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

[Soggy2112]

I hate that trade and free agency talk has begun so early in the year, to the extent that it is totally dominating the ongoing finals series.

It's just awful that players are walking out on clubs one day out from their last match. It's awful that contracted players and captains are meeting with rival coaches then asking for a trade just because their team missed finals. It's even worse that finals teams are engaging in this rather than focusing on the game, but they have to, because of they don't now they will miss out.

The AFL needs to bring back and strictly enforced a moratorium on contracted players or their agents talking to rival clubs. No distractions until the end of the year.

Instead, have a contract and transfer window that starts a full week after the GF and runs until, say May. No player or agent can talk to other clubs until the next window. So the next TDK gets to May, still hasn't signed? Great.. let's talk in October. And in the meantime can we talk about actual footy for 10 minutes?

I think it’s a nice idea in theory, but there is no way to properly enforce a rule like that. Clubs and agents would find all sorts of ways to get around it.

Much better to allow it to make an even playing field.

 

[BigPond101]

I hate that trade and free agency talk has begun so early in the year, to the extent that it is totally dominating the ongoing finals series.

It's just awful that players are walking out on clubs one day out from their last match. It's awful that contracted players and captains are meeting with rival coaches then asking for a trade just because their team missed finals. It's even worse that finals teams are engaging in this rather than focusing on the game, but they have to, because of they don't now they will miss out.

The AFL needs to bring back and strictly enforced a moratorium on contracted players or their agents talking to rival clubs. No distractions until the end of the year.

Instead, have a contract and transfer window that starts a full week after the GF and runs until, say May. No player or agent can talk to other clubs until the next window. So the next TDK gets to May, still hasn't signed? Great.. let's talk in October. And in the meantime can we talk about actual footy for 10 minutes?

The problem is with the pre finals bye everything grinds to a halt so trade news fills the vacuum. There's only 10 games over the last 5 weeks of the season and eg this weekend the games aren't very interesting imo so the media needs something to talk about

 

[Tackle Bag]

you actually believe Pendles would have missed a GF
or any player from a non Vic club could have got away with a 'Maynard' ??

delusional

Barry hall played a grand final for Sydney that he never should have been in, so it happens.

You should remember that one

 

[Grumpyshades]

Barry hall played a grand final for Sydney that he never should have been in, so it happens.

You should remember that one

lol you are actually proving my point

who were they playing and who did AFL want to win?
seriously people are this dense

 

[Cuzz09]

If someone drops the "F" bomb Rankine style on GF day is it the same as striking someone on GF day and they get a juiced up penalty?

 

[GhostofJimJess]

If someone drops the "F" bomb Rankine style on GF day is it the same as striking someone on GF day and they get a juiced up penalty?

It's hard to believe that anyone really cares about "F bombs" anymore. Fair enough if's abusive, but then it's not the actual word but the intention that's the real issue there. The conservative nature and pearl clutching of our media wrecks my head.

 

[Cuzz09]

It's hard to believe that anyone really cares about "F bombs" anymore. Fair enough if's abusive, but then it's not the actual word but the intention that's the real issue there. The conservative nature and pearl clutching of our media wrecks my head.

Oh I know but its 2025 and you can't say much tbh.

I say worse (not to someone but in general and not loud) if something at work goes wrong then look around like "careful... careful"

But fair enough if you face to face call someone that you would get in strife at most jobs

 

[Letarrowsfly]

If someone drops the "F" bomb Rankine style on GF day is it the same as striking someone on GF day and they get a juiced up penalty?

Happy to be corrected, but I don't think they do the GF 'double penalty' anymore?

They should though

 

[Pistol Night]

you actually believe Pendles would have missed a GF
or any player from a non Vic club could have got away with a 'Maynard' ??

delusional

Not talking about ****n Pendles. campaigners played 4 million games and has never been cited for anything. I’ve just listed 2 Collingwood players that missed GFs through suspension? Are you normal?

 

[Cuzz09]

Happy to be corrected, but I don't think they do the GF 'double penalty' anymore?

They should though

Ah ok, assumed they did.

swing away merryl

 

[sabso]

Not talking about ****n Pendles. campaigners played 4 million games and has never been cited for anything. I’ve just listed 2 Collingwood players that missed GFs through suspension? Are you normal?

AFL has been very respectful to Jack Crisps also

 

[Grumpyshades]

Not talking about ****n Pendles. campaigners played 4 million games and has never been cited for anything. I’ve just listed 2 Collingwood players that missed GFs through suspension? Are you normal?

so you admit Pendles wouldn't have missed a GF

that's EXACTLY what I said

 

[____]

I have one.

The AFL grand final should start around 5pm.

A twilight grand final allows a bit more of a sleep in if your team makes it and still would give you time to meet up with people before the game, but it also enables anyone my age or older to pull an all-nighter to celebrate.

I was awake at 5.30am on Saturday. Been drinking since 7am and at 2am I decided not to party on because I was so knackered. A later start would have gotten me to sleep in a bit more.

