard for supporters of those clubs, and even supporters of interstate clubs too. Ideally I would like to phase out Etihad and put money back into the facilities of clubs local training grounds/venues, so they could at least a couple of times a year be used for AFL games. I think there would be a lot of popular support behind it (maybe its not unpopular?) - again, whether its achieveable or any time soon is another discussion altogether. As I said a pipe dream?

My unpopular opinion is that I love watching footy at docklands.

 

[Wargreymon90]

Father son is a s**t rule and should be scrapped. Embarrassing such a rule exists in a professional sport

 

[jatz14]

You are in control of your own response. If you do not like Barrett, do not mention him.

He or his manager can sit down and do searches on social media to track how often he's mentioned and how he 'trends'; it doesn't matter what you think about him, just that you're talking about him. If he can elicit any response, he continues to be employed.

Even this conversation falls under something his manager can track. Each and every time you mention him, you ensure he sticks around, knob jockey or not. Are you comfortable with that?

Some people just want to see the world burn.

On moto g(6) plus using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[eggtardo]

Father son is a sh*t rule and should be scrapped. Embarrassing such a rule exists in a professional sport

Nope. Love it.
If a gun ex player even looked sideways at a lass I want their sprog. Sprog kids and grandkids included.
Granted the dogs may not benefit from this as much as North or Geelong

 

[Supercoach Bargain]

Given the weird circumstances, i think the AFL did a pretty good job with this season.

It may have happened anyway, but the field is wide open at the start of the finals for whoever wins it.

 

[Rusty Brookes]

My 'unpopular opinion' is a pipe dream and I think, or would be, unpopular from the AFL's POV because it would cost a fortune and probably violate their agreement with Etihad, but..

I would love to see AFL games being played back at clubs original suburban home grounds (again to the extent this is even achievable) - but there's few venues which still hold VFL games etc.

I'll be honest (and its not just because we never win there) but I have never really liked Etihad Stadium - its sterile and apart from its close proximity to Southern Cross, located in what I think is one of the worst parts of the city - being Docklands (MCG on the other hand has the best city location).

Again, there would be a ton of logistical challenges to reopening former VFL grounds for AFL, but I think it would be a great drawcard for supporters of those clubs, and even supporters of interstate clubs too. Ideally I would like to phase out Etihad and put money back into the facilities of clubs local training grounds/venues, so they could at least a couple of times a year be used for AFL games. I think there would be a lot of popular support behind it (maybe its not unpopular?) - again, whether its achieveable or any time soon is another discussion altogether. As I said a pipe dream?

I went to the practice match between St Kilda and Hawthorn at Moorabbin earlier in the year (amazing to think that was my only trip to watch footy this year) and it seemed to cope with the crowd of 9,000 or so fine. That being said, getting even 20,000 in there would be a poo-show of enormous proportions.

I reckon keep it in the pre-season like they've been doing for the past few years but make more of a deal of it. Maybe have at least one game at each traditional venue that's still fit for purpose.

 

[KissKiss]

My unpopular opinion is that I love watching footy at docklands.

I dont mind it either. Easy to get to, always have a decent view, dont have to worry about the rain or wind. My team plays reasonably well there too

 

[edgie]

I don't know North Melbourne haven't tried to call backsies on some of their list management decisions given that a key figure at their football club has shown to be not of healthy mind during his time there.

 

[B4Bear]

I don't know North Melbourne haven't tried to call backsies on some of their list management decisions given that a key figure at their football club has shown to be not of healthy mind during his time there.

Are you saying we have or should?

 

[edgie]

Are you saying we have or should?

I'm saying I'm a bit surprised it hasn't been raised at all.

Sent from my Nokia 7.2 using Tapatalk

 

[B4Bear]

I'm saying I'm a bit surprised it hasn't been raised at all.

Sent from my Nokia 7.2 using Tapatalk

Will never happen. They might ask questions internally; but will not do it in public.

Why give flogs like Caro and Barrett more ammunition.

 

[Richo83]

I don't care about when the grand final is on. I find it ludicrous that people do care.

In every part of Australia, there's aussies having parties late into the night. I remember going to a party in Yarrawonga that finished at 5am. Why is it that footy fans can't handle a night grand final? Are they all suddenly 70 years old and need to wake up at 5am for their morning toilet break? The only other people who have to have events scheduled in the day are 12-year-old kids with the fairy bread and the bouncy castles. They could host the grand final at 3am and I'd still watch it.

All it means is that some kids have to stay up late but it's a Saturday anyway and it's later in the year when things are winding down for kids. I guess some old gramps will be sad that they have to drink their beer and eat their sausage at night (which is a travesty beyond imagination). It's not even an Americanism, people around the world have been hosting events at night ever since humans knew about the nighttime. I seriously don't care and I don't know why anyone else would.

 

[TheRealComptroller]

Sorry if this is highly unoriginal; I haven’t read the entire thread.

One part of fandom that just doesn’t mean much to me is the premiership tally and the length of premiership droughts before one’s birth.

I just don’t care that much about how well/poorly my team performed before I was old enough to follow it.

