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

Le Grille

Cancelled
Veteran 10k Posts Werewolf Player SFA Good Friday Appeal North Melbourne - 2018 Luke Davies-Uniacke and Paul Ahern Player Sponsor BeanCoiNFT Investor North Melbourne - 2017 Junker and Wagner Player Sponsor Podcaster Zombie Lover A Star Wars Fan
Feb 14, 2005
21,875
39,485
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Seemingly unpopular, couldn’t care less when the teams are named, could name them 1 hr before the match and it wouldn’t make a difference .


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com
 
May 5, 2006
62,726
70,017
AFL Club
West Coast
Been years since I watched the EssvCol ANZAC game. They've either one or both been ordinary for some time, and I've grown weary of the AFLs shameless self promotion and attachment to the occasion. As an event it's become very 'meh' to me.

Maybe it's because every other game over the weekend, the AFL has tried to mooch onto the event and leeched its special? The traditional ANZAC-Eve match? :rolleyes:

I couldn't give a s**t about the 'event' of ANZAC Day footy. It's just a marketing exercise for the league and clubs.

Ess/Coll games rarely matter on ANZAC Day because Ess/Coll games rarely matter full stop. Geel/Haw took over as a more interesting rivalry in the 2010s, and Richmond are the big dog in Victoria at the moment.
 
May 5, 2006
62,726
70,017
AFL Club
West Coast
Taylah Harris has overtaken Moana Hope as Australia's most overrated and overhyped sportsperson.

She does not deserve the six figure sum her manager is spruiking.

She just comes across as an entitled millennial. I wonder what her low profile teammates who don't even make a living as players think about it.

If she thinks she is worth $150k a year for the marketing and publicity she brings AFLW, then she's probably got a case. Her, Erin Phillips, Daisy Pearce... there's a handful of AFLW players that people like me that don't follow are familiar with. She's clearly marketable.

The can of worms she is really opening is whether player earnings should be capped by the agreed playing field (i.e. the salary cap). The AFL cap is about $13m and the top players max out around $1m a year out of necessity. It's a 22 a side game with squads of 40, you can't pay one guy $5m a year and field a competitive team. But what is the the true value of Ablett, Franklin, Dusty etc. to the AFL? There as many red and white jumpers with 23 on them getting around as there are brown and gold equivalents collecting dust/burnt as effigies. Swans membership and attendance has only gone up since 2014. For all I know Tayla Harris AFLW jumpers are the top selling item at the Carlton team shop.

If the AFL/AFLW sign off on paying Tayla Harris what she wants because marketing, then high profile AFL players should start the same conversation. There's a lot more money in the AFL obviously, but if we are realistic then from a marketing perspective a select few should be getting a big fat slice of the pie.
 
Last edited:
Sep 7, 2005
14,924
40,195
Melbourne
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Dallas Mavs, West Ham
I love watching Thursday night football. Give me footy any night of the week, I’ll watch.

But, I hate my team being involved in Thursday night. One short week for recovery time combined with a larger than usual break the weekend after. Especially as WC play a stack of Sunday games, it’s a long time between matches if you lose. And if you win, any buzz or momentum/confidence you might gain from a hard fought win may be disrupted.

Not to mention how annoying it is to actually go to Thursday night footy - normally rushing the game straight from work and getting home late when there’s still work the next day.

I agree that I’d watch footy on TV every Thursday night of the season- but absolutely hate my team being involved.
 

Pistol Night

Brownlow Medallist
Sep 3, 2019
17,240
49,888
AFL Club
Collingwood
The players never acknowledge the water carriers. A wink or a a nod or a thanks mate, never goes amiss.
images.jpg
 

btdg

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 7, 2005
5,579
9,435
Melbourne
AFL Club
Carlton
Other Teams
Carlton
I think this will be unpopular with tiger fans, but I think Richmond's time in the sun is ending. What a wild ride though!
Really,? I've always thought that Richmond could sustain it as long as they could co incinerate players to buy in to the pressure, team first game plan.

Initially I didn't think that would last more than a year or so but Dimma has done such a good job it doesn't seem to be abating. Sure, you will occasionally have games where it isn't there but in the big ones it will be and it is such a reliable way to win those games that I suspect thus run has a long way to go.maybe not premierships every year, but a 10-year plus run a la Geelong doesn't seem inconceivable - handing the torch to Bolton, Ballarat and whichever superstar comes to Richmond chasing success next... could be worse (and this view is probably the more unpopular one!)
 
Apr 22, 2007
42,065
50,206
Bentleigh
AFL Club
Geelong
Really,? I've always thought that Richmond could sustain it as long as they could co incinerate players to buy in to the pressure, team first game plan.

