News Ej Whitten Legends Match - Victoria v All-stars - Fri, Sept 1, Etihad Stadium

[melbournemartin]

Was fun on a proper oval with proper rules. That wasn't even close to entertaining.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

I dont even know what this is.

This is Gil's vision for AFL in the year 2035.

 

[wobblypunt]

I thought it was fun, despite being scripted. Takes the edge off the ultra competitiveness of September footy too.

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

They used the same script from last year. Manufacture a draw, have a shootout, and get some famous past star shank the ball on the shootout. Pretty boring game the parts I watched.

 

[James_]

This game reminds me of watching wrestling. We loved watching it as kids but as we’ve got older, we’ve become more cynical. The game tonight is a bit of fun and kids, who it’s aimed it, they love it. That’s all that matters.

 

[Doggy Dan]

Can’t say I wasn’t chuckling. You blokes who couldn’t enjoy that for what it was are taking life way too seriously.

 

[vaughany]

Are they on the Great Northern cans?

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[biglaycock]

I feel they missed an opportunity not having Didak involved in the shootout

 

[Coasters7]

Does anyone feel like this game was more fun and interesting (and more of a "draw", although I could be wrong) when it was limited to fat older footballers having a laugh and taking the piss? Seems like it's too much of a competition now for more recently retired players who are still in shape and can't quite let it go. I'd rather see the Andrew Jarman types running around again (I may be biased, as he's one of my favourite footballers ever), than guys like Matthew Boyd who are only a year or two back from retirement, and weren't really colourful characters or legends of the game in the first place.

Perhaps a rule of being 40+ years of age might be useful? Or do people feel like that part of it has run its race, and the joke's over, and they actually want to see a semi-competitive, skillful outing? Does wanting to see fat old blokes occasion a heart attack present an insurance issue, and go against the message of men's health being promoted by the event?

I also feel like this should be played at Whitten Oval each year. Would provide a proper footy oval with lights, but wouldn't have the "empty" look for TV that Marvel Stadium has had in the past, too.

Me personally I like it when it’s competitive and they’re giving it a go but no necessarily with the in shape guys. I remember when this and the Mainwaring games used to be a pisstake for 3 and a half quarters, keeping the score close enough before flicking a switch and actually making a game of it. I found that last 10 minutes was great viewing watching guys like Kemp and Heady run around again, not necessarily hitting guys lace out every time, and struggling to run the game out. Doesn’t sound like im describing the greatest spectacle but it was definitely more exciting and humorous when the games were close and they were all struggling. I think that should be the target era, not guys like Ling and Fevola who aren’t that long out of the game and probably still play competitively. Tonight reminded me of the NBA all star game, just end to end, kick a score, kick it back. Wasn’t really much to it.

 

[archangel1979au]

That was truly horrible to watch.

Was disappointed to see it. Better off only using retired players from the last 5 years or so. With some "special" subs.

Play it to masters rules if need be.

So boring watching kick to kick on a soccer pitch.

Could be so much better and for a good cause as well.

 

[1991firstgamer]

This is Gil's vision for AFL in the year 2035.

Don't laugh it will happen

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[Balls In]

I'm convinced Gill is trying to end AFL

 

[00Stinger]

The winning team scored more points than people that turned up

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[Total_Juddshanks]

I think sadly that may be the last ever EJ Whitten game, they'll struggle to sell 300 tickets next year based on that late term abortion.

As marketing goes, its hard to put into words how badly they've screwed the pooch.

The people who used to watch this are long term, committed football fans who have been into football for long enough to know who the legends are and enjoy seeing them run around again. At its best, it was a good laugh for a few quarters watching hugely out of condition people run at each other and then 10-15 minutes of quality football as the old chargers had a dip.

Except the AFL has taken a product pitched at old school football fans, absolutely r*ped it with stupid gimmicks, diluted the lists with as many Z grade celebrities as they could get on board and make them play a sport other than AFL. Why?! If you're the kind of ****ing halfwit who enjoys AFLX there's absolutely no chance you're going to have the faintest idea who Darren Jarman or Stephen Silvagni is or was or care about watching them.

So as a product it now appeals to exactly 0% of the population.

 

[Braybrook Son]

Sadly, I think it’s dead and buried. Crowds are getting smaller, interest too. The players don’t even move

 

[wagstaff]

Really has gone downhill in recent years. Easy to forget how well it drew crowds and audiences in the 00s.

 

[wagstaff]

If they're going to have this pre-finals week off surely they could do something better with it. Don't see why the Brownlow can't be moved to this night or weekend.

 

[Americanpies]

Watched 10 minutes of people just running and kicking freely end to end.. no tackling.. nothing... wondered what I was watching and turned it off. i could go down to the local oval myself tomorrow and do exactly what they did, alone.

The only way to save this, is to make huge changes.. but for the good. They obviously tried to copy the NBA All Star games getting teams to score 300 points each. How about using this weekend to make it an All Star weekend. But actually have interesting AFL related stuff going on. Have a series of competitions = goal kicking, handballing, running, etc. Play a few games, telecast live on TV... maybe a 'draft' game, with all the top 50 players in the upcoming draft invited for an exhibition game, and then on day 2 have a state of origin, but rather than use AFL players.. how about using the best players around the country not on an AFL list.. give these guys some exposure. And maybe they will play properly and with some passion for their state..

 

[Topkent]

Really has gone downhill in recent years. Easy to forget how well it drew crowds and audiences in the 00s.

It's because the same exactly players keep getting trotted out. They need another draw another star who isn't all over television all the time.

Wayne Carey is about the biggest star of all time but no one cares about watching him


To truly make this worth while they need a Lockett, Ablett, Jackovich, Dunstall, Kernahan, P.Kelly etc

A couple of the more mythical characters.

A few years ago I was pumped to watch LLoyd and Fev but it's been done. Fev kicking 11 isn't exciting anymore.


From my club yeah it's cool seeing Brad Green but I wanna see Jeff Farmer, Allen Jackovich, Stephen Tingay, Gary Lyon or someone of that level

 

[Damon_3388]

It's because the same exactly players keep getting trotted out. They need another draw another star who isn't all over television all the time.

Wayne Carey is about the biggest star of all time but no one cares about watching him


To truly make this worth while they need a Lockett, Ablett, Jackovich, Dunstall, Kernahan, P.Kelly etc

A couple of the more mythical characters.

A few years ago I was pumped to watch LLoyd and Fev but it's been done. Fev kicking 11 isn't exciting anymore.


From my club yeah it's cool seeing Brad Green but I wanna see Jeff Farmer, Allen Jackovich, Stephen Tingay, Gary Lyon or someone of that level

Yeah you need the more enigmatic "freaks" of days gone by that you don't hear from/see commentating on tele every week. Seems like very few who have a job with an AFL club or Fox Footy actually want to pull the boots on again.

 

[theyellowsash]

Watched for about 5 minutes, it was literally just kick to kick. It was the perfect example of how high scoring doesn't automatically equal entertainment. It would be better as that touch footy version of afl for old people with more celebrities if they were at least legitimately trying.

 

[Farang83150]

Watched a bit of the 1st qtr then FFwd'd it to the last qtr, just cringeworthy garbage, the size of the crowd was almost embarrassing.

 

[tandino]

The ratings figures will be very interesting to see.

 

[ajdude]

i maintain that gilbert mcadam is the greatest meme of 2019

 

[greatwhiteshark]

Just staggering that people watch this crap.