Opinion Why are there So Many Poor teams in 2025

[Optimistic Dog]

There are 9 teams up to standard this season. At a pinch maybe you can excuse the swans and dons because injuries. We just seeing so many uncompetitive games and big blow out even in prime time games. The AFL must be disappointed we have had so few great games where the results have been close. Evey year they roll out the line the competition is so close this season but in reality the bottom 8 (exclude the swans) are miles behind.

 

[Underdog]

There are 9 teams up to standard this season. At a pinch maybe you can excuse the swans and dons because injuries. We just seeing so many uncompetitive games and big blow out even in prime time games. The AFL must be disappointed we have had so few great games where the results have been close. Evey year they roll out the line the competition is so close this season but in reality the bottom 8 (exclude the swans) are miles behind.

It's getting increasingly difficult to rebuild as a result of all of the concession, father/son, and academy picks. Talent is only going to get thinner with the introduction of Tasmania (if it happens). You really need to be nailing late picks and developing them well but that can be compromised by football department spending caps.

 

[Corn Cobbers]

Last year there were only 3 poor teams, every year is different

 

[RUNVS]

Sydney aren't poor, we are just kicking challenged.

 

[mattyc75]

What is there so many bad English in here?

 

[GetDimmaBack]

What is there so many bad English in here?

English not bad.
He one of the best ruckmens in footy.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

There are 9 teams up to standard this season. At a pinch maybe you can excuse the swans and dons because injuries. We just seeing so many uncompetitive games and big blow out even in prime time games. The AFL must be disappointed we have had so few great games where the results have been close. Evey year they roll out the line the competition is so close this season but in reality the bottom 8 (exclude the swans) are miles behind.

Diluted talent pool. Sidebottom is older than the Sun and probably an all Australian.

A lot of people think it’s because Sidebottom is a elite megastar… I think it’s more because the players he is up against are not as good as the ones he was up against 10 years ago

Too much money spent on Gold Coast producing 4 footballers as opposed to W.A/S.A who could take that same money and produce 20 footballers

Just a reality no one wants to admit

 

[PerthBoy86]

Diluted talent pool. Sidebottom is older than the Sun and probably an all Australian.

A lot of people think it’s because Sidebottom is a elite megastar… I think it’s more because the players he is up against are not as good as the ones he was up against 10 years ago

Too much money spent on Gold Coast producing 4 footballers as opposed to W.A/S.A who could take that same money and produce 20 footballers

Just a reality no one wants to admit

Don't know if I buy that. There are many thousand young kids who aspire to play AFL, is the required talent really too thin for an 18 team professional comp?

Sidey like Pendles one of the best decision maker I've ever seen. Most of his disposals are dangerous and many lead to a goal.

I don't think the average skill level has gone down by any means.

 

[PerthBoy86]

If I recall last year the race for the 8 was very close. I think this year it just happens there is a fair gap between top 9 and bottom 9.

Last year Sydney played in a gf, Port played a prelim, Carlton were up there midway through the season. Those teams have just fallen into holes for various reasons, though Sydney would've certainly finished top 8 if not for injuries. Still could, though very unlikely.

 

[Breretonisahood]

It's getting increasingly difficult to rebuild as a result of all of the concession, father/son, and academy picks. Talent is only going to get thinner with the introduction of Tasmania (if it happens). You really need to be nailing late picks and developing them well but that can be compromised by football department spending caps.

This is made worse by clubs obsession with yoof- in particular yoof from a Vic private school background. Not enough effort/smarts is put into finding potential players like Stewart, Newcomb, McCarthy, D’Ambrosio etc in the 2nd tier leagues.

 

[deck]

Had to laugh at the wildcard round being brought up again as this year being the perfect argument for it. It's the exact opposite.

10th spot currently sits 3 games behind 9th and these idiots in the media think it would be great to give them a crack at finals. It's a great example on why it is a shit idea.

 

[tigers_of_old_08]

What is there so many bad English in here?

More people on BigFooty = diluted talent pool.

 

[Upgrayedd]

World class professionalism is starting to hit AFL clubs so the talent gap can't be bridged by say, WCE over the years just having a off-field structure 300% better then every Vic club. It might just be 50% so the talent starts playing a bigger role

Plus the old slash and burn of AFL lists isn't realistic anymore. So teams which thought it would help 5 years ago are really paying the price if not done correctly

 

[Fadge]

What is there so many bad English in here?

 

[mattyc75]

View attachment 2361042

Underrated band

 

[Erakor]

Richmond and West Coast are irrelevant to this question, there has always been a couple of sides each that are in full rebuild mode.

It’s really simple, draft is heavily compromised, salary cap only exists in theory and free agency.

