Countdown clock at the ground

[WhyAlwaysMe]

Why isn't there a countdown timer on the scoreboard?

Every single person has a device in their hand in the stadium with the official app that has the countdown clock. The benches, coaches and players all know. The people at home all know how much time is left.

Why can't we just put it on the score board?

 

[omit]

it's more fun not knowing

 

[Power Raid]

we need countdown music

perhaps the chicken dance tune

 

[Big Sauce 21]

Something they should never bring in.

 

[Mentallo]

Don't worry their is always some dickhead with a radio sitting nearby blurting out how long to go.

 

[Dazzler9]

Tonight is a great example of why a countdown clock should be shown at the ground. Poor kid would never have played on and cost Richmond a win.

 

[ThatsjustDappa]

Tonight is a great example of why a countdown clock should be shown at the ground. Poor kid would never have played on and cost Richmond a win.

What? He needs a stop watch on his arm or something? FMD doesn't the team practice for these situations, rookie error and he will have nightmares for days....

 

[Dazzler9]

What? He needs a stop watch on his arm or something? FMD doesn't the team practice for these situations, rookie error and he will have nightmares for days....

Huh?

 

[tigland]

There was a countdown clock for Balta, but he still ignored it

 

[ThatsjustDappa]

Huh?

Well i guess other professionals wear timekeeping....

 

[BigPond101]

No thanks

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

It's a bit simplistic. Different game if there was a clock and so many things probably play out differently, from when Balta had a set shot. Maybe Balta wastes 20-25 seconds and then makes an easy pass to a teammate who's still within range, so they can kill another 30 seconds. Maybe Freo plays to preserve the two points with the ball deep in defence and 20-something seconds left. They definitely set up very differently at that last stoppage and Pickett's tap probably never gets over and into space.

Even if everything plays out exactly the same and Cumberland goes back for a shot, does he make the distance? I don't know what sort of a kick he is, but Freo puts Darcy on the mark, every other tall on the goal-line... does it get over for a score? We'll never know.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

It’s pretty dumb now that it’s everywhere. It was fine when genuinely nobody except the timekeepers knew, but now everybody has it on their phones anyway.

I don’t actually think “the unknown” makes a huge difference with the excitement of a close finish. It’s not as though it affects the play. You still don’t know which way the ball is gonna bounce or what is going to happen.

There’s 3 points in it… “oh now I know there only 54 seconds left, all the excitement is gone”… err, ok.

 

[BF Tiger]

The player(s)/team needs to be smarter.

A shot clock can work for or against a desired outcome.

 

[Rowan18]

It’s pretty dumb now that it’s everywhere. It was fine when genuinely nobody except the timekeepers knew, but now everybody has it on their phones anyway.

I don’t actually think “the unknown” makes a huge difference with the excitement of a close finish. It’s not as though it affects the play. You still don’t know which way the ball is gonna bounce or what is going to happen.

There’s 3 points in it… “oh now I know there only 54 seconds left, all the excitement is gone”… err, ok.

I think it makes a huge difference. West Coast has won its last two flags by under a goal each time. In 2006, channel 10 had the "5 minute warning " where they turned the count down clock in a count-up for the last 5 min of the game. In 2018 there was the usual count down.

It was a lot more exciting not knowing if they'd hold on in 06, rather than knowing with 30 sec to go, that they had it in 18. Commentary was a lot better two, off the cuff stuff in 06 vs Bruce rolling out some shit he'd rehearsed for the last minute that had no real emotion.

 

[Alvin Purple]

If you watch the clock on the replay, although it disappears a couple of seconds before it gets to zero, you can see it would have got to zero before the mark was taken and several seconds before the siren went.
How does that happen?

 

[Belnakor]

If you watch the clock on the replay, although it disappears a couple of seconds before it gets to zero, you can see it would have got to zero before the mark was taken and several seconds before the siren went.
How does that happen?

I noticed that too. If you hand time when the ball was thrown in there was 10 seconds expired before the ball was even kicked to him.

 

[maskmcgee]

I don’t actually think “the unknown” makes a huge difference with the excitement of a close finish.

Then go watch the 2005 and 2006 Grand Finals, the 2005 Semi final, Anazc day 2009 and then tell me it wouldn't have made a difference. Yea, the commentary would of been totally different for one, destroying all of those finishes. Imagine if the 2010 Grand Final was on 10.

The 5 minite warning should be mandatory for all networks in the next broadcast deal, nobody should know how long to go.

 

[boncer34]

If you watch the clock on the replay, although it disappears a couple of seconds before it gets to zero, you can see it would have got to zero before the mark was taken and several seconds before the siren went.
How does that happen?

The TV clock and official clock aren't the same

 

[FireKrakouer]

If you watch the clock on the replay, although it disappears a couple of seconds before it gets to zero, you can see it would have got to zero before the mark was taken and several seconds before the siren went.
How does that happen?

I had it on the radio and brought up the AFL app in the last couple of minutes to watch the count. It felt like 2 or 3 seconds elapsed between it reaching zero and the mark being paid. I thought it was to do with slight delay differences between radio and the app, but the clip of the last 2 minutes from the TV broadcast shows the same.

Would be curious to hear an explanation from the AFL. Even though it obviously didn't change the outcome in the end, if anything it led to more heartache for Richmond.

 

[Igavemyloveachicken]

Then go watch the 2005 and 2006 Grand Finals, the 2005 Semi final, Anazc day 2009 and then tell me it wouldn't have made a difference. Yea, the commentary would of been totally different for one, destroying all of those finishes. Imagine if the 2010 Grand Final was on 10.

The 5 minite warning should be mandatory for all networks in the next broadcast deal, nobody should know how long to go.

I agree, the excitement of not knowing how much time is left really adds to the spectacle of the game, sure your anxiety spikes when it's your team involved but that agony v esctasy experience is special.
Furthermore it adds an excitement level that other sports don't have, most major sports I can think of have a countdown clock, soccer has added time which is a little subjective to the referee, that can be exciting.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

It’s pretty dumb now that it’s everywhere. It was fine when genuinely nobody except the timekeepers knew, but now everybody has it on their phones anyway.

I don’t actually think “the unknown” makes a huge difference with the excitement of a close finish. It’s not as though it affects the play. You still don’t know which way the ball is gonna bounce or what is going to happen.

There’s 3 points in it… “oh now I know there only 54 seconds left, all the excitement is gone”… err, ok.

Oh, it definitely makes a difference.
I was at a close game thinking "don't bugger this up," and had someone say how long. It was deflating