 

[jpmelb7]

Not sure if it's unpopular but seeing there are soon to be 19/20 teams in the league and Premierships are obviously hard to come by there needs to be a secondary comp to win like the old Pre-season Cup. Supporters used to get great satisfaction winning that even if it was just the pre-season. Could throw in some WAFL/SANFL/VFL teams to make it 32 team knockout cup like back in the 70's when these teams were included in Escort Cup. That would be a 5 week competition. Shortern the main season to everyone playing each other once and add State of Origin in.

 

[GhostofJimJess]

Not sure if it's unpopular but seeing there are soon to be 19/20 teams in the league and Premierships are obviously hard to come by there needs to be a secondary comp to win like the old Pre-season Cup. Supporters used to get great satisfaction winning that even if it was just the pre-season. Could throw in some WAFL/SANFL/VFL teams to make it 32 team knockout cup like back in the 70's when these teams were included in Escort Cup. That would be a 5 week competition. Shortern the main season to everyone playing each other once and add State of Origin in.

Do We Need More Silverware

I had a crack at this on back in 2009. Not sure how it reads nowadays - probably should’ve re-read it before linking

 

[jpmelb7]

Do We Need More Silverware

I had a crack at this on back in 2009. Not sure how it reads nowadays - probably should’ve re-read it before linking

No wonder I missed it! That's a while back. Guess we shouldn't hold our breath for secondary trophy to be implemented

 

[Soggy2112]

Not sure if it's unpopular but seeing there are soon to be 19/20 teams in the league and Premierships are obviously hard to come by there needs to be a secondary comp to win like the old Pre-season Cup. Supporters used to get great satisfaction winning that even if it was just the pre-season. Could throw in some WAFL/SANFL/VFL teams to make it 32 team knockout cup like back in the 70's when these teams were included in Escort Cup. That would be a 5 week competition. Shortern the main season to everyone playing each other once and add State of Origin in.

Having state league clubs compete against AFL clubs sounds like a nice idea in theory, but just won’t work in practice.

It works in soccer for a couple of reasons.

1. Fluke upsets are much easier to come by in a sport like soccer.
2. Their pyramid system and player signing process means that the talent is spread out across the divisions a bit more. There are loads of players in the tiers below who are capable of playing well at the top level. Because of the draft and no relegation/promotion that is not the case in footy.

 

[sabso]

Anything to give st kilda a chance to win a trophy

 

[YeoShuey]

Nathan Williamson is one of the best umpires in the league.

 

[Xtreme]

Banning the bounce is one of if not the most idiotic things the afl has done.

 

[Run n Spread]

Trade period should go for Max 3 days.
Stuffing around for a week when deals are talked about for weeks only for everything to run to a deadline.
Just have it Friday to Sunday.
More would get done.

 

[Run n Spread]

Have the whole squad on the bench and game goes for 2 straight hours, no breaks.

8-10 subs and that's it. No more interchanges.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

lol you are actually proving my point

who were they playing and who did AFL want to win?
seriously people are this dense

LOL I am one Swans fan who thought Barry Hall was a thug and I was glad to see the back of him, but that is a serious misunderstanding of the facts about that case.

The truth is, the Sydney Swans hired one of the best QCs in the country to take the AFL to court and read the AFL’s rule back to them, to show that as the rules at the time stood, Barry Hall had committed no offence. The Swans won the case and the AFL had to let Hall play.

I thought it was ridiculous at the time, and the AFL clearly agreed, as they changed the rule as soon as they were able to.

You might have your theories about the AFL giving one club or another a leg up, and I agree with you this case was effing ridiculous.

But it was not an example of the AFL trying to help the Swans get to a grand final.

 

[Blackhawk42]

I was quite inebriated, and due to hosting a full house for a Grand Final party I couldn't give the game 100% focus. Regardless, at the time I was pretty strong in believing Zac Bailey

33

Zac Bailey

Age

26

Ht

181cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.7

3star

K

6.9

3star

HB

5.9

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.2

4star

CL

0.9

3star

D

12.9

3star

K

7.3

3star

HB

5.6

3star

M

3.9

4star

T

2.4

3star

CL

0.7

3star

D

13.4

4star

K

6.6

3star

HB

6.8

5star

M

3.2

4star

T

2.8

5star

CL

0.6

3star

was robbed of the Norm Smith medal.

Wel, I've now re-watched the game all the way almost twice, and I still believe he was the best player on the ground.

Don't care for the argument that he 'kicked himself out of a Norm Smith'. His impact on the contest, especially early when everybody else was getting a feel for it, was as complete as you could hope for. He tackled, he harassed, he found space to provide endless scoring options, he hit targets around the ground, and did it all for 4 quarters.

 

[GhostofJimJess]

I was quite inebriated, and due to hosting a full house for a Grand Final party I couldn't give the game 100% focus. Regardless, at the time I was pretty strong in believing Zac Bailey was robbed of the Norm Smith medal.

Wel, I've now re-watched the game all the way almost twice, and I still believe he was the best player on the ground.

Don't care for the argument that he 'kicked himself out of a Norm Smith'. His impact on the contest, especially early when everybody else was getting a feel for it, was as complete as you could hope for. He tackled, he harassed, he found space to provide endless scoring options, he hit targets around the ground, and did it all for 4 quarters.

He did some brilliant things, but at the end of the day, those 6 behinds were essentially 6 turnovers, which would negate so many of his great acts.