Initially I didn't think that would last more than a year or so but Dimma has done such a good job it doesn't seem to be abating. Sure, you will occasionally have games where it isn't there but in the big ones it will be and it is such a reliable way to win those games that I suspect thus run has a long way to go.maybe not premierships every year, but a 10-year plus run a la Geelong doesn't seem inconceivable - handing the torch to Bolton, Ballarat and whichever superstar comes to Richmond chasing success next... could be worse (and this view is probably the more unpopular one!)
Co Incinerate players? Drastic solution
 

Richo83

Brownlow Medallist
Oct 2, 2005
19,853
7,540
Melbourne
AFL Club
Richmond
Really,? I've always thought that Richmond could sustain it as long as they could co incinerate players to buy in to the pressure, team first game plan.

Initially I didn't think that would last more than a year or so but Dimma has done such a good job it doesn't seem to be abating. Sure, you will occasionally have games where it isn't there but in the big ones it will be and it is such a reliable way to win those games that I suspect thus run has a long way to go.maybe not premierships every year, but a 10-year plus run a la Geelong doesn't seem inconceivable - handing the torch to Bolton, Ballarat and whichever superstar comes to Richmond chasing success next... could be worse (and this view is probably the more unpopular one!)

Richmond have struggled with injuries in the past yet still clicked better than this year. It's early doors and Richmond started slowly in each of their three recent premiership years, but the Melbourne, Sydney and Geelong games showed enormous cracks. I was confident that Richmond could handle a Geelong without Dangerfield but they looked awful in the last half. The side has played four good quarters and eight horrible ones in three weeks against the best opposition.

I just also wonder whether three premierships just seems like the natural limit. And four or so years at the top also seems like the natural limit. Brisbane had four (2001-2004), Hawthorn had four (2012-2016), Geelong's run was longer but I think they were a deeper and better side. I think teams will eventually figure out how to beat Richmond's style of footy and this year is possibly it.

It's frustrating but it's also unsurprising. Richmond will be caught, if they're not already. I'm also not that impressed with some of the youth coming through like Mansell and Naish.

And when I mean ending, I mean ending as a premiership chance. I still think Richmond will make the top four as their draw gets a bit easier.

Giants W
@ Brisbane L
Adelaide W
@ Essendon W
@ West Coast L
St Kilda W
@ Gold Coast W
Collingwood W
Brisbane W
@ Geelong L
@ Fremantle W
North W
@ Giants W
@ Hawthorn W

That's 15 wins, enough to get you into the top four most years. Is it enough and convincing though?
 
Last edited:

Richo83

Brownlow Medallist
Oct 2, 2005
19,853
7,540
Melbourne
AFL Club
Richmond
IF (and I stress IF) there is some commercial agreement that Eddie Maguire, the other clubs and AFL signed which bars Port from using the prison bars, or allows them to wear them on condition of certain rules to follow which Port haven't followed or in certain times which don't exist anymore, then I don't think Port have a leg to stand on. I don't think it's purely about tradition; it will come down to legal agreements. I've been listening to Eddie talk about this and IF he is right that there's legal papers about this, then he's got a point, and I used to be pro Port wearing the prison bars whenever.
 

btdg

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 7, 2005
5,579
9,435
Melbourne
AFL Club
Carlton
Other Teams
Carlton
Richmond have struggled with injuries in the past yet still clicked better than this year. It's early doors and Richmond started slowly in each of their three recent premiership years, but the Melbourne, Sydney and Geelong games showed enormous cracks. I was confident that Richmond could handle a Geelong without Dangerfield but they looked awful in the last half. The side has played four good quarters and eight horrible ones in three weeks against the best opposition.

I just also wonder whether three premierships just seems like the natural limit. And four or so years at the top also seems like the natural limit. Brisbane had four (2001-2004), Hawthorn had four (2012-2016), Geelong's run was longer but I think they were a deeper and better side. I think teams will eventually figure out how to beat Richmond's style of footy and this year is possibly it.

It's frustrating but it's also unsurprising. Richmond will be caught, if they're not already. I'm also not that impressed with some of the youth coming through like Mansell and Naish.

And when I mean ending, I mean ending as a premiership chance. I still think Richmond will make the top four as their draw gets a bit easier.

Giants W
@ Brisbane L
Adelaide W
@ Essendon W
@ West Coast L
St Kilda W
@ Gold Coast W
Collingwood W
Brisbane W
@ Geelong L
@ Fremantle W
North W
@ Giants W
@ Hawthorn W

That's 15 wins, enough to get you into the top four most years. Is it enough and convincing though?

IF Richmond finish top 4 you will be massive premiership favourites, particularly if the Bulldogs and Melbourne are still going strong and you can make the GF without leaving the MCG

The gameplan just translates so well to finals, as does the experience. Horrible to think about but a 3-peat is definitely on the cards
 

Richo83

Brownlow Medallist
Oct 2, 2005
19,853
7,540
Melbourne
AFL Club
Richmond
IF Richmond finish top 4 you will be massive premiership favourites, particularly if the Bulldogs and Melbourne are still going strong and you can make the GF without leaving the MCG

The gameplan just translates so well to finals, as does the experience. Horrible to think about but a 3-peat is definitely on the cards

Melbourne would like their chances, so would Geelong who have figured out the need for speed.
 
Back