What unpopular AFL opinions do you have? (Part 1 - cont in Part 2)

[Barry_Badrinath]

Richmond were the best team in 2017

Adding to this:

The Dogs were the best team of 2016
The Hawks were the best team of 2014
The Swans were the best team of 2012
The Lions were the best team of 2001 and 2002

Pet peeve of mine when people say "the best team didn't win on the day" simply because the team that finished 1 game clear on top of the ladder doesn't win the flag.

The 2016 Dogs and Swans both went 19-7.

Swans 17-5 H&A, 2-2 in finals
Dogs 15-7 H&A, 4-0 in finals

Same deal with the Lions. They went 20-5 in 2001 and 2002, Bombers and Port managed 19-6. Not sure how people can say they weren't the best team those years.

The only seasons in the last 25 years that you could argue the best team didn't win were 2008, 1998, 2003 and maybe 2005. 2009 at an absolute stretch.

 

[edgie]

I think you will find they already are doing that for the few players in their 30s that still deserve to be on a list. Short of going the soccer route, and routinely rotating players out of the squad so they have a lighter load. Even then, I am not sure it will help, as a large part of the performance drop is simple age, not wear and tear. Also, would a club play a star in only 2/3s of games from the time he is 25, in the hope they get a couple more years from him in his 30s?

Its also genetics, just because Boomer can play well at that age, it doesn't mean many others can.

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I agree with all of that, but it is the norm in the AFL to expect every player to do more every season.

If you've a declining 30yo FF, why not ease the workload and in game KPI? Add to that, there is still a stigma associated with being a depth player. Guys like Pav and Riewoldt seemed to be covering as much, if not more ground in the later career than the early one. Even Schulz at Port was ran in to the ground when from 2010 - 2014 he was a bloody good stay at home forward.

Richo was on the wing in his second last season!

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[jatz14]

Adding to this:

The Dogs were the best team of 2016
The Hawks were the best team of 2014
The Swans were the best team of 2012
The Lions were the best team of 2001 and 2002

Pet peeve of mine when people say "the best team didn't win on the day" simply because the team that finished 1 game clear on top of the ladder doesn't win the flag.

The 2016 Dogs and Swans both went 19-7.

Swans 17-5 H&A, 2-2 in finals
Dogs 15-7 H&A, 4-0 in finals

Same deal with the Lions. They went 20-5 in 2001 and 2002, Bombers and Port managed 19-6. Not sure how people can say they weren't the best team those years.

The only seasons in the last 25 years that you could argue the best team didn't win were 2008, 1998, 2003 and maybe 2005. 2009 at an absolute stretch.

Australian football is designed so the team that wins it, is the team that comes out on top in the final series. Home and away games just get you to the final series, nothing more, and home and away wins are overrated in my opinion.

Season length is also arbitrary, it's not even complete rounds. If the season was longer or shorter, you may have had a different team finish on top. So saying that the team on top after an arbitrary number of home and away games is better than the team that finished on top after home and away plus the final series is weird.

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[bigkerry]

I don't like the players singing the team song after winning a game. I never enjoyed it when I played, seems rather camp, like some shitty musical where everyone randomly bursts into song and noone seems to think that it's peculiar.

Yes I agree I find it cringeworthy and annoying I mute it when I'm at home

 

[didaksrightfoot]

Raise the draft age to 20 or 21.

So many positives for football.

-Improves the quality of the Comp
-increases certainty in the draft meaning greater equalisation in the long hall.
- even improves player welfare.
- improves the quality of lower level leagues (WAFL/ SANFL/ VFL)

So So many positives. This needs to happen asap.

100%.

I think it's Terry Wallace that has brought this up occasionally over the last few years - but I very much agree.

Although 20/21 is too old - make it too long and you are just missing out on too many important development years - and the longer you try to make it, the more opposition you will get from the AFLPA.

I think 18/19 would be better - just for 1 or 2 seasons of adult competition at VFL/SANFL/WAFL before entering AFL.

I think the draft equalisation is the main factor for implementing this. The AFL draft is still too much of a crapshoot - give clubs a season or 2 of watching these guys play against men and you make it much easier to predict someones development in the AFL.
And that, plus maybe player welfare, is why David Stern and the NBA clubs basically forced this through in the 00's - and 10 years on, they might be raising it from 1 year to 2 (though with some arguing it should go).