When my team was 44 years removed from its 6th flag in 2007 it meant nothing really to me. If it had been only 24 years or >124 years it wouldn’t have made much difference to me. If they had won 36 flags or zero it wouldn’t have changed anything as I hadn’t seen them win one.

IMO the only flags that matter are the ones I have seen. Even our 2007/09/11 flags are starting to seem too old and one of them is still within a decade. I guess if players from those games are still playing there is still a touch of relevance?

 

[Wallaby]

I understand your idea that football supporting is an experience to enjoy now. It's like eating a good meal - no one wants to hear about 'the great meal I ate while in a little Italian restaurant on top of a hill in Liguria' - that's their experience, and unless you were there it means nothing to you and you can't share in it.

But as a history buff, I find the history of sport (particularly sports fandom) interesting, and I like making the connections between the sports/teams/players of long ago with those of today - certainly there is no direct connection, but that' like saying there is no connection between us Australia in WW1 for example - everybody from that time is dead by now, there are a few inanimate objects (buildings etc) from that time still around, but there is no direct, ongoing relationship except that we have defined a 'country' or 'society' by some particular boundaries, and we create the connection.

Haven't explained that very well, have I?

PS - I tend to agree with you that the 'adding up' of premierships is a bit overrated by many fans - I'm on the 'every season is different' bandwagon. I read about it, but to measure a club's performance against others based on what happened 100 years ago is not that significant to me. There is no award for having more wins or premierships than other teams. It's interesting historically.

 

[Hawker55]

Meanwhile AFL players sign big money extensions then get homesick living in Sydney and playing every other week in Melbourne.

This is massively overblown. There's a few, but not many who do this.

 

[Virgin Dog]

Sorry if this is highly unoriginal; I haven’t read the entire thread.

One part of fandom that just doesn’t mean much to me is the premiership tally and the length of premiership droughts before one’s birth.

I just don’t care that much about how well/poorly my team performed before I was old enough to follow it.

When my team was 44 years removed from its 6th flag in 2007 it meant nothing really to me. If it had been only 24 years or >124 years it wouldn’t have made much difference to me. If they had won 36 flags or zero it wouldn’t have changed anything as I hadn’t seen them win one.

IMO the only flags that matter are the ones I have seen. Even our 2007/09/11 flags are starting to seem too old and one of them is still within a decade. I guess if players from those games are still playing there is still a touch of relevance?

To add to this: bragging about flag count is laughable when you consider that prior to expansion, the VFL was just another state league. You can argue it was more competitive than the others, but that's up for debate. Back in the day, it was not viable for people to uplift their entire families and move across the country to play footy for mediocre wages, so it resulted in all-time legends playing out majority of their careers in the WAFL and SANFL. Add to that the issue of non-existent salary cap, no draft, and a multitude of other factors contributing to an unfair competition, and it essentially meant any club could buy their way to a flag instead of developing the strongest list.

Even looking back 100 years ago, and you had the VFL and VFA existing side by side. It's not even fair to claim the VFL produced the only legitimate flags from the two when you consider that, prior to Footscray moving into the VFL, they beat the reigning premiers (Essendon) in an exhibition match. Why do VFL flags magically count towards the overall tally, but not WAFL, SANFL, VFA, etc.?

Looking at the official flag count, you might almost think Essendon and Carlton are strong clubs, but in reality they've had maybe 1 or 2 flags between them in the AFL era that didn't have question marks over it thanks to salary cap rorting and whatever other dodgy s**t was happening behind the scenes. The tally doesn't give a true view of the real powerhouse clubs.

Carlton and Essendon are not stronger clubs than Geelong, Hawthorn, West Coast or now Richmond, who have all enjoyed huge success (Richmond only in the last few years, but still) as AFL clubs, and don't rely on reputation from their state league days. It's just funny seeing some people brag about their clubs flag count when they were probably weren't even toilet trained last time their club won a flag, or even a final.

 

[The wily weagle]

I despise this concept taking potentially your best play on the ground off, when they kick a goal, to get in a rotation.

I cannot for the life of me, think of another sport where you could justify dragging your best player off the ground, for scoring, to get a player on of a far lesser caliber. Sometimes this occurs only a couple of minutes into a quarter, where said player hardly needs a rest.

Sports science gone absolutely mad.

Imagine dragging LeBron James to the bench every time he hit a shot. It would be the definition of ridiculous.

Yet it happens every week in the AFL and has become so entrenched, this madness is accepted.

 

[Hallstrom]

I despise this concept taking potentially your best play on the ground off, when they kick a goal, to get in a rotation.

I cannot for the life of me, think of another sport where you could justify dragging your best player off the ground, for scoring, to get a player on of a far lesser caliber. Sometimes this occurs only a couple of minutes into a quarter, where said player hardly needs a rest.

Sports science gone absolutely mad.

Imagine dragging LeBron James to the bench every time he hit a shot. It would be the definition of ridiculous.

Yet it happens every week in the AFL and has become so entrenched, this madness is accepted.

They're not really getting pulled because they kicked the goal though. That player was always going to come off after the next goal, it's just coincidence if they kicked it.