Add in the fact that it is a brutal game and some teams every year are just not going to be healthy 2/3 of the way through the season, hence blowouts.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

Don't know if I buy that. There are many thousand young kids who aspire to play AFL, is the required talent really too thin for an 18 team professional comp?

Sidey like Pendles one of the best decision maker I've ever seen. Most of his disposals are dangerous and many lead to a goal.

I don't think the average skill level has gone down by any means.

Thats 2001 talk IMHO. Football now is a very big expense on a family. Families are not exactly financially killing it right now either. Many people get lost to the system as families cannot afford the costs associated. The biggest being coaching. So many coaches are expected to do it for free while those up north get to do it on a wage. The WAFL Colts teams is mostly just coaches working for free meanwhile the Gold Coast coaches dont have that pressure. Its just not the same

The average skill has gone down a heap. I mean to that point, Who in the under 24 year old range is the best decision maker we have right now? Whose the next Sidey here? I dont see one

 

[Orange crush]

Sydney aren't poor, we are just kicking challenged.

Gulden back has changed your team ... what an unlucky pre-season injury

 

[Optimistic Dog]

Had to laugh at the wildcard round being brought up again as this year being the perfect argument for it. It's the exact opposite.

10th spot currently sits 3 games behind 9th and these idiots in the media think it would be great to give them a crack at finals. It's a great example on why it is a shit idea.

Agree terrible idea. It also detrimental for 7th and 8th. How can you reward 9 and 10 in favour of 7 and 8. Playing an extra final (7 v 10, 8 v 9) means a team would require to win 5 games straight with no rest. Not going to happen and the dogs would not have won if from 7th in 2016.

 

[CrowToon]

AFL is going down the path of Rugby Union.

At the youth level the obsession is now on those from private schools. Nepotism plays a massive part of which kids get to representative sides and exposure to that next level.

It means so many more players are going to be busts because they got to where they got to through means other than pure talent.

That, and an increasingly scientific approach to the game has led to the exposure of teams if they are even a little bit off. You just get punished because teams are so highly drilled.

There are fewer players these days who do the magical stuff because defending is such a science these days and the plays are all ultra-athletic.

 

[Ambrosia]

It is weird as an Essendon supporter. It feels like we're a bottom of the table level side yet are 13th

 

[deck]

Underrated band

I think you might be overrating them. Journey on the other hand embarrassingly underrated in Australia.

 

[ItsAllAboutMe]

Carlton & Port have obviously underwhelmed based on expectations however clubs like Collingwood, Freo & Gold Coast who missed finals last year will all push for top 4. The same 3 clubs in West Coast, North & Richmond are at the bottom but collectively have the same amount of wins (10) that they finished 2024 with.

 

[PerthBoy86]

Thats 2001 talk IMHO. Football now is a very big expense on a family. Families are not exactly financially killing it right now either. Many people get lost to the system as families cannot afford the costs associated. The biggest being coaching. So many coaches are expected to do it for free while those up north get to do it on a wage. The WAFL Colts teams is mostly just coaches working for free meanwhile the Gold Coast coaches dont have that pressure. Its just not the same

The average skill has gone down a heap. I mean to that point, Who in the under 24 year old range is the best decision maker we have right now? Whose the next Sidey here? I dont see one

I dont know about the costs, maybe you know more than me so I'll defer that. With all the news of concussions especially, I think many parents are worried about injuries too. Same issue with American football/gridiron in the states, which is why I think more kids here and over there play soccer, despite it being nowhere as popular as NFL/AFL. Think the league etc needs to do what it can, but we have to accept there will always be risks. I won't go on a rant about how kids today are mollycoddled etc.

I've been watching for 30 years and I don't feel I've seen that. Goal kicking accuracy hasn't actually changed much though (you'd think it'd get better), but it's true athleticism is more valued now than ever. There are no stay at home full forwards or backs anymore, no Pluggers waiting in the square to wrestle opponents, or hit up short leads. Wayne Carey was maybe one of the first to really be a power forward that covered the ground. Now everyone is expected to be like Jeremy Cameron.

But the style of game is changing too, so it's not really comparable. In terms of kicking, marking, handballing etc I don't think it's really different.

 

[H00t]

Carlton & Port have obviously underwhelmed based on expectations however clubs like Collingwood, Freo & Gold Coast who missed finals last year will all push for top 4. The same 3 clubs in West Coast, North & Richmond are at the bottom but collectively have the same amount of wins (10) that they finished 2024 with.

It’s not like Eagles, Roos or tigers have improved a lot though.

Only the Roos have taken a step forward. It’s just that other teams have dropped right off so those teams have been able to get wins they wouldn’t normally get.