The biggest opposition (and only?) will come from the AFLPA and the players - and delaying a players earning years will not be popular.
Overall, however, it shouldn't make any difference to the overall group of players: there are still the same number of list spots, and the same salary cap, so the likely outcome is that the money/list spots will just go to players at the other end of their careers, with on-average, careers being lengenthed by 1-2 years, or or mature age/fringe guys would get more of a chance - the overall salary of players will stay the same.

Another way to make it more attractive for the AFLPA, is that if draftees are a little older, and more AFL ready, you would increase the set values for draftee contracts (particularly for 1st rounders) - although I would argue that the length of those contracts should also increase at the top end (3+1 for 1st rounders, 2+1 for 2nd, 2 for 3rd rounders, and maybe 1+1 for 4th round or later)

 

[emuboy]

I don't like the players singing the team song after winning a game. I never enjoyed it when I played, seems rather camp, like some shitty musical where everyone randomly bursts into song and noone seems to think that it's peculiar.

I turn off the TV when they sing the song, it's just too embarrassing to watch.

If only one had a time machine then one could travel back to the 1990s when one could watch a football match without having to watch the winning players singing the club song.

No wonder I like drawn matches.

 

[Billy ray]

I wish when they sang songs they clapped hands (their own and a partner) like in primary school

 

[bigkerry]

I hate listening to the commentators. Drives me crazy. Especially when they call players by the wrong names or are just plain unintelligent. Not going to name names but really if you're getting paid to yell like an idiot then at least do your homework

 

[avignon]

A marked kick or a free kick needs to travel 15 metres to be claimed as a mark in order to get another kick. I believe that first kick needs to travel at least 15 metres OVER THE MARK. Be done with this kick backwards for another mark given or going back 20 metres for another mark given 5 metres forward of the original mark. This just delays and slows play. The AFL should make it that a kick needs to travel at leat 15 metres FORWARD of the original mark.

 

[CarterS]

Can't get enough of BT and Richo commentating.

I wanted Richmond to win the Flag despite not being a Richmond supporter (all neutrals seemed to want them to lose at least the ones I encountered).

Thought the GF was a great game.

 

[gavaniacono]

That the GF winner is always the best team in the comp.

 

[DangerSloane]

Agreed. Finished with the best record and beat the most different teams.

Did help having two home finals as the away team.

 

[footyfan1978]

That the GF winner is always the best team in the comp.

They always are. Got the cup to prove it.
The losers can suit themselves with their whining as the Crowie fans have been doing for well over a week now.

 

[B4Bear]

I think the way Jake Lever has been treated by Adelaide is s**t. Excluding him from the B&F is petty and small minded, and if the reports on how his captain reacted are true, that is just outright shameful.

This extends to the AFL as a whole. They do not do players leaving clubs like professionals. Once upon a time one club loyalty meant something, now, not so much. Could take a leaf out of the NRLs play book. Players move around and it is no big deal. Here, it is like the player has raped your cat and drunk the last beer in the fridge.

 

[didaksrightfoot]

I think the way Jake Lever has been treated by Adelaide is s**t. Excluding him from the B&F is petty and small minded, and if the reports on how his captain reacted are true, that is just outright shameful.

This extends to the AFL as a whole. They do not do players leaving clubs like professionals. Once upon a time one club loyalty meant something, now, not so much. Could take a leaf out of the NRLs play book. Players move around and it is no big deal. Here, it is like the player has raped your cat and drunk the last beer in the fridge.

I think the way that Lever has approached it hasnt been helpful - the video wasnt a great idea IMO, and then being caught dumping stuff in the bin (if true) is problematic.

I dont have a problem with him telling his teammates earlier - but if you do that you better back that up with efforts on field to show you are fully commited to them while here (ironically- see Dangers 2016).

I do have a problem if his teammates or club told him not to come to the BnF. (And the same goes for player who decide to skip theirs when asking for a trade, or start bagging their club).

Living in WA I don't get much exposure to NRL, but I agree with the idea - that players and clubs have a lot to learn in handling player movement professionally.

 

[Scotland]

The only seasons in the last 25 years that you could argue the best team didn't win were 2008, 1998, 2003 and maybe 2005. 2009 at an absolute stretch.

When I think 'best team didn't win' I think 2008. When a side finishes 20-1 162% and 4 games clear on top you expect that they will go on to win the GF. Plus Hawthorn were ahead of their curve rather than a team like Brisbane 03/04 who were finals hardened, and Geelong kicked themselves out of it in the first half. I think it gets overlooked a bit that Hawthorn were the clear 2nd best team that year, and their only clash with Geelong was tight when Geelong were flogging most sides.

