Why did the game devolve into the current dog's breakfast?

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Outside of the Hawthorn game (which will be terrible), there's really only two games of interest to me this weekend and they are Pies v Eagles and North v Swans. Season is too long and there are too many teams in the comp. Secondary comps are ****ed too (look how good the SANFL used to be).
 
And it's completely true. Look, I don't think I've seen better footy to watch than Geelong's 2007-08 sides, but that has so much to do with my own personal bias that it's ridiculous.
No, the Cats in 2007 & 2008 played a brand of high risk, scintillating football and saved the AFL from another year of embarrassment, IMHO
 

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s**t thing about the main board these days. no one can post a rational argument without the team they support somehow being used against them

It’s a shame, there’s a few people who hang around here who really know their footy and are capable of having a mature discussion, but they seem to get drowned out by the upstanding one eyeds and those who would feel at home in Fox Footy facebook comment threads.
 
I think one of the contributing factors is that players are allowed to engage in cynical defensive tactics which slow down the game. In particular, holding onto players after they have taken the mark, over-stepping the mark, getting up too slowly when laying on top of the player who has won the mark/free kick, acting confused when attempting to return the ball to the player who has been awarded a free kick, etc.

The Tigers are particularly good at these tactics (not a criticism of them, as they are simply pushing the boundaries of what is tolerated).

If umpires are instructed to start giving more 50m penalties for these things, we will see significant change in player behaviour and the games will be faster flowing.
 
Outside of the Hawthorn game (which will be terrible), there's really only two games of interest to me this weekend and they are Pies v Eagles and North v Swans. Season is too long and there are too many teams in the comp. Secondary comps are ****** too (look how good the SANFL used to be).

Yep, secondary comps a dogs breakfast too. Roos 0 goals on weekend.
 
Outside of the Hawthorn game (which will be terrible), there's really only two games of interest to me this weekend and they are Pies v Eagles and North v Swans. Season is too long and there are too many teams in the comp. Secondary comps are ****** too (look how good the SANFL used to be).
Giants vs Tigers at spotless with GWS playing for their season will be a ripper.
 

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I might be a pessimist but I think that will be one way traffic if Richmond turn up to play (and I hope they do).

Richmond haven't been great away. Tigers should win but there is always that chance GWS could pip them. Depends if they get anyone else back.

I think Hawks and Brisbane might be entertaining as well. Hawks will win but Brisbane have been competitive with the I'd exception or two. I expect it to be quite high scoring and free flowing. Geelong and Adelaide will be good as well
 
Meanwhile Swans v Roos was one of the most exciting games I’ve seen.

Average scores are far higher these days, the running linked handball plays were unthinkable 20 years ago but are now par for the course.

The reality is, 95% of the old game was bombing it to a pack, then whichever team who crumbed it bombing it to another pack, and then someone deliberately knocking it out of bounds.
 
it wasn't a quagmire in the centre square with torrential rain.
the half time score was 1.7.13 to 2.3.15 ffs!
The Collingwood v Geelong shitfest earlier in the year there was only 2 more points scored for the whole game. That was in dry conditions as well iirc.

That was the worst game for the year imo, final 8 listed talent out there as well.
 
The Collingwood v Geelong shitfest earlier in the year there was only 2 more points scored for the whole game. That was in dry conditions as well iirc.

That was the worst game for the year imo, final 8 listed talent out there as well.
mate, it is not about hanging s**t on your team/my team bullshit.
it is about the fact that the AFL version of footy these days dishes up some absolute rubbish games.
i'll be the first one to tell you about some of the putrid crap Collingwood has served up in recent years.
 
mate, it is not about hanging s**t on your team/my team bullshit.
it is about the fact that the AFL version of footy these days dishes up some absolute rubbish games.
i'll be the first one to tell you about some of the putrid crap Collingwood has served up in recent years.
Binnnnngo. This really is about the state of the whole game, and very few teams (perhaps Essendon and Melbourne, who seem to play the most attack-minded footy) are immune to criticism on that front.
 
Meanwhile Swans v Roos was one of the most exciting games I’ve seen.

Average scores are far higher these days, the running linked handball plays were unthinkable 20 years ago but are now par for the course.

The reality is, 95% of the old game was bombing it to a pack, then whichever team who crumbed it bombing it to another pack, and then someone deliberately knocking it out of bounds.

I’m sure it’s a massive ego boost to people like Gerard Whately to be put on a committee as an appointed saviour of the game. But have any of them actually taken up Sam Mitchell’s challenge of watching 3 random games from a previous decade before deciding our games in desperate peril.
 

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