Most years the gap between the top 4 sides isn't much, and gaps on paper don't mean much in an 18 team/22 game comp. Would be a different ball game if everyone played each other twice.

 

[Scotland]

Living in WA I don't get much exposure to NRL, but I agree with the idea - that players and clubs have a lot to learn in handling player movement professionally.

Unpopular opinion: The AFL don't want NRL-style player movement not for the speculation it creates during the year (which we have anyway, it's just that players can't actually move and have to straight bat questions) but for the interest it generates in the off-season.

Tune into Fox Sports News and it's Jake Lever this, Jesse Hogan that, Gary Ablett this. As far as the NRL goes I think Gold Coast need a new coach and some no necks are playing for Tonga at a World Cup that's apparently coming up. No one is talking about Aaron Woods or James Tedesco or whoever else is moving clubs because it's done and dusted.

 

[Luv_our_club]

Raise the draft age to 20 or 21.

So many positives for football.

-Improves the quality of the Comp
-increases certainty in the draft meaning greater equalisation in the long hall.
- even improves player welfare.
- improves the quality of lower level leagues (WAFL/ SANFL/ VFL)

So So many positives. This needs to happen asap.

This would create greater equalization through the draft.

Money howeve would need to be found to pay a shitload of players as they play under 19s/20s/21s.....


*should be a thread on main board to discuss this.....

 

[Scotland]

A marked kick or a free kick needs to travel 15 metres to be claimed as a mark in order to get another kick. I believe that first kick needs to travel at least 15 metres OVER THE MARK. Be done with this kick backwards for another mark given or going back 20 metres for another mark given 5 metres forward of the original mark. This just delays and slows play. The AFL should make it that a kick needs to travel at leat 15 metres FORWARD of the original mark.

Footy is a 360 degree game, this would be impossible to police.

 

[didaksrightfoot]

This would create greater equalization through the draft.

Money howeve would need to be found to pay a shitload of players as they play under 19s/20s/21s.....


*should be a thread on main board to discuss this.....

Yes and No.
The point would for them not to be playing in under 19's/21's etc, but to be playing in VFL/WAFL/SANFL against men... more junior years would defeat the purpose. (IMO - without a VFL quality junior comp)

The players shouldnt be expecting AFL-like salaries in those leagues (which is why the opposition will come) but you'd expect that there would need to be some improvement in salaries from those leagues to make it workable. At the same time, treating it as similar to a couple of years of "college", and a bit more of a diverse real world experience before the big bucks and exposure comes could help the level of maturity of players.

The bigger investment would probably want to be in the development of those players in those 1-2 years... whether its by investing in those leagues, or by expanding the AIS program.

Now a lot of that investment would have to come down from the AFL. But hopefully having these players in those leagues could really drive the level of interest/exposure, bringing money directly from the consumer/media straight to the VFL. If done right could have a lot of exposure and interest being generated for potential high picks.

 

[BigHippy]

I think Dayne Zorko was somewhere around the 3rd - 7th best midfielder in the league in 2017 (clearly behind Dusty + Danger, just as good as anyone else).

I started a poll to see just how unpopular this opinion was...so far 13% of people agree with me that he was top 5 in 2017/going into 2018.

Would love to hear more responses to get a better picture of where people rate him: https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/thre...l-midfield-community-going-into-2018.1179617/

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

I find the whole trade period an absolute bore fest.

 

[Scotland]

I find the whole trade period an absolute bore fest.

It's reflective of the 'scoop' mentality that exists in footy journalism. Just a whole bunch of journos throwing darts hoping to break the news of a blockbuster trade before it happens. As soon as a trade actually goes ahead they have one less thing to talk about.

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

It's reflective of the 'scoop' mentality that exists in footy journalism. Just a whole bunch of journos throwing darts hoping to break the news of a blockbuster trade before it happens. As soon as a trade actually goes ahead they have one less thing to talk about.

If I had a drink every time someone said 'contracted player' I would have been drunk by 10am. Should be a media embargo on the whole thing until the end then clubs just issue a press release telling us what has happened.

 

[Ian Dunross]

I like seeing Port win. When they're up and about their supporters are as vocal as anyone's and perhaps the most vocal.

Hinkley has them playing live and die by the sword footy.

Gray and Dixon are great to watch.

Great guernsey.

Lots to like.